The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-07-01 00:00:00

THE SOLAR ECLIPSE OF JULY 7, 1842

The total eclipse of the sun which will take place on the
7th of July, 1842, is exciting much attention among the sci-
entific, not only in England and on the continent, but in
America, as appears from documents known to be preparing
or now just issued. Thus, in the Royal Astronomical
Society's notice for the last month there appears a paper by
Lieut. W. S. Stratford, R.A., on the path of the moon's
shadow over the southern part of France, the north of Italy,
and part of Germany, during the total eclipse of the sun on
July 7, 1842. "To induce travellers and others in those
countries to prepare for the observation of the important
phenomena, Lieut. Stratford furnishes a table " computed
to enable them to trace the path of the moon's shadow on a
large scale, and with very considerable accuracy." It is a
very ingenious production, containing for each minute, from
17h. 34m. 395. to 17h. 46m. 395., mean astronomical time at
Greenwich, the geographical positions (the longitude being
reckoned from Greenwich) of points on the earth's surface,
where the several phenomena occur of—first, contact of the
upper limbs of the moon and sun ; second, contact of the
centre of the moon and sun ; and third, contact of the
lower limbs of the moon and sun.

Lieutenant Stratford, after various details, observes should
the darkness be sufficiently intense, as has been sometimes
the case during the total eclipse of the sun, to render some
of the planets and brighter stars visible, the planet Mercury
may he looked for about 5 deg. south of the sun and moon.
The planet Mars about west by north, Mars being 15 mina
of right ascension to the west, and 1 deg. 16 sec. of delinea-
tion to the north of the sun and moon, &c. The sun and
moon will be in the constellation Gemini, and will have Cas-
tor and Pollux not far distant in a N.N.E. direction, &c.
Next there is, very recently received from America, Pro-
fessor Silliman's Journal of Science and Arts, for January,
1842, containing an article " on the Solar Eclipse of July,
1842," which observes, " As the approaching eclipse will ex-
cite great interest throughout Europe, and especially in those
places where it will be total, it is earnestly hoped that par-
ticular attention will be paid by those favourably situated and
in possession of suitable instruments, to the determination of
the correctness of a recent suggestion—that the irregularities
so frequently noticed at the second and third contacts of
nearly central eclipses, and at all the contacts of the
transits of Venus, may be seen or not at the pleasure of the
observer, according as the colour of the dark glass he applies
to his telescope is red or green." The Professor then de-
scribes the irregularities, as seen by many, from Francis
Bailey, of London, whose articles appeared in the 10th
volume of the Memoirs of the Astronomical Society; he,
however, particularly relates the appearances observed by
himself, in the south part of Scotland, during the eclipse of
May 15,1836. The committee of the Philosophical Society of
Philadelphia, in their report on this eclipse, say, "This sug-
gestion is one of the greatest importance, as it seems to fur-
nish evidence of the existence of a lunar atmosphere, through
which, as through our own, the red rays have the greatest
penetrative power. It also leads to new views concerning
the cause of the remarkable appearances of the beads of light
and the dark lines frequently noticed, since it shows that
their appearance may be completely modified by a change in
the colour, and consequently in the absorbing power of the
screen glass through which they are observed." "It is be-
lieved," the Professor further remarks, " that on another
account will this suggestion, if well-founded, be of great im-
portance, viz., in its obvious tendency to diminish, if not
wholly remove, the discordances not unfrequeetly found in
the best observations on solar eclipses and transits of Venus,
and which, with regard to the latter in 1761 and 1769, were
so great as materially to diminish the value of this method of
determining the distance between the Earth and the Sun."
There then follow descriptions of the phases of the eclipse at
some of the principal cities of Europe.

