, 1882-12-02

ing man but the transit OF 1869
showed that this was not the ease
with lie Gentil,
De Pingr6 sailed for Rodriguez in
the beginning OF 1861, aud arrived
there in the month Of May. i he re-
sources OF the island were but small,
and he could not even secure the
means Of erecting an observatory.
The instruments, which stood in the
open air, were exposed to the danger
of being overturned by storms of wind,
and it was scarcely sufficient for his
purpose that he had succeeded in
placing his pendulum in shelter from
the blast. In spite OF all this, how
ever, de Pingr6's observations were
afterwards considered the best.
Other countries also took part in Tho
observations. Horrrbow observed in Co.
penlagru, Bugge Trondhjem, the Swedes
III LApland aud Northern Norway, and as
The phenomenon was visible all over Eu.
rope IA large number Of European ObServa.
tionS we're united with the more distant, SO
that, Ia all, 176 observers distributed over
III static 10 We're engaged.
The result OF all these efurts Was, how.
ever, far from corresponding with the
Expectations which had been formed;
slace the SUMS paralIar thus found varied
between s" ) and 1918, AID as u cJnse-
Queuce the suns distance from the earth
thus ascar'aioed varied between 2O87O000
(97,575,O COO AID l6S9O000 rs, 112 000)
miles, that is TO say between limits still
wider than between the estimates before
that time. Tdis bad result must IN part
be ascrIbed ia HE want of unity in the
methods Of calculation followed by the
different nations, in part TO the defective
Instruments, but especially to Ignorance
10 regard 20 tn observation itself, In
which RAINY difficulties We're met with
of which there was scarcely a suspicion
prior 10 they observations OF 1861. FL
nalIy the selection of the stations was far
from " at was most desirable.
The Transit of 1859. As de lIsle had
done earlier SO on tins occasion Lalands
published a chart for 1869, from which
it appeared that the observers ought some
to repair to California, Merico, and tho
middle oi the S nth Sea; some to KAN
scharka, Laploud, aud the regions around
the North Pole.
He'll, a German astronomer, was invited
by Christian VII to observe in Norway. He
came to Copenhagen in June 1868 and
from thence went to VaTd0huuS, where he
arrived in October. A Danish astrono.
mer. Borgreulng. here Joined him, and
they spent the winter 10 making prepare.
tions for the transit.
Chappe d'Anter0che went to California;
difficulties raised by the Spanish govern
ment prevented his getting q station on
one of the South Sea islands as had been
intended.
LIE GentiI returned, as we have said, to
the Isle Of France in 1861, but only TO
start again for Pondicherry as soon as an
opportunity offered, where he then settled
himself to pass the eight years before the
meat transit. He spent this time in study.
ing the astronomy of the Brahmins, con.
corning which he afterwards published an
interesting work. So much perseverance
and so much courage deserved to be re-
warded, but fate willed it otherwise. On
the 3rd Of June at the m that the
observer was to have noted the
transit, the sun wa hidden by a thick layer
Of clouds, which first cleared away when
the transit was over, and thus were the
unfortunate astronomers efforts ana pa.
5ience again thrown away.
England did not, like France, walt Tor
INV permission from the Spaniards, but
the frigate " Endeavour" under the
.on,m ond of tho lannon's Can't: Cook to the