TWENTY-SIXTH CONGRESS, 1839-1841. 207 



capital of the Smithsonian fund; to increase it by providing from its income perma- 

 nent funds for the discharge of the most of constantly accruing expenditures incident 

 to it; and to relieve the fund itself forever after from any further contribution to this 

 branch of the institution. 



Further reflection and the information received of the expenses actually chargeable 

 upon the Greenwich Observatory, and defrayed by the British Government, have 

 led to the conclusion that the estimate was yet not sufficiently liberal; and that, for 

 the accomplishment of the above purposes, not less than ten years of the income will 

 be required exclusively for this object. But of this large sum an overbearing pro- 

 portion will, while providing for all the necessary expenses of the establishment, at 

 the same time increase the capital of the fund by the value of the buildings erected, 

 and of the instruments and books purchased, and by the amount of the funds, from 

 the interest of which the observing astronomer, his assistants, and all the persons to 

 be employed in the service of the observatory, shall receive their compensation. 

 The following is a gross estimate of the sums which, it is believed, will be required for 

 the full execution of the plan presented in the bill herewith reported: 



ESTIMATE CF THE APPROPRIATIONS FROM THE ANNUAL INCOME OF THE SMITHSONIAN 

 FUND, ASSUMED TO BE $30,000. 



For the purchase of land and construction of the necessary buildings one 



year $30, 000 



For a fund, from the yearly income of which the compensation of the 



observing astronomer shall be paid, two years 60, 000 



The interest of this sum will be $3,600 a year, of which $3,000 a year 

 may be fixed as the salary of the astronomer, and $600 for the inciden- 

 tal and contingent expenses of repairs upon the buildings, as they may 

 be required. 



For a fund, from the yearly income of w T hich four assistants to the astron- 

 omer, and two laborers necessary for attendance on him, for the care and 



preservation of the buildings four years .' 120, 000 



The income would be $7,200 a year, of which $6,000 a year might be 

 for the compensation of four assistants, at $1,500 a year each, and two 

 laborers, each at $600 a year. 



For the purchase and procurement of instruments one year 30, 000 



Of this, $20,000 might be applied to furnish an assortment of the best 

 instruments to be procured, and $10,000 a fund, from the interest of 

 which other instruments may be from time to time procured, as occa- 

 sions for the use of them may arise, and for repairs of the instruments, 

 as needed. 



For the library one year 30, 000 



$10,000 for first supply; $20,000 for a fund for an income of $1,200 a 

 year, for a constant supply of new works and periodical publications 

 upon science in other parts of the world, or in America. 

 Estimate for a fund, from the income of which $1,800 a year shall be 

 defrayed the expense of the yearly publication of the observations, and 

 of a nautical almanac one year 30, 000 



John Q. Adams to Christopher Hughes. 



WASHINGTON, April 10, 1839. 



DEAR SIR: I wish to obtain information upon the following points relating to the 

 royal observatory at Greenwich: 



1. By whom, and at whose expense, was the royal observatory at Greenwich 

 built? At whose expense is it maintained? 



