The Sun.
London, England, 1857-12-25 00:00:00

THE SOLAR ECLIPSES OP 1858.

On this subject M. Faye has just read an inte-
resting paper, with a view to call the attention of
astronomers to the questions which may be either
entirely solved or at least considerably elucidates
by the observation of those important phenomena.
What, he asks, is the sun ? It is a fiery globe com-
posed of two concentric parts of very unequal den-
sities. The inner part constitutes a spherical
nucleus, and the outer one a kind of very extensive
atmosphere. At a certain distance from the centre
this atmosphere is covered with a continuous sphe-
rical layer of a peculiar kind of clouds, which are
luminous and constitute the fiery globe visible to
us, the photosphere of the sun. Under this principal
layer there is the comparatively dark surface of the
nucleus ; and above the photosphere there are the
last highly rarefied and usually invisible strata of
the general atmosphere. From the nucleus gaseous
eruptions issue, partially dissipating and extinguish-
ing the luminous clouds of the photosphere, nay
rising beyond it into the extreme strata (which
only become visible by a faint light at the time of
an eclipse), where they form those torrents of va-
pour known by the name of rose coloured protu-
berances. The volume of these vapours is some-
times a thousand, and even two thousand times
the size of our globe. M. Faye now draws a
parallel between the present condition of the sun
as above described, and what must have been the
state of our earth when the crest which now cm-
ceals its central fire was not yet formed. It was
then a diminutive sun ; the whole mass of its waters
swam in the atmosphere under the form of steam,
with the immense mass of carbonic acid which has
since been absorbed by calcareous matter. These
vapours, which were invisible and transparent in
the vicinity of the then liquid nucleus, were con-
densed at a considerable altitude, so as to form a
continuous involucrum of white clouds brilliantly
illuminated by the rays of the sun. Seen from a
distance, our earth must have presented this pho-
tosphere to the eye. Immediately above it there
must have been the last strata of air in a high state
of rarefaction, and therefore incapable of support-
ing any of those luminous clouds or aqueous
vapours ; immediately below there must have been
a layer of dark clouds or fogs constantly dissi-
pated by the radiation of the nucleus ; and lower
still a dense atmosphere weighing upon the still
denser smoke, incessantly issuing from the
nucleus. M. Faye concludes this hypothetical
picture by supposing that volumes of gas did at
times penetrate through the photosphere, pro-
ducing gaps in the stratum of white clouds ;
in which case a distant observer would, through
these gaps, have seen the dark nucleus of the earth,
just as we at present see that of the sun through
the gaps iu its photosphere, which appear to us as
(lark spots. Now, whether this theory really ex-
plains the process actually in progress in the sun can
only be ascertained by an exact observation of eclip-
ses. The eclipse of Sept., 1858, will only be central
and total to the inhabitants of the southern conti-
nent of America, where there are but few astrono-
mers and observatories. M. Faye, however, pro-
poses to establish two observatories for the occasion
—one at Ignape, on the coast of Brazil, and other
in Peru, at 1i deg. south cf Cape Blanco. But the
first eclipse, which is to take place next March,
though not central as regards France, will b 3 very
neatly so : for the spot whence it might be seen is
only 32 kilos. from the island of Ouessant ; and an
observer stationed on that island will see the eclipse
with a deviation of only 14 seconds from the centre.
At Brest the observation would not be so favoura-
ble, the minimum of breadth in the solar crescent
being 25 seconds ; at Paris it will be 3 min. 22 sec.,
a very unfavourable condition for observing the
physical condition of the sun. M. Faye now points
out various precautions to be taken by astronomers
in making their observations. First he advises
them to (I ive.t themselves of all preconceived theo-
retical notions,which,might induce them to neglect
esse, tial circumstances for others the importance
of which may be mere matter of opinion. They
ought therefore to mark down the situation of the
solar spots on the day before and the day after the
eclipse, in order to see whether they really coincide
wi-h the protuberances observed during the obscu-
ration. Secondly, the observer should husband
his eyes—that is, avoid looking at the sun or re-
ceiving its direct rays, until the very moment of
th 3 observation ; else ho may be unable to see all
the expected phenomena with sufficient nicety.
Thirdly, in order to avoid the irregular refractions
caused by the air within the tube of the telescope,
when rarefied by long exposure to the sun, the in-
strument ought to remain covered w:th a white
cloth, having previously been pointed to the proper
spot in the heavens until the moment when the
observation is to begin. This precaution, M. Faye
contends, is of the greatest importance, and its
being neglected is the cause of frequent error. So
great indeed is the effect of this refraction that
the disc of Saturn has sometimes been seen in
.the form of a square, with its angles slightly rounded
(IL

THIC NAMMS AND TOPOGRAPHY OP
LYDIAN TOWNS AND .STAT,ONS.

