EVERETT TO CAPTAIN W.H. SMYTH, R.N., LATE
PRESIDENT OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, LONDON, DATED CAMBRIDGE,
8TH FEBRUARY, 1848.
"I have lately been making interest with Mr. Schumacher to cause the
king of Denmark's medal to be given to Miss Mitchell for the discovery
of the comet to which her name has been given, if I mistake not, in the
journal of your society as well as in the 'Nachrichten.' She
unquestionably discovered it at half-past ten on the evening of the 1st
of October; it was not, I think, seen in Europe till the 3d. Her father,
on the 3d, wrote a letter to Mr. Bond, the director of our observatory,
informing him of this discovery; and this letter was sent by the first
mail that left the little out-of-the-way island (Nantucket) after the
discovery. The _spirit_ of the regulations was therefore complied with.
But as the _letter_ requires that the notice should be given either to
the Danish minister resident in the country or to Mr. Airy, if the
discovery is made elsewhere than on the continent of Europe, it is
possible that some demur may be made. The precise terms of the
regulations have not been sufficiently made known in this country. As
the claim in this case is really a just one, the claimant a lady,
industrious, vigilant, a good astronomer and mathematician, I cannot but
hope she will succeed; and if you have the influence with Schumacher
which you ought to have, I would take it kindly if you would use it in
her favor.
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