A PRELIMINARY ACCOUNT OF THE SOLAR ECLIPSE OF 

 MAY 28, 1900, AS OBSERVED BY THE SMITHSONIAN 

 EXPEDITION/ 



By S. P. Langley. 



Parti}" in deference to the report of the United States Weather 

 Bureau, from which it appeared that the chance of a fair eastern sky 

 on the morning of the eclipse was about 8 to 1, and after examination 

 by Mr. Abbot of many stations in North Carolina, Wadesboro, of that 

 State, was selected early in April as the site of the Smithsonian obser- 

 vations. The advantages of Wadesboro being also recognized by Pro- 

 fessor Young, of Princeton, Professor Hale, of Yerkes Oljservatory, 

 and the Rev. J. M. Bacon, of the British Astronomical Association, it 

 came about that four large observing parties, besides several smaller 

 ones and numerous excursionists from the surrounding country, were 

 all joined to produce at Wadesboro one of the largest company of 

 eclipse observers ever assembled for scientihc purposes. It is a matter 

 for congratulation that the sky at Wadesboro upon the day of the 

 eclipse was cloudless and clearer than the average, so that the efforts 

 of the observing forces were not thwarted b}^ any circumstances beyond 

 their control. The provisions of the mayor and authorities of Wades- 

 boro for preventing intrusion before and during the eclipse, and thus 

 securing an undisturbed field of operations, deserve especial recogni- 

 tion. Further than this, the many acts of courtes}'^ and hospitality to 

 the visiting astronomers on the part of the townspeople will long be 

 remembered by the recipients. 



The Smithsonian party proper consisted of thirteen observers, and 

 included Mr. Langley, Mr. Abbot, aid acting in charge of the Smith- 

 sonian Astrophysical Observatory; Mr. Smillie, in charge of photog- 

 raphy; Mr. Putnam, of the United States Coast Survey, Mr. Fowle, 

 Mr. Mendenhall, Mr. Child, Mr. Draper, Mr. Gill, Mr. Kramer, and 

 Mr. Smith. Included with these the Rev. Father Searle and the Rev. 

 Father Woodman gave most valuable assistance. Mr. Hoxie, of Port 

 Royal, S. C, and Mr. Little, of Wadesboro, rendered valued assist- 

 ance to Mr. Putnam during totality. 



1 Reprinted from Science, Vol. XI, No. 286, June 22, 1900. 



149 



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