XXIV ORIGIN AND OPERATIONS 



would .assuredly adopt it. The experience of two and a half years in zone- observations fully 

 convinced me that the diagonal telescope would have enabled us to do more and far better work 

 witli infinitely less physical effort, and on another occasion I would not hesitate to have such a 

 transit-circle made. 



Applications were next made to the observatory, and to Commander Wilkes, U. S. N., for 

 the other instruments belonging to government named in the preceding pages, and with which 

 it was supposed they could furnish the Expedition, and the five-feet telescope, sidereal clock, 

 chronometers, Fox's deflector, barometers, and thermometers, were at once transferred Lieut. 

 Maury offering to facilitate our equipment in any manner within his power which might be 

 indicated to him. The first named instrument had long occupied a position subject to the 

 extremes of temperature and moisture, without frequent attention, and careful examination 

 showed it to have been seriously, if not fatally, injured. An annulus of oxidation, more than 

 one and a half inches in diameter, had formed on its object-glass, irremovable unless by repol- 

 ishing a process which might destroy its figure ; Fox's deflector was probably injured beyond 

 the skill of any one but the original maker ; and the declinometer had just been given to a mixed 

 commission of army and navy officers about to embark for duty in California. In this unex- 

 pected dilemma, with nearly one half of the appropriation by Congress already pledged for the 

 circle, (3,400 rix thalers,) and the unavoidable expenditure of quite a thousand dollars more of 

 it for the observatory, piers, and repairs, I scarcely knew where to turn for relief. Prof. Henry, 

 Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, had very generously offered to lend me a seismometer, 

 and a complete meteorological outfit, in case the observatory could not supply it, and subse- 

 quently authorized me to purchase, at the expense of the institution, a full set of the portable 

 instruments used in magnetic surveys. Moreover, the department had sanctioned the recom- 

 mendation of the joint committee respecting the number of assistants ; American astronomers 

 thought the five-feet telescope altogether too powerless ; and each day had added to my own 

 solicitude, that every portion of the equipment should be the best of its kind. The circle would 

 be so ; an achromatic telescope, of six and a half inches aperture, parallactically mounted, and 

 driven by clock-work, would be a suitable companion for it ; and should we prove fortunate in 

 inspiring the government and people of the country where we were to be located with a desire 

 to promote astronomy, the two instruments would do honor to a national observatory. But 

 where and how was such an instrument to be obtained ? 



Looking over the programme of organization of the Smithsonian Institution, I found that it 

 proposes "Also a collection of instruments of research in all branches of experimental 

 science;" and as such an instrument is within the limits of portability, and might be used* in 

 obtaining astronomical data in our own as well as in other countries, I supposed that it would 

 be a most valuable, if not an absolutely necessary accession to the cabinet one whose possession 

 would enable the Regents to stimulate original researches to the solution of experimental prob- 

 lems. It was therefore suggested to Prof. Henry, that he could render great service to science, 

 if he would obtain one somewhat in anticipation of the time proposed in their programme, and 

 lend it for our use. At that time one half of the income of the institution was applicable to cur- 

 rent expenses; the other half was required to be appropriated for the building in progress, and 

 the amount demanded for the single instrument was a serious obstacle. But that accomplished 

 physicist, as well as the members of the Executive Committee of the institution, was greatly 

 interested for the Expedition, and, after much discussion, he notified me that it was deemed of 

 sufficient importance to astronomical science to aid me in the manner requested, provided the 

 telescope could be obtained on a credit of three years, and at a cost not exceeding $2,000, with 

 interest. No importer to whom application was made was willing to order one from Germany 

 on such terms. Messrs. Merz, the successors to Frauenhofer, at first declined selling without 

 the cash indeed their ordinary custom is to demand one half of the price in advance ; and the 

 only maker in the United States likely to execute properly the mechanical portions of so large 

 * If constructed with a suitable range of adjustment of the polar axis. 



