The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-02-09
THE PLANET EYED AT TAsMANIA-UsEFUL BE.
SUITS OF THE REVOLUTIONARY LABoRs.

NonAhI 1OWN ldSiuduld, Dec 10, 1874.
The great Astronomical event OF the century has
at length rranspired, ana the members OF the
transit parties as this point and at Campbell own
are busy making their nnal observations for latl-
tude and longitude preparatory to dismountng
and packing their batteries OF equatorias, helios.
tats and chronometers ready for transportation
to the United States, and / have no doubt they
are all delighted to know that their trials and
tribulatons are over.
For year they have been engaged In making
preparations for the great event. Months we're
spent In teaching and drilling the members OF the
parties at Washington. Many months we're spent
on the voyage out, and weeks aud weeks OF pre-.
paratory exercises served to keep them busy
alter the observatories were IN POSITION.
One can easily fancy their interest
IN the success OF the expedition, and with what
earnestness they must have prayed for pleasant
weather and sunny skies on the eth.
Professor Hardness and Captain Raymond the
chiefs OF the parties must have experienced for
weeks preceding the transit emotions akin to
those felt by Spectator with large interests at
stake. The members oil the parties were not the
only persons interested In the success Of the ex-
petition.
ExERTIoNs TO MAINTAIN THE NATIONAL REPUrA-
TIoN.
Every one IN and about Hobart Town seemed 10
think That the glory and reputation OF the country
were lndissolurly linked wlrh the success OF the
astronomers. Tasmania would be disgraced, they
thought, in the eyes OF the world, If the eXpedi.
ton laiied because Of thu weather, and the blue
jackets on board the Swatara drew very long faces
iilueei when they saw the morning OF tue gth
open with dark. gloomy weather ana heavy
in Tor week. Everybody on board ship rom the
captain TO the jack-ui-the-dust INDUCED Ia cursory
remarks.
AN OurBuRsT OF FEMININE INDIGNATION
The very bumooat woman alongside SAID mat 1t
was "a oea IA sell to come SO lar TO see Venus
audlng, paren' hetcally that there was no nope
81 cnange until the end OF the week, wnen we
should have new moon.
GET READY.
Al the Observatory IN Barrack square. eye
pieces ana micrometers were ia perfect adjust.
Eent. Chron0graph and phot0hellOgiaph were
all IN complete readiness; but when the hands OF
eleven, and finally to ten minutes 10 ,welve-tne
calculated epoch OF external contact at ingress--
with no sign OF breaN IN the heavens all hope
was abandoned, and there was feeling OF sup
pressed rage and DISAPPOINTMENT among the
scientlsts and the officers of the swatara tnar
were present to assist them that could only
have found expression in general smashing up
OF the Whole concern. 1t was too mucn to be
and done, ana alter coming $4,000 or 10000 miles.
And hobarL Town, too. had been CHOSEN by Pro-
members Of the American transit Commission ion
that came out In charge oil a party-as the one
particular point at which good weather could be
PARTING CLOUDS AND DR. GnrER HOPES.
However, about twelve O'Clock, The wind hauled
the clouds began 10 break away SO that the sun
could be seen lndlstlnc.ly." Later still 1t be-
came clearer ana presently, when the transit was
about Two hours old, the sun came out with great
brllliancy. Instantly the phOtOheliograph was
ppEagn, lnIo actOm, anu IN iortxthree minutes
lent pictures al OF thcm These were caught III
the intervals Of bright sunshine between rhe
passing Clouds Afterwards, as Venus approached
the SUMS RIM, the quick exposure apparatus was
brought into requlsltion ana sevcnty-lopr pic
tures including photograph OF the last cOntact,
were taken between ten minutes To lour anu
twelve minutes past iour p. NJ besides some Iily
on account OF tue lignt clouus ard scuo eros sing
the sun. AT twelve minutes past our the .hnal
contact took place, and az the same instant
heavy, dark cloud Ohscu ed the sun EN- rely and
thus ended the observations.
HAD the sun oeen distilct throughout the whole
period OF the transit 400 pictures would proc
aDly nave been secured. Professor Hardness was
unable to note any OF the contacts with his equa.
torlal telescope, but he IL very well satisfied with
tho results obtained.
MEASUREMENTS AND PICTURES IN CAMPDELLTOwN
Captain RAYMOND, IN charge OF the station at
Campbetown, eighty miles In the interior or
Tasmania, was rather more successful. He sue
ceeued IN pnotographing the last contacts. ex.
ternal and internal, and caught 125 pictures OF
the latter part OF the transit. He obtained sew.
sral mlcrometrlc measurements and noted the
last contacts Win MS equatorial.
VARIED DISCREPANCIES ELSEWHERE.
At Melbourne Observatory, the principal English
aDuus the same success as our parties tine first
contact not having been SEEM, but after the 1rst
suits were ootsSed. At Bsechworts near sE'I Mel.
bourne, good views OF the INST contact were OBJ
talaed. At Adelaide, Australia, none Of the con-
The Information that has been obtained so far Is
very meagre and Unsatisfactory; but judging rom
anc our knowledge OF what the Amer can parties
have accomplished. enough data have been OBJ
tanned 70 luralsn one very perfect set OF ooser-
vations by choosing the most deslraple results
from all tue stations In this region.
The OBSERVATIONS at Melbourne. CampbellE0wn
same meridian Ol Longitude, SO that there viii be
little difficulty iR reducing the results to the same
point.
1t is expected thai Professor Hardness and Cap.
tain Raymond Will have finished their astronoml.
airy, bo'h parties Beng very much benIndhand IN
their star observations for position because OF the
graphic work VIII be the duplicating OF the plates
taken on the day oil tne transit. so that IN case
one set DE lost they Will still have Photographic
record OF the event.
WORK OF THE WAR STEAMER
While they are going ahead with this work the
parties at Queenstown. New Zealand. and at Port
Hull, chatham Island, making living visit to the
Auckland Islands en- route to look alter the welfare
OF the Gel man transit party stationed there. Con-
siderable anxiety is ielt WIN regard to their
saey rMey sa n IRON sY9ne arogs three
no tidings OF them have oeen had.
The Swatara Will then return TO Hobart Town and
take on board the raSmauian parties. transfer
them to Melbourne, whence they VIII take passage
via mali steamer to san Francisco. This vessel viii
deterInln ng the ATTITUDES and longltudes OF tho
principal points between here ana Yokahama,
japan.
AMERICAN CHIvALRY NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
PRESS COMPLIMENT TO THE MAaNANIMIrY
OF OUR OBSERVERS.
During the stay Of the United States steamer
swatara at the Australian ports an article ap.
peared In the Melbourne Age, which was copied
III to the Ne,'cuV and ran as lOlOws:-
ON the Atm OF october IL party OF German astron.
omers ana scientihc men sailed rom Melbourne
IN the french Dark AlcXandrna Tor the Auckland
Islands, where they were TO observe the transit
OF venus. lie Was expected that the vessel would
have returned 10 one OF the New Zealand ports
nearly month since but at the date Oh latest au-
wees from the colony she had not done so,
aud some anxiety is felt In reference to the
safety ana welfare OF the party. On asccr.
tanning this TACT captain Chandler. OF the Swa.
tara with that kindly consideration that has
marked the conduct OF that gentleman and ms