Miscellaneous Intelligence. 173 



The entire triangulation is divided into three sections : the 

 western of 1,047 miles characterized by the great altitude of its 

 stations, many of them over 12,000 feet, and the unusual size of its 

 triangles, many of the sides being over 100 miles long and not a 

 few over 150 miles long ; the central section of 756 miles from 

 Colorado to St. Louis, with low stations and small triangles ; and 

 the eastern section of 822 miles, terminating at the Capes of the 

 Delaware and marked by small but diversified hypsometric 

 features. During the progress of this work, and in many cases 

 resulting from it, new methods have been introduced and great 

 gains have been achieved both in precision and rapidity of execu- 

 tion. Among the special problems met with may be mentioned 

 the changed conditions in attractive and centrifugal force found 

 at the great altitudes of the western stations, the variations in 

 refraction between stations of very different altitudes, the develop- 

 ment of new formulae for spherical excess and the special treat- 

 ment of geographical positions requisite in triangles whose sides 

 are as long as 180 miles, as well as mechanical questions involved 

 in mounting instruments 150 feet above the ground and erecting 

 observing poles 275 feet high. 



Most difficult of all and requiring the qualities of a great gen- 

 eral is the orderly marshalling of the vast bulk of material of 

 observation and the utilization of it to the best effect. The 

 responsibility for this task has fallen chiefly on Mr. C. A. Schott, 

 who has been in active service in the bureau for more than 50 

 years. w. b. 



2. Astronomical Observatory of Harvard College. — The Fifty- 

 fifth Annual Report of the Director of the Harvard Astro- 

 nomical Observatory, Prof. E. C. Pickering, in addition to the 

 usual summary of work accomplished, gives an interesting 

 statement of the present needs of the institution. It appears 

 that the annual income of the Observatory is now nearly $50,000, 

 which puts it on an equal footing with the chief observatories of 

 the world ; but, notwithstanding, the shrinkage in interest rate 

 makes an additional sum of $200,000 necessary if the income of 

 six years ago is to be secured permanently. Furthermore, new 

 and fire-proof buildings at Cambridge are urgently needed ; a 

 large telescope mounted in the Southern Hemisphere would also 

 prove a most valuable means of carrying on important work 

 which cannot be provided for at present. Thus a sum of half a 

 million dollars is needed to keep the Observatory in the foremost 

 rank. Attention is also called to a considerable series of unpub- 

 lished investigations which, if completed, would fill twenty-eight, 

 volumes, or two-thirds as many as have been published by the 

 Observatory during its existence of the past fifty years. A 

 moderate expenditure for additional computers would make 

 prompt publication of this material practicable. 



Volume xxxvii, Part I, of the Annals of the Observatory has 

 recently been issued. It contains observations of circumpolar 

 variable stars during the years 1889-1899, prepared for publica- 

 tion by Oliver C. Wendell, Assistant Professor of Astronomy. 