MODESTY.—There is a lady in Boston so modest that she
lately discharged her cook for serving a a half-dressed leg of
mutton.

of human
emit but feebly
wash up
TAR DRUNKARD'S
It would
WI a.—There are new developments
character,th. which, like the light of distant stars,
from yde
ter lustre on theworld. The waves of time
in what vicissitu
s unfathomed, " gems of purer light se-
rene."
discharged her heavenly of joy
life woman hasbe difficult to say in what walks of human
appeared pre-eminently a ministering angel ;
has escaped theand sorrow she has most signally
veloped the richness
"vulture's eye
Still there is a scene which
eye ;" an ordeal which has de-
fully proved the finenessoher hidden gems ; a furnace that has
allotted to the drunkard's her gold. This sphere has been
How. she has filled this most
desperate outpost of humanity will 7 will he revealed when the
. p a
pc ep no
_el I
Is
history of the enslaved inebnriit
alga
tharrosh unkindness, and years
story is told of strange insanity,e shall be unfolded ; when the
egheseach successive depth
of estrangement ; thence down
of ignominy and wo. Through all
poetry
faith and most
rarsChristian
vinity has gathered round her, while teadh ahloaopoefdi
and
exhausted affection sought repose in humble
enduring patience. . Was this the
love ? " could an object so debased enslave ior° "woman's
virtu-
ous mind ? No : it was the strong compassion of
that pitied the object. it,c,ondemned. It was more : the so-
lemn words of, him who spake as never man spake," claimed
reverence for the. marriage vow ; and when hope had fled!
and affection grew faint and weary, the fear of God preserved
her integrity, and patience had its perfect work.—New York
American.

On Wednesday the Goldsmiths' Company gave a grand
banquet to the Ministry. To those who have experienced
the hospitality of this princely company it were needless—to
those who have not it were impossible—to picture the regal
magnificence of the hall,—the golden glories of the massive
plate, the sparkling splendours of the brilliant illuminations,
or the tasteful elegancies of the entertainment. The com-
pany comprised the following distinguished personages :
Mr. Prime Warden Buttemer, Mr. Warden Hayne, Mr.
Warden Halifax, and Mr. Warden Ashlin, Sir R. Peel, Sir
J. Graham, the Duke of Buccleuch, the Earl of Mountca-
shel, the Earl of Haddington, the Earl of Lincoln, the Earl
of Shaftesbury, the Earl of Ripon, Earl Jermyn, the Mar-
quis of Abercorn, the Marquis of Downshire, Lord Wharn-
cliffe, Lord Ernest Bruce, the Bishop of Llandaff, the Vice-
Chancellor, Lord Abinger, Lord Colville, Lord Bexley, Lord
Prudhoe, Lord Fitzgerald, Lord Villiers, Lord Sandon, Sir
R. Stopford, Sir R. Inglis, Sir G. Seymour, Sir E. Knatch-
bull, Sir H. Hardinge, Sir B. Vere, Sir H. Halford, Sir T.
Fremantle, Sir G. Murray, Sir G. Cockburn, Sir G. Clerk,
Sir J. R. Reid, Sir F. Pollock, Sir H. Wheatley, Sir W.
Follett, Sir M. A. Shee, Sir P. Laurie ; the Governor and
Deputy-Governor of the Bank, the Chairman of the East
India Company, the Governor of the Russia Company, Mr.
G. Palmer, M.P.; Mr. Masterman, M.P. ; Mr. Lyall, M.P. ;
Mr. Estcourt, M.P. ; and Mr. Baring.
The usual loyal toasts (it is hardly necessary to say) were
proposed and responded to with great enthusiasm.
The Prime Warden then proposed the toast, " Sir Robert
Peel and Her Majesty's Ministers."
Sir R. Peel, in returning his acknowledgements, said, he
had to express his regret that he should have been prevented
from manifesting the punctuality which he desired to display
respecting the invitations of the Goldsmiths' Company; but
he knew the excuse which he had to urge would be readily
received by an assembly like the present, viz., the perform-
ance of public duty,—(cheers)—the performance of which
rather indisposed him to " much speaking." (" Hear, hear,"
and a laugh.) He could not, however, avoid declaring that
he knew of no company entitled to more of public respect
than that of which he had the hononr now to be the guest.
When he considered the antiquity of their institution, the
noble use they made of their wealth, their generous exertions
in the cause of education, and their princely endowments,—
(cheers)—he felt the highest regard and esteem for this as-
sociation, the favour of whose constant support he cordially
appreciated ;—(cheers)—and in carrying those measures which
the government believed were required for the national wel-
fare, the greatest support they could receive was the confi-
dence of those respectable and enlightened classes of whom
this company might be considered the most appropriate
representatives. (Cheers.)
The company (who, in consequence of Sir R. Peel's late
arrival, did not sit down till nearly half-past eight o'clock)
separated shortly before midnight, the general feeling being
that a more splendid entertainment could not possibly be

