year Edmonton and Onion Lake (110° meridian) were occupied and connected in longitude with Winnipeg. About this time the Alaska boundary question occupied the attention of the Department of the Interior more and more, and the astronomic work was temporarily suspended, but the observatory scheme was kept alive. A good deal of correspondence took place between the Department of the Interior and those of the Public Works and Railways and Canals about a site for the temporary observatory, either along the Canal Basin or on a Goveri. ment lot on Cliff Street. On June 30, 1890, by order-in-council a new office was created-Chief Astornomer-and W. F. King, Chief Inspector of Surveys, was appointed thereto at a salary of $1,800 per annum. It is important to note that during these years, and for some years subsequently, there was no thought of an observatory with dome nor of engaging in astrophysical work; this was a later evolution, on the advent of the Hon. Clifford Sifton as Minister of the Interior, who wanted a creditable astronomic outfit and building, representing the National Observatory of Canada. The Surveyor General, the Chief Astronomer and the writer were at the time more concerned about a permanent observatory at Ottawa, as the initial place of reference for longitude work throughout Canada, with the installation of transits, and later a meridian circle for fundamental work. It was hoped ultimately to expand the astronomic work of latitude and longitude that had been carried on for some years to include a trigonometrical or geodetic survey, towards which the writer had labored and written for many years. In 1890, W. Ogilvie made an exploratory survey from Lake Timiskaming to and along part of James Bay. The meridian from the head of the lake forms the boundary line between Ontario and Quebec. To determine its longitude, it was by survey connected with Mattawa, and the difference of longitude between Mattawa and Ottawa was determined by the Surveyor General and the Chief Astronomer, although the accurate longitude of Ottawa had not been established. In 1892 the astronomic work was in so far resumed that the Department took part (by the writer) in a fresh trans-Atlantic longitude determination connecting Greenwich with Montreal via Waterville in Ireland, and Canso, N.S., the termini of the Commercial Cable.. The Chief Astronomer was appointed in 1892 H. M. Boundary Commissioner, so that his and the writer's time was occupied with the Alaskan Boundary survey during the following three years. In 1896 the astronomic work was resumed by King and Klotz. Port Stanley on Lake Erie for international boundary purposes was established, and Winnipeg connected with Ottawa, while Ottawa was connected with Montreal by Professor McLeod and the Chief Astronomer. The year 1896 saw a change of government, and the Hon. Clifford Cifton became Minister of the Interior, and the writer became a permanent official and entered the Inside Service with the official title of Astronomer. On the 23rd April, 1897, the Chief Astronomer asked the writer to draw up specifications for a new transit to be ordered from Cooke & Sons, and shortly afterwards the instrument was ordered. It was received early in 1898, as well as a break-circuit chronometer, No. 48419, from E. Dent & Co., London. On 15th April, 1898, the writer recommended the purchase of another and better chronograph from Warner and Swasey. On June 7, 1898, the Chief Astronomer submitted a memorandum to the Minister, the Hon. Clifford Sifton, on the subject of an adequate observatory-with 10-inch refractor, a star spectroscope, a sidereal and a mean time clock, a chronograph and pendulum apparatus at a total cost of $7,800. The chronograph was authorized to be purchased from Warner and Swasey for $400, and was obtained. On June 23, 1898, the Chief Astronomer wrote the Deputy. J. A. Smart, that he did not expect immediate action by the Minister to his memorandum of the 7th inst., save on the chrono graph, but simply directed the attention of the Minister and Government to the subject as worthy of consideration. In June, 1898, the writer, en route to Russia, took the chronometer, 48419, to Dent, London, for electric alterations. On November 4, 1898, the writer prepared a list of the 85 observatories in the United States and of 252 observatories in other countries, giving their equipment, with special reference to the dimensions of their equatorials. This list was included in the memorandum November 7, 1898, to the Minister by the Chief Astronomer, in which details and reasons were given for a proposed national observatory and its equipment. The cost of the building, $7,000, had also been furnished by the writer. The total cost submitted-without cost of site-was $16,075. The equatorial recommended was of 10-inch aperture. On November 10, 1898, the Minister requested the Chief Astronomer to let him know what other observatories there were in Canada and the nature of their work. On November 15, 1898, the Chief Astronomer replied that there were only two, one at Toronto and the other at McGill, and that their work did not interfere with that