The New York Herald Newspaper, October 24, 1874, Page 3

THE ECLIPSE. Luna To Be Mournfully Veiled on Sunday Morning. A SHADOW. IN THE SKY. ‘How the Earth Would Appear from the Darkened Moon. ‘When the Phenomenon Will Occur. We give below a letter from Mr. Henry M. Park- ‘hurst, addressed to the editor of tne HERALD, concerning the coming total iunar ecitpse. It was ‘Mr. Parknurst who conceived and delineated the -@lagrams pubjishea in Thursday's HERALD. The Bequel will be found interesting, not only on ac- count of the prominence o/ the writer and the ‘amount of scientific information it conveys, but ‘@lso on account of the plain, simple and popular manner in which its subject matter is wrought up. Mr. Henry M. Parkhurst’s Letter. ! To THE Eprror or THE HERALD:— Sin—It is safe to predict that the quiet of the mext Sabbath morning will not be disturbed by an ‘alarmed populace beating upon pans and kettles or blowing tin borns to trighten away the dragon ‘devouring the moon, and yet even the appearance -of a new comet inspires less terror in the minds of ‘barbarous tribes than a lunar eclipse. When #cience explains the causes of these comparatively ‘unusual appearances in the heavens they are viewed no longer with dismay, but with intelligent interest. The fact that 4 lunar eclipse never occurs except @t foil moon naturally led to the conjecture that it is caused by the moon passing through the shadow of the earth. In the HERALD of Thursday, October 22, there is given a diaxram of the moon’s path through the earth’s shadow, illustrating the different phases ot the eclipse. It may be inter- esting to Jearn how astronomers know that this is anything more than a conjecture. How do they know that it represents the actual fact ? THE TRANSIT OF VENUS, At the present moment the astronomers of the world are gathering in selected stations in the Eastern Hemisphere and the Southern Ocean to observe the transit of Venus, That planet, now shining so brilliantly in our evening sky, and very mearly of the size of the earth, will pass directly between us and the sun, necessarily casting its shadow toward us. Being so much smaller than the sun it will appear as a small round spot passing across its face, Now, suppose that in the midst of the transit we should start, with ‘the speed of light, and travel directly toward the planet Venus, As we approach it it would ap- parently grow larger, covering more and more of the sun, until finally, when we have come within somewhat less.than a million miles of 1t, 1% would appear exactly large enougn to cover the entire face of the sun. We should then be ex- actly at the end of the shadow. Beyond this point ‘we could see the sun around it; within this point, 4 would entirely eclipse the sun. At the end of Uhe shadow the light which strikes the eye Irom one side of the sun just grazes that side of Venvs, while the light which strikes the eye irom whe opposite side of the sun just grazes the opposite side of the planet. As light moves in straight lines we can represent this upon paper. We draw a circle to represent the e@un. At the proper distance we draw a smaller circie to represent Venus, Then we draw straight lunes just tonching the edges of the end Venas, abd the point where those lines meet will repre- sent the position of the eye at the end of the shadow. THR DIAGRAM, Suppose that an inhabitant ofsome onter planet, at the momeut the earth passed between that pianet and the eun, should approach us in the same ‘way, he would reach the extremity of the earth’s shadow at a distance trom the earth between three and four times the distance of the moon. In ‘the above diagram the sun is represented upon the leit, and to the right the earth, witn the moon's orbit around it and with its black shadow extending to the extreme right. Our traveller, instead of approaching nearer, now moves a little toward one side, and finds that the edge of the sun becomes visible; but as most of tne | sun is still covered by the earth ite light ts much dimmed. Passing iurtber in the same direction vhe sun comes more and more into view, until at last be reaches a point where the edges of the earth and sun just touch each otner, and there is no obscuration whatever. To represent his position at this moment we draw a line from one edge of the sun, just touching the opposite edge of the earth. Anywhere between this line and the former there is some obscoration, called the penambra, gradually increasing as we ap- proach the centre. ‘he shadow ts conical, coming to a point, but the penumbra, beginning with the size of the earth, continually expands as we recede from the earth and covers all points in space from ‘which the earth would appear on the sun’s disk. Daring the transit of Venus, then, the earth will be within its penumers. it is proper to say here that the diagram does mot represent tne true relative sizes and distances of the sun, earth and moon, and to explain the reason. If 1 had adopted a scale of 10,000,000 miles to the inch the diagram wuuld have been of the same length as above, but upon this scale the