TOTAL DESTRUCTION OF COOKE'S NEW

CIRCUS

(From the Glasgow Mail.)

It is with deep regret we record that Mr. Cooke, the cele-
brated equestrian, has met with a great calamity since his
recent arrival in this city, his splendid circus on the Green
having been completely destroyed by fire on Monday even-
ing. The fire commenced about five minutes past seven
o'clock, and, we believe, originated in the following man-
ner.
After the gas had been put on, and the building had
been partially lighted up for the night, a strong smell of gas
was felt on the south side of the premises, where a number
of the horses belonging to the establishment were kept, and
the gas-fitter being still in the house, (the job not being en-
tirely finished,) he, and others, went to examine what was
the matter. Accordingly, it appears, that, after looking at
some of the gas-pipes, on applying a light to a small pro-
jecting branch from which it was supposed the gas might be
escaping, there was an instantaneons blaze, which defied all
the efforts of those present to extinguish, nothing suitable
being at hand for that purpose. The whole gas, however,
was turned off as speedily as possible ; but that could not
be effected, it seems, till the fire had so ignited the building
and its contents as to render all attempts to arrest the pro-
gress of the flames hopeless. A general alarm was instantly
raised, but the hay-loft, being entirely over the scene of the
conflagration, (indeed, but for the circumstance the catas-
trophe might have been averted,) that combustible material
was quickly in a blaze, and in less than five minutes after-
wards the whole roof was in one sheet of flame. Fortunately
all the horses were got out uninjured, and the only loss, in
the animal department, is a donkey, the property of one of
the clowns, and two dogs. Almost the whole of Mr. Cooke's
wardrobe, however, has been destroyed, and will add very
materially to his loss. The loss sustained by the members of
the campany is very considerable—nearly the whole of their
dresses being destroyed. Indeed, out of IS tons of property
of this kind, we are informed, not a ton has been preserved.
Several of the musicians have lost a number of valuable in-
struments. The building was erected most substantially,
and at great expense ; but we are glad to learn that the pro-
perty is to a certain extent insured. Not more than a quar-
ter of an hour elapsed from the first discovery of the fire till
it had completed its work. The audience had begun to as-
semble for the evening's performances when it broke out—
nearly 300 being in the gallery at the time, and a few in the
pit and boxes, but the whole got out without the slightest
accident. The Circus was only opened on Saturday last for
the first time since its re-erection. _

The remains of the wardrobe is lying pile upon pile in
Messrs. Mein's coach-yard, and numberless though the se-
parate portions of it may be, there is scarcely one left unin-
jured, presenting a complete wreck of robes in velvet, silk,
cottons, broad cloth, &c. It is impossible, we believe, ac-
curately to estimate the total amount of the loss, but in
round numbers it is not understood to be short of £3,000—
including the loss of the individual performers, many of
whom have suffered severely by the destruction of their per-
sonal wardrobes and property, musical instruments, &c. The
erection of itself was not insured, but there is a policy of in-
surance over the stud and wardrobe—the former having been
saved in the midst of the conflagration, consisting of 22 horses
and 6 ponies. This is the second time that Mr. Cook has
suffered from fire. The first took place in Baltimore, United
States, on the 3d February, 1837, when the circus was de-
stroyed, along with 57 horses, and a wardrobe, the collection
of which had been the work of more than twenty years—not
a dollar of the entire loss being covered by insurance.