Every fresh telegram makes " confusion worse con-
founded " of Indian topographical nomenclature ; and
home readers are but too frequently at a loss to under-
stand the exact situations of particular towns, stations,
and districts which have been affected by the mutinies.
The cause of frequent mistakes being made in the names
of places is, that so many towns and districts in Hindos-
tan are designated by one and the same name, or nearly
so. With the view of assisting the reader, we devote a
few li
ing the principal instances in which
Indian confused by a dual nomenclature.
We set out by referring to the moot remarkable in-
n lines
typography to speci specifying
is
stance of the same designation being attached to two
important, but widely-different places.

Hyderabad, the territory of the Niz%m, is described
by Thornton. in his " Gazetteer," as a " realm of
Southern India ; " the name by which it is thus distin-
guished being that of the city which is its capital. "It is
bounded on the N.-B. by the territory of Nagporo, on
the S.-E. by a part of the Madras presidency and Kur-
nool, on the W. by Bombay, and on the N. W. by Crwa-
her, Sa,ugor, and Nerbudda." A large subsidiary force
is maintained by the British Government under treaty
with the Nizam. This Hyderabad is distant from the
presidency of Madras 398 mile-, from Bombay 434 miles,
and from Calcutta 972 miles. The other Hydrabad,
sometimes spelt Hyderabad, is in Scinde, being far away
from the above-named native state, and is a station dis-
tant 1,626 miles from Calcutta, 1,541 from Madra•,, and
634 from Bombay. It is attached to the Bombay Presi-
dency. _ .

There are two Berhampores. 'That in the Bengal Pre-
sidency is 118 miles distant from the Presidency ; it
was one of the first of the numerous stations that have
bean affected by the rnntini,s. On June 21 two native
regiments stationed at Berhampore mutinied, and the
Europeans fled to the protection of the Nawab who
proved friendly. The other Berbampore is situated in
the Madras Preedency,oheitig distant (ram the letter
632 miles, 1,015 from Bombay, and 382 from Calcutta.
There rro two stations with the similar names of Col-
nab and Culneab in B n,al ; the one being 52, a' d the
other 118 miles from Calcutta. There are the stations
I/napore and Dinajepore, in the same Presidency ; the
former being 376 miles from Calcutta, and the latter 259
miles. Dinapore, it will be recollected, was the scene
of the mutiny of two sepoy regiments. Karnaol and
Kurnool (indifferently spelt Kurnool) are places situated
nearly 1,000 miles from Calcutta. Kuresal is in Bengal,
while Kurnool is in the Madras Presidency.
We next cite the towns of !dhow or Mow. In Mhow,
which is a state or province, there has been a rebellious
outbreak, which was, however; suppressed. The dis-
trict is situate in the Bombay Presidency, 360 miles from
Bombay. The other place, designated " Mow," is a
town of Bengal, 726 miles from Calcutta. Again, there
are two " Sultanpores ;" Sultanpore, in Bengal, is 436
miles from Calcutta. Sultanpore, in Oude, being 525
miles from the Presidency of Bengal. Saugor and
Saugor Island, indifferently named Saugor in accounts
from India, are places in Bengal, as wide apart as they
are opposite id nature. The Saugor, so often alluded
to as the unfortunate station and garrison beleaguered
by
h e m
Nerbudda territories, at no great distance from the dis-
turbedt territory
is the chief town in the Saugt.r and
ofOnde. Saugor Island bounds the
t n
entrarc: of the river Roughly, near Calcutta. There
are the town of Gwalior and the state of Gwalior, in
Bengal; and again the town of Malwa and the state of
Malice, in the Bombay Presidency ; the city of Lahore
and the province of Lahore, in the Punjaub; the town
and tet ritetry of Patna ; Bundelkund southern and nor-
thern divis..ae ; East Burd wan and We it Burdwan.

We believe we have ni;;giver7all the inatance4 of im-
portance in which the designationa are identical.—
Morning Advertiser.

YORK llOnsic FAIR.—The great Christmas horse fair
at York was held during the whole of last week, con-
eluding on Saturday. There was a large number of
animals shown, yet the exhibition, whether as to
numbers or a f;
=ty, was below that of the previous
years. Good horses of all deseriptiens were very scarce,
and realised im- i
"8 quite as high as
.t'lose nbtaiued 12
eii,tiths ago. Inferior horses were parted with on
lower terms. Mr. Murray, of Maneliester, bad 21
first-class hunters ; but the attendance of 'meting
gentlemen not being large, only tlx of the horses
were sold, at an average price of 250/. Seine of the
most celebrated English, French, and German horse-
dealers were in attendance at the fair.—feeds Afercury.
[ADVERTISMENT.] -- KIDNEYS, BLADDER, &O.
Secmd E htion, Price 2s.—Practical information on
the origin of Diabetes, Albuminuria, or Bright's disease,
and certain other chronic affections of the Kidneys and
Bladder in both Sexes their connection with the
Stomach and Liver, and only successful mode of cure
By Dr Denis Cronin' 35, Bruton-greet, Berkeley
square.—" A very able work upon diseases affecting
is large portion of the population."—Weekly News,
Smith and Co., 52, Long-aore.