61 
“ All the observations of the volume, excluding a part of 
those on three dates, (as stated in the foot-notes,) were made 
by myself. Absence on two of these days was caused by 
illness ; and it is proper to state, that, with the above excep- 
tions, there was not a visible culmination of the moon which 
occurred when the sun was less than an hour above the 
horizon, during the entire period embraced by the observa- 
tions, or an occultation after the 15th June, 1839, except one 
which I did not personally observe, although my residence, 
till the middle of May, 1839, was two miles distant from the 
observatory. [Earlier in the afternoon or later in the morn- 
ing than just specified, the transit-instrument would not show 
stars of the 2—3 magnitude. 
“ Occupation during the day in attention to the duties origi- 
nally allotted to the office, and the want of sufficient assist- 
ance, prevented any attempt at reduction of the constantly 
accumulating materials prior'to the summer of 1843. 
“Tt remains but for me to express my gratitude that the 
prosecution of these observations should have resulted in the 
foundation of a permanent naval observatory, and have ob- 
tained for me, though for a brief period, the privilege of 
association with many of the most distinguished astronomers 
of the present century.” . 
In describing the results attained, the mention of a serious 
obstacle ought not to be omitted, — the very inadequate con- 
struction of the little building in which the observations 
were made. The observing slits of the roof of the ten-foot 
structure which served as his observatory extended only to 
Within three feet of the ridge-pole on each side, thus pre- 
cluding all observations between 26° and 53° North declina- 
s tion, a region which actually includes a portion of the 
Moon’s path. This was partially remedied by extending 
6 : 
