The Sun.
London, England, 1858-01-02 00:00:00

ASTRONOMICAL NOTES.

During the past year astronomers have been peen-
liatly active, as the following brilliant list of discoveries
will testify :
A comet, No. 1., by Dr. D'Arrert, at Leipsic, Feb.
22, visible for about eight weeks.
A c gnet, No. 11., by M. Brutens, at Berlin, Match
18, visible for about eleven weeks.
A planet (43), by Mr. N. Pogson, at Oxford, April
15, named Ariadne.
A planet (44), by M. Goldschmidt, at Paris, May 27,
named Nysa.
A planet (45), by M. Goldschmidt, at Paris, June 28,
named Eugenia.
A carnet, No. 111., by M. Klinkerfues, at Gottingen,
June 22, visible for about four week
-s.
A comet, No. IV., by M. Dieu, at the Imperial Ob-
servatory, Paris, July 28, visible fur about four weeks.
This comet was discovered also by Dr. C. H. F. Peters,
at Dudley, United States, on the 25th ; and by Professor
Habicht, at Gotha, July 30.
A planet (46), by Mr. N. Pogson, at Oxford, Aug.
16, named Hestia.
A comet, No. V., by M. KUnkerfues, at Gottingen,
Aug. 20, visible for about six weeks. This comet in its
advances towaris the sun threw out a small tail.

A planet (47), by M. Luther, at Bilk, Sept. 15.
A planet (48), by M. Goldeeboaidt, at Paris, Sept. 19,
named Pales.

Another planet (49). by the same person and on the
same evening, named Doris.
_ _ _ _

A planet (50) by Mr. Ferguson, at Washington,
United States, Oct. 5, named -My/4/k. This planet was
also found Oct 16, by M. Luther, at Bilk.
A c met, No. VI., by Dr. Donati, at Florence, Nov.
10, visible for about five weeks.—Total, six comets and
eight planets.
Amon, the chief phenomena of the incoming year we
have the following

A partial oclipso of the moon on Feb. 27, visible at
Greenwich.

G. M. T.
First contact with the penumlsra 7h. 46w. 9s.
Erst contact with the shadow 9h. 10m. Os.
Middle of the eclipse loh. 13w. 6s.
La3t contact with tho shadow llh. 17w. 2s.
Last contact with the penumbra l2h. 40w. 3s.
At the time of tho mithile of the eclipse about one-
third of the moon will be obscured on the southern or
ower limb,

An annular eclipse of the sun on March 15, visible (as
a partial one) at Greenwich.

G. M. T.
Eclipse bagins
Greatest phase
Eclipse ends
The magnitude of the eclipse (0.976 of sun's diameter)
is suoh Vint it will b 3 nearly total at Greenwich. The
line of annular eclipse poises across Eaglat.d from Patel-
borough to Bridpirt. The annulus, however, will only
continue a few second.. This wi Ibe i❑ many respects
a very interesting eclipse, since it is the only one that
Las be visible in England for many years, and more-
over, frwill occur when the sun is very favourably placed
for observation.

Mars will b..) in opposition on the 15t'n of May.
There will be a partial eclipse of the moon on the
24th of Au2ust, but only visible in Asia.
There will also be a total eclipse of the sun es the
6th of September but as it only be visible iniSouth
America and the Cape, we omit the details.
There wi.l be six occultations of the planets by the
moon—namely, ono of Mercury, two of Venus, and of
Mars, and two of Saturn ; but they will be invisible in
England except the stcond of Saturn, which will happen
on the 22d of December.

In addition to the above, the c3rnets of D'Arrert
(1851), Faye, and Encke way be expected to return in
the course of the present year.

FRENCH OPINIONS ON THE INDIAN

MUTINIES.

Two of the French journals contain comments
upon the last news from India. The Debats says :
" The taking of Lucknow completes the work which
was commenced by the taking of Delhi. The last
stronghold of the insurrection is conquered; the cam-
paig❑ is finished, or very nearly so. England comes out
victorious from a struggle which she has carried on for
six months against her rebellious subjects in Beneal.
That the English Government and the English people
should triumph at this denouement is most natural and
most legitimate ; they may triumph over the unlucky
prophets who predicted that India was lost to England,
aad were debating about their own snare in the spoil.
But let not our neighbours and allies triumph over
surrounding nations,' to use an expression of the
Times, that would be a pretension very much out of
place. For onrselves,who foresaw the denouement of the
struggle from its very commencement, we have read the
news of the event without wonder, displeasure, or envy.
Nay more, we ara sincerely glad of the success of
England, and we think that all enlightened friends of
civilisation will rejoice with us. . . We would rather
ee India governed by Lord Canning in the name of
Queen Victoria than see it fall under the yoke of Nana
Sahib. . , Delhi is taken, Lucknow is delivered, but
the conquerors must not forget that they have as yet
accomplished but a moiety of their task. It is not suffi-
cient that India should be reconquered ; it mast be
pacified, reorganised, governed."

After alluding to the report circulated by the
English journals, that the abolition of the Eastlndia
Company's Gcvernment will be proposed to Parlia-
ment, our contemporary continues :
"Thus then the English Parliament and Government
will have to substitute for a system of administration
which has existed for centuries one entirely new and of
artificial creation. What a problem to solve ? What a
task to improvise a plan for the political and administra-
tive organisation of au empire of 150 millions of souls !
Where is the mind caPableof regarding with unblenching
look the prospect opened by this ref win, or rather this
revolution, which has now become indispensable, of cal-
culating the probable consequences, of appreciating and
measuring the influence which it may exercise, not only
upon the situation and nature of India, but also upon
the situation and future of England herself, and the
movement of her fundamental institutiosn ? These are
the reflections which seem to us calculated to engage the
attention of the press and of public opinion on the other
side of the Channel, to moderate the joy caused by the
recent news, and to abate the pride to which the Times
gave way a few days since, when it represented this news
as 'a lesson for surrounding nations.' We would recom-
mend the Times to read and meditate over its
own' article of October 27th last. where it will
find an answer to the article it has just published
on the siege of Lucknow. It will there find re-
flections perfectly appropriate to the present circum-
stances—such reflections as are alone compatible with
the character and dignity of a great people, which
should know how to be moderate, and keep its moral
equilibrium in good as in evil fortune. It is not only
to individuals but to nations that the lesson of the
Latin Poet is applicable:—

‘lEciaani-inetnento rebus in arduis
Servara mentem, non aeons in bonis
Ab insolenti temperatam
Lastitia, moriture Deli.'"

The Spectator says, in reference to the intelli-
gence that a part of the town of Lucknow still re-
mains in the possession of the rebels
"We do not the least desire to undervalue the
importanc3 of Sir Colin Campbell's victory. If the
advantage obtained by him is not complete, it is
decisive ; the English journals are right in so consider•
ing it, and rejoicing accordingly. We think they are
equally right in regarding the question of the re-
establishment of English domination in the kingdom
of Oude and throughout India as substantially settled
in their favour by the taking of Lucknow. We did
not even wait for that event to come to the conolusion
that the rebellion must be crushed., From the moment
when it was found that the insurrection remained
concentrated in the Valley of the Ganges, and did
not spread throughout the Deccan, we looked upon
the triumph of the English as assure-I. But although
the rebellion is powerless to produce any important
change in the situation of India, we shall be much
miitaken if it de not defend itself yet for a long time
against the victorious armies of England."