The Sun.
London, England, 1870-12-23 00:00:00

THE SOLAR ECLIPS7I

What has been spoken of as the most important eclipse
of the present century was visible in the heavens yester-
day. To judge from the clearness of the partial display
witnessed in England it is to be hoped that the sky
yielded to the telescopes, the stereoscopes, the polari-
scopes, and the cameras of the adventurous bands
of astronomers, who, without doubt, swept
the heavens from Sicily and the Mediterra-
nean shores of Europe and 21..frica yesterday for the final •
solution of the great • solar mystery, the corona—that
saintly "glory " which surrounds the dark circle of the
moon as soon as the illumination of the sun is shut out
in a total eclipse of the great luminary: Just before
eleven o'clock yesterday morning the clouds began to
move, now darkening, now lighting up the heavens, and
men began to watch for the :great event that was ap-
proaching. In London the sky was not obscured and the
snow deeply laid upon the housetops and in the streets lent
a lightsomeness to the scene that threatened to annihilate
any chance of bringing the eclipse to view even if men
could be patient enough to stand in the icy air waiting
for it. The eclipse, however, came, and was visible.
Nature came up to her expectations. At about twenty
minutes past twelve the sun turned itself most clearly
into a "crescent moon," with the horns pointed down-
wards, and remained so for some time. Without a voyage
to Sicily and a shipwreck, any one who happened to be
on the lookout was gratified by a perfectly clear
sight of the phenomenon. We have received intimation
from various quarters of England, and from parts of
Ireland and Scotland, in proof that the eclipse everywhere
presented itself.
The scientific and most important observations
of this eclipse are not made in England, but
by the various expeditious which have gone abroad
for that purpose. The central line of the shadow
path enters Portugal north of Cape St. _Vincent.
The narrow baud of total darkness includes Cadiz,
Xeres, and Gibraltar, in Spain ; Oran, in Algiers ;
Syracuse, in Sicily ; and leayes .2urope after
passing through Turkey, north of Greece. The dura-
tion of totality in Spain will be 2m. lls., and in
Sicily Im. 525. On this occasion the spectroscope will
be employed by our astronomers in resolving the pro-
blem about the composition of the atmosphere. This
instrument has not yet assisted us in determining
the origin of thatbeautiful appendage called the " corona,"
which can only be seen during the few minutes of total
eclipse. It is therefore principally to observe the corona
that several astronomers have gone abroad to endeavour
to solve the question, which at present is uncertain, whe-
ther it is simply a solar appendage, as it has hitherto gene-
rally been supposed, or whether it is produced partly or
solely within the atmosphere of the earth.
Professor Tyndall wrote to a friend a few days
since, describing a terrible portion of his journey to
Sicily which he and his fellow travellers had to undergo :
" After sighting Cape Finisterre we went straight to-
wards Lisbon, and here we were shaken with a vengeance.
Day sank (on the Bth) amid squalls and clouds. The wind
was high, became higher ; hard work to keep oneself from
pitching out of berth. The wind rose higher—first half a
gale, then a gale, then a strong gale. Some mariners an
board would call part of the gale a hurricane. Terrible
crash of furniture and glass. The tiller ropes became loose.
Hard work to tighten them. Meanwhile the ship was
practically rudderless. She heeled round, lay in the
trough of the sea, and lurched awfully. One wave smote
the stern, and crumpled up a boat which was lashed
there. The ship's carpenter went to the second
lieutenant and reported that the stern-post was gone
and the ship sinking. He was a greenhorn, and did
not know the scientific nee of the imagination. I
dressed with difficulty, and went on deck. It was in-
describably grand, but very terrible. It was a gale and
no mistake. The screw, tossed out of the water,
would turn in the air, then plunge again, and shake
the vessel horribly. I must say that, though very
earnest, I thought, as far as I was concerned, that a
worse end might befall me than going down in the
performance of a duty. 1 clung for a time to fixed
objects on deck, and watched the waves, and saw the
storm take them by the top and carry them away in
foam. At length the helm was righted, and the
ship, answering to it, was brought round to face the
waves. Our speed sank from ten to two knots, and for
three days we had a head wind dead against us. About
thirty hours had been thus lost, but happily a margin was
allowed. We have now good hope of reaching Oran in
time. Last night (11th) we rounded Cape St. Vincent.
This morning the air is mild and the wind good, so that
we are again making 10 knots. Cadiz is in front of us,
and we hope to reach the port by 3 p.m. To-morrow we
reach Gibraltar, and thence proceed to Oran."

