The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-02-25
FIRST REPORT OF THE AMERICAN PARTY ON
CHATHAM ISLAND, SOUTH PACuIc-rHE OBJ
sERvATIoNs DEFEATED BY THE WEATHER

CHATHAM ISLAND, SOUTH PACHIC-THE OBJ
sERvAT1oNs DEFEATED BY THE WEATHER.
WASHINGTON, Feb. %, 1875.
Letters were received In Washington to-day
from Mr.. Edwin Smith, United States Coast Sur
vey. chief astronomer OF the American observers
on Chatham Island, South Pacific. Mr.. Smiths
report was dated at Port Chalmers (near Dunedin,
southeast coast oil New Zealand), January IA. The
Swatara had anchored In the harbor OF whan.
garoa, Chatham Island, October 10, ar which date
she left Mr.. Smiths party, as she passed on to
New Zealand. They experienced bad weather
on the island for the most part from that
time until December l. The 4th 9th and 9Th
or December were nne days. The party,
therefore. had fully completed their prepar-
atoms, their buildings and instruments were
In excellent order, and they were eager for their
work. On the morning Of the 7th storms began.
On the long expected Sth, at eleven O'Clock, the
clouds began to break ana the sun shone out at
intervals. At halr.past one p. NJ. every man was
at his post with nuctuating hope, but tho first
and second contacts were soon hidden by the
clouos. and before The third and fourth contacts
rain set In, which lasted till after the transit
ended. The party, however, succeeded IN making
observations with the equatorial during the inter-
walls when the sun ca me out, while the planet
crossed her disk. They succeeded In making some
measurements Of her cusps. They also obtained
which SO unfortunately commenced on the 7th did
not iuly cease until the I'D.
Durlug the pleasant weather before and alter
this, Mr.. Smith determined the latitude OF his
station 20 be AZ deg. 40 min. OF sec, and mis- ongi
tude to be ii h. AZ min. 80 $40 sec. east. He
succeeded also In making number OF magnetic
observations. anu made survey OF the STATION
aud It's surroundings. In regard to these ISLANDS
comparatively SO little vislted) he met with some
very pleasant people, In place OF Ending the rough
anu 6arbarouS ones Such a. were reported by
Commander wilkes, In 1870, and "a he had been
led to SUPPOSE he would still find there.
All the equipments OF this party as we'll as those
oil the other southern parties except Commodore
Kyan's, are PROBABLY on board the Swatsra, on
their way to san Francisco, TO which port that
vessel was ordered, by cable, during the first part
OF the present month, IN place OF her proceeding
to the East indies IN the work or connecting the
l0ngitudcs OF the southern American parties with
those OF the Northern.
This last work has been countermanded.
1t Is remarkable that at two OF these southern
stations the weather should have become unfavor.
able for our parties on the very day only OF the
weather was 1ne up to the time. The day OF the
transit IL was bad. There had not been Q cloudy
December before that date Tor SIX years, and the
next day was perfectly clear. The results SO far
Washington In selecting larger number OF sta
tons IN the Southern Hemisphere than In the
Northern, In which the meteorological records had
been more favorable.
the last oil the southern parties, under Lieu.
tenant Commanders Ryan and Train, at Kergue-
leE Land, have not been heard from. They are
to be brought home by the United states snip
M0nonRa hela, which Is expected TO reacn Crozet
Island December l, and to take on the party from
kerguecn Land shortly alter; returning with
them to Cape Town. The Monongahea, on leaving
Cape Town Tor these stations, learned that the
English parry at Kerguelen Land, was attended
by large IriRate, the Voltage. No report has as
yet been received rom professor Watson, OF the
Northern party, at Peklng.