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POPULAR SCIENCE REVIEW. 
As it is, there are many points along the line of central eclipse 
which are conveniently accessible. It passes close to Aden, and 
nearly coincides with the track followed by our steamers be- 
tween Aden and Bombay. By a singular coincidence two mail- 
steamers, one from Aden for Bombay, and the other from Bombay 
for Aden, will pass through the black shadow. A third steamer 
from Bombay on August 18 will be starting nearly at the 
time of total eclipse. But the most important part of the 
shadow’s path is that which traverses the Indian peninsula. I 
shall follow Major Tennant’s account of this portion of the line 
of central eclipse. He has “ computed for the whole breadth 
of the Indian peninsula the central line and the limits of totality.” 
He writes : “ The central line enters on the west coast of India, 
in latitude 16° 35', passing near Muktul and Guntoor, and a 
little north of Masulipatam. The shadow is about 143 miles 
broad. The northern limit passes close to the town of Shola- 
poor (which is accessible by rail from Bombay), about twelve 
miles north of the large city of Hydrabad in the Dukhun, and 
eighteen miles north of Eajamundri, at the head of the delta of 
the Godaveri. The southern limit lies eight miles north of Goa, or 
twenty miles south of the station of Belgaum, twenty miles south 
of Bellary, twenty-four south of Kurnoul, and seventeen south 
of Ongole. It includes thus the stations of Kolapoor, Belgaum, 
Kurnoul, Sikunderabad, Ongole, Guntoor, Masulipatam, and 
Eajahmundri, besides some smaller ones ; the whole course of 
the Kistna, its delta, and that of the Godaveri, and parts of 
the valleys of the Bhema and Toongabudra lie within these 
limits. Leaving India proper, the shadow crosses the Bay of 
Bengal, includes the north Andaman Island, and then passes 
through the Mergui Archipelago and the province of Tenas- 
serim, across the Malay peninsula to the island of Borneo (in- 
cluding on its way part of the promontor}^ S.W. from Saigon), 
which it reaches between our colony of Labuan and the Sarawak 
country, and eventually through Torres Straits. Of this course,” 
adds Major Tennant, ‘‘ the west coast of India will be expe- 
riencing the south-west monsoon. The same state of things 
exists at the Andaman Islands and on the British side of the 
Malay peninsula. The other side is not easily attainable, and I 
am not aware that there would be any inducement to go to 
Borneo. The eastern part of the track through India affords, I 
believe, every chance of fine weather, and I think observers 
would do well to select that part.” 
The duration of totality at points along the line of central 
eclipse across the Indian peninsula will be from 5 m. on the 
western coast, to 5 m. 50 s. on the eastern coast. In the eclipse 
of 1860 the duration of totality was far less than this, and our 
observers in Spain had in no instance more than 3^ minutes 