,
We are indebted to the editor of Nature for the follow-
ing telegram, received yesterday morning from Mr.
Lockyer, in charge of the Eclipse expedition to Sicily
" CATANIA, December 20.
" Arrangements somewhat altered in consequence of
the accident to the PsyChe. Catania is to'be head-quar-
ters. The Italian authorities affording every assist-
ance. Observatories are to be set up in garden
of the Benedictine monastery. Strong party
under Professor Roscoe going up Etna. Other
parties going to Augusta and Syracuse. Weather
magnificent. All instruments saved
.uninjured, prepara-
tions complete. The whole expedition loud in praise of
the noble behaviour of Commander Fellowes. The
Admiral is here from Malta, and the ship will be saved if
the weather holds good. The party will probably leave
Sicily in an ironclad on the 28th."
Respecting the distinguished astronomers who went to
Sicily, a Catania correspondent, under date December
12th, says :—" The Grand Hotel here is ;beginning to fill
with astronomers from all !quarters, chiefly German and
American. The English party, under Professor Tyndall
and Mr. Norman Lockyer, has not yet arrived, but it is
expected daily. Augusta is, I understand, the head-
quarters for observation, but parties will be detached
along the line—some remain here—so that they
will be able to check each other's calculations, and
increase their chances of clear observations. The number
of packages containing instruments is something fabulous.
I suppose we shall read all about it in due course. In the
meantime, as astronomers eat and drink and spend money
like other mortals, it is good for trade, and is a godsend to
the hotel, which would otherwise be very empty. The
weather has set in cold, and I fear we have another severe
winter before us, judging by the accounts of the Continent.
Our chaplain received a letter from a friend at Florence
yesterday stating that ice a foot in thickness had been
formed in a night.' "

MOSES and SOWS

NV INTER OVERCOATS, 19s, to £5.

BOY'S OVERCOATS, 7s. 6d. to 465.

To MOSES and SON beg to remind the public
. • that the cheapness of an article depends entirely on
its
lily. and they venture to say that their prices will compare
favourably with thoso of any other i t ise in England.

RuSlbil and SON'S
/s

OXFORD COATS, 17s. to 60s.

CAILBRIDGE COATS, 10s. to 503.

1 ERT01:1 JA.Ofil'i:TS, 15s. to 425.

SUMERLAND TICKETS, lOs. Gil. to 503.

BUSINESS SUM, 280. to 00s.

EMOSES and SON'S easy and accurate system
. of self-meaure enables theta to execute orders by post
with the guarantee of a faultless Rt.

E MOSES and SON'S

FROCK CO ITS, 245. to 63e.

PARTRIDGE AND COOPER,
MANUFACTURING STATIONERS,
192, VLENT-STREET (00RNZE 01 CHANOHRT-LANV, LONDON (NM ).
DIE PUBLIC SUPPLIED AT WHOLESALE PRICES,

JARRIAGE PAID to the COUNTRY ON ORDERS OVER 20.
Per ream. s. d.
Fine Cream Laid Note; a cheap .—. 0
Superfine Cream Laid Note; much approved 4 0
Superfine Thick Cream Laid Note ;especially recommended 5 8
Extra Superfine DoubleThiek Cream Laid Note 7 0
Straw Paper, " Patent:" adapted for rapid writing 2 6
Large Commercial Note Papers. 36., 4s. 58., and 8 0
Foolscap Papers, blue or cream.......... 105. 6d., 12s. 6d., and 14 6
Outsides F0015cap...».....»«......««......«.....».».... 6 6
Letter Paper for scribbling rulealitto, 4 6
Tinted Lined Note ......... . . five quiree for ls. 6d., or 5 6
Now Vellum Wove "Club ...... ote, five quires for 2s. 6d.
Superfine Cream or Blue Envelopes, .6 6d, be 6d, & 88 641
Large Blue Wove Commercial nvelopes, 4s 6d1... ..... per 1,000
Cheap Buff Colour, for circulars, &0., 8e.... .....
COLOUR STAMPING (Belief) reduced to Is. pe4loo. Polished
steel dies sunk by the beat artists in the trade at about half the
prices charged by the retail houses.
An ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUE, containing full &weep-
don, with prices of Account Books, Copying Presses, Inkstands,
Stationery, Cabinets, Postage Scales, Despatch Boxes, Travelling
Writing Cases. Desks. poet free. Established 1841