sun would have been only one-tenth of an inch in diameter, the earth only one-hundredth of an inch, and the moon only one four-hundredth of an inch. It is manifest that it was impossible to preserve the true proportion, and 1 have therefore aimed only to represent the manner in which the eclipse is produced, Onr traveller, upon passing within the earth's shadow, sees the sun eclipsed by the earth. In precisely the same way the inhabitants of the earth see the sun eclipsed by the moon when itis between og apd the sun. This is represented also upon the diagram, where the moon is represented to the left of the earth with its shadow coming Dearly to a point upon the earth’s suriace. Per- sons Within that little circular shadow, less than two hundred miles in diameter, will see a total eclipse of the sun. Outside of that shadow, and ‘within the penumbra, which is not shown in the dlagram, the sun appears partially eclipsed, SOLAR AND LUNAR ECLIPSES, But a large purt of the inhabitants of the earth, to whom the eun is visible and to whom the moon ‘Would also oe visible ii it shone by its own light, do not see any eciipse, because they are outside of the penumbra, and the moon does not come between them and the sua. But when the moon Moves around in its orbit to the opposite side of the earth and passes within the earth’s ehadow it ceases to receive light (rom the san, and of course becomes nearly invisible to all the Aphabitents of that side of the earth, When a total eclipse of the sun occurs, therefore, bat tew ‘witness it; bat when a total eclipse of the moon occurs it is visible to a whole hemisphere, There are more eclipses of the sun than of the moon, ‘the reason of which I will presently explain, and et eclipses of the moon are much more frequently seen in any particular place. If the moon’s orbit were exactly in the same plane with the earth’s orbit there would be @ total eclipse of every full moon. But in fact it is 80 much inclined that the moon usually passes above or below the shadow. Qne-haif of the orbit ts mvove and the other haif below the plane of the | earth’s orbit, and it ts only when the ruil moon Gecurs at the moment that the moon is passing from one half to the other, from below upward, or from above downward, that @ centrai total eclipse canoccur. Jn the present instance the moon 18 south Of the earth's orbit, passing upward. It wili reach the node, crossing our orbit, om the afternoon of Saturday, but 4s wi) pol AKA riagH ani high pugpEh at NEW igure 1. This diagram presents the appearance of the moon at ten minutes bejore one o’clock on Sunday morning, October 25, just after the commencement of the eclipse, It shows the edge of the shadow where it is frat seen, The direction of the moon’s axis is shown by the line marking its north and south poles; and the arrow represents the direc- tion of the moon’s motion, the shadow remaining relatively stationary. YP yyy yy YY tf YY Yyfyy Yy YY My The above diagram represents the appearance of the moon at two o'clock, just before the eclipse becomes tota). In this figure nearly the whole moon is covered by the shadow, and that portion of the moon will not be seen. All that will be visible will be the narrow crescent to the right; consequently, at the hour indicated above, the moon will be almost or very nearly obscured by the shadow passing over it as a veil. Yy YY Uy Yy This diagram represents the narrow crescent first visible after the eclipse ceases to be total, when the moon is emerging from the shadow, and, as in figure No, 2, the entire surface of the moon, to the ordipary observer, will be almost in- visible, save the slight crescent indicatea in the figure. YORK HERALD, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24, 1874—TRIPLE SHKEY. hg" e . THE TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPS A Diagram Showing the Eclipse of Both Sun and Moon at Relative 3 two great armies should so long lie confronting, each other with nothing more important to rew cord thap the smoke which curled over forest, above their camp kettles or along the track of their supply tratns on one side, and nothing mord stirring on the other than the ascents of a balloon “pretender” for the service of the army and the evening goose-step of the regimentad bands, présents & grotesque picture of war, acd justifies vhe weil-bred trony of the princely wrttcr. He bas a lively sense of humor, aud although ho hever allows it to trespass on the limiis of a very strict courtesy it spreads @ quiet and almost im- berceptible coloring over several places in his bar- rative, Perhaps the beat specimen appears in his deseription of the crowd of expectant sightseer® who followed tn the train of McDowell’s army to witness the discomfture of the revels at Bulb Run. He gives a very amusing picture tn a few brief touches of the fignt of three Congressmen, Street orators, photographers, journalists anw men of ail professions and parties, when the news oO! defeat came to the rear and @ general panic seg in, Other specimens of the Compte de Paris’ deli- cate and gentiemaniy