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Rh interrupted his work. He succeeded, however, in obtaining a most superior collection of instruments and books. Among the instruments for the observatories were two five-foot transits of improved construction, made by Edward Troughton, of well-known contemporary fame; and two astronomical clocks, manufactured by William Hardy from Scotland, residing in London, and who is eminent for various valuable inventions in the line of clock work and chronometer making, and for the very superior execution of all his works." Hardy had constructed similar clocks for the observatories of Greenwich and Glasgow. Hassler also purchased some books for his observatories. In 1816 his astronomical plans received the endorsement of President Madison and Secretary of the Treasury Dallas.

Under the direction of Hassler the field-work of the survey of the coast was begun in the summer of 1816, but it was suddenly brought to a close by the repeal in the spring of 1818 of a part of the act of 1807 authorizing the survey. The astronomical observatories had not yet been established. Hassler was still of the opinion that at least one of them was indispensable. When congress in 1832 revived the act of 1807, it concluded that an astronomical observatory was not necessary for the survey of the coast. The act of 1832 contained a provision that nothing in this act nor in that of 1807 "shall be construed to authorize the construction or maintenance of a permanent astronomical observatory." The establishment of an observatory had now become a favorite project of John Quincy Adams, and the democrats during his administration had especially opposed and ridiculed it. They were determined not to leave a loop-hole in the legislation for the Coast Survey, by means of which Adams might be able to gratify his long-cherished desire. The law of 1832 gave a quietus to Hassler's plan of attaching an observatory to the Coast Survey.

The second general movement for an astronomical institution under federal control was that of William Lambert, at one time a resident of Virginia and later of the District of Columbia. Lambert's movement began with his attempts to obtain legislation providing for the establishment of a prime meridian of the United States for the reckoning of longitudes. He believed that Washington in laying out the seat of government had designed that the center of the Capitol should mark the first meridian of this country. Lambert brought the subject to the attention of congress by a memorial to the house, dated City of Washington, December 15, 1809. He declared that the establishment of a first meridian was worthy of the consideration and patronage of the national legislature, since a further dependence upon Great Britain and other foreign nations would thereby be entirely removed; and he submitted a series of astronomical and mathematical papers dealing with the subject. One of these was an abstract of calculations made