ECLIPSE OF THE SUN.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4395, 27 March 1922, Page 3

ECLIPSE OF THE SUN.

NEW VICTORIAN EXPEDITION. Alterations have been made in the arrangements for the expedition from Victoria which is to view the eclipse of the sun in September, states the Melbourne “Argus..’’ ~ Dissatisfied with the inadequacy of the plan to send the Government astronpmer (Dr. Baldwin) and the physicist (Mr J. B. 0. Hosking) to Wallal, in Western Australia, a business man in Melbourne who is keenly interested in scientific work, and does not wish his name to be divulged, has promised to provide up to £5OO for the dispatch of a separate expedition from the Melbourne Observatory. This gentleman is- of the opinion that to send two Victorian officers' to be attached to the expedition from the Lick Observatory would be unworthy of the Melbourne Observatory, which is the foremost in Australia, and has done much to advance scientific research. The State Ministry, accordingly, has accepted the offer to extend the scope of the expedition. Mr - Hosking will continue with the arrangement to visit Wallal, but Dr. Baldwin will become leader of the larger which will probably view the eclipse (from a suitable place in Queensland. Dr. Baldwin’s position on the Wallal expedition will be taken by Professor Ross, of Perth. This arrangement will reduce by one-half the original estimate of £2OO, which the expedition would have cost the Victorian Government. The giver of the £5OO is of the opinion that work which can be carried out will be of such scientific, value as to warrant the expenditure. Photographs will be of the corona, red prominences, etc* and the Einstein theory will be investigated. The Government will not be called upon to bear any expense, but will be asked to lend some of the valuable instruments in the Melbourne Observatory for use by members of the expedition. The members will be specially selected by the advisory board of t,he observatory.