humor may be seen in mis portrait of Wilson’s Zouaves at the time of their em< | lstment; in his notice of the briliant zouava uniforms, which made a succesaiui impression in our streets in the spring of 1861, although they often hung so ungracefuily on the bony framed and long limbs of the Americans, and in his bu< morous description of Captain Wilkes, of Treu€ fame, consecrating his Jeisure amid the icebergs of the southern hemisphere to @ profound study of international maritime law, and turning his knowledge of that inextricable lavyriuth to ac« count by the spirited blunder which brought his country to the brink of a foreign war. But tha heart of the Compte de Paris responds as quick\y and mach more freely to the touching ana tha pathetic, as when, for example, in speak img of the effect of the green fag of Erin on the Irish regiments, he says:—"It is necessary to have passed through the triais of exile to comprehend tha magical influence exercised on the heart of mam by every symbo! of his distant native country, and N | among them the most expressive of all, its flag.’4 ‘This bas an evident color of personal feeling, a! though the language is so general! tnata writer wha had never tasted the bitterness of exe might have used it. A characteristic exceilence of these volumes I@ the tone of liberality which pervades them, the | readiness of tue author to recognize the full value } of our free institutions and hia constant attempt | Periods. Figure 4. at strict tmpartiality, He does full justice ta | General McDowell, who was so unfortunate 1p the Qo LLY | first considerable battle of the war, crediting hina : | with great military knowledge and accompitsb- In this diagram the moon is represented just be- | fore the end of the eclipse, showing where the shadow will last be visible. It will stili be in the penumbra, and, therefore, somewhat dim; but this Will pass of too gradually to be observed. This figure represents the appearance of the moon alter the eclipse haw almost totally disappeared. ments, and showing that it was the fault of othera that the batcle of Bull Run was not a federal viciory. The Compte de Paris knows that tha fighting on the federal side was vigorous and skilfully directed until the soldiers had become ex« hausted with fatigue, and that there wus ona point in the engagement when the success of | General McDowell seemed almost certain. Thid history 1s not yet far enough advanced to declara the author's estimate of General McClellan's skill the time of full moon on Sunday morning to es- cape total immersion in our shadow. It ia evi- dent that the chances of passing through the shadow depend greatly upon the size of the shadow at the point through which 1t passes. And here we see the explanation of the compara- tive number oO! solar and lunar eclipses. By reter- ence to the diagram it will be seen that at any time when the moon ts between the extreme outer lines connecting the sun and earth, and to the left of the earth, there will be an eclipse of the sun visible somewhere On the earth. In fact, this circle is so large that the moon cannot avoid passing through it at least twice every year. But on the right of the earth these lines converge into & very much smaller circle, and frequently @ whole year passes by without the moon’s once touching that circie. Never- theless, as in the former case, the eclipse of the sun may be visible only in the neighborhood of the North or South Pole, where there are few, if any, rvers, and as in the latter case the eclipse of the moon will be visible wherever the moon can be seen, which includes the whole hemisphere of the earth turned toward it; an eclipse of the moon is much more frequently wit- nessed by any particular individual, or at any par- Ucular place, than an eclipse of the sun. WHAT THE DIAGRAM SHOWS. The diagram represents the moon, to the right of the earth, at one o’clock om sunday morning, just as it is entering the earth’s shadow. Itis already wholly immersed in the penumbra; but the light of the sun ts so intense that while any portion of it can shine directly upon the moon ita brilliancy is not much diminished, Thus far we have entirely omitted to con- sider the effect of the earth’s atmospnere. The light from the sun that passes the edge of the earth is bent inwards on each side by the retrac- tion of our atmosphere, causing it to come to a .point much nearer the earth. The rays passing nearest the earth, which are most refracted, come 0 & point at about two-thirds the moon’s distance from the earth, and the rays passing higher come to @ point ata greater distance, extending all the ‘Way out to the end of the shadow represented. HOW THE MOON WILL LOOK. Even when the moon is in the centre of the shadow, therefore, it is always illuminated by a diffused light from the sun, usually sufficient to make it easily visible. Ag the setting sun appears red, from the earth’s atmosphere cutting off tne blue rays, and as (t is exactly that red light which falls upon the moon, it is uaually observed of a redaish color, sometimes even of a “glowing” red. In