August 27, 1S96J 



NA TURE 



399 



strations among the more scientific-minded. Captain 

 King Hall at once gave up his fore cabin for the one, and 

 Staff-Surgeon Whelan lent spirit-lamps for the other. 



The first competition among the volunteer artists took 

 place at 9 p.m. on Tuesday, 4th, that is, the day before 1 

 yesterday, and was repeated last night. There were 

 about thirty-five entries. Ten marks were given for form, 

 ten for colour. As on the Garonne, after a brief descrip- : 

 tion, with photographs on the screen of the things to be 

 looked for, and the lie of the sun's axis to the horizon of 

 Kio, a previously unseen coloured drawing of the eclipse i 

 of 1869, and a copy of Langley's drawing of that of 1878, ' 

 were thrown on the screen, and the 105 seconds given 1 

 out in proper eclipse fashion by means of a stop-watch. I 

 The similarity among the drawings on both occasions, 1 

 and the accuracy of the notes on colours were truly 

 marvellous ; many full marks were accorded, and as a 

 result sixteen of the volunteers were secured for the 



Fixt'ii Instnintcnis. 



1. 6-inch prismatic camera 



2. 9-incli ,, ,, 



3. Integrating spectroscope 



4. Discs ... 



5. 6-inch grating spectroscope... 



Other Obscn.Hilions. 



6. 3f-inch telescope 



7. Sketches of corona ... 



8. Colours of Landscape 



9. Moon's shadow 



10. .Slit spectroscopes 



11. Prisms for rings 



12. Polariscope 



13. Timekeepers ... 



14. Contacts 



15. Thermometers 



Thus making a total of 78. 



sketches of the corona, eight for the colours of the land- 

 scape, and four for observations of the moon's shadow. 

 For the disc parties there were six volunteers, Captain 

 King Hall himself taking charge of the first. For this 

 work keen eyesight was, of course, of the first importance. 

 The drill I had suggested for the officers of the Training 

 Squadron is adhered to, the real observer being blind- 

 folded till ro seconds after the beginning of totality. 



(Jf the Spectroscopic Classes little need be said ; they 

 include nine volunteers, and work has already begun. 



The distribution of work among our party is now 

 as follows : 



NO. 140 J, VOL. 54] 



Three main stations were next fixed upon : Kio, as 

 headquarters ; an island lying between Kio and the 

 Volage, on which a signal station has been erected to 

 convey messages to and from the ship ; and finally the top 

 of the majestic cliflfnear which the ship was lying. 



Before 1 pass from this part of the subject, it may be 

 stated that the volunteers are from almost every rating. 

 Besides the officers there are — I name them in the order 

 in which they appear in the muster rolls of the various 

 parties — petty officers,signalmen, marines, A.B.s, ordinary 

 seamen, stokers, blacksmiths, shipwrights, engine-room 

 artificers, and boys. 



