no THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



resort on Lake Erie. About thirty astronomers read papers, and in a 

 large portion of the cases the appropriation of a few hundred dollars 

 would have permitted a great extension in these researches. A sad 

 case is that of a brilliant student who may graduate at a college, take a 

 doctor's degree in astronomy, and perhaps pass a year or two in study 

 at a foreign observatory. He then returns to this country, enthusiastic 

 and full of ideas, and considers himself fortunate in securing a position 

 as astronomer in a little country college. He now finds himself over- 

 whelmed with work as a teacher, without time or appliances for original 

 work. What is worse, no one sympathizes with him in his aspirations, 

 and after a few years he abandons hope and settles down to the dull 

 routine of lectures, recitations and examinations. A little encourage- 

 ment at the right time, aid by offering to pay for an assistant, for a 

 suitable instrument, or for publishing results, and perhaps a word to 

 the president of his college if the man showed real genius, might make 

 a great astronomer, instead of a poor teacher. For several years, a 

 small fund, yielding a few hundred dollars annually, has been disbursed 

 at Harvard in this way, with very encouraging results. 



A second method of aiding astronomy is through the large observa- 

 tories. These institutions, if properly managed, have after years of 

 careful study and trial developed elaborate systems of solving the great 

 problems of the celestial universe. They are like great factories, which 

 by taking elaborate precautions to save waste at every point, and by 

 improving in every detail both processes and products, are at length 

 obtaining results on a large scale with a perfection and economy far 

 greater than is possible by individuals, or smaller institutions. The 

 expenses of such an observatory are very large, and it has no pecuniary 

 return, since astronomical products are not salable. A great portion of 

 the original endowment has been spent on the plant, expensive buildings 

 and instruments. Current expenditures, like library expenses, heating, 

 lighting, etc., are independent of the output. It is like a man swim- 

 ming up stream. He may struggle desperately, and yet make no 

 progress. Any gain in power effects a real advance. This is the con- 

 dition of nearly all the larger observatories. Their income is mainly 

 used for current expenses, which would be nearly the same whatever 

 their output. A relatively small increase in income can thus be spent 

 to great advantage. The principal instruments are rarely used to their 

 full capacities, and the methods employed could be greatly extended 

 without any addition to the executive or other similar expenses. A man 

 superintending the work of several assistants can often have their num- 

 ber doubled, and his output increased in nearly the same proportion, 

 with no additional expense except the moderate one of their salaries. 

 A single observatory could thus easily do double the work that could be 

 accomplished if its resources were divided between two of half the size. 



