to the Metliod of Least Squares. Ill 



methods are given for finding pr()l)able errors of quantities indirectly 

 observed. 



1818 Cauchy. Sur la mc'thode d'erreurs d'un grand uombre 

 d'observations. [Paris], 4to. 



1818 Laplace. 'Application du calcul des probabilitcs aux opc-ra- 

 tions gc'odesiques.' Connais. des Terns for 1820, pp. 422-440. 



The matter of this article is reproduced in pages 3-25 of the 

 Second Supplement to the third edition of the Theorie des .... 

 Prob. For abstract see Annal. Chem. et Phys. 1817, Vol. V, pp. 

 351-356 ; also Zeitschr. filr Astron., Vol. V, pp. 1-9. 



1818 Laplace. ' Deuxi^me supplement d la Theorie Analyti(p.ie 

 des Probabilites.'' Paris, 4to, pp. 50. — Fourth edition of IVieorie 

 , pp. 569-623. 



" Laplace shows how the knowledge obtained from measuring a 

 base of verification may be used to correct the values of the elements 



of the triangles of a survey Laplace explains a method of 



treating observations which he calls the method of sitvatioji and 

 which he considers may in some cases claim to be ])referable to the 

 most advantageous ')iH'th(>d exi)lained in his fourth chapter." — Tod- 

 hunter, History of Proh(d}ility.^ pp. 611-612. 



1818 LiTTROw. ' Ueber die gerade Aufsteigung der vornehmsten 

 Fixsterne.' Zeitschr. f Astron., Vol. VI, pp. 1-26. 



The theory of Least Squares and ju'obable errors is used. 



1818 LiNDEXAU. 'Versuch einer Bestimmung der wahrscheinlich- 

 sten Balm des Cometen von 1680, mit Riicksicht auf die planetarischen 

 Storungen wahrend der Dauer seiner Sichtbarkeit.' Zeitschr. f As- 

 tron., Vol. VI, pp. 27-120, 129-208. 



The elements and their probable errors are found by the help of 

 Gauss's method of elimination. 



1818 Plana. ' Allgemeine Formel um nach derMethode der klein- 

 sten Quadrate die Verbesserungen von 6 Elemente zu berechnen und 

 zugleich das jeder derselben zukommenden Gewicht zu bestimmen.' 

 Zeitschr. f A.'itron., Vol. VI, pp. 249-264. 



1819 Laplace. ' Application du calcul des probabilites aux opera- 

 tions geodesiques de la meridienne de France.' Amial. (Jheni. et 

 Phys., vol. XII, pp. 37-41. — (Jonnaiss. des Terns, for 1822, pp. 346- 

 348. —Trans, in Tilloch's Phil. 3Iag., 182 1 , Vol. LVIII, pp. 133-136. 



A discussion of the length of the meridian betM^^een Perpignan and 

 Formentera, two points distant about 460000 metres and joined by 



