NA TURE 



IFeb. 4, 1886 



that all advance in scientific knowledge has a bearing on the 

 " business " life of a country, and we believe that these hints, 

 based on the practical experience acquired at the Chesapeake 

 Zoological Laboratory, will not be without value as showing 

 what the man of science may do for the man of busmess. 

 — (Johns Hopkins University Circulars, vol. v., No. 43, p. 10, 

 Baltimore, October 1885.) 



REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF 



THE U.S. NAVAL OBSERVATORY^ 

 ■VXyE make the following extracts from this important 

 * * Report :— 



Rear-Admiral S. R. Franklin, U.S.N., contmued m the 

 duties of Superintendent until March 31 of the current year 

 when he was detached therefrom in order to assume command of 

 the United States naval force on the European station. In the 

 interim from that date until June i, 1S85, Commander A. D. 

 Brown, U.S.N., acted as Superintendent, when, under the 

 orders of the Department, Commodore Belknap assumed the 

 duties of the office. 



The 26-inch Equatorial.— This telescope has contmued m 

 charge of Prof. A. Hall, U.S.N., who has been employed in 

 observing the satellites of the large planets and in observation 

 of double stars. 



Though in constant use, the instrument, together with its 

 micrometer, driving clock, and other apparatus, remains in good 

 working order, and the dome, forty-three feet in diameter, 

 covering it, is now revolved with great ease by means of the 

 four horse-power gas-engine which was connected with it in the 

 latter part of 1884. The dome is now turned to any position 

 required in a few minutes, and the work of observing is much 

 facilitated. Mr. George Anderson has charge of the engine, 

 and assists Prof. Hall in the management of the dome. 



The complete reduction and discussion of the observations 

 made with this instrument have made good progress during the 

 past year. This is due, in a great measure, to the efficient aid 

 rendered by Lieut. W. H. Allen and Ensign J. A. Hoogewerff, 

 U.S.N. These gentlemen have been very diligent in making 

 the necessary computations, and have shown marked aptitude 

 for the work. 



The observations of the satellite of Neptune and those of 

 the two outer satellites of Uranus have been discussed, and the 

 masses of the=.e planets deduced. These results have bean pub- 

 lished in Appendixes L and II. of the annual volume of the 

 Observatory for the year iSSl. 



A discussion of .all the observations of lapetus, the outer 

 satellite of Saturn, is now nearly finished, and will be ready for 

 printing in a few weeks. . . . 



The Prime Vertical Instrument.— "XVt work of reducing the 

 observations made in 1883-S4 by Lieut. C. G. Bowman and 

 Ensign H. Taylor, U.S.N., for the determination of the con- 

 stant of aberration, has been pursued. A selection was made 

 of twelve stars of varying right ascension and well-determined 

 places, and the results obtained ; the reduction of the remaining 

 observations will be proceeded with as rapidly as possible. 



In July of last year a communication was received from the 

 President of the International Geodetic Conference, asking the 

 co-operation of this Observatory with the Royal Observatory at 

 Lisbon in the determination of the problem of the change of 

 latitudes, the observations to be taken with the prime vertical 

 instruments of the two Observatories. Communication was 

 opened and correspondence is still in progress with the Director 

 of the Observatory at Lisbon, and preparations have be n made 

 to undertake the work here very soon after it is known that it 

 will be begun at Lisbon. . . . 



Photography. — In the programme of work proposed for the 

 current year it was stated that the work of t.aking sun photo- 

 graphs daily would be inaugurated as soon as practicable. The 

 work of the Transit of Venus Commission has up^ to this time 

 prevented any regular system being adopted. Such work, if 

 pursued systematically and continuously, would put this institu- 

 tion on a footing in this regard more nearly equal to that of the 

 larger foreign Observatories where a large ma^s of data has been 

 accumulated for future measurement, computation, and dis- 

 cussion, forming the basis of much information of value to the 

 student of solar physics. 



