big science and the transits of venus 139
the patterns of international competition despite the great variance in the
circumstances of each TOV. Together, the four transits provide uniquely
structured case studies of Big Science and conspicuous consumption.
The Transit of 1761
Despite Halley’s memorandum, there was no great interest in the 1761
transit in Britain. Instead, the most notable advocate of transit observa-
tions was French astronomer Joseph- Nicholas Delisle ( 1688 – 1768 ). In the
years leading to the transit, Delisle raised the issue before the French
Academy and corresponded with other astronomers in an attempt to en-
courage international preparations for the upcoming transit. Yet the po-
litical environment in 1761 was not hospitable for international coopera-
tion. With the Seven Years’ War ( 1756 – 63 ) raging along the world’s major
maritime routes, organizing scientific expeditions, an immense undertak-
ing in eighteenth- century terms even during peacetime, became vastly more
complicated. The spirited Delisle published a document describing the
importance of the transit, complete with a map of suggested observation
stations. Delisle circulated two hundred copies of this document, at his
own expense, throughout Europe. Based on Delisle’s map, the French
Academy planned three expeditions: to Pondicherry in India, to the isle
of Rodrigue in the Indian Ocean, and, with Russian assistance, to Siberia.
The estimated cost was £ 12 , 000 , which was paid by the French royal trea-
sury (Woolf 1959 , 60 – 67 ).^12
British interest in the transit arose only after the Royal Society re-
ceived Delisle’s memorandum. This gave British planners less than a year
to make their preparations. Ironically, the war proved to be a great asset
for astronomers seeking government support. As with many contempo-
rary examples, the sense of enhanced international competition helped in
fusing scientific and political interests into Big Science. Delisle’s memo-
randum was a clear indication of French interest in organizing expedi-
tions, and this was a good enough reason for undertaking similar British
efforts. This sense of challenge to national prestige is stated clearly in a
letter from the president of the Royal Society to the Duke of Newcastle,
asking for the duke’s assistance in securing royal funding.
The motives on which it is founded are the improvement of astronomy and
the honor of this nation.... And it might afford too just ground to Foreigners
for reproaching this nation in general... if, while the French king is sending