6l2 



•The National Geographic Magazine 



conflicting emotions. Even fowls and 

 birds steal away to their perches as at 

 eventide, and a sense of uneasiness per- 

 vades all animated beings. 



The interval of totality, as has been 

 stated, was 106 seconds, each of which 

 was counted off in clear monotone by 

 observers stationed at the chronograph 

 for the purpose of aiding the photograph- 

 ers in timing the exposure of their plates. 



As in the times of our remote grand- 

 fathers, when this mysterious phenom- 

 enon was ascribed to the anger of God, 

 who was hiding his face from his chil- 

 dren, there was rejoicing when the sun 

 shone forth again, and hearty congratu- 

 lations were extended to us all that the 

 ■eclipse of 1905 had passed with probably 

 good results to at least one 'of our parties ; 

 and a telegram came soon afterward 

 telling me that the Daroca party had also 

 Tjeen fortunate in observing it. Con- 

 gratulations came anew. On our return 

 to the ship that night a telegram from 

 Captain Norris, in charge of the Guelma 

 station, told that his party had taken a 

 mumber of photographs which were most 

 promising, and Captain Miller, of the 

 Minneapolis, returning with his ship 

 from the station off the coast of Spain, 

 reported interesting and satisfactory ob- 

 servations obtained by his large number 

 of draughtsmen in making pictures of 

 the corona. 



Leaving the Ccesar at Valencia to pick 

 up the scattered parties and their instru- 

 ments, the Minneapolis proceeded to 

 .Genoa, where another object of the cruise 

 -was inaugurated. Here the commander- 

 ^n-chief and two assistants started an in- 

 spection of all the principal observatories 

 in Europe, a report of which will take 

 several months to properly record. 



From Genoa the flagship proceeded to 

 -the beautiful harbor of Villefranche, 

 where she was joined by the Dixie and 

 Ccesar, the latter to collect the material 

 belonging to the several eclipse parties 

 for transportation to Washington, and 

 the Dixie to take on board the people who 

 must return home to work in other fields. 

 Here a good-bye is said to the several 



invited guests who have contributed so 

 much to the success of the American 

 Eclipse Expedition of 1905, and the ships 

 separate for the last time as the Special 

 Service Squadron. 



It has long been one of the glories of 

 the American Navy that more than any 

 other it has been employed in explora- 

 tion and investigation, and in this way 

 has done service to mankind in promot- 

 ing the arts of peace. This remark was 

 originally made by Sir Norman Lockyer 

 as applying to the British Navy. While 

 in London after the eclipse last summer, 

 I said to this distinguished astronomer, 

 who has probably done more in eclipse re- 

 search than any other man, that I claimed 

 the service I represented, considering the 

 comparative short period of its existence, 

 was the peer of the British Navy in this 

 respect. 



He replied, "And well you may do so; 

 for, after the example set by your govern- 

 ment, under your command I yield the 

 palm to it, and I hope to make more in 

 the use of the precedent thereby estab- 

 lished than you have done with my 

 phraseology." 



Let me say further, that not only was 

 the expedition beneficial to the arts of 

 peace, but that, owing to the disturbed 

 condition of European politics the past 

 summer, the squadron lost none of its 

 importance as a military organization. 

 It was simply spending the spare time of 

 the officers and crews of the ships in the 

 advancement of science rather than in the 

 pursuit of pleasures ; and it is believed the 

 visit of the Special Service Squadron to 

 Spain will make easier the task of re- 

 binding the ties of friendship which ever 

 should exist between the present owners 

 of our glorious country and those who 

 made it possible for us to produce the 

 finest world power of the globe. 



And now, without going into the 

 vicissitudes which detained the flagship in 

 Europe until late in December, nor how, 

 according to the newspapers, she went to 

 Russia, which she did not do, we return 

 to the finest spot of all — "Home, sweet 

 home." 



