122 NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 



was finally adopted. " The Naval Academy is more indebted 

 to him than to any other for its development and organiza- 

 tion At first as professor of mathematics and astronomy, 



later of astronomy, navigation, and surveying, he was always 

 the most prominent of the academic staff. The Academy derived 

 reputation from his recognized ability." (Coffin.) 



In 1855 Professor Chauvenet was offered the position of Pro- 

 fessor of Mathematics in Yale College and in 1859 that of 

 astronomy and natural philosophy. At the same time he 

 received an offer from Washington University, then newly- 

 founded, of the professorship of mathematics. After considera- 

 tion, he accepted the position in Washington University, and in 

 1862, he became Chancellor of that institution. He labored 

 assiduously and successfully in developing the University, but 

 his health soon became impaired, and in 1869 he felt himself 

 obliged to resign his position. He died the next year at St. Paul, 

 Minnesota, at the age of 51 years. 



Besides numerous papers on astronomical and mathematical 

 subjects. Professor Chauvenet published several text-books of 

 a high order of excellence. These included a work on trigo- 

 nometry (1850), a manual of spherical and practical astronomy 

 (1863), and a text-book of geometry (1870). 



In addition to his abilities as a man of science and an educator, 

 Professor Chauvenet possessed marked talent as a musical per- 

 former, and his enthusiastic interest in that art continued to the 

 end of his life. 



(From J. H. C. Coffin, in Biographical Memoirs of the National Academy of 

 Sciences, vol. I, 1877, pp. 227-244.) 



JOHN HUNTINGTON CRANE COFFIN 



Born, September 14, 1815; died, January 8, i8go 



Professor Coffin was born at Wiscasset, Maine, in 1815. He 

 was graduated from Bowdoin College in 1834. In 1836 he was 

 appointed Professor of Mathematics in the United States Navy 

 and served on various vessels. He was detailed to the Naval 

 Observatory at Washington and placed in charge of the Mural 



