Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1874-11-11
8 tor the advancement of commerce

3
efforts made to reach the North Pole,
in which attempt daring men at this
moment engaged, that induce Govern.
ments to be SO liberal in giving their
assistance. ~
In the latter part Of May, orders
were issued by the American Govern
ment to place the sloop-of. war Sumatra
IN commission, and at the disposal Of
the gentlemen having the superlntend-
ence OF these vast scientific operations,
which involves the entire length Of the
Pacific ocean, from the ice bound shores
of CampbelIs land, within the 6Sth
degree of South latitude, to the Straits
of Behring on the verge of the Arctic
Circle, in 6S degrees north latitude, in
Guiding 1876 degrees Of latitude, or some
9,4OO miles for base line. oa
oo Eight parties Of astronomers have
been tolcd off to occupy as many sta
tons. The official list has lust beeu
published each party is to consist Of
one chief astronomer, or director, one
assistant astronomer, and one chief pho
tographer and first and second assist
ant, making 5 officers and a proper
number of mechanics for assisting in
the erection Of the necessary Observable
ries and structures. The following is
list of the names of the gentlemen who
are appointed to direct each party, and
of the station to which each is appoint
ed. 1t would be advisable to preserve
this list, as it will be very interesting
to refer to it hereafter, when the work
performed at each station will be exam
med with the deepest interest by the
ablest mathematicans aud astronomers
in the world.
Vladivostock, Siberian Russia, has
been assigned 20 Prof. Hall, U. s. Ma
w, as chief; his assistant astronomer is
y. b. Wheeler, of Detroit. Michigan.
Nagasaki, Japan chief of party, Prof.
George Davidson, u. s. Coast survey,
with 0. Il. Titman, U. S. Coast Sur
vey, first assistant. Pekin, China
chief of party, Prof. James G. Watson,
of the Ann Arbor, Michigan. Ohserva-
tory assistant astronomer not vet
named. Crozet Island, southeast of the
Cape of Good Hope,-chief of party,
Captain G. W. Raymond, u. s. En-
giueers assistant astronomer. First
Lieutenant S. E. Tlman, U. S. Engi-
neers. Kerguelen Island, east Of Gro
yet Island, latitude so South, longitude
re East iron London for chief, Lieu
tenant, Commander G. Il. Ryan, u. s..
Navy assistant astronomer. Lieutenant
Commander G. T. Train, U. S. Navy.
Hobart Town, Tasmana-chief of par
ty, Pref William Hardness, U. S. Ma
Wy assistant astronomer, Leonard Wal
do, Commercial College, New York.
Bluff Harbor, New Zealand, -chief,
DR.. G, F. Peters, Hamilton College,
New York, Observatory /; first assistant,
First Lieutenant, e. w. Bass, u. S. 4
Army Engineers. Chatham Island
chief, Edwin Smith, y. S. Coast Sur
vey assistant; astronomer, Albert Ii.
Scott, U. S Coast Survey +
Ii will be seen by the above that the
observations to be taken over the whole
Of the North and South Pacific, space
covering nearly one third of the surface
OF the globe, have been assigned to
a american astronomers. But Ameri-
cans. need not fear for the honor of
their flag when it is carried Dy such
men as Prot Watson, OF Ann Arbor,
Michigan, and Prof. Peters Of Hamil
ton Observatory, for these two names
are known over the astronomical world,
aud right gallantly will they be sup
ported on the day of trial by their
countrymen, although separated from
them by distances so vast that it causes
one to doubt the possibility Of such an
event as. the taking Of observations of
the same object, at the same instant,
from. points situated at from six to sew
en- thousand miles distant, or from
points the most remote that can be oc-
cup!ed upon our earth at the same
time. .4 81
The most powerful instruments of
the most celebrated observatories of the
world will be taken down and removed |
to those distant. regions, where the erec-
ton OF even temporary structures will /
be attended with great trouble and risk,
fora very slight accidentto any Of the
instruments woud render In
effectual all the labor, expense and
hopes connected with, not that particu-
lar station alone, but with the two 9TH
er stations with which it was In cou-
nectlon-one Iyiug IN nearly the same
latitude and the other ia nearly the
same longitude. = Ix
Great reliance is placed on the nse
Of photography. and three gentlemen
prominent IN that science have been
selected to5aceompany each party. New
and very elaborate instruments have
been brought into requistion and the
most able operators III thesUnion have
been selected, three of whom are from
-. 'sIEH ~ so :.rs - ii. ,s.5.t} . go.