New-York tribune., 1889-10-17
THE PENSA cola SAILS AWAY
A SHIPLOAD OF SCIENTIFIC MEN:
THE wELLFURNIsHED SOLAR ECLIPSE ExpE.
DITIoN sTARrs FOR. SOUTH AFRICA.

DITIoN STARTS FOR SOUTH AFRICA.
Tho United States steam sloop-of-war Pensacola
which was to start on October 10 with the expedition
OF scientists who are to view the solar eclipse OF De
cember % at Maxima, on the CuanzO River sailed
from the Navy Yard here at 80 a. m yesterday
The delays have not been the fault of tho Navy De
partment, but were due to tho difficulty of getting
the instruments perfected There are instruments
worth about $4,000 on board, including those for
astronomical observations phoographlng the eclipse
and deepsea Investigations by Professor Agassz. Mr.
Agassh was unable to get ready to go the Pensa-
cola, but expects to get away in about three weeks
and meet tie vessel at Capo Town. South Africa after
she has landed the eclipse party at ST. Paul de Loando
The vessel VIII first go TO the Cape dc Verdes, where
she VIII take on coal, and perhaps repensh hei
supply at Sierra Leore and Fernando Po.
The chief OF the expedition IS Professor David p
Todd Of Amherst College Of the best astronomers
OF the day lie IS young man, and has been assisted
greatly in his work by his wife, who is an expert
astronomer and naturalist and has read up and given
TO the Others much information about tho territory
and climatic Influences of the section OF the country
whore they gong. She and her sx-yearoh
daughter remained the vessel until she started.
Professor Todd said yesterday morning: " The total
eclipse Of the sun Will be visible I'm long, narrow
path 5000 miles long and only 100 miles wide which
extends nearly It's entire distance the ocean.
1t begins in the Caribbean Sea and skirts the northern
coast OF South America, being visible at only one
point there, French Guiana. II then moves eastward
south Of tne Congo River. An expedition from the
LICK Observatory in California, will go to French
Guiana to view the eclipse there and as there are no
islands In the Atlantic from which we could view tho
eclipse, We sclec ted South Africa Company Or.
yes. we will have lots Of Of company. Why there
are fourteen mosquitoes to every blade of grass
besides the cannibsls and crocodies."
and frGsSsor rnsespr III a. bgeI9% graduate OF Haya
College, is Professor Todds nrst assistant He has
devised several new astronomical instruments for
for uaarc otatk
astronomer In the National Observatory Of the
Argentine Republic. at Cordova.
and Of the Lawrence Scientific School. IS assistant
tronomer and naturalist lie has been for forty
and in 1879 discovered the remarkable circumnuta-
ton of fronds in the English maden-har fern, which
Professor Asa Gray considered the most wonderful
Professor Cleveland Abbe of the College Of the
CITY OF New,fork, and attached to the Army Signal
bureau, is the meteOrolOgist
Professor l. II. Jacoby, of Columbia College, Is
assistant astronomer and meteorologlst. He will also
make researches In several branches of natural history
+. B.. Preston, Of the Coast and Geodetlc Survey,
will make magnetic observations and gather infOrma-
W. IL. Brown. OF the National Museum. is the
osteoogist and naturalist of the expedition. He will
be assisted by his brother, A. II. Brown.
II. 5. Davis, Of Princeton University Is one Of the
assistant astronomers and an expert in the adjustment
J. f.. Carbutt, graduate OF analytical chemistry
from the University Of Pennsylvania Is the photogra-
pher OF the expedition. He is son of John Carbut
negatives Of the eclipse of 1869 for Professor Henry
Morton Tho latter in appreciation of Mr. Carbutt's
services presented to him the camera and enlargng
lens and the electrical exposing apparatus, which
will be used in the present expedition one Of the
telescopes. The dry plates used VIII I've orhOchromatic
medium rapid sensltometer 16, and eclipse OrhO-
chromatlc sensltometer No 81. The former VIII
be used on the partial phases, and tho
latter during totaity the object aimed at being TO
obtain more perfect image Of the corona than has
been secured at previous eclpses. The diameter OF
the sun, the photographs 10 be taken, will be four
Inches, which IS greater diameter ian ever before
taken The mirror TO be used in connection with the
photography made for Professor LanS;ey OF the
Smithsonian Institution. by Professor j. A. Brashear
and Is worth about 10000.
f. J. Wright is the assistant photographers. C. A.
Orr of Clark University. ehnOlogist and ornhologist
TO aid him In his researches I'm ethnOOgy no has taken
with him several hundred yards Of bright calicOes
and prints. and bushel Of glass beads
G.. T.. Van Guysng will have charge of the anemOm-
cter for getting the velocity of the wind. the nel
phOscOpe 10 observe the movement OF tho clouds
and will send out number OF red toy balloons for
ascertalnng the movement Of the wind in the higher
atmospheres.
George T. Flint is stenographer and typewriter Dr..
Bartlett apothecary and professional nurse, and He'll
Chatelaine Interpreter