12 MEMOIKS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 



needful and in tlieir power to secure the object desired. Prof. E. S. Holden, director of the 

 Washburn Observatory, Madison, Wisconsin, was selected as chief of the party and its scientific 

 director, and Mr. Kockwell as the disbursing and business agent. 



A memorial was presented to Congress asking for an appropriation of $5,000 to defray the neces- 

 sary e.\i)enses of the party. This api)lication was heartily indorsed and supported by *he honorable 

 Secretary of the Navy and by all the members of Congress who are interested in scientific matters; 

 and the grant was obtained without any serious oppo.«ition. This appropriation, however, though 

 practically secured, was not available in season for the departure of the expedition, and, to meet 

 the diflSculty, the trustees of the Bache fund of the National Academy advanced $3,500, to be re- 

 paid from the Congressional appropriation. 



Subsequently the Academy itself, on the recommendation of the trustees, authorized an appro- 

 priation of $500 from the income of the Watson fund for observations of this eclipse. 



The party left New York on March 2, in the Pacific Mail steamer bound for Callao via Panama. 

 At Callao they found the U. S. S. Hartford in readiness, and sailed at once for Caroline Island, 

 arriving there on April 21. At Panama, in accordance with certain arrangements which had 

 been made by cable between the Solar Physics Committee of the British Eoyal Society and 

 our own committee, they were joined by Messrs. Lawrance and Woods, who were especially 

 charged by the British committee with photogiaphic observations. A French expedition, under 

 Mr. Janssen, also came to Caroline Island a few days after the arrival of our own party. 



The history of the expedition and an account of the work accomplished are fully given in the 

 following reports of Professor Holden and his associates. 



We are under great obligations to all these gentlemen, Professor Holden, Professor Hastings, 

 of Baltimore, Mr. Eockwell (who, in addition to scientific work, had charge of the disbursements 

 and business matters of the expedition). Ensign (now Professor) S. J. Brown, U .S. N., Mr. E. D. 

 Preston, of the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey, and Mr. W. Upton, of the Signal Serv 

 ice. United States Army, for the zeal and intelligence with which each accomplished the work 

 assigned him ; also to the institutions with which they were severally connected for granting to 

 these observers prolonged leave of absence, and, except in the case of Mr. Upton, continuing their 

 salaries without diminution. 



Our acknowledgments are specially due to Hon. W. E. Chandler, Secretary of the Navy, foi' 

 continual interest and effective aid, without which we should have been unable to accomplish any- 

 thing; also to the Superintendent of the United States Naval Observatory for the loan of instru- 

 ments ; to the Superintendent of the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey, and to Commodore 

 J. G. Walker, Chief of the Bureau of Navigation. Applications to the Secretaries of State and of 

 the Treasury for certain assistance from their Departments were cordially and promptly granted, 

 and we take the opportunity to express our thanks. 



The tribute paid by Professor Holden, in his report, to Captain C. C. Carpenter, command- 

 ing the Hartford, and to his officers and crew, is cordially indorsed, as well as his api^reciatiou of 

 the services of those ofiBcers who took part in the observations of the eclipse. 



The committee held a final meeting in Washington on October 23. The reports of Professor 

 Holden and his associates (excepting .Professor Hastings) were presented, discussed, and put 

 in proper form for presentation to the Academy at its November meeting in New Haven. 



The chairman was requested to prepare ati introduction to the reports, and it is in obedience to 

 this request that the preceding pages have been prepai-ed. It would be improper to tiiil to state 

 that the writer is indebted to the secretary, Mr. Coffin, for nearly all the substance and niuch of 

 the form of what he has written. 



