NOVEMBER 24, 1899. ] 
ferred. At the same time circumstances 
might render the selection of the second 
advisable. 
The unanimity of the report and the 
good feeling which has characterized the 
whole movement is one of the most en- 
We trust 
that the plan will be enacted into law by 
couraging features of the case. 
Congress at its coming session. 
REPORT OF THE BOARD OF VISITORS TO 
THE UNITED STATES NAVAL OBSER- 
VATORY, OCTOBER 2, 1899. 
Wasurineton, D. C., 
October 2, 1899. 
Hon. Joun D. Lone, Secy. of the Navy. 
Str: In compliance with the request con- 
tained in your letter of June 30, 1899, the 
undersigned have acted as a Board of Visit- 
ors to the United States Naval Observatory 
in Washington and now submit their report, 
including subdivisions as follows: 
I. Recommendations of the Board of Visitors. 
II. Circumstances leading to the appointment of 
the Board of Visitors. 
III. Cost of the Observatory. 
IV. Comparison with other Observatories. 
VY. Present condition and methods of observatory 
work and the delay in printing its results. 
VI. Historical sketch of the Observatory. 
VII. Minutes of the proceedings of the Board of 
Visitors. 
VIII. Appendix. 
The several portions of the report were 
put in form by the astronomers who are 
members of the Board. The recommenda- 
tions are made unanimously. 
Very respectfully, 
Wm. E. CHANDLER. 
A. G. DAYTON, 
EDWARD C. PICKERING. 
Gro. C. COMSTOCK, 
GEORGE EK. HALE. 
RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE BOARD OF 
VISITORS. 
_ In accordance with the instructions con- 
tained in the following letter all the mem- 
SCIENCE. 
747 
bers of the Board of Visitors to the United 
States Naval Observatory therein named, 
met at the Observatory in Washington on 
Friday, June 30, 1899, and organized by 
the selection of William E. Chandler as 
Chairman, and George C. Comstock as 
Secretary. 
Navy DEPARTMENT, 
Washington, June 30, 1899. 
GENTLEMEN: In accordance with previous 
correspondence and oral conversations, you are 
hereby requested to act as a Board of Visitors 
at the United States Naval Observatory in 
Washington, convening there to-day, and to 
proceed to examine into the condition of that 
institution and to report to me your conclusions 
and recommendations. 
Very respectfully, 
JoHN D. Lone, 
Secretary. 
Hon. William E. Chandler, 
Hon. Alston G. Dayton, 
Professor Edward C. Pickering, 
Professor George C. Comstock, and 
Professor George E. Hale. 
Captain Charles H. Davis, U. 8S. N., Su- 
perintendent of the Naval Observatory, 
presented to the Board an informal state- 
ment of circumstances leading to the ap- 
pointment of the Board of Visitors and 
submitted correspondence relating thereto 
(Appendix, Exhibit A) and to a proposed 
reorganization of the Observatory (Ap- 
pendix, Exhibit B). He also placed be- 
fore the Board a list of professors of mathe- 
matics upon the active list of the navy 
(Appendix, Exhibit C) from which corps 
the staff of the observatory is largely 
drawn and alist of all persons performing 
duty at the observatory with their respec- 
tive ranks (Appendix, Exhibit D). 
At the request of Messrs. Chandler and 
Dayton there was submitted to the Board, by 
its other members, the correspondence con- 
ducted by them, as a Committee of the Sec- 
ond Annual Conference of Astronomers and, 
Astrophysicists, for the purpose of obtain- 
