SCIENTIFIC SUMMAKY. 
301 
occupying a station so near yours seems to be counterbalanced by tbe veiy 
favourable conditions of that group, both astronomically and meteorologically, 
and by its accessibility from our western coast. As both contacts will be 
visible from all the photographic stations, it is intended to observe them 
with 5-inch equatoreals, with clock-work and micrometer for measurings 
cusps, one of which will be sent to each station. As the factor for ‘ ingress 
accelerated ’ will be about as great at Wladiwostok and at A'okohama as it 
will be at Tahiti, it does not seem necessary to occupy the latter station in. 
addition, and besides, only one contact can be seen either at Tahiti or 
Marquesas, while the Asiatic stations are about equally favourable for both 
contacts. Each station will also be furnished with a portable transit, ac- 
companied by clock and chronograpli, for the determination of local time,. 
This transit will be supplied with a fine spirit-level and declination micro- 
meter for use as a ^ zenith telescope.’ For longitude, we shall probably 
depend mainly on occultations of small stars to be observed with the 5-inch 
telescopes. It is hoped by careful watching to observe eight or ten occulta- 
tions per month, mostly when the Moon is near her conjunction, and while 
she is passing the Milky Way. It is believed that occultations are much 
more free from systematic errors than Moon-culminafions. The numerous 
old determinations of the Transatlantic longitudes by the latter method, 
most of which may be found in Gould’s paper, do not encourage ns to rely 
upon it.” 
JRussian Frepai'ations fo7' the Trmisit oflS74 :. — The following is a corrected^ 
list of stations for the observation of the Transit of Vemts, as fixed at the 
General Meeting of the Eussian Committee held on March 22, 1873 : — 
station 
Latitude 
Longitude 
E.of 
Greenwich 
Instrument 
to be 
employed 
Proportion 
of Clear Sky 
in beginning 
of December 
o 
h m 
Per Cent. 
1. Nakhodka 
42 48 
8 51-4 
6-in. refractor 
80-85 
2. Port Possiet 
42 40 
8 43-0 
Photoheliograph ; 
4-in. telescope 
80-85 
3. Ilanka 
45 4 
8 50-0 
Heliometer 
80-85 
4. Busse 
46 24 
9 15-0 
3-in. telescope 
unknown 
5. Jeddo 
35 36 
9 19-0 
4-in. telescope 
unknown 
6. Pekin 
39 54 
7 45-7 
4-in. telescope 
■80 
7. Habarowka 
48 16 
8 58-8 
3-in. telescope 
80-85 
8. Kertschinsk 
51 18 
7 58-5 
Ileliometer ; 4-in. 
telescope 
70-80 
0. Tschita 
52 1 
7 34-0 
4-in. telescope 
90 
10. Kiakhta . 
50 20 
7 6-7 
Photoheliograph • 
4-in. telescope 
70-80 
II. Blagoweschtschensk 
50 15 
8 30-5 
Heliometer ; 4-in. 
telescope 
80-85 
12. Omsk 
56 30 
5 40-3 
3-in. telescope 
below 50 
13. Taschkent 
41 19 
4 37-3 
6-in. refractor 
60 
14. Fort Perowski . 
44 51 
4 21-9 
4-in. refractor 
80 
15. Fort Uralsk , 
51 11 
3 26-4 , 
6-in. refractor 
60 
16. Orenburg . 
51 45 
3 40-5 
3-in. telescope 
below 50 
17. Krasnowodsk .. 
40 0 
3 32-0 
Photoheliograph j 
4-in. telescope 
70-80 