the present instance the moon passes so near the edge of the shadow that the whole of this refracted light will fall upon it, even from the upper strata of our atmospbere, and hence we may reasonably expect the moon to be easily seen; but its color will depend so much upon the condition of the weather in those parts of the earth through which this light passes that it is impossible to pre- dict it with certainty. A hazy atmosphere around our Arctic circle would prdbably make it e glowing red, while a clear atmosphere above, especially if | Combined with dense clouds near the surface of the earth, would probably make it appear nearly white. In the smaller figures, under the large cut re- presenting the appearance of the shadow upon the moon’s diak-—first, at the beginning of the eclipse; second, just before it becomes total; third, just after it ceases to be total, and fourth, just before the eclipse ends—it will be observed that the line representing the moon’s axis, con- necting its north and soutn poies, ts inclined to- ward the right, There are three causes for this, If the moon moved in the piane of the earth’s equator and were in tne meridian at the moment of observation the axis would be vertical; but as it moves nearly in thé ecliptic (which is the plaue of the earth’s orbit, and as it is situated in a portion of the ecliptic which is rising above the equator as it is Moving toward the left, this inclines the axis about twenty degrees toward the right. ‘The moon’s orbit being itself inclined five degrees to the ecliptic, and the moon being at the time of the eclipse near its ascending node, where it rises most rapidly from the ecliptic, that increases the inclination to the right to twenty-five degrees. But the greater part of the inclination depends upon the angle of the equator itself with the har- izon. This inclination 1 well shown by the daily motion of the sun, moving, as tt rises, in an ob- liqae line upward and to the right, the line be- coming gradually more nearly horizontal, until, in vhe south, it is exactly horizontal, The sun then begins to descend, and the line becomes more and more oblique, until it sets at an angle of about fifty degrees. The moon having already passed the meridian when the eclipse begins, its axis is inclined still more from the inclination of the equator to the horizon, and this parc of the incil- nation increases during the eclipse, being accu- rately shown in the small diagrams, figures 1 to 4. ECLIPTIOAL ORDERS. The ancient Chaldeans discovered that after a period of eighteen years and eleven days, or a period of 223 lunations, cclipses return in the same order, and present very nearly the same ap- pearance. During that time there are generally seventy eclipses, twenty-nine of which are of the Mmpon, Ope-bajl of thage are invisible. in gona quence of the observer being upon the side of the earth turned away from the moon, and many of them are partial. The last total eclipse visible here was on March 30, 1866. at which time the eclipse was nearly central. The last return of the present eclipse, if it may be cailed the same, was in October, 1856. At that time it was not quite total. The explanation of the Chaldean period is that the moon’s nodes do not remain stationary, always crossing the ecliptic in the same place, but gradually recede, so that ‘at the end of a year the moon crosses the ecliptic at apoint nineteen degrees further west. The nodes complete the circle of the ecliptic 80 as to Teturn to the same point in a little more than eighteen years anda half, As thi ts more than 228 lunations the node is a little further east now than it was at the eclipse of 1953; and as tne moon barely escaped being totally eclipsed at that time in consequence of being too far east of the node, and is now ® little nearer to the node, the consequence is thatit will now be completely im- Mersed within the shadow, although it will pass— a3 shown by the diagram in the HERALD of Thurs- day—very near the edge. At the next return of the same eclipse, in November, 1892, the moon will be still nearer the node and the eclipse will be more nearly central, ana at each retura it will pass nearer to the centre until the time of full moon happens exactly at the noae. After that the moon will pass through the southern part of the shadow, nearer and nearer to Its edge, until it passes without being totally eclipsed; and, finally, the period will come when it will pass without even grazing the earth’s shadow. HOW THE EARTH WILL LOOK FROM THE MOON. It may be interesting to contemplate the phe- nomena of eclipses ag visible at the moon {tseif. It is true that no organic life can exist on the moon ; but we have left-our “traveller” waiting tor @ considerable time, suspended in space at the end of the earth’s shadow, and probably he has become, by this time, suMicientiy accustomed to breathing the interplanetary ether, with the thermometer 458 degrees below zero, to make our observations for us. We will first transport bim to the dark side of the moon, represented in the diagram to the