Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-02-23
THE eoLAK ECLIPsE.
Why the Academy of sciences Do Not
FAvor Asking tor IN Appropriation.


Why the Academy of sciences Do Not
FAvor Asking tor an Appropriation.
WASHING ron. Feb. 2l.-A committee
Of toe National Academy Of Sciences has
answered q question propOunded to them
by the Secretary OF the Navy as to the adj
visibility 0f asking Congress 10 make an
appropriation for the observation OF the
total &C ipse OF the sun to occur in August.
The committee deem it inadvisable, as it
Is not highly probable that observations
could be secured which would be OF mate
rial gain to knowledge. The eclipse,
which will occur Aug. 30, 1886, will be TO-
tai only 10 tbs torrid zone, and the path Of
the total phase will fall mainly In the
open Atlantic ocean, though at Benguela,
on the western coast OF South Africa, IL
will be observable at O'Clock of local
time IN the afternoon. The reports re-
ceivsd from Benguels do not establish
sufficiently clear that the bygienic and
meteorological conditions prevailing at
Benguela At that season will probably be
favorable. The station can only be reach
ed by voyage extending TO more than
quarter of the earth's circumference.
W It'll any vessel likely to be assigned by
the government TO the duty Of trans port
ing an observing party tor this purpose,
the transit could hardly be accomplished
In less than month. The selection OF q
site for an observing station. the erection
OF temporary shelter for the party, the in
stallatlOn OF instruments, the necessary
preliminary observations for latitude and
longitude, and the calculation Of the cir
cumstaIces OF the eclipse for the
exact locality, all which thing
should be deliberately done,
would occupy not less than fort
night. SO that the expedition, in order
that 1t may have reasonable prospect OF
success, should leave New York not later
than the middle of July. The doubt
whether Congress would make the apprO-
priatiOn in time TO provide for a proper
OUTFIT and the necessary drill Of the OBJ
servers Is another reason given for not
recommending an application TO Con-
gress. Notifications in instruments now
existing, suggested by experience, or de-
signed to adapt the apparatus to the special
objects aimed at ia the present instance.
Will doubtless be required; for in addition
to the observation of the sun itself, and
the luminous phenomena attending
IT, it is desirable 10 obtain Photographic
maps of all the surrounding region to
the distance of at least ten or
fifteen degrees from the sun. for the pur-
pose OF finally setting at rest the still
moOted question of an untramercurial
planet. II is true that the Astronomical
world is at present disposed generally to
discredlt the existence of such body, yet
the evidence on the subject up to this
time is mainly negative, as il must always
continue 10 be so long as it depends upon
direct vision. In q Photographic map,
taken during total eclipse OF the sun, OF
the whole region within which such a
planet must necessarily be confined, the
object, If present, must present itself, and
could not fail to be recognized. But, tor
Photographic operations of this class.
lenses of wide angle must be specially
prepared, differing essentially in char
acter from those which are employed to
take impressions of the eclipse.