392 
SIR NORMAN LOCKYER AND OTHERS 
Traimmj of Observers .—To Ijiing the observers to the necessary stage of efficiency 
a considerable amount of training was required; those of the disc observers who 
could be spared after the discs were set up were instructed in sketching coronas 
of former eclqises, illustrated by magic lantern slides, the time allowed for sketching 
these being gradually decreased from a period of 3 minutes to a period of 1^ minutes, 
the ex})ected duration of totality. 
On and after Tuesday, May 22, the disc parties were landed and general rehearsals 
were commenced; the disc oljservers were drilled in sketching and describing a ffiqDical 
corona outlined on a large piece of cardboard with chalk, the same time being allowed 
for exposure of the typical corona as the time totality would last. After the sketches 
were made by the Nos. 1 from the descriptions given to Nos. 2 they were handed in 
for inspection and very carefully checked in regard to position and length of streamers, 
tlie result being that each day showed an improvement. 
A variety of methods were tried before it was finally decided as to the best way of 
sketching coronas. It was found necessary to use abbreviations as much as possible 
whilst taking down the descriptions. This at first was found to be very confusing, 
but it was eventually got over by using ruled forms. 
The best means found for sketching coronas was to cut a service pistol target in 
four parts, and use the back on which to sketch. A small disc was painted in the 
centre, and the card was marked in concentric circles, each increasing by one diameter 
of the disc already painted. The position of streamers were described in terms of the 
clock, the direction of streamers by compass bearing, and length of streamers in 
diameters of the jjainted disc. 
The forms used for taking down descriptions left very little writing for No. 2 to get 
through, and no difficulty whatever was experienced by the observers in utilizing 
these notes for the sketches made immediately afterwards. Of the six discs used, 
four covered a radius of G minutes outside the moon’s diameter, and the remaining 
two covered a radius of 3 minutes. Althouffii the 6-minute discs covered much more 
of the inner corona according to the sketches and descriptions handed in, practically 
the same results were obtained from both 6-niinute and 3-niinute discs, allowance 
Ijeing made for the difference in diameter of discs. 
The disc observers were jDersonally instructed by Lieutenant H. M. Doughty, R.N., 
the rehearsals beinn held fom* or five times dailv. A different sketch was used on 
each occasion. 
The discs were set up and the eye-pieces fixed under the direction of Lieutenants 
Andrews and Doughty, assisted by Mr. Hallowes, Midshipman. 
It has been thought desiralfie, instead of forwarding all the original sketches, to 
select the l^est of each sort, and to make a separate sketch representing the mean of 
the results in each case. I’hese are— 
(T.) With discs covering 6 minutes of arc outside the moon’s perimeter. 
(2.) With discs covering 3 minutes. 
