A¥ §4 
©013 
THE TRANSIT OF VENUS IN 1874, 
The Secretary of tho Royal Astronomical 
Society has written a paper upon the coming 
trausit, from which we glean w hat follows: -The 
mot ions of Venus and the earth are such, that 
at successive intervals of 8 years, 105'- years, 8 
years. 122 1 , years, 8 years, 105'j years, and so on, 
the planet in passing between the eart h and the 
sun is so near to the level In which the earth 
moves as to appear to traverse t he sun’s face. 
This will happen on Doc. 0,1874, and again on 
Dec. 6, 1882, and Venus will not again be seen 
in transit until June, 2001. 
Fig. 1 allows the paths which will b° ollowed 
by Venus as she crosses tho sun’s face during 
the transits of 1871 and 1882. She is shown in 
each case at what Is called internal contact, at 
ingress (t ami f,‘) and at egress (e and e '); while 
at (m and m ) she is at her nearest to the center 
of the sun’s disc. 
Tho transit of Dec. 0.1374, will take place in 
the early morning hours of English time (be¬ 
tween Ih. Join. A. M. and 8h.27m. A. M.), and will 
therefore of course not be visible In England. 
Fig. 2 shows the face of the earth which will 
be actually turned towards the sun at the be¬ 
ginning of the transit. The cross linos In this 
and t he remaining llgu res. represent tho advanc¬ 
ing or receding edge of Venus's shadow. Strictly 
speaking, 11 g. 2 corresponds to the moment 
when, as seen from any point on the line fun¬ 
ning across the middle of the'picture (from 
North India over Australia to New Zealand), the 
planet, will just bo fully upon the a (Ill's faco at 
ingress, or tn the position shnwu at I, Jig 1. The 
exact moment i* a lii tie doubtful, as it depends 
on tho real size of Venus as well its on her mo¬ 
tions, and the former point, is necessarily a 
matter or estimation, while the motions of 
Venus, though very accurately determined, will 
doubtless bo corrected by the observations 
themselves which will be made during tho com¬ 
ing transit. Tho circumstances of the transit 
will not, however, be appreciably affected even 
though there should be a minute or two of error 
as to tho moment In question, which is unlikely. 
My own estimate assigns ns the time 2h. 15m. 
57s. T see that Mr. Hind, in the Nautical Alma¬ 
nac, gives the time as 2h. 15ui. 21*. l ’ig. 2 accords 
perfectly with either estimate. Fig. 8 shows 
the face of the earth which will bo turned in¬ 
wards the sun at the oml or I tie t rausit, or, more 
exactly, at the moment when Venus, as seen 
from any point In the lino running across the 
middle of tho picture (from South Africa to 
New Guinea). Is Jilst. about to pass off the sun's 
face, being at the time as shown at <?, tig. 1. I 
have obtained os the epoch of this phase, t he 
time oh. 67m. 5*. A. M. Mr. Hind, in tho Nautical 
Almanac, give* the time as 5h. 57m. 20s. Fig. 8 
agrees perfectly well with either time. It must 
be noted, however, thut the epochs Just men¬ 
tioned are giveu In ordinary clock time (Green¬ 
wich or railway time). Solar time on Dee. 0 
is about seven minutes and u-half later. This 
is why, in ilg. 3, the meridian six hours east of 
Greenwich is shown as haring already passed 
the center; for, though meantime nt the mo¬ 
ment Is but 5h. 67m. 5s., sun time is Oh. 4!4m. 
Ou all the points hitherto referred to, astron¬ 
omers are iu agreement, the slight time-differ¬ 
ences above mentioned being admittedly unim¬ 
portant, and the truth as likely to lie one w r ay 
as tho other. 
