THE WEEK.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 295, 14 December 1874, Page 4

THE WEEK.

As the 9th of December, 1874, has come and gone since I last wrote, I presume I snail be expected to say something of the great event which bas been looked forward to with such intense interest by scientific men. I at once confess that to me personally it is a matter of very little moment whether the sun is a million of two of

miles nearer to, or more distant from, the earth than has been generally supposed,' but to scienoe it is a question of some importance. But, so far as New Zealand is concerned, I cannot help thinking that science has been made to lo'ok rather small. Thousands upon thousands of pounds were spent in sending out parties of observation, tons upon tons of instruments were transported to these shores for, the purpose of affording every facility for witnessing the great sight with the utmost precision, and, after all, What was the result? A few clouds came in the way and hid the sun froov view just at the moment he ought to have, shone forth most brightly, an^ science will have to go Mek to England with its . tail between its lege. And, lam not sure that science has not to some extent brought some, 6| this defetft > upon itself. Oae ? r 6f 'the resnlts ' of some fiv^ andf thirty years' colonisation of these islands has. been to show that if there is one portion of them in which the atmosphere ia clearer, or the weather more to be depended upon than another, that portion Jft^at the foot of Blind Bay; And yet, #hild Otago with its Scotch mists, Canterbury with its "southerly busters," Wellington with its everlasting gales and rains, and the NprthjWith its frequent muggy weather, were selected as points of observation, Nelson with; its usually bright sky was completely lgnored. The consequence was that while from tbis place the whole of the transit, with the exception of alJput an hour in the middle of it, was plainly observable with the aid of powerful telescopes, elsewhere but little was seen of iti Tn the face of these facts, although I am sorry to see science's tair in so humiliating a position, I am very much inclined to encorse the verdict I hear so frequently expressed here, "Serve it right." For myself, not being a scientific man, iand being anxious to witness the phenomenon, I remained in Nelson, rand consequently had a very fine view of it. But I really think that terrestrial sights on that day were from their comicality more attractive than sights celestial. Smokers of glass hed for days previously been doing a roaring trade in disposing of their manufactures, and the consequence was that a little after one p.m. the streets were lined with men, women, and children, with heads thrown back in the most uncomfortable, of attitudes, and hands upraised in the act of holding the eye protectors. After several false alarms, I heard a cry of triumph from one who Baw Y ent ! 8 with the. utmost,distinctness, looking something like a peg-top — clearly, he had been reading Archdeacon Stock's pamphlet. In my eagerness to aid science I rushed off in the direction of the telegraph office to inform Major Palmer, or Dr Hector, or the Archdeacon — in the excitement of the moment I did not much care which — but, fortunately, I took the precaution first of looking at my watch, when I found it wanted a full quarter of an hour to the predicted time. And this, or something like if, was constantly occurring for nearly an hour when once more the sun hid himself for a time. A friend of mine, who is himself a dabbler is astronomy, has sent me the result of his observations, which, as the weather wns bad elsewhere, he has given me permission to publish io the hope that it may be useful to Major Palmer. He was too much engaged in other matters to note tbe precise time of the ingress, but of the egress be, in compfiny with another, obtained a most satisfactory view. The exciting moment was approaching, and be was intently watching the little notch in the edge of the sun growing smaller and smaller, when at last he leaped from his chair with a "By Jove, there she goes," and immediately put his hand to where his pocket should have been to ascertain the exact time, but, unfortunately, the day being warm, be had taken his waistcoat oif. However, feeling desirous of aiding the cause of science, be ran into the house, got his watch es quickly as possible, and found it wai&xactly 43 minutes 58 seconds past five. Since then, however, he has privately informed me that he forgot to wind his watch on the previous evening, and had eet it by guess in the morning, so that as the greatest accuracy •—even to tbe fraction of a second — was necessary to make the observation of any value, I am not sure tbat his account will afford much assistance in working out the necessary calculations. Still, however, I feel it my duty to make it public in the hope that science may derive some satisfaction from learning that, from the one place which she had neglected, an excellent view of the phenomenon had, as might bave been anticipated by all but scientific men, been obtained. vThe.jprin'ter who, in his way, is somewhat of a ty.rajit, tells me that if I choose to devote so much attention to Venus, I must cut whatever else I may have to say very short. I would take* fcft *fefnt and stop here, but that I wish to make a few remarks upon another subject.

Reporting amateur theatrical enter-

tainments does not appear to be pleasant work. If all that is written of Mr Jones' acting is not unlimited praise, he at once begins to think that he must, consciously or unconsciously, bave offended the reporter at oue time or another, as he cannot for one moment entertain tbe idea tbat all he does and says is not perfection. After ponder* ing over the matter for a day or two he at last determines to write to the papers stating that no credence is to be given to the notice of his performance because tbe reporter had a private grudge against him, hi3 only reason for believing in the existence of tbe " private grudge" being that he is not eulogised to his heart's content. And, further, he adopts tbe somewhat novel theory that, because tbe representative of the press is allowed free admission, he occupies the position of the actors' guest, and therefore bas no right lo criticise their performances. In other words, the ticket Bent to the reporter is to be looked upon as the purchasing medium of a certain amount of butter, or, to put it shortly-i-a bribe. If I were connected with the press I should look with some suspicion upou the piece of pasteboard sent to me "with the manager's compliments." F.