TOPICAL READING.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10073, 20 June 1910, Page 4

TOPICAL READING.

ECLIPSE MADE TO ORDER

The Astronomer-Royal of Great Britain told a good story the other evening of a visit paid about thirty years ago to the observatory in Greenwich i Park by the Shah of that date. The Shah made a point of visiting the British State observatory in company with King Edward, who was then Prince of Wales. Sir John Airey was the Astronomer Royal, and showed the party over the building, and gave them peeps through telescopes. "Now show me an eclipse of the son," said the Shah, speaking in Blench. Sir George prei tended not to hear, and led the way to another Instrument. "Dog of an • astronomer," said the Shab, "produce me an eclipse!" Sir George politely said he had not got one, and could not oblige the king of kings. "Ho, ho " said the Shah, turning in great indignation to the Prince of Wales. "You hear! Cut his head off!" Sir George's life was, as a matter of fact, spared, but in the coarse of a year he retired, and was succeeded by the present Astro-nomer-Royal. On his appointment that gentleman was astonished at receiving a letter of congratulation from the Shah of Persia. The Shah evidently thoaght that his request had been attended to, though with some delay. He proceeded to tell the new Astronomer-Royal that he had a few days before writing witnessed a total eclipse of the sun in the observatory at Teheran. This was perfectly correct, but the suggestion seemed to be that Teheran astronomers knew their business, and had the good senße t> arrange an eclipse when a Royal visitor wished for one, and so escape decapitation.