75 
had won the confidence of his official superiors, and impressed 
all whom he could induce to see. what he was doing. To 
his immediate influence must be attributed the official ree- 
ommendations of the Naval Commission in December, 1841 ; 
that of the Secretary of the Navy in the same month; the 
unanimous presentation of a bill in its favor by the Na- 
val Committee of the House, after much reluctance, and in 
spite of strong political prejudice against this very measure 
under another name; the winning to his views of the iden- 
tical Senator who had presented resolutions concerning, the 
Smithsonian fund, “providing that no part of the funds 
should be applied to the erection of an Astronomical Observ- 
atory,” and that persistent advocacy which culminated in the 
final passage of the bill on the last day of August, 1842, with- 
out discussion and without a division. 
Nine days later the Secretary of the Navy, “taking the 
Report of the Naval Committee, which accompanied the 
[House] bill, as the exponent of the will of Congress,” as- 
signed to Lieutenant Gilliss the duty of preparing the plans 
for a building and arranging for the instruments. How well 
_ he did his work I need not tell you. 
After consulting those Americans most conversant with 
astronomical subjects, he visited Europe to obtain the counsel 
_ Of foreign astronomers, and to make himself acquainted by 
Personal inspection with the latest improvements in the con- 
_ Struction of astronomical and magnetic implements. In 
March, 1843, he returned home, having ordered the instru- 
_ Ments under authority from the Secretary of the Navy, and 
_ began the erection of the Observatory. The building was 
Completed, the instruments mounted and essentially adjusted, 
and a library procured within eighteen months. 
_ On the 7th February, 1845, Gilliss presented a detailed. 
final report of his labors, which is published as Senate Docu- 
eS Tl 
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