332 Davis’s Report on the Nautical Almanac. 
and of real national importance, resembling in this respect the 
Nautical Almanac and Astronomical Ephemeris of Great Brit- 
ain, the Connaissance des Temps of France, and the Astronom- 
tcal Annual of Prussia. 
In laying the foundation of a work of this character, it was 
due to the scientific reputation of the country, already established 
and widely extended by the coast survey and the national observa- 
tory, that the most careful regard should be had to the advanced 
and advancing state of modern astronomical science, and that the 
highest attainable accuracy should be secured by the application 
of the most improved methods. It is on these conditions and 
with this character only, that the Nautical Almanac would ven- 
ture to ask, or would be entitled to receive, the support of Con- 
gress. On any other conditions and with any other character, it 
would bring discredit upon the nation. ; 
The foregoing pages are intended to reply to the several inter- 
rogatories contained in the resolution of the Senate. But the 
present seems to be an appropriate occasion for offering a succinct 
explanation of the nature and objects of the work entitled “The 
Nautical Almanac and Astronomical Ephemeris.” i 
This work, published annually, each number of which consists 
of between five and six hundred pages, embraces all the elements 
necessary for determining at any time the absolute and relative 
places of the sun, moon, and seven ‘principal planets, of many 
of the largest and most useful of the fixed stars, together with 
several different series of phenomena for the determination of 
longitudes, as occultations of fixed stars and planets by the moon, 
distances of the moon from fixed stars and planets, combine 
transits of the moon and certain fixed stars, eclipses and configu- 
rations of Jupiter’s satellites, &c. 5 
0 these are added the places of the minor planets and their 
elements, rules and tables for practical use in nautical astronomy 
and land observations, new rules and methods whenever invented, 
tables of tides and geographical positions, and a chapter explain- 
ing the plan of the work and the mode of applying its various 
parts in practice, in which is included some elementary scientific 
instruction. 
cause a waste of time and labor, and not seldom the irretrievable 
loss of valuable opportunities. None of the precautions, there- 
fore, that experience has pointed out for the attainment of cor- 
Tectness, and for security against mistake, are neglected. 
The Nautical Almanac is stamped by this circumstance with a 
peculiar character. Unfailing precision and exactness are the 1“ 