contemplated at Ottawa. In a letter, 26th May, 1899, the Public Works Department informed the Chief Astronomer that the sum of $16,000 for the instruments and building had been placed in the Supplementary Estimates for next year. On the 19th August, 1899, the Chief Astronomer wrote to the Minister of the Interior that steps should be taken to begin the construction of the observatory, pointing out, however, that the architect had deferred the preparation of the plans until the site was chosen, as "the site of the building must determine its architectural character." The sites suggested by the Chief Astronomer were: "the knoll on Parliament Hill, just behind the Western Block; another is the site of the summer-house west of the Library; and the third is in Major's Hill Park, on the Mackenzie Avenue side and about half-way between Rideau and St. Patrick Streets." The preference was for the "knoll." On August 23, 1899, the writer interviewed the Minister (Mr. Sifton) on several official matters, the most important of which was the proposed site on Parliament Hill for the observatory. An emphatic protest was entered against the contemplated site as unsuitable and wholly inadequate for the national observatory of Canada. Cogent and unanswerable reasons were advanced against the site. The Minister gave a sympathetic hearing. On January 10, 1900, the Chief Astronomer submitted to the Deputy a memorandum stating that the plans were in preparation, but were for a much more expensive building than contemplated, and hence a larger and more expensive instrument was required to lessen the disproportion in cost. About the site-Parliament Hill-the Chief Astronomer said "it would be difficult to get another so suitable astronomically and so convenient for office purposes" (as it is essential that the Chief Astronomer's office should be in the building). A decision by the Minister was requested. On January 13, 1900, an officer of the Chief Architect's office brought an architecturally elaborate and colored plan of the proposed observatory to King (and me) for him to make suggestions, but only with reference to the interior, as the Chief Architect desired no change in the exterior. This plan was essentially for an architectural monument. By this plan the equatorial would be about 48 ft. above the ground floor, and nearly 60 ft. from the basement for a 10 or 12-inch glass. On January 17, 1900, the writer called on the Deputy re observatory. The Deputy had the plan, and said, "It looks pretty, but I told the Minister if a $50,000 or $60,000 building was to be put up, provision must be made in the estimates for instruments fitting such a building; if the Government wants to spend $50,000 or $60,000 on a building, I don't care." "For my part," I added. "if that sum of money is to be spent, I prefer to have a suitable site bought and have a less ornamental, yet fully as-yes, more so -useful, building erected." I explained the scope our work must necessarily eventually take, and that the proposed 100-foot "knoll" was wholly unsuitable. The Deputy said, "I guess you are right." "I know I am right," was my reply. On the 24th January, 1900, the Chief Astronomer asked the Deputy to put $8,000 in the estimates for a 12-inch equatorial. On February 19, 1900, the Chief Architect sent to the Chief Astronomer a sketch of the proposed observatory. In the latter part of February the Chief Astronomer visited Cleveland and Allegheny re instruments. On March 5, 1900, Warner & Swasey, of Cleveland, submitted an estimate of 12-inch telescope and many accessories for $9,085. On April 18, 1900, an astronomic clock for $550 was ordered from the E. Howard Watch & Clock Co., Boston, and subsequently placed (for uniform temperature) in the basement of the Supreme Court building, What equipment we had in our old wooden observatory on Cliff Street, is found from the following list, made on the removal of the instruments on the night of the big fire in Hull and Ottawa. April 26, 1900: 2 switchboards, 1 watch chronometer; 1 old chronometer, No. 81; 1 new Dent chronometer; striding level in case; old and new Cooke transits; galvanometer; relays; chronograph; Siemens switchboard, and instrument lamps. During this year, 1900, astronomic work was resumed and Rose Point, Owen Sound, Chalk River, Vancouver, Rayside and Wilno were occupied, and connected in longitude with Ottawa. On Nov. 6, 1900, a complete magnetic field outfit, for the contemplated magnetic survey of Canada under the direction of the Chief Astronomer, was ordered for 1,400 marks from Tesdorpf, Stutt gart. On February 14, 1901, the Deputy informed the Chief Astronomer, with reference to the observatory, that the Minister was inclined to think that "it is very doubtful if anything will be done this year," However, later an item of $15,000 appeared in the estimates. March 11, 1901, Chief Astronomer to J. A. Brashear, saying, "Sorry; observatory scheme fallen through for the present." May 22, 1901, J. C. Grant to Minister, offering 7 acres along the Rideau-Salisbury Avenue--at $3,000 an acre for observatory site. It may be stated that the Chief Astronomer and the |