, 1874-12-12
THE TRANSIT OF VENUS.

Observations Mt VnrfouA Points.
London {D<e. o D.spacA to the tfs,r lorE H'o7ld.
The following spocial dispatch to tho Herald
has been rocoivea ut this bureau from Prof. lln1,
Chiof Of tho American expedition in sibcria
vLAn1vosroK, Dec. D.-To hnvo juet concluded our
observations Of tho tranHtt OF Vcnus. Tho morning
hopes were entertained Of tho probability OF succeas-
ful observations being made.
Clouds oneeurel tue sun from dawn, but as Tho
distinctly visible through tho equatorial telescope.
A'a bes,na gradually hs!uhsene, MD rs tho dectslve
near his image was distinctly printed on tho back
ground Of the camera used W tlo photographers:
h o o aao D eoa @ @ pans
rensaincd t1ol steadily before the onservera eye.
As lie planet Advanced mud touched tho suiB limb
to tllo drifting Of haze aud clouds between, 1t wan i'm
possible to otau good photographs of these contacts
Tho vapory state of tho atmosphere 1asel until about
hour after tho sccbnd contnct Nevertheless, to
moment 1t which tH contact occurred was lkewiso
obtained. When Venus haa crept ucarly half way
to adnis Of ,uases bclng obasncL. Thr
teen negatives, well and distinctly executed. vera
that it will DO poEao!o 10 nasp tho planets track
tc photographic inago of tile sun afcr the return OF
the observers home. The weather throughout was
rather calm and tho temperature very moderate for
such climate as thia In tho depth Of winter, the
Thermometer resting at thlrsyfour degrees FahreI-
-uo xtst1ot!olAei 4toJaA Aa1 4tEo4fpAMiellAtcupts
from tho e1peditiouary parties stationed at
Egypt for tho purpose OF witnessing }onna'
transit across tho san. At Cairo and Suez tho
closing stages Of tho phenomenon were viewed
Under favorable auspicca. At ThobnB, tho sito
solec!od for tho plotoGraphing operations, the
nrtsts were perfectly successtut III Obtaining
pictures Of tho planot during ler journey over
tho aun's faco. It was very early in tho morning
when tho phenomenon was scrntinlzod there.
Tholn .gonce communicated to Sir George
Airy, from Shanghai (China). il not 40 CRAFTY
ing. It appears that thoro The woatiior vas
sinGn1arly unpropltious. Tho hoayehs wore
datkened al tho forenoon to such an oxtout that
no observations. even OF tho sun. could bo rnndo.
This station being 80 fur east latitude 81 deg.
u min. north, longitude 12l dog. % min. eaat)
would lavo aerved admirably for tho application
of Dolislo's plan OF calculation Which is the pct
methou ot tho Astronomer Royal. aud the i'll
eucccss Of tho observers tharo will no doubt
cause como embarrassment In consequence.
Of Greenwich. from India, this afternoon, state
that tho astronomers there observed the tranHt
Of VcnuB With q Bpccebs HurpAsHinE their cxpnc-
tntiouH. While tho planet appeared, projected
Oh tho Hun's disk, tho photographers took up
wards OF 100 negatives of its position thereon,
The details Of the n'icrometric measurements
aud tho determination Of tho fnstauts OF the
four contacts Of Venus with tho suu's cIges
hasa not yot been received. but tl1ero ia every
roason to hope that they have beon ascortainca
With precision.
LONDON. Dec. 11.-Tho following dispatch has
been yocoiycd flom Cairo, Egypt. relative to sho
transit Of Vonus: - 4 few minutes prior to Tho
contacts. tho longitude was established with
Greenwich. AL the observations wura success-
full at the central station. ut AlakGttnn Height,
aud at tho branch stations OF auez and Thobos." :"