The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1869-08-07


either the eyes themselves or tho adjacent
muscles should be avoided. Using an opera
glass Is less Irritating to the eyes than
spy glass, because, while double the light Is
received and both eyes instead OF one arc
employed, the muscles surrounding and
operating the eyes are at comparative ease.
With the opera glass there Is total absence
OF the Irritating element due 70 the labor OF
keeping one eye closed. In looking at the
eclipse il Is essential to give the eyes the ad.
vantage of parallel conditions. A piece oil
smoked glass large enough to look with
both eyes at once should DO used. In.
stead Of smoking tho 'glass irregularly
TO allow choice Of opacity In different
parts, the observer should smoke several
pieces to different extents, but eash as uni
formly as possible over Its entire surface
and choose as necessary among the several
pieces. Every one should avoid the use Of
pieces which have been scratched or touched
by the finger SO as to remove the Opaque Gov
ering at any. points; the observer should
avoid also q single fash of untempered sun
| light upon the retina, and particularly tn,
repetition Of such flashes or Irritating condi
lions as would result from the use Of I
scratched or very unequally smoked plate
And especially should every one avolt
fatlguing the eyes by looking too long
or too often In advance. Let the glassei
be prepared, II possible, tho day beior,
and the eyes held at ease observing the
deepening gloom In the general Landscape
with merely occasional glances, until near
the period Of the greatest obsc.,a,ion.
Those who have reason TO believe them
selves troubled With tendency to weak
eyas should be the more careful to observe
these precautions. Those whose scienti IL
observations on the eclipse may DO Of value
are alone justified in risking any permanent
or even serious temporary injury to these
extremely delicate organs"
WHAT Is TO NJ SEEN.
There arc some facts which can be noticed
by all, leaving to experts to report the re.
suit Of exact scientific inquiry. The follow.
ing are suggested by Col. Darlington, United
States army, in a letter to the Cincinnati
Courier!
/. The changes Of foliage In color, and the
effects upon plants and the general face Of
nature.
De LaRue ECLIPSE Of 1742) says; "Terres.
trial objects take, by degrees, q livid hue.
Orange, yellow, viuous-red and copper-tlnts
give to the landscape singular appearance,
which. Joined to a very perceptibie lowering
OF temperature. produce profound impress.
sion on all animated beings. In 1860, in
Algeria, Mr.. Lausudat notes this fact" Tn
spite Of the short duration OF totally, datu.
ras, eonvolyoli, poppies and night shades,
which had boon closely shut, were observe cd
to half open during the total eclipse. Hal.
10y, Qs15,) Helper, (l59O,) Ferrer, (1sO6, }
and Piola 1Si2) unite In similar testimony
as to the extraordinary effect upon all natu :
raj objects, and describe tho tfnts as pecu-
liar, strange, solemn and impressive. "At
Campden HILL" says Teighmouth, "the
crocus closed, and Its color changed to the
pink hepatica."
Mr.. Hind, at Ravelsburg, (ls51,) says:
GAN nature seemed to be overshadowed by
an unnatural gloom. The distant hills were
hardly visible, the sea turned lurid red, and
persons standing near the observer had a
pale, liyid look, calculated to produce the
most painful sensations.
2. The conduct Of domestic animals.
AtEngelholm, 1851, animals were strange
| ly affected: "Cocks crowed at Elsinburg
though tho sun was hidden but thirty sec
onds, and the birds sought their resting
places, as If night had come on"
Mr.. CHASER, 1851, says: "The wet built
thermometer read 90 9 less; the rocks few
homeward; small birds few wildly about
the larks ceased to rise and did not sing, and
starlings took flight, whole hocks, together.
At Greenwich Park, a thrush commenee his
evening song. At Grantham pigeons re-
turned to their cotes."
DR.. Martin notes the fact that at Verton
ga Ash confined In an aquarium and ordi.
narily visible at night only, was In full actlv.
ity at the period Of greatest gloom"
8. The appearance of stars.
Venus, Mercury, Jupiter, Mare, and Saturn,
as well as stars even Of the second magni
tude, were observed BY Airy, Csrriugtou,
Dawes, Kinds, Stevenson, Williams, Bruhm
and Feiltzsch. Kinds also noted Regulus
Procyon, PolluN, Capellu, and Arcurus.
In 1851, at Dantzic, Venus continued Ia
view ten minutes after the sun had reap.
peared.
4. The test Of obscurity, by newspaper
or watch dial, held at arms length.
Tho impression on the mind can DO dc.
termined by comparison with the darkness
occasloned during the period OF heavy
thunder storm, or the ordinary light OF the
full moon. Frequently candles have beer
required in order to record observations OIL
read the instruments.
| .. The change In the moon from the US a
| form of a dish to that Of an obvious sphere.
q. The appearance OF mountains or other
inequalities In the moon, particularly,
whether It's outline be rough and Jagged.
Vassenius, In 1888, and Ferrer, In 1906,
unite In particular mention Of such appear
ances, and Of "bead like Objects standing
mersion.
!. The corona OF light formed at the In
slant Of complete shadow.
This Is described by Sooner, Airy, Cham
bers, Kinds and others, In contributing to
the Royal Society, as "a great glory" like
that emanating from tho heads Of saints In
the pictures Of great masters, but trans
cendantly beyond the range OF art to paint,
or the scope Of language to describe.
8. The "red flames" from the surface OF
the sun.
De La Rue (ls6O) estimated one "to be
1900 miles In vertical height above the
suns surface" and they have been observed
by the naked eye.
stannyan (17O6) says Of the sun: ellis
getting out Of the eclipse was preceded by
blood-red streaks Of light from Its left band. ="
NJ. Bruhn, Leipsic, says flaming rays
could DO dlscerned, OF a light rose color"
Although these suggestions are made In
view of the observer being within the line of
the total eclipse, they will be read with in.
terest by those near tho line and many of the
phenomena noticed. Few persons, now
adults, will ever SEQ another total eclipse of
the sun. If they will see all they possibly
can Of this, the scientific records which will
be made public, will be of additional inter
est, and make clear to their minds tho ap
member
| While this event Is engrossing the atten
ton of the whole world, taking the frmes
hold upon the wisest and greatest minds o.
the age, with millions gazing upon the spec
tacle with awe and wonder, 1t should Induce
l