54 



PIONEERS OF SCIENCE IN AMERICA. 



From this time on, Rittenhouse was to a considerable extent 

 engaged in works in the service of the public, to some of which 

 he was called in consequence of his scientific ability and me- 

 chanical skill, to others commended by his character as a 

 citizen and his integrity. He was given charge of the State 

 House clock ; appointed to survey the lands between the Sus- 

 quehanna and Delaware Rivers ; to superintend the improve- 

 ment of the Schuylkill; and to determine the northwestern 

 extremity of the boundary between New York and Pennsyl- 

 vania. 



In 1775 the American Philosophical Society presented to 

 the Pennsylvania Assembly a plan for the erection of an ob- 

 servatory under State control, with Mr. Rittenhouse as " public 

 astronomical observer " ; describing him as " a gentleman 

 whose abilities, speculative as well as practical, would do 

 honour to any country. . . . Under his auspices the work 

 could now be undertaken with the greatest advantages ; and 

 others may be bred up by him, to prosecute it in future times ; 

 but, if the present opportunity is neglected, perhaps whole 

 centuries may not afford another. To rescue such a man from 

 the drudgery of manual labour, and give him an occasion of 

 indulging the bent of his genius with advantage to his country, 

 is an honour which crowned heads might glory in ; but it is an 

 honour also, which it is hoped, in the case of a native, Penn- 

 sylvania would not yield to the greatest prince or people on 

 earth." The Revolution came on, and the scheme was not 

 carried out. 



In view of that crisis, Mr. Rittenhouse was commissioned to 

 prepare moulds and have iron clock weights cast, to be ex- 

 changed with the people for their leaden ones; as engineer to 

 the Committee of Safety, to arrange for casting cannon ; to 

 view a site for the erection of a Continental powder mill ; to 

 conduct experiments for rifling cannon and musket balls ; to 

 devise a method of fastening a chain for the protection of the 

 river; to superintend the manufacture of saltpetre, and to 

 locate a magazine for military stores. He was a member of 

 the Committee of Safety in April, its vice-president in August, 

 and its presiding officer in November, 1776. In the same 

 year he was a member of the Assembly from Philadelphia, 

 and a member of the first Constitutional Convention of Penn- 

 sylvania; a member of the Board of War; and one of the 



