THE SOLAR ECLIPSE OF 1871. 97 



portant that if the expeditions had done no more than this, 

 all their cost in money and scientific labor would be amply 

 repaid in the estimation of those who understand the value 

 of pure truth. 



A few more fragments of intelligence respecting the 

 Eclipse Expedition have reached us, the last Indian 

 mail having started just after the eclipse occurred. They 

 fully confirm the first telegraphic announcement, rather 

 strengthening than otherwise the expectations of important 

 results, especially in reference to the photographs of the* 

 corona. 



I have read in the Ceylon newspapers some full descrip- 

 tions by amateur observers, in which the general magnifi- 

 cence of the phenomena is described. From these it is 

 evident that the corona must have been displayed in its 

 full grandeur ; but as the writers do not attempt to de- 

 scribe those features which have at the present moment a 

 special scientific interest, I shall not dwell upon them, but 

 await the publication of the official report of the chief, and 

 of the more important collateral observing expeditions. 



The unsophisticated reader may say " Are not one man's 

 eyes as good as another's, and why should the observations 

 of the learned men of the expeditions be so much better 

 than those of any other clear-sighted persons ? " This is a 

 perfectly fair question, and admits of a ready answer. All 

 that can be known by mere unprepared naked-eye observa- 

 tion is tolerably well known already ; the questions which 

 await solution can only be answered by putting the sun to 

 torture by means of instruments specially devised for that 

 purpose ; and by a skillful organization, and division of 

 labor among the observers. 



There is so much to be seen during the few seconds of 

 total obscuration that no one human being, however well 

 trained in the art of observing, could possibly see all. 

 Therefore it is necessary to pre-arrange each observer's 

 part, to have careful rehearsals of what is to be done by 

 eacli during the precious seconds; and each man must 

 exercise a vast amount of self-control in order to confine 

 his attention to his own particular bit of observation, while 



