2 
SCIENCE. 
servations fills 74 quarto pages. Certain special pub- 
lications deserve particular mention. A catalogue of 
10,658 stars, observed with the instruments 1, 2, 3, and 
4, has been made by Professor Yarnall. It may 
be said to have been his life work, as he made a large 
share of the observations and reduced all of them. 
This catalogue is of great usefulness. 
The Wind and Current Charts of Maury, which 
have been adopted the whole world over, were con- 
structed from observations collected and discussed here. 
With the equatorial, three asteroids were discovered by 
Professor Ferguson, and Professor Hall and himself 
observed a great number of comets and minor planets. 
The theoretical researches of Professor Walker on 
Neptune , of Professor Hubbard on comets, and the 
work of Professors Coffin and Hubbard on points 
of practical astronomy, all belong to this first epoch. 
The second stage of the Observatory’s life may be 
said to have begun in 1861, with the superintendence 
of Gilliss, and to have extended to the present time 
under the direction of Rear Admirals Davis, Sands 
and Rodgers. Two new first-class instruments were 
purchased. 
6. The Transit Circle (1865), made by Pistor & 
Martins. 
7. The 26-inch Equatorial (1873) made by Alvan 
Clark & Sons. Both have been kept in constant use. 
With the first, the sun, moon, major and minor planets 
have been constantly observed and the materials 
for a very large and important catalogue of stars 
(soon to be published) have been collected. The 
telegraphic longitudes of many points in the United 
States and elsewhere, have been determined by 
Professors Harkness and Eastman. We may 
mention among these the longitudes of Havana 
(Cuba), St. Louis, Detroit, Carlin and Austin (Nevada), 
Ogden (Utah), Bethlehem (Pa.), Princeton (N. J.), 
Cincinnati, Nashville, Columbus, Harrisburg, and 
others. The large equatorial, besides making a great 
number of observations of double stars (Hall and 
Newcomb), and of Nebulae (Holden), has been em- 
ployed on the observations of the faint satellites for 
which it is better fitted than any other instrument ex- 
isting. The masses of Uranus and Neptune have 
been determined by Professor Newcomb and the capi- 
tal discovery of two satellites to Mars made by Pro- 
fessor Hall. 
The theoretical researches of Professor Newcomb 
on the Lunar Theory and on Fundamental Stars, 
and of Professors Newcomb and Hall on Satellites, 
belong to this period. 
The Transits of Venus (1874), and of Mercury 
(1878), have been most thoroughly observed and dis- 
cussed by the various astronomers. 
The solar eclipses of 1869, 1870, 1878 and 1880 
have been also elaborately observed by parties sent 
from the observatory, and the results are all published 
except those for 1878 and 1880, which will shortly 
appear. The work done here on solar eclipses 
alone is of the first importance, and will greatly 
forward our knowledge of solar physics. There is 
no space to mention the miscellaneous work done : 
the chronometers of the Navy, the furnishing of stan- 
dard time to the United States, the observations of 
meteors, all receive their share of attention. 
The third epoch of the history of the Observatory 
commences with the effort to change its site to one 
less exposed to the sickly influences of the malaria 
which rises from the marshes surrounding the Obser- 
vatory on the river side, and to one where the fogs 
from the same source will not seriously interfere with 
the complete use of the instruments. This subject 
has, since 1870, received more or less attention, but 
the first serious effort to change the site for these 
reasons was made in a report of the Superintendent 
in 1877. 
“United States Naval Observatory, 
Washington, September 15, 1877. 
“ Sir : I found upon taking charge of the Observatory, 
that the malarious influences surrounding it were notori- 
ous, and that from May to about the middle of October the 
officers whose services were necessarily in the Observatory 
at night, paid the penalty in impaired health and in dimin- 
ished efficiency. The fogs which arise from the river, 
driven by the prevailing winds, float above the instruments 
and lessen their usefulness. 
****** 
For these reasons, I earnestly recommend that a suitable 
site, north of the city and inside the District of Columbia, 
be procured for a new Observatory. 
The area allotted to this purpose need not necessarily be 
more than twenty-five or thirty acres in extent ; but as 
much as this is needed, since, if surrounded by dwellings 
or factories, the smoke would obscure the clearness of 
vision, the traffic would shake the instruments, and some 
high structure, if placed upon the meridian near our in- 
struments, might hide a useful part of the heavens. 
The present Observatory is in a very dilapidated condi- 
tion. 
****** 
I have the honor to be, very respectfully, 
Your Obedient Servant. 
JOHN RODGERS, 
Rear-Admiral Superintendent . 
Hon. R. W. Thompson, 
Secietary of the Navy, Washington. 
The accompanying papers show that the death of 
two superintendents, Captain Gilliss and Admiral 
Davis, was either caused or accelerated by malarial 
fever, and that the death of Professors Ferguson, 
Springer and Hubbard, could be traced directly to 
this cause. The prevalent fogs are shown to interfere 
with observations. 
In short, this report brought prominently forward a 
fact which had always been patent, viz. : that it was 
almost a crime and certainly an extremely poor use of 
