The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1882-12-12 00:00:00

THE TRANSIT OF VENUS.

Eight years ago thri--as—tr-mr-onical ;:-.1.1-d was look.
ing forward anxiously la transit of Venus, which had
been the objcct of lunch, and at times rather warm,
disemsolon. But sad to relate, transits of Venus have
fallen front the high po.ition which they nc- held to
relation to the prohlem of determining the r.uor
distance. The fault ties chiefly with Vacua hero -If.
The astronomer who observes her entry on the elm's
fee., whether to learn ••ow much this plienooen ii in
accelerated by the effect of his position or rodode
the satronomer who 1/luerv...• her exit from tho son's
disc with eimilar objects awl he obs both to r en•ry
and her exit, to Isar., how long the transit lags quires
to know the exaot moment .4 entry or exit; bey di.e. if
he can lean this, astronomy can determin. the
effect of the dimplacemeut of the v rtioiti
.beerving stations from each other, in di.
placing Venus on the suri's face. From thip
the sun's distance can (the rretic •Ily) be determined.
But to ascertain this we isn't be able to .I.t.rtitiu.•
Lie exact moment. whether at loci. a. or a• ecre •, Ilf
at both, when Venus i. jrist fully el hin the d cc or
he mi., her circular rrut.ine Lou. lung Iris on tic i. old-.
Bat this is precisely till rt Verru will not al w th
oha,rver to do. She refuses ID IDA I, hay. a eir. ul .r
outline at these critical moments. She Ira.k. skittle.
*lisped, leatber.lottle shaped intindle-waste.t, any.
aid g but perfectly rounl. For this reason, 1..•
these methods are practlcally worthless. Toe var.
methods available for d.teiuining the min's Is rr.
have now bron...ht our estiwares within Some 200 000
miles of the true value—while he transit ..1 Venni
method is not under any circum-tarnes .a.,abie Igilt-
g an estimate within half • williou of mil. PI at the
very lead.. We 'lout even whether, were it er••t for
•be guidance afforded by other method., as r m Inv
would not still have been o.cidating i•. opiniou between
01; iniili.,..f miles,a, it was half a mistury ago
in this country the transit be.ran at abou- tw a
few second* earlier at soathern Et no and lat. r at
...them. Venus enterer.' on the sun's face at a p nut
sb .ut 50 Ilegree• from the loweei point of the dire,
towards the left. To., most useful ob-ervations here
were rho e for determining the conddtution of tim
plausc's atmosphere Tile bight -p •t on the disc is.'t
c .Eu.B a mere optical sni hot worth c rustler.
The paled n f • satellite has long once been
answered in the necative. But the iuvesti:ation of
the bright are seen around Venus as she enters I on the
men's disc i, foil of interest, as was al., the ...essore-
went of the ral blightersas of w at looke I ike a
luminous rug round th. plant on the sun's face—
probably a mere ffect of contralt.

THRLATENI.Vfi THE PRINrE OF WALES
ANL AIR GLADSTO.VIs'.

At Boer-s re t l'oltee-cour. o Hun lay in .rn II a man
natu.d Jouu C.uu s,r m.ed 11, islu. au Ad •so it,
Wit oti•iiti, at, Gr.'''. win IV labt ui I. 1,, I
r. fai•ern In cutt In•wcto. Swanson, of tie
Criminal Inrestigst on Depattripmt, bo• ail
••harded with ..euding • lett, 101, atmatic to In . he
I' toe Of Wales and the ltigf.t limo W. E. fiats one
. he I. tt 4 re id as flows :--" 19, Wilson-stte t, les
Ino-ruil I.—Protean-11 bead of Liberalism. what •or lit Awe
piti to the musitrlt Liner il indeed, to thme wh • Cs- it
O want, but under your IL hitallgu.dance U, Choi state
are Mos hard-•otkine cia-mts au the r untry I liondri.d.
mid tboui.ands crowd the etreet.., art mil is viug, it
as online to work for • very small pittanon II I
should come acro4 you or the l'rioce of Waks, or an)
-itch who are pett.l with their thoo•ands, wherever it
,iappaiaa t./ be, ttiaiy would hare • rough Sm., ‘d it, fur
I would not stand pitt.cuiar ehat I would to. S. rote
Mr warning, for I don't cue.--Jos9 J. CRUNDER "
Inspector Swanson proved the armed of the lot r at
the address itiveti—a liataina house. He adinitt a hiving
written the ahoy. letter. —The prisoner wail remanded.