Miscellaneous Intelligence. 



297 



C 



tional Insurance offices, and the Humane Society, gave five hundred 

 each ; two other companies subscribed three hundred ; and two others 

 gave, respectively, two hundred and fifty, and two hundred. Thus in 

 a short time an amount was subscribed sufficient for procuring the in- 

 strument which has contributed so much to the advancement of astron- 

 omy generally, besides reflecting so much honor on the country at 

 large. 



The Sears Tower, — The engraving annexed is a correct representa- 

 tion of the Grand Refractor, which is placed in the Sears Tower, or 

 central building of the Observatory, and in the preceding sketch a cor- 

 rect view is given of the South front of the Observatory and its two wings. 



The site of the Observatory was purchased by the corporation of 

 Harvard University. The Sears Touer, so called in honor of David 

 Sears, whose generous donation we have already mentioned, is built of 

 orick, on a foundation of granite laid with cement. It is thirty-lwo 

 jeet square on the outside, while on the inside the corners are gradually 

 Drought to a circular form for the better support of the dome, forming 

 a massive arch. This dome, covering the grand equatorial, is a hemi- 

 sphere of thirty-two feet interior diameter, made with stout ribs of 

 plank, and covered externally with copper. There is an opening five 



Seeies. 



-Sept, 1851. 



S8 



