320 Sir Howard Grubb on the Astronomical Telescope. [May 25, 



few minutes his telescope set correctly in AR and Decn — the dome 

 opening is opposite the object-glass and the floor at a height most 

 convenient for observation. 



The idea may seem almost Utopian, but there are no particular 

 difficulties in carrying it out, nor would it add sensibly to the cost of 

 a large instrument. 



If I have succeeded, even very imperfectly, in rendering a neces- 

 sarily technical, and therefore somewhat dry, subject sufficiently 

 interesting to have enabled you to follow me, you will have no 

 difficulty in seeing that the principal ideas I desired to convey may 

 be summed up shortly in this way : — 



That, while on the one hand, the adoption of new methods for 

 prosecuting astronomical research have created a set of conditions 

 under which it is possible to use, and use with advantage, instruments 

 of greater optical power than hitherto, yet, on the other hand, the 

 mechanical arrangements for mounting these instruments must be of 

 a much higher standard than has been necessary for the older 

 methods ; in fact, they must be mounted as instruments of precision, 

 in the highest sense of the term, and while the mounting of instru- 

 ments even larger than we have at present and suitable to the older 

 conditions would not present any serious engineering difficulties, the 

 problem of mounting them as instruments of precision is one of con- 

 siderable magnitude — a fact which is well recognised by those who 

 have studied the subject. 



The time has gone by when with very few inches increase of 

 aperture some sensational discovery is expected. 



The astronomer of the future will not be satisfied with mere star- 

 gazing instruments. The experiments of the last few years show 

 that there is no royal road to great astronomical discoveries, but that 

 patient, honest and self-recording work is necessary to enable us to 

 add (as our ambition is) course after course to the great edifice of 

 astronomical truth. 



But the ever-advancing work of the astronomer demands an ever^ 

 increasing perfection of his instruments, and the records of the past 

 show that few of these improvements are to be credited either entirely 

 to the astronomer, be he ever so practical, or to the instrument-maker, 

 however ingenious, but to both working harmoniously together, the 

 astronomer finding out the weak points of existing instruments, and 

 the instrument-maker continually devising new contrivances to meet 

 the difficulties of the astronomer. 



I myself would like to take this opportunity of saying that what- 

 ever measure of success I may have had in my work is due in no 

 small degree to the helpful kindness I have invariably received from 

 those astronomers with whom I have been in communication. 



As it has been in the past, so, let us hope, it will be in the future, 

 for in this harmonious working together of those who design and 

 those who work the instruments lies our strongest hope of the future 

 development of the astronomical telescope. 



[H. G.] 