left of the earth, Looking towards the earth, which will appear four times as large as the moon appears to us, he will see a smali round black spot passing across it, exactly as it would be seen with the telescope from the planet Venus, and as we see the shadows of tne gatellites of Jupiter passing across its disk, Remaining in the same position upon the moon, a3 it passes around in its orbit, the moon gradually turning so as to keep him on the side next the earth, he sees the earth gradually ap- proach its third quarier, Then, suddenly, in the midst of a blackness far exceeding that of our mid- night sky, in which the stars shine with a Instre unknown to us, the sunlight flashes upon some mountain top, and day is approaching. Another and another mountain top receives its rays with the same startling suddenness and the light creeps down the hill sides, until the sun itself becomes visinle, slowly rising in the West, shining with all its splendor in the midst of Egyptian darkness, dazzling the eye that is exposed to {t, but not ob- scuring the faintest stars, if the eye is shieldea from the san’s rars. The earth remains still vis- ible and stationary in the zenith, gradually as- suming the crescent form, as the sun rises to- wards it, PECULIAR FACTS. At last, on October 24, at about midnight, New York time, the sun reaches its edge. The crescent has now narrowed down toa mere line, As the sun advances, passing gradually behind the earth, four tames larger than itself, the earth indents the disk to aform clusely resembling figure 1, The eclipse progresses until tt becomes total at the point of the moon’s surtace cecupied by our hardy traveller. From that time until the eclipse ceases 1o be total at that point he will see, not the sun by unreiracted rays, but an equally bright narrow ring encirciimg the entire earth, rapidly fading away at a short distance from its aur- Jace into the intense blackness of the surrounding sky. And the sun's disk itself will be 30 gradually merged into this dazzling ring that it will be im- possible to determine the instant when the disk ceases to be visible or when it reappears. It will resemble an annolar eciipse of the san; Out will differ from it in having no sharply dedned edge, im naving the ring broken or dimmed by occasional clouds in the eartn’s atmosphere, and in its being usually a brilliant red. As ihe eclipse passes over, the sun reappears, and as it passe away towards the east, reversing the order of the apparent mo- tion of the sun on the earth, the ring around the earth will gradually give place to the crescent formed by the sun’s refected rays. HENRY M. PARKAURST. New York, Oct. 23, 1874. ABMY INTELLIGENCE, WASHINGTON, Oct. 23, 1874, Surgeon J. F. Head, United States Army, is re- leved from duty in the Department of Dakota and ordered to Boston, Mass. Assistant Surgeon J. V. De Hanne fs ordered to report to tne Army Med- ical Boardat New York city for examination for promotion; alter examination he will be assigned to duty jn the Military Division of tne Atlanta, a THE AMERICAN NAVY. Laanch of the Steamship Vandalia at the Boston Navy Yard—Ten Thousand People Present—Description of the New ‘War Vessel—Another New One To Be Launched at East Boston To-Day. Boston, Oct. 23, 1874. One of the chief events in Boston to-day nas been the launch of the new war steamship Van- dalia, atthe navy yard, in the Bunker Hill dis- trict. There were nearly 10,000 people present to witness the event, notwithstanding it came of at the early hour of nine o’clock, The Mayor and various members of the city government, and several members of Congress, were among those who accepted invita- tions, and took places on board the vessel wuen she was glided into the stream. ‘rhe Vandalia, although reckoned as a revullt man- of-war, is almost @ thoroughly new crait in every Tespect. At the time work was commenced on her tere were no appropriations for the bul.ding of new ships, but there existed appropriations tor repairs. The Vandalia was then lying at the Portsmouth yard, and, in order to give the Charleston yard something to do, she was brougtit around here for repairs, and in repairing her tue only portion of the original vessel which was retained was a part of her old keel, just enough to keep wittin the bounds of tue appro- priation for repairs, Like the old barrel, she is allnew except the bunghole. The designs for reconstruction were iurnished oy Mr. Hanscom, Chief Constructor of the Naval Department, and to carry a heavy armament and muke rapid speed have been the chief objects in view. Her load displacement is 2,100 tons; she is 203 feet long on the keel, 226 on deck and 24834 over all; her extreme breadth of beam is 89 feet; depth trom the throat- line to the gun deck 20 leet; dead rise at half door 13 inches; swell or rounding of sides 2 ieet 31uches ; sueer 3 fect lorwWard and 2 ie¢t ait. She has ports Jor 14 broadsige guns and one pivot il-iucb gun to work irom either side. Her irame is of live oak, built soltd, and caulked inside and out up to the turn of the bilge, and she 1s also Mued