108 THE NATIONAL SCIENTIFIC INSTITUTIONS AT BERLIN. 



of their own oxperiments or on the results of their studies. The exer- 

 cises in writin.L': consist in the execution of problems given by the di- 

 rector, and are arranged in such succession that they will cover the 

 entire field of mathematics, and combined, teud to its better understand- 

 ing, and also in the preparation of larger essays or demonstrations, the 

 subjects of which are given by the director or are selected by the 

 students themselves. The board of directors examine and judge these 

 essays. - 



(9) The students who excel in both oral and other exercises are — 

 toward the close of each course — to bo reported to the minister of edu- 

 cation with recommendations for the prizes set apart for the purpose. 

 These semi-annual reports contain also a statement of the exercises held 

 and the general state of the seminary. 



(10) A library of the best and most useful mathematical works is to 

 be maintained for the free use of the students and for use in the meet- 

 ings of the seminary. 



The annual appropriation for the seminary, since April 25, 18G4, has 

 been 1,200 mark ($300j, of which 750 mark ($187.50) are expended 

 for the library and 450 ($112.50) for ])rizes. The latter however were 

 established by order of March 14, 1884. 



The Ohserratory and Comimtation Iiistitutc. — The first impulse for the 

 establishment of the Berlin Observatory was given toward the end of 

 the seventeenth century by the acceptance, on the part of the Protest- 

 ant powers of Germany, of the Gregorian calendar. King Frederick 

 I, in order to emancipate the country from foreign researches and labors 

 which had largelj' entered into consideration on important occasions, 

 resolved to utilize this change which affected all domestic affairs, by 

 establishing an observatory and a society of sciences. He therefore 

 ordered the erection of a square tower, 84 feet high and 40 feet a side, 

 the second floor of which was to be reserved for tlwi society of sciences, 

 while the third floor was to be utilized by the astronomer of the society 

 for puri)oses of observation. The building was dedicated on January 

 19, 1711. 



The first astronomer of the society, Gottlieb Kirch, had been ap- 

 pointed in July, 1700, but he died (July 25, 1710) before the completion 

 of the building. 



On October 15, 182S, King Frederick William III granted a request 

 of Alexander von Humbold for the purchase of a Fraunhofer refractor. 

 The instrument was received in March, 1829, but remained in the pack- 

 ing cases. 



On August 10, 1830, permission was given for the purchase of a site 

 for a new observatory which was to be located in sufficiently close prox- 

 imity to the academy and the university to enable employes of the ob- 

 servatory to continue their connection with those establishments. Tiie 

 building was completed in 1835. 



