Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1874-05-15

The most important expedition inal nus
ever been sent cut by tie United States Is
nearly ready to start, its object being the
observation If the transit Of Venus, which
occurs ON the slh Of DGctn1bcrnext. Thclast
observations OF the transit OF Venus were
made on the 81 of June, 1863, and by these
observations the distance Of the sun from
the earth was first determined. one OBJ
servatiOn was made in the north of lap
land, the other in Otaheite, in the Pacific
Ocean. The expedition to Olaheito was
commanded by the celebrated Capt. Cook,
and the entire expense was betrayed out OF
the private purse of George III. The accur-
ate determination of the distance Of the
sun from tho earth Is of the greatest i'm
portance, becauseevcr Astronomical meas
urement depends upon that ns a basis of
calculation. From the researches and in
vestigatious OF astronomers aud scientists
il has been made certain that the estimated
measurement of the distance of the sun
from the earth, that Is 9j,j00,000 miles, is
no. correct, and that calculations which
have been made upon that basis are mac
curate. An error Of 100000 Of miles is
believed to exist, and this error is thought
TO be due 10 mistake in the observations
made in North Lapland. THIS has caused
astronomers and scientists OF all nations TO
look forward to the next transit OF Venus
as the opportunity 20 determine accurately
the suns distance from the earth. There
are two transits of Venus, with an interval
of eight years, and then the phenomenon
does not occur until after a lapse Of 100
years. \ curious fact, too, is that these
transts alternate that ia, both of the last
transits occurred in June; those near AT
hand will be in December, and the next,
alter iOj years, from 1sS2 will be in June
again. The observations Of astronomers,
and their debates upon the coming transits,
led the Astronomer Royal of England 10
believe that the transit of 1874 would not
be rs favorable for the observations and
calculations that were TO be de6uced as the
one in 1882. Consequently no preparations
were made until quite recently, when il
has been proved that the transit of 1874 will
he far more favorable for the application of
the proposed method OF calculation than
that of 1882. When this was made certain
England, France, Germany, and the Unit
ed States determined at once TO take the
necessary steps to pursue the investigation
in December next, and aiterwatd their OBJ
servatons are to be compared for the ben
gift of the science Of the entire world.
The United States Government appoint
cd a commission of scientists TO observe
the transit at such places and from such
points as might be deemed best. They have
deci ded to send out an expedition To the
So uthcrn Indian Ocean, and others TO eN-
tremc points in the northern hcmspt ere.
At meeting in Washington ON the 81
ult., in the National Academy Of Design,
Prof Newcomb, of the Naval Observatory,
member of the Commission on the OBJ
servaton Of the Transit of Venus, detailed
the work already completed hy the Com
mission, and the plans decided upon for
the obsei vations in December next. Eight
pa rlies are TO be sent out from the United
| States and as above nOied, arrangements
have leen completed To compare and ex
change their results with the experiences
and observations of the German, French,
Russian. and English expeditions. Three
| of the parties are to he established in the
northern, and five in the southern he mis-
| phefe. The observations in the northern
| hemisphere are to be made at Wiadwotok
| in Siberia, under charge of Prof. Hall OF
the navy. Another party will proceed 10
Asia, and there they will divide. Ono par
~, under Prof Davidson, Of the Coast Sur
vey, is tn make its observations at NaGa-
sakl, Japan. The other, under Prof Wat
son, Of Ann Albur, Mich, will proceed 10
Pei in, China, and there make their obser-
vatinns OF the transit The corps who are
| to observe the transit Of Venus in the south
ern hemisphere are To sail from New York
in the United States Sluop Of-war Swatnra.
| Ailer the Swataia sails from New York She
will proceed first TO Rio Janeiro, and max
ing short stay there will cross to Cape
Town. From Cape Town the Swatara will
proceed to Il group of Islands called Gro
zets Islands. There party Of observers
under Capt. Raymond Of the Army EaGin-
| Ger Corps are TO be landed, and the Swaia-
RI will return for them on her home voy-
age. ATE: landing tho party upon Crozers
Islands, the SwataIa viii proceed to Ker-
| guelen's Land, or DeSolation Island. There
another party Of scientists are to he landed
under Lieut.. Commander Ryan, United
States Navy. From the Island of Desola
ton, Capt. Chandler is to proceed to New
Zealand, by way Of Sidney. At 1asmania
he will leave party under Lieut.. Peters
United States Navy, to make observations
of the transit and other scientific cxplora-
tiOns. From Tasmania the Swatara vii
go 10 the Chatham Islands IN the Southern
Indian Ocean, and there Capt. Chandler
will land another party, under Prof. Smith
Of the Coast Survey.
The reason for selecting 50 many places
of observation is the uncertainty of tho eli
mate in the Southern Antarctic region
The importance of making correct anC
tho rough observations Of this transit o
Venus can hardly I've exaggerated, and ev
cry precaution that human foresight car
suggest is to be taken TO secure the creates
possible success.
| Sci dem has a verdict of ncuuiiial hepl