Decembee 20, 1901.] 



SCIENCE. 



947 



observatories do put their clocks underground. The 

 notable exception is Pulkova. 



I invite the attention of the Bureau to Mr. Hill's 

 report, as evidence of the spirit in -which the observa- 

 tory has been (and still is) criticized by outside as- 

 tronomers. Malice has dictated these criticisms, to 

 my knowledge, for thirty years. In this instance 

 ignorance becomes a valuable accessory. 



Leniency in criticism of the quality of the work 

 thus issued is not asked nor expected. Scientific 

 ■work must stand or fall on its merits. But it would 

 be an encouragement, little to be expected, if the 

 scientific world of this country could appreciate or 

 acknowledge the efforts to bring up to date work long 

 in arrears. Appreciation from abroad is not wanting, 

 and has been gratefully acknowledged. 



The passage alluded to in the second ex- 

 tract is the following : 



Before proceeding to report upon the observations 

 secured with the instruments I desire to invite the at- 

 tention of the superintendent to the following extract 

 from Science for January 11, 1901, page 42 : 



"We find, also, that the total number of separate ob- 

 servations with the prime vertical transit was 164, 

 less than one-half the number of nights in the year, 

 while those with the altazimuth, used as a zenith tele- 

 scope, numbered a little more than the days in the 

 year. At the international geodetic stations the ob- 

 servers are expected to make about 16 double obser- 

 vations on every clear night. 



Attention is also invited to this extract from the 



same publication, but of the date of January 4, 1901, 



page 4 : 



There are also intimations that something is wrong 

 with the prime vertical transit, and altogether the 

 impression made on the reader is that, after seven 

 years of effort to equip the observatory with the best 

 instruments, it is doubtful whether a single one of 

 real importance, except the great telescope, is in order 

 for first-class work. 



The writer of these editorials in Science clearly 

 indicates that his conceptions of the amount of as- 

 tronomical observing to be obtained with an instru- 

 ment in the prime vertical are absurd. 



This betrays a misconception so singular 

 that we must correct it. In our strictures 

 of want of continuity we expressly excepted 

 the work with the prime vertical transit, 

 which has been pursued with rare zeal and 



diligence. The passage first quoted from 

 our columns was intended only to show the 

 difficulty that readers might feel in recon- 

 ciling it with the following striking state- 

 ment in the report for 1900, which was given 

 a place of honor both there and in the report 

 of the Bureau : 



All the astronomical instruments of the observa- 

 tory have been steadily and continuously in use dur- 

 ing the year on every clear night and day. 



In energetically showing that the instru- 

 ment was out of use from April till June, 

 Mr. Hill only impugns the accuracy of this 

 statement, not the correctness of our re- 

 marks, which were mere condensations 

 from the observatory report. 



The intimations of our second extract 

 comprised allusions to ' a systematic error 

 whose origin still remains a mystery,' and 

 reported efforts to locate this error found in 

 the publications and reports of the observa- 

 tory. Our ' grave doubts ' may be justified 

 by the facts now reported that three other 

 instruments have been undergoing altera- 

 tions and repairs since we wrote. 



A statement has appeared in the public 

 prints that the head of the observatory will 

 reply to the board of visitors. If this is 

 done Science will be glad, in the interest of 

 fairness and justice, to bring into promi- 

 nence whatever he can say in defense of 

 his position. 



REPORT OF TEE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE 

 NAVAL OBSERVATORY.^ 



THE 26-INCH EQUATORIAL TELESCOPE. 



This instrument has been in charge of 

 Professor T. J. J. See during the whole 

 year. Owing to the death of Mr. George 



* Condensed by omitting passages of less general in- 

 terest than the rest. — Editok. 



