The British Solar Eclipse Expedition

Abstract

TO continue the hospitality which had been showered on us, Mr. Mills placed a large customs steam launch at our disposal, and the same afternoon took us for an impromptu cruise about the beautiful harbour, Mr. Hedley, the assistant curator of the Sydney Museum, accompanying us. Unfortunately, however, at about 4.30, while steaming up Middle Harbour, we piled up on a sandbank on a falling tide, and it was not until 7.30 that we were able to float off. As we did not arrive back to the hotel until 9 o'clock, our trip to the capital site had to be postponed until next morning. Mr. Hunt had already sent numerous telegrams and secured tickets and sleeping accommodation in the train, but these were generously replaced by others available for the following day. The next morning (March 21) Mr. Hunt showed me the screens on the wall of the Sydney Post Office, in which were exposed the meteorological forecasts. These seemed to be very popular, judging by the number of people I saw closely examining them whenever I passed by. Then he showed me the meteorological department at the observatory. The view from the tower of this observatory is magnificent, and as I had my panoramic camera with me I took views all round. From an astronomical point of view the observatory is very hampered, for on three sides it is surrounded by closely packed buildings, rendering the atmosphere very smoke-laden. The afternoon was spent in motoring in the vicinity of Sydney, and very fine views of the country were obtained. In the evening Mr. Hunt and I left for the capital site. To reach this region we had to make a night railway journey, arriving at Queanbeyan at 4.30 a.m. At the hotel there we turned in until 8 o'clock, and then started away in a two-horsed vehicle for the surveying camp, which is situated on the site of the future capital. This meant a drive of eight miles over a somewhat rough road, but this road is in progress of betterment every day. At this camp we were received by Mr. C. R. Scribner, the chief Commonwealth surveyor, who has the whole Commonwealth territory for surveying purposes in hand. In his offices we were shown contour maps of the whole region, the sites for the water supply, railway, c. He had in process of making some model relief casts made accurately from the contour maps, and these were being coloured before dispatching them to the various world centres for competition. The competition consists of suggestions for the best arrangement for a “model city,” and I believe a valuable prize will be awarded to the winner. Mr. Scribner has a nice, little meteorological station in good working order near the camp site.