New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-03-22
OBSERVATIONS AT PEKING.
REPORT OF PROF. JAMES C. WATSON, CHIEF OF PARTY
AT PEKING


REPORT OF PROF JAMES C. WATSON, CHIEF OF PARTY
AT PEKING.
SHANGHAI Jan l3, 1875.
To Prof SIMON NEwcoMB, Secretary or the Commission
SIR: For the determination of our latitude we
have pairs observed and for our Longitude we
have "A OCCUPATIONS many OF them observed by three Cd
servers and have In all cases complete time deter
limitations on the same evening. We nave tnihA'
nearly If not more 1000 ransts of stars for time
and position OF instruments. We have almost daily
determinations OF the position Of the Photographic tee
scope We have numerous measures OF distance De-
tween plate holder and objective. photographs OF re-
versed lines OF plate holder, &c We nave also nade az
accurate geodetc connection between our station and
the French and Russian We have also me inagnet,
aud other observatories provided for can tnlnk Oh
nothing which 10 be done, or ought 10 nave peen
done, which has not been well done: -, 49,, 4. -.
In regard OCCUPATIONS, computed all those ~ the
lists OF OCCUPATIONS whose limits included our latitude
In the of the transit observations have not Dsen
able 10 make the reductions Tor TWO reasons ISL ny
amount OF material accumulated; 81. The pecul-
a5ty OF tIe na o have made pre-
minary reduction OF the observations SO az 10 Keep tue
run OF clock and chronOmeters and 80 as 10 know
the Of the instrument but nave peen oogeu 10
defer the complete reduction or all the ooserVallOns
until my return TO the United States.
The night before the transit had been beautifully
clear in person TO the observatory at o'clock
A. M aud observed for some time. / also made hnaI
Inspection 70 that everything was all right as
signed TO each member the duties he was TO perform
and every was in his place long before tne ap
nointed time We mad measured the distance between
objective ana plate-hoder, and we we're proceeding
OF clouds came up from the southeast and covered the
sun 1t began appear hopeless for the observation VI
the transit
WORK on THE DAY OF THE TRANSIT.
had arranged SO as to have the contacts observed
with three telescopes VIZ by myself with the hvench
equatorial; by Prof Young, with the threelnch clark
telescope, and by Mr. Woodward, with Prof. Young's
four-Inch cOmetseeker the rising clouds preventing
Prof Young from using the spectroscope The clouds
getting thinner aud the prospect was nttie oe.
fore o'clock favorable for the observation OF the nrst
chronometers, 1t was discovered that the cleo
tic connection between the PHOTOGRAPHIC house
prof Young who had put them up. sought TO find the
place of the break. But 1t lacked only half hour or
the first coB:ac; mad tn change the programme and IN
order 10 be sure and nave the time oI me OF
the 40 photographs taken sharply, sent Mr. Woodward
into photo graphic house 10 make the record ana take
the time. Dr DudgeOn the surgeon OF the british s
cation. kindly undertaken 70 do ths service Tor u.s.
