338 Sir Norman Lockyrr. 



Before leaving England, I communicated with Professor Francisco 

 Iniguez e* Iniguez, Director of the Madrid Observatory, and Mr. Jasper 

 Camming, II. M. Vice-Consul at Alicante. These gentlemen, together 

 with Don Jose* Bonmati Mas, a large landed proprietor, and father of 

 the Mayor of Santa Pola, very kindly made all the necessary prelimi- 

 nary arrangements with the local authorities, who had also been 

 instructed by the Spanish Government, after representations had been 

 made by the Foreign Office, at the request of the Royal Society. 



As a result of the Royal Society's application to the Admiralty, 

 II. M.S. "Theseus," commanded by Captain V. A. Tisdall, R.N., was 

 told off to meet the expedition at Gibraltar, and convey the observers 

 to Santa Pola. 



The expedition consisted at first of Dr. W. J. S. Lockyer, from 

 the Solar Physics Observatory, Mr. A. Fowler, the demonstrator in 

 Astronomical Physics, from the Royal College of Science, and Mr. 

 Howard Payn, who joined as a volunteer ; I subsequently received 

 orders to accompany and take charge of it. 



Mr. Payn went on in advance overland to make preliminary ar 

 rangements and to lay out the camp on a plan which had been 

 previously arranged, while the remaining observers left England on 

 May 11, by the R.M.S. " Oruba," of the Orient line. 



On arriving at Gibraltar, the party at once went on board H.M.S. 

 " Theseus," and left for Santa Pola, which was reached just before 

 noon the following day, May 17. I was glad to find that great interest 

 had been shown in the expedition before our arrival on board, and 

 that lectures on the work to be undertaken had already been given by 

 the Chaplain, the Rev. G. Brooke-Robinson, M.A. 



Assistants were at once forthcoming for working the prismatic 

 cameras, and also for manipulating several cameras which I had 

 brought out to be used by the ship's company in obtaining photo- 

 graphs of the corona. 



Observing parties in charge of officers of the ship, to make observa- 

 tions along several lines, were at the same time organised. 



On our arrival at Santa Pola, the following local officials came on 

 board with Mr. Payn : Sns. Francisco Bonmati Mas, Mayor of 

 Santa Pola ; Antoine Bonmati Mas, Vice-Mayor of Santa Pola ; Jose* 

 Bonmati Mas, Municipal Councillor ; Jose* Salinas Perez, Municipal 

 Councillor ; Eladio Ponce de Leon, Secretary to the Mayor ; Michel 

 Sempere, Justice of the Peace ; Jose" Hernandez, Captain of the Port ; 

 Geronimo Agnati, Administrator of Customs ; Eduard Fernandez, 1st 

 Lieut, of Coast Guards ; Tomas Bueno, Medical Officer. 



They informed us that permission had been given for land ing parties 

 from the man-of-war, and special facilities granted for landing instru- 

 ments and personal baggage without Custom's examination. 



The erection of the instruments, huts, and tents was commenced on 





