The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-07-30
C0STLYSUN GLIMPSE
SCIENTISTS TRAVEL 10000 MILES
TO SEE AN ECLIPSE.
LASTS ONLY TWO MINUTES.
photographs on a Far Away Jap
auese Island.

To obtain a two-minute glimpse of the
sun while that orb is in eclipse a few sci
entists viii have made a Journey OF over
10000 miles and spent about SAC, 900. If it
should happen to be cloudy at the precise
time that the face of the sun is obscured
the scientists will have made the journey,
spent the money and given a years hard
work for nothing. Even the nerviest gam
bier would hesitate to accept such desper-
ate chances.
In the middle of the afternoon of Sunday.
Aug 9. next the sun will be in total eclipse
This Is rare event among astronomers
and scientists in all parts of the world have
been making arrangements to take advan-
tege Of it. The worst Of it Is that the eclipse
VIII not be visible from any part of North
America but that fact has not deferred
Professor David P. Todd, Of Amherst Col
lege, from determination TO see it. He is
now at YezO, one of the most northern
islands of Japan, with thirty telescopes and
Photographic paraphernalia, and if the
weather conditions are favorable he expects
to obtain the finest collection OF photo
graphs OF the sun in eclipse the world over.
Were it not for the assistance Of some
enthusiastic amateur astronomers this trip
would cost double the money that is being
spent, and IL this were the case it is doubt
full If any college or scientist would feel
justified to risk the large sum when the
vagarfes Of the weather may ruin every
thing.
These amateurs are Arthur Curtiss James
and his father. D. Willis James. They own
the noted schooner yacht Coronet, which
defeated Dauntless in the historic ocean
race across the Atlantic in the spring OF
1886. The plans for the trip were made
last fall. and in December last the Coroner
sailed from her anchorage in New YORK
Fay for San Francisco by way OF Cape
Horn. There are not many yachts capable
Of standing a voyage of this kind, but the
Coronet accomplished it without trouble
making good time and reaching the Goloen
Gate in May last. Before sailing from
three tons of astronomical apparatus, IN
Guiding the most cumbersome parts OF the
many telescopes and other paraphernal!a-
The very delicate parts of the mechanism
were sent overland to San Francisco and
placed on board the yacht on her arrival
there. In the long voyage around the cape
it was feared that these might become bau4y
disarranged, particularly as the chances
were that the yacht would run lnIo very
heavy weather.
Mr.. Arthur Curtis James. Mrs. James
Professor Todd and Mrs Todd met the
CorCnet at San Francisco, as none OF them
cared to make the long and tedious journey
around the Cape. In the middle OF May the
Coronet sailed again, with the full party on
board including a number OF skilled me
chauics for the long voyage of 600 miles
across the Pacific. only one stop was made
and that was at Honolulu, 2.10O miles out
The, trip to YeZO wa5 10 consume seven
weeks. and while no advices have as yet
( been received from the party, 1t is believed
that they have safely arrived.
There is beautiful scenery in the japanese
islands where the astronomers are Dur
ing the time when they are getting their in
strunents in readiness for use they will be
IN a cheerful country, and one with an IN
teresting population. Yezo is the land OF
the Aims, the hairy people Of northern
Japan.
me city at which the Amherst expedition
IS stopping, Akeshi, has a population OF
/ about ? 600. There is excellent anchorage
Tor the yacht there. and Just above the
town are cliffs two hundred OF three hun
dred feet high. where the instruments may
be well placed. Labor is plentiful and
! CHEAP. SO that the scientists can, with their
! few skilled mechanic, get their apparatus
I in position without difficulty.
TO understand the character Of the eclipse
l irosqfne small circular non-lumi nous
/ body intervening between a larger luminous
globe and your eye, and near enough to the
evo to obscure the larger body, as a penny
bald near enough to the eye will hide a