Weekly national intelligencer., 1848-04-22
THE REPORT ABOVE REFERRED TO.

Navy his letter of The 3st Of March, lS4S, and they beg
leave present the following views of this interesting subject
proposed 10 set foot expedition to the south
available position the continent for purpose
OF making the planet Venus during the period
OF her Ieoeade motion, in conjunction with similar obseva
tons 10 be made the Observatory in this city, with
to the determination of the solar paraax which
involves only the distance OF planet sum-
bot the dimensions of the orbits OF all the bodies of the solar
system These observations successfully made in the
proposed, win present data solely American for new
and independent determination of this important eIe-
element which all determinations Of
longitude affecting the accuracy and safety all such calcula
ons and therefore possessed of the highest possible utility
only the Government but all the enersing citizens
Of country In this view, the expedition commend itself
for encouragement and efficient aid in lis promo
ton has been proposed by Of known zeal industry
and ability in astronomical observations whose personal efforts
will not be wanting to bring it TO a successful issue.
The plan Is which emanaed from DIR. Gerng, Of
Marburg, well known for his astronomical and geodetca la
bors, and communicated by him in letter Lieut. Giiss
dated April IT. ls47 in which he earnestly seeks for it the
cooperation Of American astronomers 1t contemplaes
series OF observations each bearing upon the question Of pa
raax, but in different ways and independently OF each other
One series is to be made with meridian Instruments at sta
os remote from each other in latitude practicable and
will consist of derena decnaton bel cen
Venus and the brighter stars path, which visible
in the day time. To render these available in the question
Of pssllay the proposed station Chill will afford an ample
ase Of 5000 miles. The other embraces derena ober-
raions out of the medan particularly right ascen-
son aud which, in Of the planets approach any
STAR be made with The utmost nicely few instances
Of approach Of the brighter may be selected
when the two bodies be followed throughout the day.
nd in FIJI of
mounted equatorial instrument would among the most va
liable for the proposed object and value would be in
creased by combinations with others of similar kind al other
and remote sstions
or such observations it proposed occupy point
in Chill an astronomical station. SO far as they NAV be
available in the determination Of the solar paaiax even
for the confirmation Of previous determinations they will be
Of The highest interest But apart from this primary object
the expedition and the observations contemplated commend
themselves upon other grounds TO the interest Of all
and lovers of The perfection Of these
obse viii require others upon other objects and the
whole will be Just tribute Of America and American astro
10 their co aborers science which country
is largely indebted for the prosperity Of Of its i'm
poraut No such expedition has returned
whou, rich fruits, Of different kinds and cleaned from
different fields from those for which it originally designed
The fact that quantity essential know
ledge Of the solar system the suns paaax should
determination mainly upon observations Of single phe-
nomenon-the Of Venus in l769-s sufficiently indi
eave Of the necessity and high of the proposed mca-
so imposn, for this purpose, in The eyes Of
deemed this transit and the previous inferior
OF l76i, that find them scattering all parts
of the hababe gob wherever the phenomena could be adj
vantagcousy observed In l76 they occupied from
the remoest regions Of Siberia the southern extremity Of
Africa in the willis OF ARABIA and the islands Of the In
dian In 1863, with greater ZEAL they scattered
Europe, America and the South Sea Islands u observe
OF the rares most interesting and important phenomena
which The annals OF astronomical science aod Not only
the learned societies. but the Governments Europe encou
aged and aided the audsbe undertaking And in that
day American shared in the labors and reaped
their portion Of honors Of the great occasion Yet the
zeal OF all no, rewarded with Unfavorabe
ihcr Of the must important stations either seriously
impaired entirely prevented observations At others the OBJ
seraons have been regarded with supcion deserving
but e confidence. And the distinguished Encke, who.as
given the thorough and scrunizing discussion Of all
these observations although he assigns bis resulting paral
Lax the small probable Of or o5 yet the close Of
Of his admirable the subject, remarks that
had the weather been favorable all eight of the northern
stations in 1869, and had many stationed
themselves at d points Of the Friendly Islands, their
sixteen observed dlratons alone would have afforded
accurate determination Of the parslax than the whole $50
equations OF conditions derived from both transits But,
comaed with the transit Of 1862 be speaks Of the
ranss those Of si aud 1882 unavoabe for this pur-
pose, presenting disadvantages which the perfected
instruments will folly counierbalance; and in
view Of the extremely Of these phenomena
and of the uBsvoabe character Of several Ones
be nnaes ihat for three thousand years the OF 1869
may remain The chief means from which derive
knowledge Of the actual dimensions Of the solar system
AT rate will be before Is74 that astronomers can
avail themselves OF transit OF Venus for even an imperfect
ver6cso Of Enckes paralax and centuries will eapse be-
fore the favorable for the purpose that
Of l7G9. Bot for the expiration Of these twenty
year,, the rapid advance Of science will permit them pa
eny % wait The progress Of astronomy and the interests
OF navigation require earlier confirmation redetemna.
non OF quantity importsnt ard astronomer, will watch
win oeep lntees, the accumulation OF observations which will
bear upon this point and which, If even less perfect in them
selves separately viii yet, finally, by their numbers and the
variety OF circumstances under which they shall be made
entitled TO weigaty consideration
Two methods have been suggested one by observations
Mars, which has been only partially tried and with bot par
a the other the which il is now proposed 20 at
tempt and which offers decided advantage in the greater
proximity Of Venus 10 the earth has been proposed 70 as