Astronomy 573 



Institution during the fifty years of its existence is given 

 elsewhere. By consulting this list the chronological order of 

 its contributions to astronomy can be seen. I have chosen 



* 



to arrange the present chapter not chronologically, but by 

 subjects, so as to bring out more prominently the very varied 

 activities of the Institution and its unfailing and impartial 

 sympathy with any research likely to increase the sum of 

 knowledge. 



SOLAR ECLIPSES 



THE Institution has taken an active part in researches con- 

 nected with solar eclipses by preparing and distributing in- 

 formation concerning them, and by subsidizing expeditions to 

 observe their phenomena. 



In 1851, Doctor Busch, of Konigsberg, had made a da- 

 guerreotype of an eclipse. The annular eclipse of May 26, 

 1854, was observed in the United States, according to instruc- 

 tions sent out by the Institution, and was photographed by 

 Professor W. H. C. Bartlett in West Point, and by Professor 

 S. Alexander in Princeton. The expense of these experi- 

 ments was borne by the Smithsonian Institution. 



The eclipse of September 7, 1858, was observed by Lieu- 

 tenant J. M. Gilliss at Olmos, in Peru, by the aid of a subsidy 

 from the Institution, and his report is printed in Volume xi 

 of the "Contributions to Knowledge" 



The eclipse of July 18, 1860, also was observed by expe- 

 ditions sent from the Smithsonian Institution under Professor 

 Alexander (to Labrador) and Lieutenant Gilliss (to Washing- 

 ton Territory). 



Among the collections of the Institution is a map con- 

 structed by Professor J. H. Coffin, "on which are delineated 

 the paths of all the great solar eclipses of the nineteenth cen- 

 37* 



