186 
SIR NORMAN LOCKYER AND OTHERS ON THE 
Four assistants were detailed to help in working the instrument. Mr. Steel, R.X., 
was deputed to work the fine adjustments of the telescope, so as to bring the desired 
portion of the image of the sun on to the slit of the spectroscope. Mr. PiOSS, who 
had helped in the erection of the telescope, was selected as time keeper; Yaxsome 
was deputed to have charge of the lamp, and give light when requmed, and Browx 
acted as clerk, and recorded all observations that were dictated to him. 
Drills were commenced from the day after my taking over charge of the instru¬ 
ments, and they were repeated five or six times each day so as to give smoothness 
and quickness in the work, and confidence to those employed in it. 
At Sir Normax Lockyer’s suggestion, it was arranged that during the eclipse an 
attempt should be made to repeat certain observations made by him during the total 
eclipse of 1882 in Egypt, when what are called the enhanced lines of h’on, due to 
iron vapours under the influence of exceedingly high temperature (as given by a 
powerful spark) were seen short and bright 7 minutes before totality, while 2 minutes 
before totality some iron lines usually found in the spectrum of sunspots {i.c., due 
to iron vapour in a cooler condition) were observed long and thin. During totality it 
was also arranged to examine the spectrum of the corona, and specially to search for 
any evidence of the existence of carbon, iron, magnesium, hydrogen, &c. 
It was arranged that the spectrum of the first order sliould he worked with, and 
it was of course necessary that only a portion of the spectrum should be observed. 
The portion selected, which was well visible in the field of the observing telescope of 
the spectroscope, included easily from 1474 K to beyond “ F,” both being well within 
the field of view. 
The Reference, Spectrum. 
Previous to the instrument being brought out from England, some excellent 
photographic reference spectra had been prepared by Mr. Fowler under Sir Normax 
Lockyer’s direction, and these showed the bands of carbon, the quartette of iron lines 
rather less refrangible than F, the triple magnesium lines h, and also F very distinctlv. 
This reference spectrum was fitted into the eye-piece of the observing telescope of 
the spectroscope, and the lines acted as the means for absolutely identifying these 
elements should these lines be visible in the corona, and also were used for reference 
to decide the position of any other lines which might be observed in this part of the 
spectrum. 
Programme ofi IForL 
The spectroscope being rigidly attached to the telescojie, it had to remain in one 
position in relation to the telescope throughout the time of observation during the 
eclipse. Hence the following was the j^rogramme of work adopted for the eclipse, 
and this programme was practised dail}^ in the numerous drills before the day of the 
eclipse. 
