85 
of the work, remained in charge of astronomers, — rather 
than of gentlemen, who, however gallant and accomplished 
in their proper calling as lieutenants and midshipmen, could 
hot reasonably be expected to do the work of astronomers 
without the requisite training, and frequently much to their 
distaste, — had the large sums annually voted by Congress 
for the support of the Observatory been in part devoted to 
the reduction of these observations, and to the detection of 
the errors lurking in the observing books, — they would have 
conferred high honor upon American science, and indeed 
formed by far the noblest achievement of practical astronomy 
in America. As it is, it has been found necessary to reject 
all the zone-observations made since 1849 ; the remainder 
consist of a curious combination of observations of the most 
delicate character and conscientious accuracy, with others 
which are literally beyond criticism; and the disregard of 
the original plan, and total lack of system in carrying on 
the work with the different instraments, has in great measure 
defeated the scheme, which prescribed that the same region 
should be swept by the Transit and the Mural. Thus the 
zones, when reduced, do not form a complete catalogue for 
the region over which they extend. Moreover, it has been 
‘found necessary to determine the zero-points, both for right- 
ascension and for declination, of a large proportion of the 
zones by observations of stars made during the last two 
years, at an expenditure of labor quite comparable with 
that of the original observations of the zones, and yet ex- 
posed to all the deleterious influences which may be exerted 
by the unknown proper motion of the comparison-stars 
during an interval of from fifteen to eighteen years. The re- 
duction of these zones has been essentially completed, so that 
their publication may be looked for at no distant day ; and of 
this work a portion of the original excellent organization, 
8 
