402 
SIR XORMAX LOCKYER AXD OTHERS 
The Coelostat. 
The telescope was fed by a coelostat, with a 16-inch mirror, mounted on a brick 
and cement pier. This instrument is the j^roperty of the Royal Astronomical Society, 
and was lent for the purpose of the expedition. It had previously been used in India 
at the last eclipse. 
This instrument gave a great deal of trouble at first. Fortunately Mr. Heebert 
P oRTCH, Assistant Engineer, R.N., of H.M.S. “Theseus,” who was working the 
smaller coronagraph with the spare light from my mirror, was a skilled mechanic, and 
after taking the clock and the driving gear to pieces several times, was at length 
able to get it fairly in order. During the 75 seconds of totality it fortunately was 
at its best. 
Before this instrument can be used at another eclipse it will be necessarj^ to repair 
or alter the present clamping arrangements in R.A. 
The Exposures. 
The time of totality at Santa Pola, as given by the “local particulars,” was 79'4 
seconds ; but as the American eclipse measurement of the moon was followed, the 
estimated duration of totality was reduced to 75 seconds. 
The times arranged by Sir Normax Lockyer for my instrument were as follows :— 
1. At call of 70 expose till 60 = 10 seconds. 
2. Snap = 1 second. 
3. Expose as soon as possible after this snap until the call of five = 40 to 45 
seconds. 
I had five bluejackets to assist at the instrument, four being employed to hand and 
receive from me the plates and carriers and return them to their covers, the other 
man making the exposures from the object-glass end, by cutting off the light from 
the mii'ror by a piece of millboard. 
Although we were able to carry out the programme without mistakes during the 
drills, at the eclipse the 10-seconds exposure of the first plate was accidentally reduced 
to 5. At the moment of totahty the shouts and hand-clappings of 2000 spectators 
outside the ropes drowned for the moment the time signals, and the first count I 
heard was 65. I exposed at once, and at 60 the light was cut off by the bluejacket, 
as previously arranged. It was impossible at that moment to make him hear me, 
and I was afraid of confusing him in the other exposures, so it stood at that. 
The snap and the long exposure were carried out as arranged. Two of the plates 
were developed at the eclipse camp by Mr. Fowler. The long exposure was also 
developed by him after our luturn to South Kensington. 
