470 



NA TURE 



[March 14, 1901 



geographer and geologist would like to examine has been 

 kept back although it turned out a success. 



The publication of his book will, we fear, tend to 

 detract from the reputation which Mr. Borchgrevink has 

 unquestionably merited by his organising power, his 

 invincible perseverance and his successful completion of 

 a considerable task. Had he been content to leave the 

 the discussion of matters which he did not understand to 

 the skilled members of his staff, and had he encouraged 

 them to discuss and describe their observations, his 

 expedition would have redounded to his credit in 

 scientific circles, as well as amongst lovers of adventure. 

 We believe that the extensive collections are being 

 examined and described by specialists in the British 

 Museum ; and we hope that the magnetic and meteor- 

 ological work will also be discussed by experts and 

 published in detail. Some results in an unreduced form 

 are given in the appendix, the most important being Mr. 

 Louis Bernacchi's excellent summary of the meteor- 

 ological and magnetic observations, which is somewhat 

 fuller than that published previously in the Geographical 

 Journal. 



It is painful to us to be obliged to touch on the 

 limitations of a strong and courageous explorer, but we 



Guinea, and leaves the earth in long. 156° 58' E., lat. 

 12^ 50' S. (See accompanying map.) 



While the weather prospects at most of the possible 

 stations of observation are, unfortunately, not of the 

 best, there is sufficient encouragement in the meteorr 

 ological statistics to hope that records of the phenomena 

 will be secured at at least one place. 



In Mauritius, in the neighbourhood of the Royal 

 Alfred Observatory, where the duration of totality is 

 3m. 35s., the chances of fine weather at eclipse time are 

 very hopeful. Mr. Claxton, the director of the Obser- 

 vatory, states that on only two occasions since 1874 has 

 the sky been overcast at 9 a.m. on May 18, on sixteen 

 occasions it has been less than half covered, and on 

 nine occasions practically cloudless {Journal of the Brit. 

 Ast. Assoc, vol. xi. p. 121). 



In the Malay Archipelago, where the maximum dura- 

 tion of totality on the central line is nearly b\ minutes, 

 the weather prospects are not quite so good. At 

 Padang, on the west coast of Sumatra, which is one of 

 the most accessible and otherwise most suitable stations, 

 the percentage clearness during May is only 28, as 

 against 50 per cent, for the Makassar Strait between 

 Borneo and Celebes (Nature, vol. Ixiii. p. 163). 



Part of the path of the moon's shadow during the total sjlar eclipse of May 17-18, 1901. Reproduce from the Nautical Almanac Circular, No. iS. 



cannot pass by without protest so striking an instance of 

 the inability of an unscientific chief to appreciate the 

 nature of the problems which his scientific subordinates 

 are investigating or the results they obtain. 



THE TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE. SUN, 

 MAY 18, 1901. 

 T^HE approaching total eclipse of the sun is a notable 

 ■*■ one, not only on account of the unusually long 

 duration of totality at the most favoured stations, but 

 also because it occurs very near a time of minimum 

 sun-spots. An exceptionally good opportunity of study- 

 ing the corona at an important phase of the solar period 

 is thus afiforded, provided always that the sky is un- 

 clouded at the critical times. 



The shadow strikes the earth a little to the south-west 

 of Madagascar, traverses a north-easterly path across 

 the Indian Ocean, passing over Mauritius and entering 

 Sumatra near Padang, continues eastward across the 

 southern part of Borneo, deviates to the south-east 

 through the Celebes and the southern part of New 

 NO. 1637, VOL. 63] 



In these circumstances, it seems particularly desir- 

 able that the observers should be as widely distributed 

 as possible, so as to diminish the risk of total failure 

 to secure observations. This multiplication of stations, 

 however, is rendered impracticable in this instance by 

 the comparatively small number of astronomers at liberty 

 to undertake the long voyage involved, and to some extent 

 also by other causes, not among the least forcible being 

 the undesirable presence of savage races at some places 

 near the central line. 



Arrangements have been made by the Joint Per- 

 manent Eclipse Committee of the Royal and Royal 

 Astronomical Societies to attempt to secure observations 

 at Padang and Mauritius. At the former station will be 

 Mr. Newall and Mr. Dyson, who will be joined by Mr. 

 Atkinson as a volunteer, and at the latter Mr. Maunder 

 will work in conjunction with Mr. Claxton. While it is 

 to be regretted that other British observers of experience 

 do not find themselves in a position to join the expe- 

 ditions, there is consolation in the fact that parties from 

 other countries have arranged to make observations. 

 We understand that Holland will be represented by an 

 expedition under Dr. Nyland, of Utrecht, who will be 



