1769 Transit of Venus observed from Tahiti search for the alleged southern continent. HMS Bark "Endeavour" was chosen to take the astronomers and other scientists to Tahiti. James Cook was commissioned as Lieutenant and appointed to command the vessel. Cook was the obvious choice as he was an outstanding seaman with navigational qualifications, a capable astronomer and had observed a 1766 annular eclipse in Newfoundland that was communicated to the Royal Society by John Bevis. Once the "Endeavour" arrived on the island, Cook decided to set up the Venus transit observatory on shore. He required a completely stable platform which the ship could not provide and plenty
RMS Tahiti efforts. The court found both the crew and officials who had certified the ship′s compliance with standards of seaworthiness blameless in the sinking, stated that the breaking of a propeller shaft was a common event at sea but the level of damage sustained by "Tahiti" in the breaking of her propeller shaft was exceedingly rare, and determined that "Tahiti"′s sinking was "due to a peril of the sea which no reasonable human care or foresight could have avoided." The court commended "Tahiti"′s master, T. A. Toten, for displaying "resource and cool accurate judgment worthy of the highest praise," said that