The natural history of animals containing the anatomical description of several creatures dissected, by the Royal academy of sciences at Paris ... / Done into English by a fellow of the Royal society [Alexander Pitfield] ; to which is added an account of the Measure of a degree of a great circle of the earth, published by the members of the same Academy : English'd by R.W. [i.e. Richard Waller].

  • Académie des sciences (France)
Date:
1702
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The natural history of animals containing the anatomical description of several creatures dissected, by the Royal academy of sciences at Paris ... / Done into English by a fellow of the Royal society [Alexander Pitfield] ; to which is added an account of the Measure of a degree of a great circle of the earth, published by the members of the same Academy : English'd by R.W. [i.e. Richard Waller]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    a fixed Star. And that in fine on the Inftrument that ferv’d for this purpofe, the third part of a Minute was at leaftas big and diftind as a whole Minute of the Quadrant above reprefented. In fuch fort, that if upon the Quadrant one could determine a quarter of a Minute pretty exadly, and at the fame time guefs pretty near at io/7, one might do the fame thing here to about ff1. Differences of Latitude. From Malvoifine to Sour don io 111 37 From Malvoifine to Amiens j zz 5-5. The time which palled between thefe Obfervations required that we fliould have taken away 111 from the firfl of the Differences, and that in proportion thelaft ihould have been diminifhed by 1 \1], but for avoiding a too much affeded precifenefs, we negleded this Cor- redion. Oi ’ w! n ARTICLE XI. Plate the Second. AL L thefe Obfervations being fuppofed, it will be eafie thence to conclude the magnitude of a Degree upon the Earth. For this effed it muff be confidered, that at Malvoifine the Obfervations of Heaven were made at 18 Toifes more towards the South than the Point E. that on the contrary at Sour don, it was at 65 Toyfes more towards the North than the Point N. And that by confequence 8 3 Toyfes fliould be added to the diftance of 68347 Toyfes, 3 Foot, which are found between the Parallels of Malvoifine and of Sourdrn ; in fuch manner that the difference of i° nJ 5J11, obferv’d by the Heavens, anfwers upon the Earth to a Meridional diftance of 68430 Toyfes, 3 Foot, one may thence in fine conclude, That in proporti¬ on a Degree fhall be of 37064 Toyfes, 3 Foot. The Calculation made by the diftance of Amiens differs not at all from the former, for the diftance between the Parallel of Nofire Dame dy Amiens, and that of the Pavilion of Malvoifine is of 78907 Toy- fe ; there ought to be taken from the fide of Amiens, for the place of Obfervation, 7 3 Toyfes ; and on the other fide to add the 18 Toyfes of Malvoifine ; then all the compenfation made, there will be 78830 Toyfes, for the difference of 10 zz1 and in propor¬ tion the degree fhall be of 37037 Toyfes, which number approaches in fuch fort to the firft, that we were furprifed fo much the more, thatjif we had kept account of the Corrections which we have neg- leded of the differences of Latitude, thefe two Calculations would have been yet more approaching to each other. It is poffible that this is but an effect of chance, fince notwithftanding all the exadnefs we were capable of, we could not anfwer to two Seconds, and con- fequently to the value of about thirty two Toyfes, upon every obfer¬ vation .- We may neverthelefs fay with fome Certainty, that we are not