Now, os soen from northern stations, Venus 
will travel apparently on a more southerly 
course, or as along the line e C, In 
Jig. 1; while, as scon from south- ■BgEMKMMj 
erly stations, she will travel on a 
more northerly course, or as along j£j 
tho line a a'. (This happens for 
prci-ely the same reason Unit, as 
seen from uu upper window of a 
house, any object is apparently 
lower down than a* seen from a 
lower window.) We see, then, uA. 
that at the most northerly si.a- HVj / r(|\ 
tions the transit will last longer, wmS 
beginning earlier and ending wB ) ) 
later, than as seen from the most WB 
southerly stations. We need not H/ 1 \ 
here enter into details; but It can H \ 
easily be shown that at the north- H\ \ 
ern station, A, flg. 2, the transit 
will begin earliest of all; while at 
the southern station, 14, flg. 2, tho Btt, /T?>\ 
transit will begin latest of all. 
Again, at the southern station, . 
C, fig. 3, tho transit will end earli- •. 
est: while at the southern stu- s 
tion D, fig. 3, the transit will end 
latest of all. The reader can see, ^^BrrTrrtj 
moreover, by the cross-lines and H 
ul-' • by the writing appended to 
them how much the beginning 
or ending of the transit preoedes 
or follows the mean time of 
beginning or euciug, reopeotlve- 
ly, at different places. Thus, If we take Tas¬ 
mania in ilg. 3, wo can Infer from its position j 
twelve minutes early, and B will see the same 
phase (Venus as at f, flg. 1) rather more than 
thirteen minutes late; so that If f lip observer at 
A telegraphs to the observer at B when the 
transit begins, the latter observer will have to 
wait about twenty-five minutes before lie sees 
Venus as at i. Obviously the difference in time 
depends on the distance between A and B—that 
is, on the size of the earth as compared with 
the distance of the aun. So that if the time-dif¬ 
ference could be determined by telegraphic 
signalling, then, since tho size of the earth Is 
a o 0 u rataly __ 
known, tho di*- I ~ 
tmice of the -uii j 
inferred. But of r 
wo hm e no tele- 
graphic com- /// 
municatlon be- HEsjlSIh? 
tween A and B ; EfiSjfc'’ 1 
and if we set RJjfiF 
observers at or WB 
near these 
points they If 
must determine ^B 
the tlme-differ- ^9 
enco In some M 
other way. This 
they can do. if 
they determine 
the exact mo- 
ment. of time RmV 
(say Greenwich 
time) at which IBaBW 
the transit bo- ■' 
gins at their re- -4 
* p e c 11 v e sta- 
tions, To do till* 
they must know BjESy 
I lie ex a i ■ I longi- Ifea 
their 
stations, and 
they must also figure 1 
observe tho exact moment of local time at 
which the transit begins. 
Remarks similar In all respects apply to ob¬ 
servers station d near C and D, to observe the 
end of the transit. 
The met hod here indicated Is called Delisle’s, 
ortho French method ; and aooordiug to present 
arrangements this country will trust solely to 
this method. The Government stations select¬ 
ed are numbered 1, 2, 3. 4, and fi. In figures 2 
and 3. 
Station t, Ilg. 3, is Woahoo; and the Ameri¬ 
cans will go there also. It. will be seen that the 
station is excellently placed, the transit begin* 
ning more than eleven minutes early, and the 
sun being at a fair elevation (the sun is vertical 
at. the point in t he center of figure 2, and on 
the horizon for any point on the clrcumfer 
enoe). 
Station 3, flg. 3, Is Kerguelen Land, a desolate 
island, too often cloud-enveloped to be regardod 
very favorably by (lie experienced. Neverthe¬ 
less it is too well placed for observing the re¬ 
tarded beginning to be left unoccupied. This 
country, and probably Germany also, will have 
an observing party there. 
Station 3 is Rodriguez Island, where the cir¬ 
cumstances are less favorable. At 8, or Mauri¬ 
tius, Lord Lindsay will have his observing party; 
and at Bourbon Island (just below 8 In the fig¬ 
ure) a French party will be stationed. 
The selected station near to C, fig. 3, was orig¬ 
inally Auckland, In the most northerly of the 
New Zealand Islands; but Christchurch, Can¬ 
terbury, N. Z., marked 4 in ti e figure, is now 
recommended. It will bo observed that this 
station can hardly be regarded as well placed. 
will give our readers some idea of the prepara¬ 
tions being made to witness this interesting 
astronomical event.] 
