THE LATE ECLIPSE OF THE SUN.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XXVII, Issue 126, 20 October 1868, Page 4

THE LATE ECLIPSE OF THE SUN.

The Indian papers which reached us by the Suez mnil, give particulars of the recent eclipse of the sun as seen at places on shore and at; sea. Generally, the observations taken on shore were disappointing, as the weather waa unfavorable ; and the following is the best account we have seen given of the phenomenon : — Solar eclipse as seen from the deck of the s.s. Labourdonnais on the 18th August 1868— Latitude 15° 42' N., longitude 83° 31' E., Greenwich time loh. sm. 335. : sun commenced to be obscured. Latitude 15° 41' N., longitude 83° 39' E., Greenwich time 16h. 15m. 125., the eclipse was total ; it lasted sm. 575. Latitude 16° 1' N., longitude 83° 48' E., Greenwich time I7h. 50m. 285., tho sun was clear of the moon. The steamer during the eclipse was steering N.E., at the rate of about seven miles per hour until the total eclipse was over, when she was put on at her usual speed, eleven miles. When tho moon had totally obscured the sun, wo observed two small elongated clouds protruding from below the moon, one on each eide ; they wero of a most beautiful pink colour, the one on the left being longer and narrower than the one on tho right eide ; when about a minute before the sun again made his appearance, tho cloud on the right side of the moon disappeared, and ono was seen on the left side at the top of the moon. Two stars were distinctly seen, one right over-head where the sun would be at midday. We were at no time in total darkness. The captain could see to read a newspaper from the bridge. Tho appearance presented during the eclipse was that of a beautiful morning in the month of Decfinber, just as day begins to break. The temperature seemed to go down several degrees. The wind was light from S.W. with a moist and unpleasant feeling. The effect on the animals and birds on board was most extraordinary, the monkeys tried to hide themselves under each other and seemed terribly frightened. Mr. Delanney's dog hid his head in some straw and began whining. A magpie and somo Australian parrots (the property of a lady passenger) seemed quite beside themselves, they flapped their wings and screamed iv a most frantic manner.

Atmospheric Disturbances. —Lieutenant Saxby, Et.N,, sends tho following to the London papers : — " Special atmospheric disturbances will take place : July 18th to 24th ; August 15th to 21st ; September 15th to 19th ; October 13th to 19th. Very high tides may occur on July 20th, August 20th, from the 25th to 29th September, and on the 18th October. The above applies to all parts of the earth's surface." The Falsehood of Science.— The London correspondent of the Melbourne Argus tells tho following good story : — " I was present tho other day at a sitting of tho Academy of Sciences. Tho subject under discussion was one much in fashion now-a-days,' Tho Age of Stone and Hatchets of Silex. 1 One j of the auditors, who has written a moat amusing pamphlet on what ho terms ' the falsehoods of science,' told iuo the following anecdote : — ' It was about tho year 1840, as nearly as I can recollect, a Carthaginian inscription was to bo deciphered. General Duvivier read it thus : — ' Hero rests Haniilcar, the father of Hannibal, like him the beloved of his country and the terror of his foes.' M. de Saulcy — since that time he has been made a senator— gave another version : — 'The priestess of Isis has erected this monument to Spring, to the graces and roses which charm and fertilize tho world.' The two learned members persisting in their different versions, the Academy of Inscriptions and Belles Lettres was obliged to appoint an official translator, who gavo tho following translation:— 'This altar is consecrated to tho god of winds and Btorms, in order to allay his anger.' " Royal Agricultural Society of England. — The Grand Annual Show of the above society, which has been so judiciously held this year, at Leicester, may bo considered as one of tho most successful on record, 96,653 persons having paid £6,750 Is. sd. for admission. The field trials of tillage implements lasted a week, under scorching weather all the time, and watched by large numbers of agricultural and other spectators. The horse-drawn ploughs have been through the most severe ordeal that they have ever known. The judges have taken the greatest possible care and pains, intently watching every furrow, measuring and testing the work with rule, square, and level, clearing away the cut-soil for an examination of the unmoved bottom, taking by draftdynamometer tho motive-power required to draw each implement, and finally inspecting the parts and construction of each selected plough. And, moreover, tho condition of the ground has been such that no second-rato tool could possibly gloss over a piece of work that might be pleasing to the eye, but wanting iv soundness of execution. Tho result of the preliminary, second, and finul trials, has been to give Messrs. James and Frederick Howard, of Bedford, tho lion's share of tho honours ; Messrs. Ransoiues and Sims, of Ipswich, a second place ; and Honibby and Sons, of Grantham, a third place, but considerublj' lower down in tho scale of awards ; whilst other i makers are commended or nowhere. — Telegraph,