For purposes of co-operation in this scientific work, photo- 

 graphic observations in different parts of the world being sup- 

 • By G. E. Belknap. Commodore U.S.N. , Superintendent United Slates 

 Naval Observatory. Dated Washington, October 5, 18S5 



plemental to each other, it is also desirable that this work be 

 begun, and sooner or later it will have to be t.aken up here in . 

 order to keep pace with the requirements of modern astronomical 

 research and observation. It cannot, therefore, be begun too 

 soon. 



It is eminently desirable that this Observatory possess a 

 collection of photographs of astronomical subjects, and so be 

 enabled to solicit exchanges from astronomers abroad that are 

 engaged in celestial photography. But we lack the means and 

 equipment for printing and making photographic positives that 

 can properly be used for such purposes of exchange. 



Much work is desirable to be done in photographing star 

 clusters, nebula?, and the spectra of sun-spots, stars, &c., and in 

 the production of star maps by photography. Should a party 

 from this Observatory be sent to observe the total eclipse of 

 1 886, photographs of the phenomenon will have to be taken. 

 The Observatory should at all times be prepared for such ac 

 occasion and have a staff drilled in photographic work, and this 

 might be easily accomplished, as the number need not be great, 

 and it could be made up of officers stationed here. 



New Observatory. — The Commodore renews the recommend- 

 ations of his predecessors for the removal, at an early day, of 

 the plant of the Observatory to the new site selected and pur- 

 chased for such purpose in 1881. 



The plans, long since prepared, have received the approval 

 of prominent scientific men of the country, and the work can be 

 begun as soon as the money is forthcoming ; and with the funds 

 in hand, it would take fully three years to erect the buildings, 

 transfer the plant, and get everything into good working order. 

 The National Academy has been requested by the Department 

 to express its opinion officially as to the advisability of proceed- 

 ing promptly with the erection of the building, and it cannot 

 be doubted that it will express itself affirmatively in the matter. 

 The disadvantages of the present location have been so often 

 and so forcibly described that the subject is worn almost 

 threadbare. 



To the foresight and energy of officers of the Navy is due the 

 inception and development of this institution. It is emphatically 

 the child of the Navy, and the service is much interested in its 

 welfare and in every 'effort to extend the sphere of its usefulness. 

 From its humble beginning in 183S it has now grown to be one 

 of the most important astronomical centres in the world, and it 

 is to be hoped that Congress will recognise the good work 

 hitherto done by granting the means to place the institution on 

 a still higher plane than it now occupies. 



Board of Visitors.— The Commodore renews the suggestion 

 heretofore made that a Board of Visitors, c imposed of competent 

 persons, be appointed annually to visit the institution and inquire 

 into its working, with authority to suggest such changes in the 

 methods pursued, or such new lines of investigation, as it might 

 deem proper to recommend. 



Solar Eclipse 0/ i8?,6.— A toial eclipse of the sun will occur 

 on August 29, 1 886. The line of totality passes over the 

 equatorial portion of the .\tlantic Ocean, and^ reaches the west 

 coast of .\frica, near Benguela, in latitude 12° S. This port is 

 easy of access, and as it is the healthy season, there would be no 

 difficulty in sending a party out in a Government vessel. The 

 duration of the totality at this point is four minutes and forty 

 seconds, affording a more than usually good opportunity for 

 photographic and spectroscopic observations. The question as 

 to the propriety of applying for an appropriation to defray the 

 expenses of an observing party has been referred by the Depart- 

 ment to the National Academy, and a report may soon be 

 expected. o ■ ■ 



A/isce/laneons.—'Danng the year the names of 1408 visitors, 

 have been recorded, and 1137 permi's were issued for night 

 visitors, for whose accommodation the small equatorial is set apart. 

 The presence of these visitors is not allowed to interfere with 

 the regular work of the institution, and permits are only issued 

 for one evening in each week, with exceptional instances. 



The records kept by the several observers and watchmen 

 show that only about one night in eight is good for observing, 

 while an exceptionally good night for astronomical work cannot 

 be reckoned upon much oftener than once a month. 



MOLECULAR PHYSICS 

 T the meeting of the Berlin Physical Society, on Nov. 20 

 last, Herr Gerstmann spoke on a \soxV recently issued by 

 Prof W C Wittwer, on "The Principles of Molecular Physics 



A 



