Nov. 8, 1888] 



NATURE 



47 



n out by age, and otherwise unsuitable, as the height of the 

 differed by 4" ; and so he constructed four instruments, of 

 h three now remain. In the east eml of the ceurt is the 

 ■torial armillary, which is made of bronze, and consists of (i) 

 lassive horizontal circle, held up at four corners by four 

 ;.rns, each of which with one upraised palm supports the 

 :ue circle, while round the other palm a chain is passed and 

 ned behind to a small bronze pillar, — the dragons are 

 iselves works of art ; (2) a double vertical circle firmly con- 

 ed with the horizontal circle at its norih and south points, 

 supported at its lowest point by a bronze pillar. On the 

 ical circle, which, like the other, is fixed, at a distance equal 

 [o liie latitude of Pekin, that is 40", are two pivots corresponding 

 to the North and South Poles. Revolving round these pivots are 

 two circles, one double, corresponding to the solstitial coKire — 

 ' ', i>, the great circle passing through the Poles and the solstices ; 

 other single, corresponding to tiie equinoctial solure — that is, 

 ijreat circle through the Poles and the equinoxes. Half-way 

 ween the Poles is another circle, which corresponds to the 

 uitor, the rim of which is let into the two colure circles. 

 ' oie is also another circle, making with the latter an angle of 

 , and corresponding to the ecliptic. Finally, inside these 

 es, all of which revolve together round the polar axis, there 

 ; other double circle, representing the polar circle or declina- 

 . and between the rims of this double circle revolves the 

 )W tube through which observations were made. I; is 

 liable that there were originally threads across the tube to 

 k-ii-.e the line of sight. There are in the circles 365 i° — that is, a 

 it:;ree for each day in the year — and each degree is subdivided 

 into divisions of 10' each. When using this instrument the 

 observer turned round the inner circle till the heavenly body was 

 sighted in the centre of the tube, and then the distance of the 

 star was read from the Pole on tlie polar circle, and its position 

 on the equator by the equatorial circle. The complex con- 

 struction was in some particulars of no use whatever : the 

 ecliptic and one of the colures were useless. At the west end of 

 j the court are the other two instruments, the equatorial, or 

 astrolabe, and the altitude and azimuth instrument. The 

 former is remarkably simple in its construction. There is a fixed 

 bronze circle placed parallel to the equator, and there is another 

 double circle perpendicular to it, which moves round an axis 

 passing through the centre of and perpendicular to the equatorial 

 circle. Of course there is also the hollow tube for observation. 

 This instrument is free from the clumsiness and complexity of the 

 first-named instrument, and in the form of its mounting much 

 more closely resembles those in use at present in all Observatories 

 than the other instruments. The altitude and azimuth instru- 

 ment consists of two circles, one horizontal and fixed, the other 

 vertical and movable round an axis passing through the centre of 

 the horizontal circle, and was used to observe the altitudes of the 

 heavenly bodies and their distances from the north and south 

 points. It is curious to observe that all these instruments are 

 exactly similar to those constructed by Tycho Brahe, the great 

 Danish astronomer, who was the first European to make astro- 

 nomical instruments of metal. And thus we see that the Chinese 

 anticipated European astronomers by at least three centuries, and 

 that the former had at that very early date attained great pro- 

 ficiency both in the science of astronomy and the art of metal- 

 carving. Verbiest, the Jesuit father, says that these instruments 

 had, at the beginning of the present dynasty, fallen into disrepair. 

 The tjuth was that they were far too clumsy, and were so heavy 

 that it took several men to move them ; and in some positions, 

 from the profuseness of ornament, the stars could not be observed 

 at all. Besides they had got out of position, and there were no 

 appliances for righting them. It is more than probable that during 

 the latter part of the Ming dynasty astronomy had been neglected, 

 and so the old instruments fell into disuse. In the year 1670, so 

 bad were the old instruments, that Verbiest was ordered to make 

 six new instruments. It appears that when the high Ministers of 

 State were ordered to go to the Observatory, and make certain 

 observation?, the calculations of Verbiest were verified as correct, 

 while those ef Wu Ming Hsuen, the Chinese astronomer, were 

 proved to be wrong. And so Verbiest was intrusted with the cal- 

 culation of the calendar and the construction of these instruments, 

 which were of the same general character as the old instruments, 

 but much more' accurate, and more easily adjustable. The circles 

 are"divided into 360°, and each degree into six parts of 10' each. 