Explanation of Figures. 
Fig. 1.—The paths followed by Venus during 
the transits of 1874 and 1882. 
Fig. 2.—Thofaco of the Earth turned towards 
the Sun at tho beginning of the transit of 1874; 
including, therefore, all places whence the be¬ 
ginning of fho transit will be visible. 
Fig. 3.—The face of t he Earth turned towards 
the Sun at the 
I end of the tran- 
sit 
... ' eluding, 
where 
^Hn|B of the transit 
will be visible. 
\k£Uh 1. Proposed 
British station 
at Woahoo.', 
■ *• onto at HAMMERING THROUGH : 
0, > ™ E merchant add the farmer. 
J 3. Ditto at Ro- my r. p. addek. 
drlguez. - 
4. Ditto at PART I.-THE TWO FRIENDS. 
'jfl V/ 1 n rb 11 r y* Ever since the pronounced decree that “by 
New Zealand. the sweat of a man’s brow shall he eat," there 
’>• Ditto at has been an unsuspendfid effort by the majority 
^* cx,lrK ^ r * w ’ "f lOankind to sliirk the responsibility upon 
^ of xSSu ' ^BSSgB 0. Russian sta- the shoulders of other people. Tho desire to 
tion at Nortch- eat of the fat of the land without physical labor 
insk. is universal, and upon this one desire l find that 
several Ant arc" ‘'•ally imaiiimous. Furthermore. re t"" alone 
til , ^ j,,. | ' , lf ""I render that .desire a eerinitify. Il.ee",-., 
which two' at sc ® that ho who tolls the hardest Is the one who 
least should be Grilles himself the most. He who is already 
iE !• occupied. lar a * umd 0,11,10 FO»U to wealth gradually loos- 
s r Tinri..,.'. _ , ... ens his purse strings at the demand of luxury. 
Gradually, I say ; that, is, as the purse illla f tho 
.. German station at Tohefoo. opening slowly Increases in dimension. 
10. Region suitable for British stations in It was thin desire—ln-born, as he believed— 
North India, that led Matthew Bernard to abandon the 
-- half pay of a merchant’s clerk and seek for 
THE TEACHER’S LOT. wealth where alone it can be found In tiie 
- earth ; to become an agriculturist In reality, a 
As there are always two sides to a question, I farmer In deed. Ills experience I will relate, 
for one like to see thorn treated equally. A. 8. that It may assist, some and decide others iu 
G. (page 257) makes the life of a schoolmistress thc C0,|r8C ♦'hey choose to pursue for the uccu- 
apnear a deplorable one indeed. A. 8. G. says: niillation of money. 
‘‘The l anchor conies home with the children, "Well, Mat. I hear that you have thrown up 
hoping, that supper your position in Yardstick's store," remarked 
household Is not tired ulef hungry ? M> Hns not IIabky Tu0MAB to BERNARD, on (he street, 
tho former been at work since early morn In (lie “Yes, I have done so, ami am now looking 
Imrn or woods? Has not his wife been sowing, out for a chance at something quite different,’’ 
patching, darning, and an hundred other things, M , TTm ,, w 
ali day long, for the six little ones? Have not lAl MArir,l ‘"- . 
the children hail t he same fare (probably an In- What in particular have you in viow t 
ferior one; for dinner as their teacher, and had “Think I shall go upon a farm,” was the 
their Jlftle brains racked by tho vexations of smiling answer. 
multiplication and fractions? , ,, ., . 
1 claim that each member of the family looks 1,1 ' 8 ff° od i decidedly tho best 
forward with as much longing am! Impatience thing I've heard this long time. What! Mat 
to a, hearty supper and a quiet night's repose, Bernard, the good looking, white-handed 
and as much deserve It, as the teacher. n r point? to farming!" lokimdv 
,Now back to A. 8. G.’h opinion: “ When bod- “ t *t W, Y 1 V * ■ * j S , , 
time arrives she fa led Miroiigha cold, gloomy laughed Maury, seeming to think his friend 
parlor to a still more cheerless bedroom.’’ | was merely in sport. 
