THE BRITISH ECLIPSE EXPEDITION 597 



Good weather conditions prevailed in Australia, and it is 

 to be hoped that the well-equipped expedition from the Lick 

 Observatory has secured observations which will settle the 

 Einstein deflection. At the time of writing, the results which 

 have been obtained by this expedition have not been an- 

 nounced, and the scientific world is eagerly awaiting news. 

 If, from one cause or another, the | question still remains open, 

 it will be necessary to make a further attempt at the eclipse 

 of September 10 next. The field of stars around the sun on 

 that occasion is not very favourable. The stars are all faint, 

 so that rather long exposures will be necessary. The near 

 stars will then be lost in the glare of the corona, so that to 

 obtain a good determination of the deflection, it is particu- 

 larly to be desired that the method described above of photo- 

 graphing a scale field on the ecHpse plates should be adopted. 

 Its feasibility has been established. But after the next eclipse, 

 it will be some time before another opportunity will arise 

 of testing the theory. No British expedition is likely to be 

 sent out to observe next September's eclipse if the Lick 

 results are found satisfactorily to settle the matter. If they 

 do not, it is very probable that a British expedition will go to 

 California to try once more. 



Before closing this account, mention must be made of the 

 generous help afforded by the Christmas Island Phosphate 

 Company. It was not possible to go to the Island without 

 being dependent upon the Company in many ways, for supplies 

 of labour, for materials of various sorts, for transport, etc. 

 The Company conveyed the observers and the instruments in 

 their steamer from Singapore to Christmas Island and back, 

 supplied the labour required for unpacking, for erecting the 

 telescope, for dismanthng it after the ecHpse and for repacking. 

 They supphed both materials and labour required for the 

 observing house. In many other ways we were dependent 

 upon them, and although I felt at times that they were only 

 able to meet our wishes at some inconvenience to their own 

 work, everything possible was done to help us. All these 

 services were given entirely free of charge to the expedition. 

 Their kindness added to our regret that we were not able to 

 return without something more to show for all that had been 

 done for us. 



Our thanks are also due to the Blue Funnel Steamship 

 Company, which conveyed aU our instrumental equipment from 

 Liverpool to Singapore and back from Singapore to London, 

 without charge. 



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