WASHINGTON.

BY PROFESSOR EDWARD S. HOLDEN.

This institution has been long and favorably known to the scientific public, not only of the United States, but of the whole world. It was founded in 1844, and commenced its operations in 1845, and as it is now about to enter a new epoch of its existence by a removal to a new and better site in the District of Columbia, a brief account of its progress will not be without interest.

Astronomy did not flourish in America during the eighteenth century. A few observations were made by Professors at Harvard and Yale Colleges, and in Pennsylvania by RITTENHOUSE and others (in 1769). A telescope was mounted in 1830 at Yale College for regular astronomical observations, and the first observatory was built at Williams College in 1836, by Prof. HOPKINS. Mr. WILLIAM C. BOND, of Dorchester, a maker of chronometers, had erected a small observatory at his residence, and this was afterwards removed and formed the nucleus of the observatory of Harvard College. The observatories of Hudson, Ohio, (founded 1837), of the Philadelphia High School (1840), of West Point Military Academy (1841), of Cincinnatti (1843), of Georgetown, D. C., (1844), and the Naval Observatory (1842), were the first established, and these observatories all erected within the decade, 1835-1845, were the signs of a growing sense of the importance of astronomical research among the people.

Probably due credit has not been generally given to the efforts of General O. M. MITCHEL the astronomer of the Cincinnati Observatory, who, by lectures, treatises and personal influence, kept the subject before the reading public. In Congress a few intelligent men, like Mr. JOHN QUINCY ADAMS, had always advocated the establishment of an observatory which should be truly national, but great opposition to such an institution was constantly displayed, and so late as 1832 a bill

tained the clause "provided 'that nothing in this act should be construed to authorize the construction or maintainance of a permanent astronomical observatory."

The final establishment of the Naval observatory came about in this wise, and it was due largely to the admirable abilities of Lieutenant GILLISS, of the Navy.

The exploring expedition of Admiral WILKES (18381842), proposed making astronomical observations in all parts of the world, and to utilize these, corresponding observations were required at home. These were made by GILLISS in a small observatory on Capitol Hill for the four years and they were of high excellence. The present observatory building was erected as a "depôt of charts and instruments" for the Navy from designs by GILLISS. The regulations of the Service required that GILLISS should be sent to sea, and the direction of the observatory was confided to Lieutenant MAURY, who retained it till 1861. A corps of astronomers was formed and a detail made of the officers from the line of the Navy to care for the chronometers, charts and instruments, and to collect hydrographical information, and this plan of organization continued till 1866, when the Hydrographic office was separated from the Observatory. Suitable instruments were provided and the observations were published in quarto volumes, twenty-two of which have appeared up to 1880. The main instruments