152 HISTORY OF ASTRONOMY. 



of England, on the 7th ; and on the llth it was dis- 

 covered by Madame Kiimker, of Hamburg. 



As there was no doubt of Miss Mitchell's having been 

 the first discoverer of this body, she seemed fairly entitled 

 to the gold medal offered by the King of Denmark for 

 the first discovery of a comet. In consequence, however, 

 of her not having complied strictly with the conditions 

 of giving immediate notice of the discovery by letter to 

 Professor Airy, it was for a time doubtful whether the 

 medal would not be awarded to M. De Yico. A full 

 statement of the circumstances of the discovery having 

 been made to the King of Denmark, his majesty ordered 

 a reference of the case to Professor Schumacher, who 

 reported in favor of granting the medal to Miss Mitchell. 

 This report was accepted by the king, and the medal has 

 been transmitted accordingly. This is the first instance 

 in which the gold medal, founded by the King of Den- 

 mark in 1831, for the first discovery of a comet, has been 

 awarded to an American, and the first instance in which 

 it has been awarded to a lady in any part of the world. 



Miss Mitchell has since been provided with a comet- 

 seeker of a very large aperture, the manufacture of Mr. 

 Fitz of New York, and the public will therefore look for 

 additional discoveries from the same quarter. 



