284 Mr, Goldingham's Repdrt [Oct* 



I had written t6 the gentleman employed by the British govern- 

 ment to superintend the operations in England, who was a 

 friend of mine, to procure for me, and send out, an apparatus 

 for measuring the length of the pendulum, similar to that used 

 by himself; and that he had most readily done so ; the use 

 which has been made of this apparatus here is fully known to 

 the Honourable the Governor in Council. 



" In order to compare and combine the observations for the 

 length of the pendulum taken in different latitudes, in a manner 

 to render such observations of the greatest value, it would be 

 most desirable to have accurate observations taken at the 

 Equator, and a very favourable opportunity for obtaining such 

 observations now presents itself. 



" A part of the island of Sumatra, which is under the 

 influence of the Honourable Company's government, is crossed 

 by the Equator, and offers a most eligible station for these 

 operations ; added to which, Sir Stamford Raffles, the Lieute- 

 nant-Governor of Bencoolen, is anxious, as he informs me, to 

 afford his most * zealous co-operation and assistance.' ' >/ 



** I therefore beg to submit for the consideration of thb 

 Honourable the Governor in Council, that persons to be pro- 

 perly instructed in the use of the pendulum apparatus, and 

 qualified to make all the necessary observations, may be sent to 

 Sumatra, under my direction, to collect, and transmit to the 

 Observatory as collected, the valuable and interesting data 

 requisite for finding the length of the pendulum at the Equator, 

 the more difficult part of the calculations may be made, and 

 the conclusions drawn here, by myself. 



'. "Messrs. Peter Lawrence and John Robinson, who were 

 brought up at the Honourable Company's Surveying School, 

 formerly under my superintendence, would be able, with some 

 instruction, to perform this duty ; the former was many years 

 under Colonel Lambton, the superintendent of the grand trij>:o- 

 nometrical operations carrying on in this part of the world ; the 

 latter was originally qualified to act as assistant at the Obser- 

 vatory, and teacher at the Surveying School ; but during my 

 absence in England, he was detached to the districts, and is 

 BOW I understand employed in the Tank department at Chittoor; 

 but as another Surveyor is there, I have little doubt he can be 

 spared for this service, which may be considered only of a tem- 

 poraiy nature. The monthly salary of these assistants might 

 notexceed 175 rupees. A trusty and steady conductor of stores 

 to look after the property, and a sub-conductor of the same 

 character under him, with a proportion of good Lascars, would 

 be necessary; together with tents, including one for 5in Obserr 

 vatory. , 



" The pendulum apparatus we have ; a clock can be spared 

 for a time from the Observatoiy for this occasion, with one 



