The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1882-07-19
The Solar Eclipse.

A special correspondent of the London
Times writes from Egypt, under the
date of May %, giving very interest
ing account of the solar eclipse:
1t is q fact which certainly seems
worth noticing that at time when dis
quieting rumors filed the air, when Eu-
ropeans left Cairo almost in q panic,
when the English and French fleets
were ordered to proceed TO Alexandria,
and when nobody knew what changes
in the internal government of Egypt
the next day might bring forth, q num-
Der of scientific men of many national
tiles were at work on the banks of the
Nile, mixing freely with the native pop
ulation, aided to the utmost of their
power by everybody concerned, and
personally assisted by high officials,
who discharged the duties intrusted to
them by the Khedive undisturbed by
the political agitation and apparently
uninterested in the changes which
threatened the Egyptian Government,
and which, no doubt, would have one
way or another involved their own for
tunes, and might have produced q seri-
Gus change in their position. Each ex-
pedition had an Egyptian officer attach
ed to it, and they all recognize the great
help which they have received in this
way.
One of the most characteristic features
of the camp at Sohag was the cordial
friendship reigning between the mis-
sions of different nationalities. As n
rule, when an eclipse or q transit of
Venus brings different nations into the
same neighborhood, there is desire to
separate rather than unite, for the very
important reason of securing the great
est number of chances for fine weather.
But in Upper Egypt the weather was
perfectly safe, and a considerable SIM
plification of all arrangements was in
troduced by the union of all observers
into one camp. The result could not
have been more satisfactory. A formal
interview between the different expedi-
tions took place before the eclipse, in
which every astronomer explained his
programme. In this way the common er-
ror of multiplying too many observa'
tons of the same nature and neglecting
others altogether was avoided, and
when a similar interview took place af-
ter the eclipse 1t was found that the diff.
ferent observations fitted into each 9th.
or with almost unexpected nicely.
An approximate idea of the results
which have been obtained cannot be
given at present. The observations
want reducing, comparing, discussing
and whatever is said at present may be
subject to alteration or correction, but
enough is known to show that all the
trouble taken by the astronomers ha:
not been wasted, and that all the kind
ness and hospitality shown by the Egyp
tians in the interests of science have
been well rewarded. The French party
consisted of Messrs. Trepied, Thollon
Puiseux. A great part of their worf
was done during the partial phase Of the
eclipse; the edge of the moon was care
fully examined by them with two identi
cal spectroscopes constructed by NJ
Thollon, which unite great dispersion
with good definition. Messrs. TrepieC
and ThoIlon express themselves will
| commendable caution as to their results
but there seems no doubt as to certain
facts, and the only explanation which
has at present occurred to them is th'
existence of the much discussed, ofteI
doubted, sometimes almost disproved
but always suspected lunar atmosphere
Prof. Tacchini has also secured val
| liable observations on the spectrum o
| the corona. Little is known as to tn,
results Of NJ. Ranyard, who accompanied
the French party. He confined him
self to photography, and seems satisfies
with the plates he has obtained. In tn
English camp Mr.. Lockyer, assisted b.
Mr.. Lawrence, chiefly studied the up
permost layer in the solar surface, ant
he would utilize for this purpose severa
minutes before the total phase. Hi
results are of importance in agreemen
with the phenomena predicted by him
DIR. Schuster, assisted by Mr.. Woods
had charge of the Photographic instru
ment. The plates used had been pre-
pared by Capt. Abney, who was, unfor
tunately, prevented from taking part Il
the expedition. As q sign of the grea
improvement which has taken place II
the rapidity with which photograph
can now be taken, it may be mentione'
that when Mr.. Brothers obtained an i'm
preston of the corona in 1870, during o.
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