THE TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE SUN 33 



States under the new treaty between Great Britain, German}^, and the 

 United States, the chief value of this island being its harbor, wliich 

 is undoubtedl_y the finest island harbor in the South Pacific and per- 

 haps of the entire Pacific Ocean. 



All the i)roducts of these islands are of a class which the United 

 States is constantly required to import in great quantities. The an- 

 nual importation of tropical products into the United States averages 

 fully ^250,000,000 in value, and as this large importation is composed 

 chiefly of sugar, coffee, fruits and nuts, fibers, si)ices, drugs, dye and 

 cabinet woods, and other tropical growths, all of which can be pro- 

 duced and are now being produced, in greater or less quantities, in 

 these islands, it seems probable that their new relations with the 

 United States may lead to the expenditure in them of most of the 

 mone}' which our people are compelled to send abroad for tropical 

 products, and that in return we shall furnish them the increased sup- 

 plies of foodstuffs and manufactures which their increased earnings 

 will lead them to demand. 



0. P. Austin. 



THE TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE SUN, MAY 28, 1900 



The path of the shadow of the approaching total eclipse of the sun, 

 ALay 28, 1900, begins at sunrise over the Pacific Ocean, just to the west 

 of Mexico, extends thence northeastward over the Southern States from 

 New Orleans, La., to Norfolk, Va., crosses the middle portions of the 

 North Atlantic Ocean to Portugal, and terminates near the northern 

 end of the Red Sea at sunset. The location of this track in the United 

 States is remarkable for its convenient accessibility to a multitude of 

 people, who with a minimum of trouble can easily view the wonderful 

 phenomenon of the solar corona. The track passes over New Orleans, 

 La., centrally, touches Mobile, Ala., on the southern and Montgomer}^ 

 Ala., on the northern edge, passes just to the north of Colunil)US, 

 Macon, Milledgeville, and Augusta, Ga., a few miles south of Atlanta, 

 Ga., a little north of Columbia, S. C, just south of Charlotte, N. C, 

 and quite centrally over Raleigh, N. C, and Norfolk, Va. It is easil}'' 

 computed that more than half a million persons will see the total 

 eclipse, of more or less duration, from their homes, and it is not un- 

 likely that many more will take advantage of the opportunity to see 

 the event of a lifetime. Educators ought to encourag*? their students 

 to go to the track at some point of it. and thus arous»; in them a prac- 

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