^‘^very m |lr h that the mere act, of passing “You may laiigli as much as you please, 
i HA..BV, u timt I. Uu, ..aw 
teacher that can be so easily affected as that reached," answered Bernard : and tho look of 
murht never to possess a certificate, The true determination on his face eonviuoed Harry 
SS!K2a? r W55SR.' «i V‘T, W “ '"T .... r,k ' ,ld ' 8 
tlial t he best, warmest iuid most, comfortable decisive words. 
room Is alsvays allotted t,o i liescboolmlstrcss. “Well, if that be so, then 1 must say thut I 
1 1 ("a'pnDrly-v cm llbu.ed schooV-noom^vanned hy'L wish you much comfort and pleasure delving 
coal ato T e by which slie cannot warm her feet .” through the summer's beat and winter’s snow. 
These statements do not hold together. The But, Mat— pardon me if I speak plainly I can’t. 
majority of country achool-houscs are warmed help thinking you arc making a 
fool 
ap(Alogy IfARltY. I know 
well emm^li ’.mi iii.mu 
r. you <lo indulge in (erse t*-riii-*.; and 
sense enough to see that 1 can 
Wfc ^ ■ do better at twenty dollars per 
mtfmiw W < \j! ||[i)—' HEBBa month on a farm than I can at 
'V» tw enty-fivc in a store." 
W 'll m ■ ' - \ “ Probably so,” answered Tuom- 
I V AS, rather doubtfully; “possibly 
u0 ^’ mcrca ntB 0 business one 
W /Jllj. * \ has a ehanco for advancement: 
D I M It 8 '| *3 ,. maT ss hH but a farmer’s man is only a clod- 
11 I P ff r .'MlIlM I ho PP er a "life” 
H »' -IIS III fill/ I “ Think you that Horseurd or 
11 ro clo t d - h °pp ors? ” 
BaxAI -Eff \ \/B asked Mat, as a smile passed o\ er 
■M \ 0 B his countenance. 
Kt, \ *!v -:^B “ uh, no! they are rich, and hire 
uL. —' ‘ j y all their work done. They spend 
M. -Y 1 the * c IBno as gentlemen, making 
| '-sHHH farming a mere pastime.” 
■l ' .--'S' “And yet I heard Everson say, 
a few days since, thut he cum- 
meuced us a b v y at live dollars a 
answered Bernard. 
“Then your mind is set oo that 
Figure 3, line of business, while mine is 
bent on going through the one I 
>y wood. But if a district has taken so much am now in. Perhaps I may have to stand at the 
nterest in education as to procure a coal stove, • counter all my life ; but we will see about that 
Ley certainly must have interest enough to ..1. oce huuui rnai 
lave a well-vent,Hated house. A* for her feet 80ia « ( Ab®r time, said Thomas. 
icing cold. I would recommend that her shoe- When?” asked Mat. 
itrtng* be loosened. “ If we both live, meet in five years to com¬ 
bi conclusion, A. S. G, exclaimsWhat oaranotM 
yonder that the teacher, after a few terms is a P ^f® 11ans " or ® d Ha «»Y. 
,vorn-out piat;liinc! ” Terrible 1 la it not ? I ask, Well, live years hence we will cast the bal- 
vhy is it that there are frem five to ten appll- anoe, but remain friends as of old, in the in- 
•ants eacli term for every ehool in thc country ? terirn.” 
Is it that the life of a teacher is filled with hard- 0 , 1 .„ 
dilps and deprivations? No. It is because a Ucitamlj , good day. 
Etcher’s work is a light, honorable and profit- Good day,” answered Bernard. And the 
ible employment, G. M. I, two friends entered upon their diverging roads 
CONFIDANTS. 
All things that know a lover’s heart 
Know the worm secret, closed in mine; 
From all tilings eager whispers start— 
“ We know it, we know It I She is thine.” 
The swallow, seeking Southern skies 
Where some clear summer waters shine, 
Circles my tropic dream and files. 