necessary for me TO assign Mr. Woodward this duty
He did not, therefore, observe the nrst ana sec
Ond contacts. The first aud second contacts were
observed by me aud by Prof. Young through thin
clouds aud the photographs bear evidence Oh the DIM
culties had to encounter. The nei0stat was III
charge OF Prof. Young and while he Was engaged IN
observing the contacts with telescope near by he was
was u xt 10 to Try catch the in pass
ing breaks the clouds and hence gave the order TO
20 right ahead and photograph as rapidly as the plates
we're ready. and know that by so doug We got many
more pictures which can be measured than would
spot IN clouds not exactly over the suns center,
would mislead the man at the heilostat and ne would
center VI the diaphragm. There are three or four pho
tographs which this way on The side OF the plate
We had provided rings visible from the outside so hat
when the clouds did not interfere could direct the
image almost exactly TO the middle OF the pateholder
on the you will IND the pictures well conferred
plate the exceptional cases being those mentioned
Alter Al exposures mad been thus made, dense clouds
Obliged us 10 suspend operations. IL remained com
pletely overcast until near O'CLOCK D. NJ when We
were enabled to resume photographing. Meanwhile
mad detected the place OF the break IN our wires tnOw
supposed TO have been made by Chinaman' Win a
w6eelDarrow oad.of water passing the wires 1855
befp "A ILL
IT, the afternoon photographs are also recorded on
the chronograph. also continued Mr.. woodward at
the record OF times &C. ana Dr.. Dudgeon gave US
valuable assistance IN developing and nxlng the photo
grams which we made &C average intervals OF minute
ana Quarter 1t Will be by comparing Mr.. Wood
wards record with the corresponding record by the
clock or the chronOgraph times aken by him
with entire accuracy, that the forenoon times
of the photographs reliable as II tney nae Deen
also recorded on the ehrOnOgraph. We began photo
graphing In the afternoon soon the clouds became
thin enough enable us 10 see the sun, ana gave the
90 the plates could be got ready BY 80 DONG we o0-
tanned exposures before the end OF the transit Inc
clouds dispersed before the third contact. out dust
storm was approaching dt actually hour after
the transit ana the yellow tinted with dust, so
that long exposures had to be made
CHARACTER OF THE RESULTS
The photographs necessarily thin, but nearly all
NJ them can be well measured The third and fourth
eoutacts we're observed oy with the equatorial by
Prof Young with threeinch Clark telescope and by
Mr. Woodward with the fourinch comet-seeKer In
measuring cusps bothered IN the forenoon by the
fam
the uuseadness OF the limb times. However, did
the best | could and succeeded IN gettlng between
we have observed well all the contacts ana
have obtained about 80 photographs which CAD be
measured regret hat We did not have clear day, In
when Case We should have obtained go good photo
graphs The observations for position or the photo
seryations we're 80 carefully and repeatedly made that
We nave the means OF getting from our photographs al
that Is optcay possible. ana nope 'na' no pains VIII
be spared IN their measurement - ,,,,,
In accordance with your suggestion l nave dlvlaed
afplp her IN ne var
on different one box OF negatives containing
three -four EACH OF direct ana
on fore and after the day OF the Transit and 80
negatives the Transit Those which nave are good
and the others should De
Picking. Those which nave retained VIII
carrie caiTx OF the comtnander Of the Pacific Mail
steamship sailing directly TO San Francisco. to
Warrington / Will also forward through Depart
ment OF the original records and the duplicate as
directed IN the printed instructions The Instruments
nnrculary mentioned in your letter Of the 22t OctO
Der aud the negatives except those shall send from
Hong Kong, have gone forward In charge OF Prof
Young de Will deliver them TO you in washington.
TIE other Instruments are TO 20 home IN the Licka-
wanna, which soon TO return TO the United States
inciose herewith of the contacts OBJ
served them aud desire NJ te same time 10 call your
attention 10 the phen0nena OF shese e9nraGts as oo
served them which are quite different FROM those OF te
artificial transit which we observed. Inc faIhthess Oh
tue image at the sec0ud contact, caused Dy Tue INN
clouds DID enable me 10 see the changes so den-
nley the afternoon at third contact Dut dd see
well enough 10 put me on the LOOKOUT Tor den
mite phases at third contact, and 10 show me
what TO expect. Thus while the third con-
tact WAS observed by with great accuracy
aud under favorable circumstances am satisfied that
M observations second contact good, and
ro ne re led upon ia discussion OF all the OUserya
tons The records Will give you an account Of what
was seen by each observer, and write now simply TO
state what know 10 ne the phenomena OF actual
transit viii describe the third contact. where l
every phase clearly and unmistakaby.
OBSERVATIONS ON THE ATMOSPHERE OF VENUS.
First. when tue band OF light between Venus and
the suns limb was reduced to about one
second OF arc Tor perhaps 0.S0 IN width it was
interrupted by fitting shadows They began by single
one menarly IN the thnnest part OF che band then
expanding the band became thinner and thinner not
permanent, but fitting. and they appeared radial 10