New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-07-03
THE SOLAR ECLIPSE.
PROFESSOR HoLDENs OFFICIAL REPORT.
ACCOUNT OF THE CAROLINE ISLAND EXPEDITION.
IBYrELEaRAPH TO THE rRIBUSE.I

MADISON, Wis. July 2.-Professor Edward D.
Holden, Director Of the Washburn Observatory mas
returned home from his journey as the head OF Inc
American expedition TO observe the total eclipse OF
the sun at Caroline Island. the South Paclfc ocean,
and without stopping for rest has plunged into the
mass Of correspondence and other business that mas
accumulated since his departure. That the expe
dition was one of undoubted success IS already
known A perfect day granted privileges Tor the
observation, and numerous splendid photographs Oh
the eclipse taken by the French and Eng
lish photographers, and Professor Holden having
devoted himself almost exclusively to that matter
discovered that there is no Vulcan" In existence
The late Professor Watson supposed he discovered
in 1878, the planet TO which the name Vulcan was
given, and 1t now remains for the astronomers to
explain what he did and how be fell into the error
which this expedition has uncovered.
In his report to the National Academy of Science
Professor Holden saysi
GETTING TO THE ISLAND.
"At the Navy Department In Washington, we
had received tho most positive assurance that
orders would DO sent to the commanding
officer Of tho Hartford to burn coal as
necessary After the Hartford had left the
harbor of Callao learned that orders had been sent
from the Secretary of the Navy to arrive at Caro-
line Island with full coal bunkers. wish to record
here my protest against such an utterly unreason-
able order, which. if obeyed, as it could not be-
would have seriously jeopardzed the whole object
of the expedition. As matter OF fact the eclipse
party arrived at Caroline Island in time to make
the necessary preparations for observing the eclipse
but we had determined, in case the French expedl-
ton should be found on Caroline Island
at our arrival. to proceed TO flint
Island, in order to lessen the chances
Of failure from local clouds. If the orders OF the
Secretary of the Navy had been literally obeyed we
could not have reached Flint Island in time. and
the whole object of the expedition would have been
defeated through orders given in Washington In
February to DO Obeyed in the South Pacific Ocean
in April.
"On the 23d day out from Callao we sighted one
of the islands of the Marquesas group,and at 8 AIM
on April 20 Caroline Island was seen low green
streak on the horizon. We had come 1924 miles in
twenty-nine days. mostly under sail ian average
of 40 miles per day without seeing single sail
land except Magdalena Island of the Marquesas
group which we had gone out of our course to
sight 1t will be remembered that we knew abso
lutely nothing of Caroline Island, except that 1t
had been inhabited in 1874 by at least one white
man and some thirty natives. The boat-landing
was known TO be somewhere on the southwestern
SIDE and an entrance TO the lagoon was spoken OF
Oh the eastern side. The Hartford approached the
island from this SIDE and from end to end there was
nothing lie but line OF heavy breakers. then
strip of white beach, and above this a growth of
trees the highest of which were cocoa palms, FL
nally in among these was seen the gable roof of a
European house. but inhabitants. Coasting
around the island, every where surrounded by high
surf. the Hartford came opposite the place where
the boat landing reported to have been and the
whale-boat was lowered and Lieutenant Qualler-
ough sent in her to land if possible, which was
finally effected. though all the instruments and ma
terials had to be carried the reef which
rounded the island.
PREPARING FOR OBSERVATIONS.
"On board the Hartford l had prepared plan
of the proposed camp The position
of each observatory was fixed on the ground by a
stake and to this stake all the boxes Of each IN.
strument were brought. In this way ali roceeded
in an orderly manner BY the evening of tho 2lst
all the boxes and baggage of the expedition were
landed as well bricks, cement lumber ETC.. for
the observatories. During the ODD Of April the
Hartford remained by the island, and force of
carpenters and bricklayers proceeded rapidly with
the construction of our Observatones. BY night
| time, the observatones belonging TO myself,
DR.. Hastings and Mir. Preston were up, and
piers of brick wood completed.
The brick piers of the English party were well un-
der way and wore completed on the 23d 10y Mr..
Woods who thus added new profession to his
| former requirements. The Hartford sailed at q p.
| M OF the sd for Tahiti aud some OF us went to
the reef 10 see her OIL Besides her nights we
saw those of LEcaIreur the man-Oi-war which
was bringing the French eclipse expedition.
Early on the morning of the 23d | met the
| master of the Eclareur on the reef. and
| gave him such information as To the land
| ing, etc. / was sure would be OF use.
| Shortly after this the French party shore
| for 4 he day
them to select site for their observatoTies. etc.
! During the remaining days Of Apnl everything was
making progress toward complete readiness fOr Oh
| servations of the eclipse.
| SUCCESS OF THE VARIOUS OBSERVATIONS.
"The observatory of Dr. Hastings and my own
were completed by April n, and each of US used a
six-inch equatorial for hours each night IN an
examination of the southern sky. Durngth course
of this we detected new doubles and red
| stars The vision was not especially good and
| comparatively few hours given 20 telescope
work. owing 10 the impOssibility of obtaining a
| quiet sleep during the day. Sui new double stars
were found This shows that if "A suitable telescope
were to be used in a favorable place in the southern
| hemisphere as Quito or Santiago. for example, a
great number OF objects could be catalogued IN
| a comparatively short time. 1t appears to me that
| this expedition is worth making.
| Every day during Mag rehearsal for the eclipse
| observations was gone through with, and two days
| before May q everything i'll com
| plete readiness. On the morning OF May u
there three rain showers and severe persistent
| banks of clouds. The sky clear at The first con-
| tact (about 10b. 3m local M, cloudy at intervals
| TIL near totality. clear during totality except a
| slight haze during the first minute of totally,
| cloudy a few minutes after the third contact, and
| finally clear at the fourth contact. The observa-
lions of the various parties may be considered to
have beer successful but the success was owing to
the apparent accident of the dissipation of local
| cloud.
Immediately after the eclipse we commenced
| pre- partitions for departure. These occupied May
| and May g. Captain Carpenter had promised to
| return from Tahiti with the Hartford by the
| morning OF May o. but we were pleased to see his
| arrival at p. III. Of MAJ 8. BY hard work all was
packed and delivered OH the Hart ford by p. m. OF
! May o, and at p m. of that day the Hartford,
| with the expedition on board. took her departure
| for the Sandwich Islands"