in solid in the wake of toe channels, fore and ait. she 13 diagonally Cross-braced with trea Irom the floor- heads to the gun deck, tue braces bolted through every Umber und riveted togetuer at every inter- section between the irames, There is up iron belt around her inside, to whici the upper ends o1 the cross-bracing are fasteued. She 18 also braced outside by an iron belt which takes tu all the cants and i8 bolted through them. ‘the stem, cutwater, apron, sternpost, stern kiec hovks aud pointers are all live oak, bolted wiih copper. Her midship keelsons, assisiunt keelsons and boiler keesons, as weil as the plaworm for her motive power, are coaked with iigaumvite and bolted Lurough the coaking, and all tue irames and keelsons are also coaked. Her planking is ot white Oak square issiened with copper @ i00t above the loud dispiacement, aud above there with galvanized iron. Tne deck-irames are hard pine, and her decks are very stout and strongly secured. All her knees and stanchions are of the best material, finished in tue best siyle of work- mansaip. She bas water-tight buikneads inclosing the space for ber Motive power. ‘ihe accommoda- tions jor her officers and crew are spacious and well arrauged. She has a good | bottom to stand on, aud her bilges are carried | well out, waich will give Rer voth buoyancy and stability. Her lines are slightly concave, her ends are lo! and clean, ber forefoot is boldly curved like that of a pilot boat, and the stern 13 rounded and tinely jormeu. ier motive power was made in the Navy Yurd. The rudder post and rudder Will ve 0} COWposition, as weil a8 the pro- peiler, Made alter the most approved designs. Sue is expected Lo steam at tne rate ol twelve knots under ordinary circumstances, and more, if re- quired, in @ Case Ol emergency. ne wii be a full rigged suip, and wili de most of her cruising ua- der canvas, with the propeller ungeared. A new sloop-oi-war, built on contract by Donald McKay, at the Atlantic Works, in East Boston, will be iauuched to-morrow lorenoon. General Butler and several naval dignitaries will be pres- | ent on the occasion, Movements and Health of the South Atlantic Fleet=The European Squad- ron, bt WASHINGTON, Oct, 23, 1874. The Navy Department has received despatches from the South Atiantic station, dated Rio Janeiro, September 23, ‘the Luncaster and Mo- nongaliela Were in port,and the healtn of ail on bo.h ships good. The lacver vessel was preparing Lo leave for Crozet and the Venezuelan Isiands to gather up the transit of Venus parties at those points. Paymaster Furey had arrived out to relieve Pay- master Wrignt, ordered home by steamer of 25ti. Rear Admiral Le Roy brings to tne notice o: tie Department the bravery and presence of mind or kosign G, A. Merism, Thomas Kelly, coxswain, Henry Edgeworth, ordinary seaman, frank Burns, ordiaary seaman, and Venais Lacy, landsman, ail ot the Ticouderoga, eir praiseworthy but un- successful efforts to @ Peter Greary, ordinary seaman, wuy tell overboard from the foretwpgai- lant yard of thas vessel Augast 23, The Franklin, Magship of Admiral Case, of the European fleet, with the Congress in company, left Messina October 4 for the lunian Islands. The health ol ail was good. The Alaska was last re- ported at Cephalonia and tne Juniata at Corfu. surgeon Delavan Bluoagood is detached irom the receiving ship Vermont at New York and placed on wailing orders, New Sioop-of-War To Be Launched on Monday—Quarantining the Ticonder- ae iia Portsmouta, N. H. Oct, 23, 1874, The United States sloop-of-war, No. 1 of the eight ordered by Congress, a superb specimen of naval architecture, will be laaached at ‘the Navy Yard on Monday, ‘The Ticonderoga, at quarantine for yellow fever, went out of commission to-day, has been dis- mantied and will rewi @t quarantine till mida- winter, in hand)ing large armies on the field of battle; but in the differences between McCiellan and tha President as to the routes for approaching the Coniederate capital he indorses the view of Mc« Clean and thinks that the conduct and orders of the President were strange and unexampled, This will probably be the ultimate verdict of impartial history, but the passions them generated are so recent and the memory of Lin« coln is surrounded with such @ halo of veneratiom on other grounds that the Compte de Paris incur some danger of hostile Americau criticism, But he writes for Europe and jor posterity and in the spirit of un independent and enlightened judge of events. It is possible that his constant associa< | tion with McClellan may have produced an un- conscious bias; Out until be publishes his account of the campaign against Richmond it would ba premature to judge. But the volumes belore ua do not OVerpraise McClellan, and in ashort pas< sage, Wilich looks Jorward to the close of the con- | test, the only merit claimed for him is that of 8! {uuly organizing the Army of the Potomac. We trans late the passage:—‘His laborious cbaracier, his, precise, methodical mind, and his extensive mili< tary knowledge, peculiarly Atted him fer the un- grateful