SECT, III, 1883. DST TRANS. Roy. Soc. CANADA. 
Transit of Venus —Arrangements in Canada. Report of CHARLES CARPMAEL, Esq., MA, 
F.R.AS., Superintendent of the Meteorological Observatory, Toronto. 
[The Dominion Government had made a grant of $5,000 for the purpose of aiding 
observations throughout Canada, and had placed the administration of it in the hands of 
Mr. Carpmael. The following is an abstract of his report.] 
(Abstract.) 
I instructed Lieut. Gordon, R.N., to proceed to England, and purchase various instru- 
ments, and to take the opportunity of visiting Oxford to ascertain the exact way in which 
the English observers were being trained, and if possible himself to obtain some instruc- 
tion. I also requested him to endeayour to obtain a practice model for use in Canada, as 
the time was very short for having anything made. In carrying out the instructions he 
was fortunate enough to be successful in every particular; he also obtained from the 
Admiralty the loan of four chronometers. 
Early in September the model was erected at McGil] University : Montreal, and Dr. 
Jack, President of the New Brunswick University, Prof. Johnson and Mr. McLeod of 
McGill University, and Mr. Chandler, practiced with me in taking observations of the 
contacts of the model. 
After leaving Montreal I visited Quebec, Fredericton and Kingston and on my 
return to Toronto ordered such small additional appliances as were necessary to complete 
the equipment of these observatories for the purposes of the transit. 
During my absence Lieut. Gordon had visited Woodstock and ascertained what was 
necessary to be done at the observatory there. 
In November the model was set up on the tower of the University buildings, 
Toronto, and the following gentlemen attended for practice, Prof. Williamson, Queen’s Uni- 
versity, Kingston ; Prof. Bain and Dr. Haanel, Victoria University, Cobourg; Prof. Wol- 
verton; Baptist College, Woodstock ; Prof. Hare, Ladies’ College, Whitby ; Messrs. F. L. 
Blake, D. L. S., W. Miller, and $. R. Roberts, Toronto; and Mr. Shearman, Brantford ; as 
did also several members of the staff of the Meteorological Office. à 
Arrangements had now been made for taking observations at the following places :— 
Winnipeg—See report. 
Woodstôck—Observer : Prof. Wolverton. Instrument, an eight inch refractor by Fitz of 
New York, aperture reduced to six inches. 
Toronto—Observer : Charles Carpmael, director of the observatory, assisted by members 
of the staff. Instruments, a six inch equatorial, by T. Cook and Sons, York; a 
three inch transit instrument, by Troughton and Simms, London. Sidereal clock, 
Arnold, London, a mean time clock, chronometers, etc. 
Whitby—Observer : Prof. Hare, Ladies’ College. Instruments, a six inch telescope, by Hy. 
Fitz of New York, ete. 
