, 1875-01-11
TRANSIT OF VENUS.
Prospect Of II Near Estimate OF tho
Results uf tho Observation-Disclosures
lii E1untlprt.

Prospect OF II Near Estimate OF the
Results Of tho Observation-Disclosures
Hi E4untlHrt.
tsrr,syo,.dt.cr ef tae .yt,e I'ort.H.rit
LoSuuS. Dec. '13.-tt nlpears that "e nre TO
have so1ne rolsh-rBst approximation Of tho re-
suits Of tae observations 1nate of the transit nf
tenHB rather sooner than was expected 1lliH
is duo tartly to the natural impatstnce Of mcn
Ut scleiice to test. by new measurements afIl
im!'tuveI methods the conclusions arrived at by
former observers. conclusions WHICH vary very
materially But it IL dre in ptiIt greater measure
to the controversy between Mr. Proctor, WHO ID
Hotto Of ' flee lanco III the estimate OF onr fogy
astronomers, Rnd Irof. Airy. tho Astronomer
fsoya1, III regard tn the merits of tho re-
Ha4loy'a method mich tin snVlr leayea OUT
Ut tho question tho longitude Ut tho Ata,to,.H
where the observations were made. its lsar:-
Hana, however. are very confident that the naI.-
mum Of accuracy eau he reached Gy employing
it. Tic DISCUSSION has subes.ed fol long
while. ami has been hot. even Acrimonious. Eu-
g1ieunIan-ltke, stlua Of our amateur astronomers
have attempted to settle tie question by makinE
it tho subject of a bet. 1t does not Heetn quite
III form to wager money upon the greater OF less
accuracy Of ceftaiu eines. coBnes, tanEeuts. aild
the like, but an. informed that no eud Of "po-
pica " have been booked OH tho result Of HALEY
or De l1sle coming out ahead.
Tue rivalry beta cen the aid Oxford and Cam
bridge Club and the new Utiivcrsit: Club in St.
James street las cropped ont III crowd OF
bots. 1hc Hon. Dudley pauet LaKcclies, scc-
oEu b1u Of tue Earl OF l1AEaTUCu. WAS NJ uttH
taken nbacx by tue laughter at llis con.
sterEatiou when, having wageted quite Aun OIL
HALEY against Do rbslc, he was tuld it would
tako two years to make the calculations needed
to decide tho bet tint lie backed lis opiuon
with nuotier bet Of Fl, 900 tha! al adequate
computation would be futulsleu belufe jan. ~,
| and that this would not tict in.ch from the
aceurate aggregate result '.. English COM III
tations i'll general dtTeyc: .to.n those male by
| tho aermauB and AtItf"nna. The effect OF ell
| this has been to {nt our astronomer III early
possession. by Telegraph, Of tLe intervals Of tho
| transit from some Vi tho must important sla-
| tionH, The periods of frat and second iuterua!
md external contacts, u8 noted ut Fladivostuck,
| Nagnsaki, Hobart Town, Auckland Island,
TllebeH. peslawur, Melbouruo anl Sidney.
lare a!rendy Leon teseiyod ut Green
wch aud Kew, and some Of the best ct our
ntrike what boukkespeFs call trial balance OF
| tcaults. Wheu ths will be accomplished oap-
not say. but apparently very Boon.
| In connection with this, to show you how far
| what IL called tue " enterprise y Of our eau-
] tcmpoyares exteuls, may Meutlon the cllIl-
| talk that tho Telegraph tried to uegotiato with
| profs. riazzi Smith, Chaiis (1lu.aian Professor
I Of Astronomy at Canbridge), aud Irunnow, c:
| Dublin University. to furnish its columns with
| special calculation Of tho tra.sit IN advance II
its contemporaries Il offered to procure spcna
dispatches from MI the stations for their ssc
and to pay q round hum for tho exclusive in
telligcneo. Tho negotiations fell through pme-
| how Irof. IrunuoW saying curtly tllst the
province Of 6cionco lid not border on the seusa-
tional at any rolnt. aud that il was it's duty on
all occasions to dlfluhe wilat it had acquired ~
widely ~ possible, aud prevent all ulonepolea OF
kpQTtedEe.