principal planets are given in no case oftener than for every
third day. The longitude and latitude of the moon are given for
noon and midnight. One feature not found in any other almanac is
the time at which the moon enters each of the signs of the zodiac.
It may be supposed that this information is designed rather for
the benefit of the Portuguese landsman than of the navigator. The
right ascensions and declinations of the moon and the lunar
distances are also given for intervals of twelve hours. Only the
last page gives the eclipses of the satellites of Jupiter. The
Fixed Stars are wholly omitted.

An old ephemeris, and one well known in astronomy is that
published by the Observatory of Milan, Italy, which has lately
entered upon the second century of its existence. Its data are
extremely meagre and of no interest whatever to the navigator. The
greater part of the volume is taken up with observations at the
Milan Observatory.

Since taking charge of the American Ephemeris I have endeavored to
ascertain what nautical almanacs are actually used by the
principal maritime nations of Europe. I have been able to obtain
none except those above mentioned. As a general rule I think the
British Nautical Almanac is used by all the northern nations, as
already indicated. The German Nautical Jahrbuch is principally a
reprint from the British. The Swedish navigators, being all well
acquainted with the English language, use the British Almanac
without change. The Russian government, however, prints an
explanation of the various terms in the language of their own
people and binds it in at the end of the British Almanac. This
explanation includes translations of the principal terms used in