82 Account of the Founding of a 



consider also as belonging to the observatory, or chief building, 

 four tents, distributed symmetrically round it, two of which 

 are intended to receive those who are on the outlook for co- 

 mets, and the other two those instruments of geodaetical astro- 

 nomy, which are of a great weight. The corridors, which we 

 have mentioned above, may also supply situations very fit for 

 the employment of small instruments in the direction of the me- 

 ridian. The officers of the observatory, consisting of a direc- 

 tor, of four astronomers, two inspectors, a mechanician, secre- 

 tary, and domestics, will find in the dwelling-house large and 

 most comfortable habitations. The platform of the hill will 

 supply gardens for the several families which reside in them, 

 and beyond those extensive pleasure-grounds. 



The time is not yet arrived when we might enter upon the 

 detail concerning the various instruments which will be employ- 

 ed in the observatory. The Commission has already opened 

 up communications with many artists, but waits the return of 

 M. Struve before coming to any final conclusion. The cele- 

 brated optical manufactory of Munich, which was formerly un- 

 der the direction of Fraunhofer, and now of Messrs d'Utzschnie- 

 der and Mertz, has promised to supply to the Petersburgh Ob- 

 servatory a refracting telescope, larger than any they have pre- 

 viously made, and as perfect as those which have been manufac- 

 tured by Fraunhofer. The Commission hopes, that, by profit- 

 ing by the experience of the last twenty years, and retaining 

 that which is known to be good, and improving whatever may 

 require it ; in short, by introducing improvement in various par- 

 ticulars, they may also procure for their other instruments an 

 uncommon degree of perfection. 



The Commission will continue its labours until the observatory 

 be completely finished. Its watchful care will be directed to 

 ascertain that the construction of the building answers, in every 

 respect, to its scientific destination, whilst that department which 

 is purely architectural, will be under the inspection of Mr Brii- 

 lofF. The Commission itself will especially give directions con- 

 cerning the revolving roof-work of the towers, to which is to be 

 applied a mechanism, which has already been employed for nine 

 years with complete success, for the revolving cupolas of the Ob- 

 servatory of Dorpat, by two of the members of the Commission, 