and diMcult task which feilto him. He was the creator of the Army of the Potomac—of that army placed at the most valnerable point— which, althougs paralyzed by the necessity 0! coy~ ering the capital, served as the principal pivot of Military operations; which, often unortunate, was never discouraged, and had its recompense aq the end of the struggle in attaining the honor of striking the decisive blow,”” I¢is impossible in a brief newspaper notice ta convey an adequate idea of the great variety of interesting Matter contained in these volumes. They give every important point in our military history from a period prior to the American Revos lution; they describe the organization of our armies, modes of equipment, transportation, weapons, drill, supplies; they discuss the changea in miltary operations forced by the condguration. and wooded character of the country and its vast | extent; they explain the differing character and bibliographical note appended to the first volume | composition of the Northern and Southern popula- he acknowledges his peculiar indedtedness | Vion and the advantages and disadvantages whicty to the “Rebellion Record,” tne “Report of Cougress | (ence resulted in the prosecution of the war; in’ on the Uonduct of the War,” the Con- snort, they aim to enable the reader to judge of the, federate archives captured at Richmond, | skill with which the game was Played by putting and the histories of Lossing, Badean and Swin- | nim ing position to estimate the value and em- ton. Besides these he cites a long list of histories clency of the instruments. All the accompani-. and biographies whict have appeared in the North meats of the war and its whole phystognomy are: and the South, and also the three best European | presented in lively cotors, with characteristic de~ works which have been written on our struygie, | taiis, guch, for oxample, as the army post oMce, the including General de Trobriand’s ‘Quatre années letter writing of the federal soldiers, the activity: a VArmée du Potomac,” to which he pays 4 nigh | or the newspaper correspondents, as well as the compliment. The modesty and good taste o! the strictiy miutary operations. The naval movements: Compte de Paris restrain him from personal allu- | aisg recetye full notice, and the effect of tron-clag sions to himéelf except once in the short preface, | ships and monitors is discassed with great intelli~ where it was unavoidable, and ouce ln the body of gence. These volumes are @ model o! perspicuous, the work, where the only achievement he ciaims is tasteral narrative, and they differ from any pre- participation 1m one of the moderate balloon ascen- | yioug nistory of tie war by the wide range of their sions which were a mode of reconnoissance while topics. os the army was lying idle on the Potomac itis a — piece of picturesque description of which we fear THE LATE JUDGE CURTIS. we shall mar the elegance by @ translatio! | sn Eulogiam on His Character by Attorney Tmitied to recall here @ personal iment wrnon ‘g : General Williams tn the Supreme LITERATURE. Histor DE LA GUERRE CIVILR EN AFRIQUE, Par M. le Compte de Paris, Ancien Aide-de-Camp au Général MacUielian. ‘Somes Premier et Deuxieme. Paris: Michel Levy Freres, 187. It is impossible in the brief space at our com- mand to do justice to this important prodaction, \ for a copy of which we are indebted to the per- | sonal courtesy of the distinguished autnor. Tue two voiumes now puvlished are only the first in- stalment of an extensive work, There will ver- tainly be a fourth, and, judging by the scale of execution, very likely a sixth volume. The author, in one place, defers the full discussion of a subject to which he incidentally alludes until the jourtn volume, but he gives no indication that the fourth will complete the number. The present volumes carry forward the history only a single year, terminating with the embarkment of General | McUlelian’s army at Alexandria tn the spring of 1862, The military operations in the West are, however, pursued to a later period. The Compte de Paris does not contine himself to a mere narrative of military events, but discusses with great fulness and intelligence all tbe collateral or related topics, In the frst volume especially, which is broadly preparatory, he enters into a compreiensive survey of the condition of the country at tae time the war broke ont, discussing | from the highest philosophical but generaily Eu- ropean standpoints and with great amplitude of | view, every suvject which can iuterest statesmen or students of the art of war. The first volume | has accordingly @ value quite apart from its reta- tion to the recitui of military events, to which itis mainly preliminary, it nnght, perhaps, be naturally supposed that | the chief imverest of a work on our war by the Compte de Paris woud lie in a personal narrative | ol his experiences in the Army of the Potomac, But nothing could be more different from sucn a narrative than che complete and important jis- tory which ne has undertaken, He has prepared himself for bis great task by a