TRANSIT OF VENUS, DECEMBER 6, 1882. 521 



seconds. At i2h. om. os., there is only a single break, and then the signals 

 cease." At 1 1 A. M. each day, New Windsor time, we visited the telegraph of- 

 fice with two regulated watches: One indicated mean local solar time, and the 

 other was wound, but had the balance-wheel stopped by a wedge of paper, the 

 Jiour, minute and second hands being carefully adjusted at i2h. om. os, hX loh. 

 50m. the officers of the telegraph company ordered all business to stop on the 

 line leading through New Windsor, and that no key be opened. At a time which 

 was iih. 56 m. 30s. in Washington, we heard the first ''click" on the magnet, 

 and at the same instant looked at the seconds' hand of the watch recording local 

 time, and behold ! it read iih. 2m. 37s. Therefore the difference in time between 

 AVashington and New Windsor is 53m. 53s. ; or, in other words, the longitude of 

 this place is 53m. 53s. west. Here is a record of the time as checked on re- 



All the beats and break seconds of the Washington pendulum were distinctly 

 heard over the long wire the same as though we had been in the Naval Observa- 

 tory; while, in our telegraph office, the regular beating of the clock seemed most 

 impressive. At iih. 59m. 45s. we placed the point of a pen-knife on the paper 

 ,stop in the balance-wheel of the silent watch, to be in readiness for the final beat 

 at precisely noon in Washington, In due time it was heard, the wedge was in- 

 stantly removed, the tiny balance began pulsation, and we had absolute Govern- 

 ment time. This was repeated each day to learn the error in twenty-four hours 

 of all the time-pieces. 



This watch, reading Washington time, was placed on the telescope just be- 

 fore the time of the transit on December 6th, and we began to look at 8h., re- 

 maining motionless, so that vision might not be disturbed. We gazed intently for 

 one minute, and no world came in sight. Could we have made an error in cal- 

 culating the local time of beginning for this longitude ? Another half minute 

 passed away and no notch on the sun was seen ; then eleven seconds elapsed, 

 when, behold ! a delicate Une of black appeared on the southeastern limb of the 

 sun ! It was the transit of Venus ! Instantly reading the watch keeping New 

 Windsor time, it indicated 8h. im. 41s. ; and by its side the watch havmg Wash- 

 ington time read 8h, 55m. 34s., the difference in the reading being 53m, 53s,, as 

 learned by telegraph, and also by astronomical methods. 



