Wednesday, January 20.
Astronomical Observatory.
Mr. Mitchill, from the committee to whom was referred the memorial of William Lambert, and the report made thereon by the Secretary of State at the last session, presented a bill authorizing the establishment of an Astronomical Observatory; which was read twice, and committed to a Committee of the Whole on Friday next.
The report is as follows:
On the 27th December, 1809, Mr. Lambert addressed the House of Representatives upon the expediency of establishing a first meridian for the United States at their permanent seat of Government. This was ordered for consideration to a select number of gentlemen, who, on the 28th March, eighteen hundred and ten, laid upon the table an able and learned opinion, accompanied with scientific calculations illustrative of the object. They concluded their investigation by recommending that provision should be made, by law, for determining, with the greatest accuracy, the distance between the City of Washington and Greenwich in England, and that the proper instruments should be procured.
Afterwards, on the 23d January, 1811, the memorial was referred to a select committee; and, on the 23d of the ensuing February, that committee was discharged, and the memorial referred to the Secretary of State for his consideration.
Conformably to the desire of the House, that officer wrote to the Speaker a letter which, after having been read, on the third day of July, 1812, was ordered to lie on the table. That letter was, on the 8th December last, ordered to the present committee, who have diligently weighed the matters which it contains.
It is their opinion that astronomical observations are highly useful to a navigating and commercial people, already eminent for their progress in science and the arts, and who are laboring for the completion of their national dignity and splendor.
The most ready method of obtaining the information to be derived from noting the phenomena of the heavens, is by the establishment of an observatory. This may be erected at the city of Washington. By such an institution, means may be adopted not only to fix the first meridian, but to ascertain a great number of other astronomical facts and occurrences through the vigilance of a complete astronomer.