XVI NOTES BY THE EDITOR. 



Tlie '♦ American Journal of Arts and Sciences" thus speaks of the 

 arrangements made for observing the phenomenon : — 



"Few astronomical phenomena have probably ever called out 

 a more thoroughly organized system of observation than that 

 arranged for the recent eclipse. The line of total obscuration 

 crossed the North American continent diagonally, entering the 

 teiTitor}^ of the United States at Behring's Straits, in about the 

 6oth degree of latitude, and longitude 90° west of Washington, 

 while it left our shore at the latitude of 34° and the meridian of 

 Washington itself. It traversed a central belt of well-populated 

 territory, yet there seems to have been scarcely a town of any 

 considerable magnitude along the entire line which was not gar- 

 risoned by observers having some special astronomical problem 

 in view. 



An appropriation was made by Congress, at its last session, for 

 carrying out a series of observations under the direction of the 

 Superintendent of the Nautical Almanac, and Prof. Coffin has 

 succeeded, by the liberal aid of the Navy Department, and the 

 very generous and extensive facilities contributed by some of the 

 principal railroads, in providing for an amount of work which for 

 magnitude, variety, and thoroughness, seems large beyond all 

 proportion to the sum placed at his disposal. Three cities in Iowa, 

 Burlington, Mount Pleasant, and Ottumwa, were occupied by^ 

 astronomical, photographic, and physical observers under his di- 

 rection, and special observers, provided with telescopes and in- 

 struments for determining geographical position, were sent by 

 him to the North and South, to fix the limits of the belt of total 

 obscuration. 



The Navy Department, besides making other provisions, seqt 

 observers to the western shore of Behring's Straits ; and the War 

 Department detailed Dr. Curtis to make special photograi)hic 

 observations at Des Moines, Iowa. 



The Coast Survey established parties on the Yaken River, in 

 Alaska, at Des Moines in Iowa, Springfield in Illinois, and Ab- 

 ingdon in West Virginia, and perhaps at still other stations, — 

 that at Springfield being amply provided with photographic ob- 

 servers and apparatus. Most of the principal observatories like- 

 wise organized expeditions of greater or less magnitude. From 

 Washington, the several observers arranged independent series 

 of investigations, stellar, spectroscopic, physical, and meteorolog- 

 ical. From Cambridge, a large party went to Shelbyville, Ky., 

 with large photographic outfit, and spectroscopic equipments. 



