September 2, 1904.] 



SCIENCE. 



295 



the appliances for a greatly increased 

 amount of work. Large sums of money 

 could be expended for salaries of additional 

 assistants, for piiblications, buildings, in- 

 struments, etc. As the executive organiza- 

 tion is already provided, the returns from 

 additional gifts should be very great. 

 Many of the most important advances to 

 be expected in astronomy will be obtained 

 from large pieces of routine investigation. 

 Astronomers having learned the best meth- 

 ods of determining the position, motion, 

 brightness, spectrum and other properties 

 of a star, should be prepared to apply them 

 to great numbers of similar objects. Gen- 

 erally, the person who devises a new meth- 

 od is not the one best qualified to su.perin- 

 tend a large corps of assistants, and to 

 carry out an extensive routine investiga- 

 tion which may occupy many years. 



7. International Cooperation. — This is 

 probably the most important problem of 

 all, and that most likely to lead to a real 

 advance in astronomical science. The best 

 illustration of the work contemplated is the 

 determination, under the direction of the 

 Astronomisches Gesellschaft, of the posi- 

 tions of northern stars of the ninth magni- 

 tude and brighter. A committee of ex- 

 perts should hold lengthened meetings and 

 discuss plans in detail. It might be best 

 to publish a provisional plan and invite 

 criticism before beginning work. The ob- 

 servations should then be divided among 

 those best qualified to make them, leaving 

 to each observer greater or less freedom in 

 carrying out the work. Preliminary ob- 

 servations would probably show which was 

 the best method, and it is difficult to see 

 why, in routine work, all should not con- 

 form to that. In determining a single 

 quantity, like the solar parallax, of course 

 the greatest variety of methods possible 

 should be used. The reductions, publica- 

 tions and discussion should be made by 



those best qualified, and not necessarily by 

 the observers. 



As an example of the method of pro- 

 cedure, we may suppose a committee ap- 

 pointed who would first consider in turn, 

 and in detail, the present needs of each 

 department of astronomy. The answers 

 to the circular described on page 298, give 

 the views of the leading astronomers of the 

 world, on this question. For instance, in 

 considering the measurement of double 

 stars, they would correspond with all as- 

 tronomers now engaged in such observa- 

 tions. They would decide whether an un- 

 due, or an insufficient, amount of time and 

 energy was directed to this work. They 

 would then attempt to induce observers to 

 adopt the best methods of measurement, 

 and would supply micrometers of the most 

 approved form, when needed. Observers 

 displaying especial skill might be furnished 

 with recorders or assistants who would 

 learn their methods. In discussing orbits 

 of double stars, complaint is often made 

 that certain stars are neglected while a 

 needless number of observations is made of 

 others. If the subject was being neglected, 

 an appropriation might induce a competent 

 observer to take it up. All these difficul- 

 ties could be reduced or avoided by proper 

 organization, or, when necessary, super- 

 vision. The one object would be to secure 

 the greatest scientific return for the given 

 expenditure, and to avoid the reproach of 

 the astronomer of the future, who may say 

 that present opportunities have been neg- 

 lected. 



While a large sum of money, the equiva- 

 lent of that required to establish an ob- 

 servatory of the first class, would be needed 

 to carry out this plan in full, it will be seen 

 that a moderate amount would permit a 

 portion of it to be tested. The immediate 

 expenditure of $50,000 to $100,000 would 

 show results that would amply justify a 

 larger outlay. Very difi'erent ends would 



