Anniversary Address. xxix. 
The result of the observations of the transit of 1874 cannot be 
regarded as satisfactory ; for, whilst Sir George Airey, in his official 
report, stated the solar parallax as 8:76/— corresponding to 93,375,000 
miles— Colonel Tupman and Mr. Stone, from the very same observa- 
tions, deduced the parallax respectively as 8:81" and 8'88”. The 
agreement to within the tenth of a second of arc in angular measure 
seems, at first sight, very close; but, so vast is the distance represented 
in the solar parallax by that fraction, that these three calculations 
differ to an extent considerably exceeding a million of miles. ; 
The observations of the transit of Venus of last year were under- 
taken by all civilized nations with the same zeal and interest that 
characterized the efforts of 1874. On this occasion the British 
astronomers discarded photography, whilst the Americans relied greatly 
on that means of observation. 
In New Zealand the egress alone could be seen, and was observed 
from thirteen stations by seventeen scientific gentlemen, amongst 
whom were Dr. Hector, Mr. McKerrow, and Archdeacon Stock. 
There were also an English party of observers, near Christchurch, 
under Colonel Tupman, and an American party at Auckland, under 
Mr. Edward Smith, of the United States Coast Survey. The 
Government assisted liberally both by grants of money and by placing 
the Telegraph Department at the disposal of the observers. Unfor- 
tunately, Dr. Hector’s observation at Clyde was partially intercepted 
by a cloud, but, with the exception of this contretemps, the observa- 
tions in New Zealand were entirely successful. I cannot but remark 
that it reflects great credit on the colony that so many gentlemen 
should have voluntarily engaged in this work ; and I have no doubt 
that, when the report of the results of the British expeditions are 
published, their services will receive cordial acknowledgment. 
e observations of last year’s transit throughout the world were 
attended with thorough success, and it is expected that, when the 
calculations have been completed, a great step will be made 
towards reconciling the conflicting results that have hitherto been 
obtained. But, before the question can be finally set at rest, the - 
results of the observations on the transit of Venus must be reconciled 
with those obtained by other methods, which it would be out of place 
for me now to discuss. 
Judging, however, from the conclusions already derived from 
various independent calculations, it seems probable that the true 
distance of the earth from the sun will be found to be between 
ninety-two and ninety-three millions of miles. 
Meanwhile the scientific world awaits with the greatest interest 
the calculations of astronomers on this vital problem. The impor- 
tance of it is not merely to be regarded as one which concerns 
