SOLAR ECLIPSE, MAY (i, ISS.'}. 



141 



Hy s'rcat care anil atti'iitioii tlic clock was broiiyht to perforin well on Saturday, tJic Htli 

 instant, hut it rccinircd furtlicr adjustment ou tbe inoruiug of tlic Gtli. 



Tlie plH)tolieli(>grapii was focused on Saturday, tlie 5tli, by Messrs. Lawbance and Woods, 

 and the tubes were marked, circles read, and all made ready for tlie coining event. 



Practice rehearsals were begun ou May 1, and continued, at the rate^of two or three each 

 day, up to the daj' of the eclipse. 



The morning of May <i was somewhat uupropitions, as it was overcast 'and cloudy, and 

 between eight and nine o'clock rain fell, but tlie weather began to clear afterwards, and although 

 there were many clouds in the sky, a clear view of the eclipse was obtained at totality. 



I gave the [iliotoheliograjjh a final adjustment during tlie forenoon, and was at my post 

 prepared for the work in hand some time before totality. The clock could not be brought to drive 

 at an uniform rate of speed for any great interval of time, and conse(iuently,after workiu"- with 

 it up to the last ten minutes before second contact, I was compelled to use it performing only fairly. 



In addition to the pliotoheliograph, it was at first intended to sii|>](ly me with a small camera 

 for making a single long exposure during totality, but, finding by a trial on the night of the 4th 

 that no good result could be looked for, Mr. Lawbanck withdrew it. 



Special care was given by me to the manipulation of the plates during totality. 



From the beginning to the end of totality I exposed six plates in tlie mahogany tube, and 

 three plates in the larger, or brass tube, according to the following time-table, which was arranged 

 by Mr. Lawrance : 



TIME TABLE FOR PHOTOHEHOGRAPHS. 



The plates used in both tubes were very sensitive gelatine plates, prepared in Captain Abney's 

 laboratory, at South Kensington, and after the eclipse they were developed by Mr. C. E. Woons. 



