'.CIENGE. 



fN. S. Vol. IX. No. 222. 



2. I£ so, ^yhat ends should such an institution have 

 in view ; especially to what classes of astronomical 

 observation and research should it be devoted? 



3. Does the new Naval Observatory fulfill the ob- 

 jects in question so completely that no other institu- 

 tion of the kind is necessary ? If not, in what respects 

 does its work differ from that required for tl^e purposes 

 in view ? 



To THE Editor of Science : In answer to 

 your questions as to the policy of support- 

 ing a national observatory, I would say that, 

 making abstraction of features peculiar to 

 astronomical science I see no reason why the 

 government should support an astronomical ob- 

 servatory any more than a chemical laboratory 

 for chemists to use in making their experi- 

 ments. The exceptional reason in favor of 

 an observatory is that there are branches of 

 astronomical science of world-wide interest 

 and importance which are not adequately cul- 

 tivated by private enterprise. The greatest of 

 these relate to the motions of the heavenly 

 bodies, especially the fixed stars. Of late years 

 it has been seen that the study of these motions 

 may throw light on pi'oblems formerly re- 

 garded as insoluble, and supply posterity with 

 records of priceless value in the advance of 

 knowledge. 



An institution to supply the want thus indi- 

 cated should be organized and fitted up with 

 its own special end in view, and should not be 

 diverted from that end by the temptation of 

 more attractive work in other directions. The 

 later results of experience and research should 

 determine the instruments to be used, and the 

 whole arrangements should be such as to com- 

 mand the best talent and skill in planning and 

 executing the work. 



Simon Newcomb. 



To THE Editor of Science: The astro- 

 nomical questions you propose to discuss in 

 Science are interesting. Since I hold a posi- 

 tion in the Navy it is not proper for me to dis- 

 cuss the conduct of the Naval Observatory. As 

 to the other questions I may say briefly : 



1. I think it is desirable that the government 

 of the United States should support an Astro- 

 nomical Observatory. 



2. I think such an observatory should deter- 

 mine the positions of the stars, planets and satel- 



lites with the greatest accuracy possible, since 

 theoretical astronomy rests on such observations. 

 The astro- physical departments of astronomy 

 are so attractive that they will not lack inves- 

 tigators. 



Asaph Hall. 

 Harvard University. 



To the Editor of Science : Replying to 

 questions raised in your communication of De- 

 cember 4, 1898, I would say : 



I. I think that unquestionably the United 

 States ought to support a National Observatory, 

 unless it is willing to fall to the rank of a third- 

 rate nation. Besides, we already have a fine 

 building, with a costly and valuable equipment 

 of apparatus. It would be a disgrace to aban- 

 don it. 



II. As to the ends to be kept in view, etc. , I 

 think a National Observatory, maintained by 

 the government, should aim chiefly at kinds of 

 work not easily within the reach of private and 

 educational observatories — extended series of 

 observations which require persistent prosecu- 

 tion without intermission or material change of 

 plan — such, for instance, as : 



(o) Continuous observations of the positions 

 of the sun, moon and planets, partly by the 

 meridian circle, and partly, perhaps, by pho- 

 tography, which is specially valuable in the 

 case of such asteroids, as, for one reason or 

 another, require attention. Observations of 

 comets are also in order. 



(6) The determination of the absolute posi- 

 tions of a reasonably large list of fundamental 

 stars, and of such other stars as are needed for 

 reference points by observers of planets or 

 comets, or by those engaged in geodetic opera- 

 tions. 



(c) I think it desirable also that certain astro- 

 physical observations should be included, es- 

 pecially in the line of stellar spectroscopy, since 

 the number of objects of investigation in this 

 line is so great that the ground cannot be cov- 

 ered in any reasonable time without the general 

 cooperation of all well-equipped observatories. 



(d) The refined reduction and prompt publi- 

 cation of the results of observation. This im- 

 plies a thorough mathematical study of the 

 theories involved and investigation of their 

 corrections, and requires that among the as- 



