the first great Ship
Expedition to see an eclipse. One was due to happen on July 18, and a
large party went out from England to Spain in H.M.S. _Himalaya_. Mr. De
La Rue took a very well-equipped photographic detachment, and his
photographs were eminently successful. This eclipse settled for ever the
doubt as to whether the Red Flames belonged to the Sun or the Moon, and
in favour of the former view.

The years 1868, 1869, and 1870 were each marked by total eclipses,
which were observed to a greater or less extent. In the first-named year
the eclipse occurred on August 18, the central line passing across
India. The weather was not everywhere favourable, but several
expeditions were dispatched to the East Indies. The spectroscope was
largely brought into play with the immediate result of showing that the
Corona was to be deemed a sort of atmosphere of the Sun, not
self-luminous, but shining by reflected light. The eclipse of 1869 was
observed by several well-equipped parties in the United States, and a
very complete series of excellent photographs was obtained.

To view the eclipse of December 22, 1870, several expeditions were
dispatched, the central line passing over some very accessible places in
Spain, Sicily, and North Africa. The English observers went chiefly in
H.M.S. _Urgent_, though some of them travelled overland to Sicily. The
expenses, both of the sea and land parties, were to a large extent
defrayed by Her Majesty's Government. It deserves to be noted that so
great was the anxiety of the French astronomer Janssen to see this
eclipse, that he determined to try and escape in a balloon from Paris
(then besieged by the Germans) and succeeded, carrying his instruments
with him. The weather seriously interfered with the work of all the
observers who went out to see this eclipse, which was the more to be
regretted because the preparations had been on a very extensive and
costly scale. The chief result was that it was ascertained that the Red
Flames (hence forward generally called "Prominences") are composed of
hydrogen gas in an incandescent state.

The year 1871 saw, on December 12, another Indian eclipse, noteworthy
for the numerous and excellent photographs which were obtained of the
Corona, of the rifts in it, and of the general details, which were well
recorded on the plates.

There was an eclipse visible in South Africa on April 16, 1874. Some
useful naked eye views were obtained and recorded, but as no