The New York herald., 1875-03-22
The Transit or Venus.


The telegraph and the steamship have al
ready borne to the ends of the earth
an outline of the successes achieved by the
expeditions sent out to observe the transit
OF Venus. Knowing what vast number OF
scientists and scholars awaited with feverish
anxiety the arrival of dispatches from the OBJ
servers, we published special kilograms and
communications from the astronomers as soon
as possible after the occurrence of the phe-
nomenon. To-day we commence the publlca-
tion of the official reports made by the chief
astronomers of the respective expeditions to
Admiral Davis, President of the Transit Com
mission, to whose courtesy and the efforts of
his Secretary, Professor Newcomb, we make
Acknowledgements for the early receipt of the
documents The observations chronced in
the reports we print to-day were made from
north and south stations, very far apart,
and well adapted for the application of
Halley's method of calculating the suns
distance. The Americans were the only sue
cessful observers in New Zealand-a victory
due to their proficiency in meteorological re-
search. Nevertheless, from what has thus far
been learned, we cannot anticipate an accurate
solution of the problem unless two important
contacts have been recorded at Hobart Town
or KergueleD. This may be said without the
slightest disparagement to the scientists,
trated by i'll fortune only. The mere determi-
nation of the closing contacts or that Of the
first contact at the stations throws the
problem into the hands of the photographers
We have already expressed our distrust of the
photographs per Sc and some OF the Pekin
observers already acquiesce in this opinion.
The correctness of the images depends on cir
cumstances beyond ready control. The tenn
perature of the air, the degree of the suns
brightness, the sensibility of the chemicals,
the liability Of the plates to contraction
or expansion and other causes tend to COM
promise the accuracy of the sun-pictures.
They can simply serve as o check on the
mathematical calculations. But these latter
are possible only on the supposition of per-
feet observations in southern climes, and we
have not yet heard of such successes. 1t is
gratifying, however, to know that although
our Transit Commission, individually, may
not arrive at satisfactory results, yet, it's
records, when taken in conjunction with the
data colated by foreign scientists, will as-
sumo new and paramount Importance. By
combining, for instance, the American labors
at Pekin with the English observations in
Sydney, the Halleyan system can be adopted
with great advantage. Again, by compar-
ing the chronicles Of the Nagasaki ex-
pedition with the records obtained by
the English in Egypt, an admirable
opportunity arises for employing the simpler
and more beautiful method of Delisle. Inde-
pendent of the main object of the expeditions
the scrutiny of the transit phenomena will
throw light on many vexed questions The
absence of irradiation noticed at Pekn is a
remarkable exception to the rules which
govern the motions OF solar rays. 1t may be
accounted for in part by the apparent en-
largement of Venus caused by the refraction
of her light. Many kindred problems of the
highest importance to science and civilization
will be on their way to definite solution
when another grand effort guided by the e1-
periences of 1874, will be made to settle for
ever the great question in 1882. Later reports
from the American observers may furnish
material for much useful speculation.