dr. Gregory's strictures on don Rodriguez. <259 



zenith distance, yet it gives the latitude of the station, Doda- 

 goontabj less by 3"' 4 than the mean of the nine stars, employed 

 by Major Lambton, exhibits it, and the latitude found from a 

 mean of the four northern stars, is 2' '04 greater ihan the 

 latitude found from a mean of the five southern stars. Dis- 

 crepancies of more than 4" may likewise be frequently found 

 in the observations recorded in vol. viii. of the "Researches." 

 Most of them are,- probably, in great measure, attributable to 

 the imperfections in Major Lambton's sector, which is only 

 of 5 feet radius (while the English is of 8 feet) ; and is pro- 

 vided with but few comparatively of the requisite means of 

 adjustment : but whether they are to be ascribed to the observer 

 or his instruments, they prove that Don Rodriguez has been 

 rather precipitate in saying, " the same Major Lambton, who 

 has . succeeded so well in Asia, gnd is rn possession of such per* 

 feet instruments for the purpose, would be singularly qualified 

 for a similar undertaking in Africa." In matters which admit 

 of examination and proof, it is not the custom with English- 

 men to bow at once to the authority of a mere ipse dixit. 

 Was Don Rodriguez really ignorant that, with respect to accu- 

 racy of observation, the English proceedings are thus greatly 

 superior to those of the French and of Major Lambton } If 

 so, how greatly is he to be pitied for writing so much on a 

 subject he had previously so little considered. If he was aware 

 of this superiority, how much more is he to be pitied, for giving 

 so unfair and unnatural a representation of the business before 

 him. 



From one or other of the reasons I have thus examined, 

 Don Rodriguez says, " it is almost beyond a doubt that it is to 

 errors in the observations of Jatitude," the singularity in CoJ. 

 Mudge's results must be ascribed. There must be an error of 

 some seconds in the observations, " especially at Arbury Hill." 

 And he asks, " How is this to be discovered ?" How ? Why, 

 by simply repeating the observations at Arbury Hill. The ^r^y ^j not 

 position of the station is so clearly described in the Philosophical the Don recur 

 Transactions, that any person may find it within 20 feet -, and t ° st o/repeat- 

 the farmer who owns the field, can show the identical spot. Don ing the obser- 

 Rodriguez, or some one of his friends, has, doubtless, handy ^burl^ 

 circular instruments of the French construction, by which the 

 zenith distances could readily have been taken, and then the 



correctness 



