§ SIR JOHN LUBBOCKasked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, If he would state to the House what stations have been selected by the Astronomer Royal for the proposed observations of the transit of Venus in 1874; whether it is proposed to adopt Halley's method; and, whether we are acting by ourselves in the matter, or in concert with Russia?
§ MR. GOSCHENSir, if the hon. Baronet will allow me I will answer the Question, as the matter is in the hands of the Admiralty. The stations selected by the Astronomer Royal are Alexandria, Honolulu, Rodriguez, Christchurch (New Zealand), and Kerguelen's Island. At Rodriguez, Christchurch, and Kerguelen's Island the entire transit will be visible, and therefore the method of utilizing the observations by comparing the duration of transit at a southern station with the duration as observed in the French, German, and Russian stations on or near the Japanese and Chinese Seas (Halley's method) can be used for those three British stations; and Kerguelen's Island in particular is very favourably situated for this method. But it is not probable that this method will be used, or at least that any importance will be attached to it. It is an essential part of the Astronomer Royal's plan—in which he is expressly followed by the French and Russians, and, it is believed, by the Germans also—that the longitude of 111 every station should be accurately determined, and, when this is done, the method of comparison of the absolute Greenwich times at the different stations (De Lisle's method) is greatly superior to the method of comparison of durations at different stations (Halley's method). We are acting in perfect concert with Russia. Frequent correspondence on the whole subject has been maintained between the Astronomer Royal and the Director of the Russian Central Observatory of Pulkowa.