 "By means of the diagonal scale and a movable divided scale, 

 the ob>erver could, on the new instruments of Verbiest, read to 

 75", instead of lo' as in the old instruments. Since the lime of 

 Verbiest two more instruments have been added — namely, an 



altitude and azimuth instrument, in the fifty-fourth year of Kang 

 Hsi (1715), the other an equatorial armillary in the ninth year 

 of Khien-Lung (1745). The former is said to have been a 

 present from Louis XIV. to the emperor, but by some it is 

 attributed to a German Jesuit, named in Chinese Kilian, and is 

 remarkable for the total absence of ornamentation, an J for the 

 degrees being marked in foreign numerals. One of the most 

 curious objects in the Observatory is the Qw'ei Ying T'ang, a 

 three-roomed building lying a few yards to the south of the steps. 

 It is evidently very old. In it is a stone slab 16 feet 2 inches 

 long and 2 feet 7 inches broad, with a groove on both sides, and 

 raised about 3 feet above the ground. At the south end of the 

 slab is a brass pillar, which was formerly 8 feet high, but to 

 which the 1 resent dynasty have added 2 feet more, extending to 

 the roof, and at its summit is a small circular hole ts inch in 

 diameter. Another brass pillar 3 feet 5 inches high stands at 

 the north end of the slab. At noon the sun shines through the 

 little hole in the roof, and throws an elliptical shadow of the 

 sun on the slab, or on the brass pillar at the north end about the 

 winter solstice. By observing the distance of the sun's image 

 from the foot of the south brass pillar the solstices and equinoxes 

 were determined. For instance, at the summer solstice the 

 distance should be 2 feet 9 inches. The instruments of Verbiest 

 are almost perfect of their kind, and will remain a lasting 

 memorial of the industry and genius of the devoted missionary. 

 At the time that he made them they were growing out of date 

 in Europe. The telescope had already begun to be used largely 

 in astronomical observations, and Verbiest must have known of 

 it. The question arises. How does it happen that the Chinese, 

 who in the thirteenth century were far ahead of Europe in the 

 construction of these instruments, seem to have made no head- 

 way since? Many reasons can be given, but the chief one is that 

 with them the main object of making astronomical observations 

 was to regulate the calendar, and to give the time to the people ; 

 and for this accurate instruments were not needed, and their 

 want was never felt. The grerter problems of the heavens 

 never seriously attracted the attention of the Chinese astronomers. 

 The Astronomical Board consists of eighteen officials, with the 

 fifth prince, an uncle of the emperor, at their head. There are, 

 including students, altogether 196 persons attached to the Board. 

 The privilege of becoming a member of this Board has become 

 hereditary, though it is not of necessity so. The policy, 

 however, pursued by the Board, of keeping secret the book tables 

 of the sun and moon, and everything uFcd in regulating the 

 almanac, tends to encourage the hereditary principle. No one 

 can see them but the relatives of the Board ; and so vacancy 

 after vacancy is filled up by members of the same family as the 

 predecessor, and as the office is an honorary, and not a lucrative, 

 one, the people do not grumble at their exclusion. The principal 

 duty of this Board is to prepare the calendar, the most important 

 book published in China. Besides astronomical facts, it gives 

 the lucky and unlucky days, on the latter of which no Chinese 

 will transact the least business. Another duty is to observe 

 eclipses, and this appears to be the only occasion on which the 

 instruments are still used. On every New Year's Eve, at mid- 

 night, astronomers from the Board seat themselves in the 

 Observatory, and watch the way in which the wind blows a 

 number of banners which are hung around. As the wind blows, 

 so will the new year be. This year the wind blew from the 

 northeast, the fortunate direction, and therefore it will be a year 

 of long life and plenty. 



UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL 



INTELLIGENCE. 



Cambridge. — The following were elected Fellows of St. 

 John's College at the annual election on November 5 : W. N. 

 Roseveare, B.A. (mathematics), Master at Westminster ; E. H. 

 Acton, B.A. (botany and chemistry) ; F. W. Hill, B.A. 

 (mathematics) ; T. Darlington, B.A. (philology), University 

 Scholar, London, Head Master of Queen's College, Taunton, 

 author of " The Folk-Speech of South Cheshire"; H. F. 

 Baker, B.A. (mathematics), bracketed Senior Wrangler in 1887. 



SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES. 

 j London. 



I Mineralogical Society, October 30. — Anniversary Meeting, 

 i — Mr. L. Fletcher, President, in the chair. —The Hon. Secretary, 

 i. Mr. Scott, read the Annual Report, which showed that the 



