240 HISTORY OF ASTRONOMY. 



strument is reversed, the readings are made by a second 

 set of microscopes, which are attached to the western pier. 

 In the eye-tube are seven fixed and one movable vertical 

 wire, with one fixed and one movable horizontal wire. 

 The lowest eye-piece is used for a collimating eye-piece, 

 by Which the nadir point is determined by reflection 

 from a vessel of mercury. The cost of this instrument 

 was $2050. With this instrument there is a fine sidereal 

 clock by Molineux, of London. 



This observatory is under the direction of Eev. James 

 Curley, who commenced a series of transit observations 

 in 1846. During the autumn of the same year, he made 

 some observations of circumpolar stars with the meridian 

 circle, for determining the latitude of the observatory. 

 During the year 1848, M. Sestini, of Eome, was added to 

 this observatory, and it was expected that the celebrated 

 ^cornet hunter M. De Yico, of Rome, would be associated 

 with Mr. Curley. But these expectations were suddenly 

 disappointed by the death of M. De Yico, which took place 

 at London, in November, 1848. 



In 1852, Mr. Curley published a quarto volume of 216 

 pages, under the title of "Annals of the Astronomical 

 Observatory of Georgetown College," giving a descrip- 

 tion of the observatory, as well as the transit instrument 

 and meridian circle, and intimating that additional num- 

 bers of the " Annals" might be expected hereafter. 



