1889]. President'' s Address. Ixi 



made at each station and then clocks are compared on the same 

 night bj signals through the Western cable, which has been placed 

 at our disposal for this purpose by tlie kind courtesy of Sir Jas. 

 Anderson. The observations for the longitude of Port Nolloth are 

 already finished, and I am at present engaged with those for 

 Mossamedes. In this way the longitudes of Mossamedes, Benguela, 

 St. Paul de Loanda, St. Thome and Accra will be determined 

 accurately : and by signals from St. Vincent it is hoped that a check 

 will be obtained on the difference of longitude between the Cape and 

 Greenwich. 



COMETS. 



During the period I am considering, two comets have been dis- 

 covered ai the Cape by two of our members, one by myself in 1886, 

 Septtmb" r, and one by Mr. Sawerthal in 188S, January. The one 

 that 1 had the pleasure of finding was always a faint telescopic comet ; 

 it proved to be a periodic one revolving in an orbit of 6§ 

 years' period, and m.oving in a path very similar to the comet dis- 

 covered by De Vico in 1844. The two comets, however, do not seem 

 to be the same. Mr. Sawerthal's comet was just visible to the naked 

 eye when found, and presented some very interesting changes of form 

 during tht time it was visible ; its orbit seems to be elliptic but the 

 periodic time is over 2,000 years. ISow the discovery of these two 

 comets b men who have little time to give to such work as searching 

 for thtm gives me the opportunity of making some remarks that have 

 often been in my mind. How is it that in a climate so peculiarly 

 suited for astronomical work as that of South Africa we have practi- 

 cally " amateur observers ? Mr. Eddie, of Graham's Town, has a 

 g >.)() ? lescope and is always to the fore when a bright comet ti*rns 

 u » ; but with this exception I do not know of any amateur observer 

 i ^(>un Africa. The climatic conditions are all that could be 

 desiit d, ilie nights are never unbearably cold — indeed it is often a 

 relief to be out of doors instead of inside — and yet there is no one to 

 he found with a sufficient liking for astronomy to make a series of 

 observations. I do not wish you to understand thai I am advocating 

 the immediate formation of a Cape Astronomical Society, though per- 

 haps it will come in time ; for the present I think the pages of our own 

 Society's publications will suffice to place on record any observations 

 that m-iy be made ; but I certainly do wish that some means could 

 ibe founa to arouse a more active interest in the oldest of the sciences. 