Hinging, ” I fly, hut she Is thine.” 
l’nlo flowers, which Autumn’s Ups bnvo kiss’d, 
Whose fur off .May gives back no sign, 
Murmur farewell—their souls in mist 
But smile, In dying—” She is thine.” 
The cricket from my hearth at night 
Thrills tho vague hours with carols fine, 
Hinging the darkness luto light, 
” After a while, and she Is thine.” 
ur ^torH-S'ellcr. 
or follows the mean time of Figure 3. 
beginning or euc.iug, reopeotlve- 
ly, at different places. Thus, If we take Tas- I and a station (marked 7) within the Antarctic 
mania in llg. 3, we can Infer from its position | circle will be noticed where both the difference 
(between the central line and the line along of timeatul the 90lar elevation are greater. This 
which transit begins five minutes late) that in 
Tasmania the transit will begin about throe 
minutes late. 
Now, there are two ways In which a transit can 
be usefully observed for determining the sun’s 
distance. Suppose an observer stattoned at A, 
flg. 2, and another at B. and that these stations 
are connected by a line of telegraph. A will see 
the beginning of the transit rather less than 
station is Possession Island. 
Station 5, is Alexandria. At Suez, close by, 
the French will have a station, and probably 
other European parties will occupy this region 
in force, owing to Its convenient position. It 
will lie scjii that the circumstances are not 
much better at ft than at 1, and It is well, there¬ 
fore, that the whole region near D Is to be oc¬ 
cupied in force by Russian astronomers, [This 
THE TEACHER’S LOT. 
As there are always two sides to a question, I 
for one like to see them treated equally. A. 8. 
G. (page 257) makes the life of a schoolmistress 
appear a deplorable one Indeed. A. 8. G. says; 
“The teacher comes home with the children, 
Ired and hungry, secrotiy hoping that supper 
s ready.’’ Tired and humry! Who of that 
household Is not tired ami hungry? Has not 
tho former been at work since early morn In the 
barn or Woods? Hus not his wife been sewing, 
patching, darning, and an hundred other things, 
a B day long, for the six little ones ? Have not 
tin- children hud the same rare (probably an in¬ 
ferior one) for dinner as their teacher, and had 
their little brains racked by tho vexations of 
multiplication and fractions? 
I claim that each member of the family looks 
rorward with as much longing and Impatience 
to a hearty supper and a quiet night’s repose, 
and as much deserve it, as the teacher. 
Now back to A. 8. G.’h opinion : “ When bed- 
time arrives she is led t hrough a cold, gloomv 
parlor to a still more choerlfss bedroom.” I 
doubt very much that the mere act of passing 
through a cold and gloomy parlor will depress ( 
a mind that is capable of acting as a teacher. A 
toacher that can he so easily affected as that, 
ought never to possess a certificate, The true 
iwiHi, in me most nor nor v or t ie -__m 1 ., „i,.. . n .. a i .7 — , . r " 
, , , , , ^ . .. , , , . room i« always allotted to thesoboolmlatress. 
id Islands ; but Christchurch, Can- A. 8. G. continues, ” ,8bo must spend the day 
Z., marked 4 in the figure, Is now in a poorly-vent,Mated school-room,warmed by a 
ed. It will bo observed that this G 7, al ato ' Gb V which *lu-cannot warm lier feet.” 
L llt ,j| t , t j , 11 I j 1 hose statements ilo not hold totroihor. Tho 
baldly je regarded as well placed, majority of country school-houses are warmed 
Figure 3, 
by wood. But if a district has taken so much 
interest in education as to procure a coal 3tove, 
they certainly must have interest enough to 
have a well-ventilated house. A* for her feet 
being cold, I would recommend that her shoe¬ 
strings be loosened. 
In conclusion, A. S. G, exclaims:—“What I 
wonder that the teacher, after a few terms is a 
worn-out machine!” Terrible! iaitnot? I ask, 
why is it that there are frr.rn five to ten appli¬ 
cants eacli term for every ehool in the country? 
Is it that thc life of a teacher Is filled with hard¬ 
ships and deprivations? No. It is because a 
teacher's work is a light, honorable and profit¬ 
able employment, G. M. t, 
am now in. 
