10 



himself exclusively upon double stars, embracing two departments- 

 the search for new doublets, and the careful observation and meas- 

 uring of old objects, which had been neglected, or were supposed 

 to be single, and the correction of errors in former measurements. 

 His catalogue, now in course of publication by our government, an 

 issue which astronomers in this country and abroad are awaiting 

 with interest, will reveal the valuable results which have been here 

 accomplished results which may be considered most honorable to 

 our young city. Mr. BURNHAM is in constant correspondence with 

 eminent astronomers engaged in the same field, in Europe and 

 America. HALL, of the Washington Observatory ; STONE, of Cin- 

 cinnati, and PICKERING, of Cambridge, the latter engaged largely 

 upon photometric work, may be specially mentioned in this country ; 

 while abroad, we may allude to FLAMMARION, of Paris, who is to 

 France, as a writer, what PROCTOR is to England ; to STRUVE, Di- 

 rector of the Pulkowa Observatory ; to DEMBOWSKI, of Milan ; to 

 WILSON, of Rugby, and GLADHILL, of Crossley's Observatory, in 

 England ; and to DOBERCK, in Ireland. 



The great event in Astronomy of the past year, and the most 

 important for many years, the discovery of the two satellites of 

 Mars, on the 14th and 18th of August, by ASAPH HALL, at the 

 Washington Observatory, occurs to you all. I can only allude 

 to the discovery made by Prof. DRAPER, of New York, of oxygen 

 in the sun, important as a step towards ascertaining the con- 

 stituent elements of this body. It is pleasant to note that our 

 country has the honor of these, the two important discoveries of 

 1877. Possessing two instruments, among the first in the world, 

 the one here with an object-glass of eighteen and one-half inches, 

 and that of the Washington Observatory of twenty-six inches in 

 diameter, we may reasonably hope to keep abreast of astronomical 

 discovery. 



For acquaintance with the advances in the science of Electricity, 

 in it- manifold applications, Chicago affords admirable opportunities. 

 A visit to tin- extensive manufactory of electrical instruments, in the 

 North Division, and to the head-quarters of the Western Union Tel- 

 < _'r;ipli r.unpjmy. where the instruments may be seen in use, would 

 prove the assertion. I can but name a few of the advances made 

 in thi- department of science during the year. 



