Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-08-30
ESPECIAL TELEeRAM TO THE prsPArcuI

IsfEClAL ThLEShAA ~ Ihh DiSFATCH.l
WASHINGTON. August 29.-Prof David
P. Todd, of Amherst College, is here max
ing the final preparations for his expedition
to Africa to observe the total eclipse of the
sun on the 22d of December. 1t Is still un-
certain what vessel will convey the party to
the observation, and this makes it impossi-
BILE to decide just how many are going and
who they will be.
1t is hoped that the new ship-ofwar
Baltimore, which is undergoing her first
tests, viii prove satisfactory and be placed
at the disposal of the expedition. Her size
will enable large number of scientific
scholars to go along-not simply astrono-
mers, but naturalists, anthropologists,
ethnologists- and physicists, who can i'm
prove the opportunity to collect specimens
and data in their several departments of re-
search. As the Baltimore will have to make
long sea cruise anyway, this will afford
our Government a chance to kill two birds
with one stone.
ALL WILLING TO GO.
In regard to the composition of his staff,
Prof Todd is in correspondence with as
Economical experts all over the country, as
we'll as with leading men in other scientific
walks The disposition manifested by these
gentlemen is encouraging in the extreme.
Some of the brightest and best of them are
willing to make large personal sacrifices for
the sake of taking part in the expedition.
but few are in such circumstances as to be
p able 10 gay their own expenses entirely.
The institutions with which they are
connected are willing to spare them for a
season and allow their salaries to continue
Their maintenance on the long trip, how
ever will involve a considerable expense
and Congress appropriated IS, 900 for the
purpose of the eclipse only. 1t is hoped
that private liberality will supply another
fund of like amount, and efforts are now
making in New York to raise this money.
The party will sail from New York, if all
goes well, about the 1st of October. A
straight course will be laid to the Cape
Verde Islands, some 5000 miles, and brief
stop will probably be made at ST. Vincent.
Thence there will be another continuous
voyage to st. Paul De Loando, on the SOUTH
west coast of Africa, $50 miles below the
mouth OF the Congo river a railway now
building, and which is expected to be fin
ished by the time the observers arrive. will
carry them 60 miles in generally southeast
direction to Muxima, in about the middle
of the path of the eclipse.
In case it proves impossible to go all the
way by rail, it is hoped to have steam
launch or local transport boat, to carry the
men and instruments up the Quanza river to
their destination, hugging the north shore,
and thus keeping out of the clutches of the
hostile natives who iniest the country on the
othe- side Of the stream. Indeed, it is the
fear OF annoyance fcom these savages that
prevents the observation from being taken
on the cf haoat1ea fba 1xv Aicfrint IN fbo
path OF the eclipse is peopled with them.
s A BAD TRADITION.
The only reluctance shown anywhere to
accompanying the expedition is manifested
by few of the naval officers here who
stand fair chance of being detailed for
this service. Their feeling is due to the bad
name which naval tradition gives to St.
Paul De Loando, where the man-of-war
will make her headquarters while her
scientific passengers travel into the interior.
1t seems that a number of years ago our
Government kept squadron in the waters
thereabouts to cooperate with squadrons of
other civilized powers in the suppression of
the slave trade.
1t was a most unattractive spot to which
officers could not bear to be assigned, and
the authorities of our navy acquired a habit
OF sending men there when it became neces-
sary to discipline them. The Botany Bay
atmosphere has clung to the neighborhood
ever since, and its depressing associations
have certainly not been relieved by the cir
cumstances that any indulgence in dissipa-
tion is liable to expose a man to a very ma
lignant local form of malarial fever, which
makes short work of its victim. The OBJ
servers who 60 to Muxima have little to
fear from this source, as that town is near
the edge of the fever belt.
The apparatus carried by the party will
be as elaborate as the accommodations on
shipboard will permit. A very important
part Of it will be the instruments con-
Btructed for observing the eclipse of last
New Years Day in California, and lent by
the observatory of Harvard University A
small outfit will come from Prof. TOdd's
observatory at Amherst College, and some
pieces will be furnished by the Government
from its collection in Washington.
A JOINT AFFAIR.
1t is expected that the American party
will meet at St. Paul de Loando. NJ. Trou-
veiot, of the Paris Observatory, has applied
for place in the American expedition. and
if it is decided to grant his request he will
join the party probably at st. Vincent. As
far as is known, no other Governments have
made any independent movements to secure
observations. The English will send an as
tronomer-the Rev. Father Perry-to Cay
enne, on.the northeast coast of South Amer
lea, where he will witness the eclipse about
two hours and half earlier than the OBJ
servers at Muxima.
Scores of photographs will be taken of
the partial phases of the eclipse, with very
large cameras, and these will add materially
to our knowledge of the motion of the moon,
and so help the cause of accurate nayiga-
tion; but most of the apparatus will be en-
ployed during the total eclipse, in investi- |
eating tine corona, an appendage of the sun |
visible only during totality. A full knowl- |
edg eof the corona is important in |
the study of solar physics. Some of |
the apparatus will be specially de- |
signed for tests of a theory of the solar |
corona newly elaborated BY Prof. f. II. |
Bigelow, and which appears to explain |
many things about the corona not under |
stood before. Prof. Bigelow will himself |
be one of the astronomers OF the expedition. |
Prof. Todd and his staff will remain in |
Africa for week or two after the eclipse. |
ana then return home by the quickest route. |