The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-06-08
THE TRANSIT OF VENUS.
The United States Steamer Swatara
Ready to Start

Ready to Start
HER DESTINATION AND WORK.
me United states steamer swatara, one OF the
nandsomest sloops-o of war in the navy, was months
tsgo assigned TO the duty OF conveying the Transit
of Venus Professors 70 the South Seas- On Satur-
Gay night she arrived at .thc buoysS whore she
remained yesterday in consequence or the foo.
Ighe win probably sail to-day. She IL In every way
utted for the perious cruise which she has under.
taken Amply stored with two years. provisions
and al the necessary and latest instruments abe
goes out to prosecute most important scientific
investigation, which bears directly on the accuracy
sUf Navigation. She has been
FITTED OUT IN THE MOST COMPLETE MANNER
Extra cabins for the scientists have been built in
hhe steerage, forward Of the ward room; the mag
uzines have been turned into repositories OF food;
ane battery has been taken out OF her, ana II Cap
sain Chandler should fsll in with amy audacious
pirates down where he Ia going, he would be
obliged 10 demoltsh them with two twelve pound
boat nowttxers, mounted ON the poop deck.
1ne ward room. with the mess table
ready for eating looks like dining Fonm in
country hotel the scientists and ward cfacers
1Besstng together. This Ia the mostu unpleasant
5csture Of the fitting out Of the atp, and IL does
not please the line and stan to- know that they
unjust thus 'stow away their dun" during period
Of eighteen months However, IL Ii al taken good
mAturedly, and they say that the Swatara win be
more IKE passenger ship than . man os-war.
dhe forward cabin Is occupied BY the heads Of par
aaes, who dine and live with the Captain, who has,
however. delightful AFTER cabin just over the
propeller, where he can at mis- leisure escape from
4n> rhueio ffc ootv IN ha a
NAL Sensation Committee on their hands. The
weneral impression is that
THE SCIENTISTS
WiI not take kindly 70 the sea. Salt water and
mural circles, and 20 on win hardly commingle
readily at the outset This observation il founded
IN the experience of the brief trial trip down the
q the stomach, and looked with indignation upon
khe nonchalant waters Of the bay. which caused
AMEN mental and physical suffering
1t 10 believed that crossing tine 'line''-that H.
Brossing the eQuator-will be attended with NO
eude that the ship Is always surrendered to the
possession OF the old tars, who do Just as they
Buy on with wine or cigars, and are seldom hun
Aered but woe be to those devoted men OF science
VINO would observe Venus crossing the sun.
CAPTAIN CHANDLER,
who goes ont at the head OF the expedition, Is
nne genial on1cer, with q good record. as much
kernlty. Lieutenant Commander wilkins, the
navigator, is volunteer ofhcer who has had great
record that the department. placed him in the re-
spOnslble post OF navigator. Leulenants Hunker,
Little and Pllsbury are all fine 0nacers, and WHY
20 credit to the cruise. The stations that win be
visited by the Swatara are as f0ll0ws:-
HoBARr Town, VAN DIEnASs LAND-Chief Astronomer.
fFsoss uasa s Asa
K..sg .;,ss Is.asnNCn,ef Ast,onomer comm.ndsr
Gander, G J. Vain, United States Navy; Chief Photo
Erapher. D. R Holiness Assistants 9. J" Dryer and }.
Professor Peters OF
states ka fhfl an I rspDl
caozsr isiAsp-Chief Astronomer. Captain Raymond.
ss chs
e. o as9IaSam sna s%,n United
::s: Scott
ASSISTANTS, o Buchler and W. Il. Raw.
KKRGUELRH AND THE CROzEr GROUP
are barren, desolats islands without vegetation
Crozet group, but It was Impossible from the den
ant character OF the coast and the heavy surf;
and il Is only within few days that the news
came that wnaler, in attempting to send party
ashore mao her ,o.r ,xppn
Dosing several lives. The parties goinR to these
and other covering for protection, but their con-
dition Will not be one OF perfect serenity II an acct
dent befai the Swatara.
The Swatara sails
and will probably make that port in seventy-nve
days. and, getting warm wear Tor the crew and
officers. she will steam or for the Crozet group,
where Captain Raymond, United states Army, an
exceedingly talented officer, win De landed with
ms party. The course viii Inen be for Kergueien.
New Zealand and Van Dieman's Land. In landing
the parties the Swatara win sail eastward directly
around the world, as she could not make Roadway
against the westerly gales OF those laritudes, so
tnat she win 60 nearly twice around the world
ally to northward OF Australia, entering the In
dian Ocean and passing up through the Red Sea
believed that she will relieve OF the vessels
ON the European station and take her battery, when
The work OF this important expedition which has
cost $150ooo has been thus set forth BY an eminent
wHAr Is ALL THIS ron,
Not TO determine mere question OF scientific inquiry;
Is sS q i eA
o the ao oer s % the
ue q nc WIN pEOOaGy Se ina, v vs. sns
are good way on from this now, although the vast
Soosooo Of miles and # any one asks further Of what
real is this to the world we that the suns dis
eayeng ad Of hepns
sea-; it IS 10 him what the cham is % The sur,
o% the hs nce S ss %
weight the truth about the sun spots the solar cyclones
and sea. We must learn more carefully in order 70
sae lunar and 9es neeaea Tor nsv
Is wen Il IS % ana at different periods
- 70
IN the progress for . long time made by man to-
knowledge the heavenly bodies Herodotus
says that the first dawn OF thought regards the SUMS
distance made Its his day He gives
gather what these thoughts from the opinions OF
the earth and the universe then generally held by the
learned Greeks These that earth
che chief body in the universe; that it but q
mat plane, whose at Delphi that the
merely secondary uncertain and easily influenced
body, which moved about the earth, but
itself acted on by the forces which acting
around but 10 great extent blown south
during the winter by the Etesan winds Herodotus
thought this most probable From this we may fairly
Harmed Greeks did not consider the further OF
than ten miles from the earth for they did consider
the winds ct any greater distance.
Not long after this however, Anaxagoras affirmed the
real size Of the sun to be large the PeoDonnesus