The Laws Observatory. * 489 
A portion of the weight of the telescope is taken off the 
pivots by adjustable springs which act upward against vertical 
bars of brass which carry the friction rollers. I was unable for 
many months to get good results from observations in right 
ascension made with the instrument. On June 9th, 1891, 
soon after getting the new levels the cause of the trouble 
was discovered. One of the pairs of friction rollers did not 
bear vertically against the axis but sidewise. This had the 
effect of sliding one of the pivots up the side of the wye by an 
amount not perceptible to the naked eye but easily detected 
by the level. This defect was easily corrected when found, 
by filing one side of the slot in which the bar works which 
carries the friction wheels. 
The frame of the instrument is of cast iron painted white 
and is sufficiently heavy to insure a fair degree of stability. 
There is no reversing apparatus but the instrument is easily 
and safely reversed by hand. The character of the results 
which this transit is now capable of producing may be seen 
by reference to the observations for longitude given below. 
The Sidereal Clock was purchased from Fauth & Co. in 
1883. It has the Dennison Gravity Escapement and mercury 
compensation. The weight of the pendulum is 60 lbs. This 
clock is provided with a break circuit attachment and is 
solidly mounted on a brick pier in the southwest corner of 
the transit room. The pendulum swings from northwest to 
southeast in a plane which intersects the meridian at an angle 
of about 45°, 
Of the other instruments in the Observatory the Chrono- 
graph by Fauth & Co., the Sidereal Break-cireuit Chronome- 
ter, by Bond, the Sextant by Blunt, and the Barometer by H. 
- Green are in every way first class. The Altitude and 
Azimuth instrument, Theodolite and Mean Time clock are of 
inferior quality. The smaller instruments and appliances 
With which the Observatory is provided render its equipment 
very complete. 
