New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-03-22


And it is worth noting that had used the dry
process. as duo the English and Germans, there
would have been much fewer and much less distinct
images to show. The instantaneous exposure OF the
wet process gave our photographers the opportunity
Of taking advantage Of very brief intervals OF
sunlight. The immediate development Of the
plates enabled them to judge of the merits Of
each negative taken. Several very
fair negatives were taken when the suns light was
so feeble that its image could not be accurately
tered the ruled plate which took The place OF the
usual ground glass slide. The Photographic house
itself, il should be remembered, was practically
great camera, the lens % which placed at a dis
lance of forty feet in the line OF the true meridian,
transmitting the image of the sun, reflected
from the heliostat just beyond. Very accu-
rate measurements were taken by means
of the equatorial and the double image
micrometer. confirmed and checked at every point
by the Photographic negatives. Two days before
the day of the transit very important spring that
namely. controlling the Bonds Governor IN the clock
work of the equatorial broke. There was no spare
spnnp and when, by the aid of pair of surgical for
ceps-not formed for such a work--the broken frag-
ment had been damned into its place, the astrOno-
were afraid to risk it for trial trip. 1t
held, however, as the sun shone just long enough.
On the afternoon of the same day we heard from
Lieut.. GoOdridge, who, with Mr. .EatOn, had been
sent to Thumb Mountain, some ten miles
away. with small equatorial. Lieuts
Corbett and Coke had also been sent to
mother station, further to the west, and, as
we afterward learned, they only, of the English
party, had any Good observations. st the main
station where was the Photographic apparatus, they
were so unfortunate Is to lose bo.h contacts, the
clouds having shut i'll tho sun in that direction
earlier than with Us. The Germans did very well,
learned from officer sent over to Us the next
day. with the news and mail.
On the afternoon of the transit an American man
Of war-the Observation-Disclosures made out IN the
distance. The next day we learned that she had
come to take oil, and had rather expected to find
the party waiting on TIE beach, carpet bags IN
hand ready for instant departure. There was good
deal of astronomical work Still to be done, how
ever 70 say nothing Of the natural history col
lection, for which the ,hs Of December and
January are the harvest. The party had expected
to be taken of by the Swatara, about the fist OF
March, and were by no means in 4 hurry 70 co. But
as time wore on, and letters and newspapers were
better dgested, the longing for civilization returned
and no one was sorry when the 10th OF January
came. and final embarllatioh. The PASSAGE 10 Cape
Town was as l have said, exceptionally pleasant
and free from discomfort. The results Of the
spcct, excepting, perhaps, some additions which
might have been made to tie natural history cclec-
ton IN a months longer stay. Any shortcomings IN
this department. however, if such there DE, viii be
made up by the naturalists of the Enghsl md Ger
man expeditions, who were left behind for III
months work. The American collection VII be
shipped from Cape Town. SO as 70 avoid tie pro-
longed exposure to heat that the journey 10 RIO d.
Jlneiro would entail.
The Monongahea started from Royal Sound, after
communicating with tho English party. with the
intention of calling IN at Betsey Cove upon tie
Germans. heavy gale from the westward made
his hardly possible without the loss Of much time
and coal. We did not therefore see the German sta
ton all. bat heard very encouraging TePoEts "a to
their success. The Monougahela had anchored in
Christmas HarbOr the night of the 6th, ex-
pecting to find the English party there. she
sailed on the morning Of the oh, in perfectly
clear weather, which it really seems very uGforiu
nate that there no party TO take advantage Of.
Once clear Of the islands there was none Of the
usual rough weather, for which the Indian Ocean
has so unpleasant notoriety. The journey was
rapid, smooth, and performed rather through TOO
little than too much wind.