New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-05-20
THE ECLIPSE OF THE SUN.
AN AMERICAN OBSERVATION PARTY IMpRoBABLn

OWING TO THE DELAY OF CONGRESS.
WASHINGTON, May 10 (SDecidb.-In the reg.
ular OF business tho Senate took up thu
bill reported from the Naval Committee February 10
10 appropriate $4,000 to the OF expo.
dition Benguea on the Western Coast OF Southern
Africa to total eclipse OF the August
20. Mr. Allison was inclined to have tho bill go over,
but Mr.. EdDunds urged that 1t would be pity
to stop the eclipse OF the the Senate passed the bill
without further objection. II is now before the House,
where 1t is likely DO buried with tho 1000 other bills
that will emerge from tho committee rooms.
This viii probably cause no great dsappOint.
ment to scientific As long ago
as November OF last year. President Barnard Of Coum-
ba College. aud Professor A. Graham Bell J. ID. Dane,
:. T. Langley. Theodore Deman T.. G. Pickering. and
c. A. Young committee Of the National Academy OF
Science to which this subject referred, .de
port in which they said:
The Secretary OF Navy inquiries M to tho eypedl.
ency OF asking Congress for appropriation provide
Tor the observation Of the total solar eclipse OF August
l5sC No class OF celestial has furnished
valuable contributions knowledge OF tho pyscal
condition OF the and OF the stellar universe generally
than afforded By these eclpses The eclipse August
20, 1856, Will be total only torrd zone. tho
path OF the total phase Will fall mainly ia open At
antic Ocean. But at Benguela, the western coast
OF Southern Africa 1t Will be observed
at about O'clock OF local time In the
afternoon As to the meteOrolOgica conditions Lieuten
ant C. c. CorDwel, u. = NJ who appears 20 have been
instructed 10 make inquiry in regard to Chem reports
that the probability OF good weather al p. tho tine
Of the eclipse, is as to B. much than even
chance but 1t added, 1T is to bc Remembered tho
conditions 1t the end OF the month favor
able Were the proposed observing station within
moderate distance. the uncertainty to the favorable
atmospheric conditions would be OF comparatively tls
consequence. The question becomes more serious when
the station can only be reached by voyage Of 1909
nt1o Wfrha
the Government transport observing party. ths
transit could hardly be accomplished in less than q
month. The situation OF site aud the sary pre-
lmnary operations would occupy not less tnan
a fortnight, that tho exp sdition. in order
that 1t may have reasonable prospect
Of success should leave New.YorI later than tho
middle OF July It's doubtfa ia Congress should
respond favorably TO request FOR appropriation.
whether would take action early oaougb to allow tms
tor the proper outfit OF the expedition and the
drill Of The observers. It would probably bs necessary
to construct Instruments for in addition to the
walton OF the sun Itself and the luminous
phenomena attending the eclipse. it IL
desirable to obtain Photographic maps
OF ali the surronn ling region distance OF least
lO or l5 from the sun for the purpose OF finally setting
at rest the SIN mo0ed question OF an ntraAercur4
Planet IL IL true that the Astronomical world IL az
present disposed generally to dscreit the existence Of
such BODY yet tue evidence on the subject up to ts
time Is mainly negative A. II IN Ist always continue u
be so long as it depends upon direct vision. In
Il
sun, OF the whole region within Whicn such pl1nes
must necessarily be confined, the object II present.
present itself cOud fail to he gaiZet
But for Photographic operations Ot TINS class leases o.
wide angle must be specially prepared II an as,so-
nOmical expedition IL 10 be ont under tho
auspices OF the Government later than jay l5 tho
fact ought to be known early March. AT least.
Considering the usages which have seemed to govern
Congressional legislation In the past, tue uittee
apprehensive that even in case provision snOu ut-
matey DO made FOR the expedition under coasideruon
IL would come SO late to DO unavailable.
or would compel preparation 80 imperfect AMI
hurried be Inadequate to accomplish
satisfactorily the objects IA TaXng all these
into consideration, the committee decline 10
recommend the application for an Appropriation"
Subsequent events nave proved the VISION Ofthe CON-
mttee IN this matter. While Mr.. Ednunds thought that
it would be great pity to stop the eclipse, practically.
far CONGRESS concerned. IL had already dOno
SO by its three months delay on the bill.