conscientious study of every availiable source of information. In a recollection Which shows how diferent were the | number of their army can almost be counted, for circumstances which alone permit the formation of these armies from those presented in tue wars o} Which our continent ts too often the theatre. ‘The author arrived at Wastimgton and had the | honor to enter the Army of the Potomac two months after the battle gi Buil kun, Not a musket shot had been exchanged during this time between the two hostile jorces, Winch Meanwhile watched each other, at a short distance, between Arlington and Fairtax Court flouse, A balloon, pretended for the service of the arm: Court and Chief Justice Waite’s Re- ply. WASHINOTON, Oct. 23, 1874. In the Supreme Court to-day Attorney General Williams presented the proceedings of the Bar in. relation to the Qeath of the late Judge Curtis, and took occasion to deliver a eulogium on the charac- ter of the deceased, saying, among other things, rose each evening to reconnoitre the surrounding ‘at all that has been said oF the ablest ana best of cOUnTLY; aD ascension Was proposed aud accepted; it was then the only incaus of seeing the enemy. Scarcely had we risen above the aged trees which surrvund the former residence of General Lee when the prospect Was extenied over an undula ting, yet unuorm, country, covered with forest, spotted here and there wiith smati clearings ana bounded on the west oy tne long chain of the Blue Ridge, which recalls the first lines of Jura. By savor of the brilliant light which marks the last hours of am autumn day in America, the observer can distingntsh the smaliest details oF tne country spread out beneath him like @ plan in reilef, But it isin vain that lis eyes seek tne apparent signs of war. Peace and (ranquillity seem to reign everywhere. It re- quires all his attention to detect some recens clearings, at the edge of which a line of reddish earth marks the pew fortitications, Meanwhitie, as the day sinks be sees wt the south smali deeces of bluish smoke break gently above the trees; they multiply tn groaps iu a Vast semicircle. It is the Coniederates taking their supper, ‘The each smoke betrays the kettie of a platoon, n Further in the distance the vapor of a locomo- te hastening toward the mountains traces, by its wake avove the trees, the line by which the enemy is provisioned, At the same moment @ military band is heara directly under the balloon, All the clearings, where we sought in vain to ais- cover the federal camps, are fileu with & crowd issuing Irom the surrounding wood, This crowd pats itself in order and toris battalions, the band passes beiore the ranks with that peculiar gatt | which the Knglish have calied ‘‘goose-siep.” Hach | regiment nas two fags; oue the national colors, the other bearing the device of its State and (tw Tegimental number; these fags dip, the oficers salute, the Colouel takes the command, and a mo- meat after ail the soidiers disperse, for it is neither @ rally nor the prelude of @ march in ad- | vance which fas thus called them together, but the ordiuary parade of the evening. It was ip the midst of tis absolute calm that | General McUielian organized the army of the Po- | tomac, | We fear we have not canght the delicate tint of | ridicule which is spread, with the lightest touch, over this meturasaue description. Tue idea tat tue profession might with fitness be applied to him, Leaving out of view his personal, domestic and social qualities and habits, and jadging only from bis professional character, he filled the meas-. ure of @ pertect lawyer, Mr. Chief Justice Waite replied as follows :— ‘The Gourt unites most cordially with the Bar im, honoring the memory of the lave Judge Curtis, & had not mysel qualntance, butit neeus no such acquaintance to know that, a8 a lawyer, le was true to his chemts, and just to the courts; and that as # judge uprignt, jearned wod practical, ful lawyer and an honest and honored judge is. dead, time is far distant when his projessional ap Judicial live Will uot be looked apal imitation by lawyers and oP hageeny Cannel a peo ee of the mney Gi ry t the records. and as & iribuce ot ree one. who, while @ member of this een rformed alt tue pleagure of his personal ac- was An able and use- The Court mourns lus loss and trusts the. Udges “The slerx will ns doties jaithfaily and well, we now adjoura ‘The Court will meet again on Monday next. WOMAN'S RIGHTS. Justices of the Peace in Main: to Grief—Interesting Questions Likely to Arise. for the day. PORTLAND, Oct, 23, 1874, Chief Justice Appleton is preparing @ majority. opinion of the Sapreme Court, in answer to the, inquiry of the Governor, adverse to the eligibility’ of women to the office of justice of the peace, om, the ground that the constitution eontemplates; | that all oMces tamed therein can be held by men: only, If tne acts of the women hitherto appointed ag Justioes are void some interesting questions may arise, espectaily li the Court go tothe extent of holding thea incapavle, by rewson Of thew sex, of SOJeEMNIZING MAT be Cbs