"History of Astronomy for the Year 1S06. 73 



a distance, through a glass, the Foincideiice of the two pen- 

 dulums ; there was not a minute of uucertainiy upon the 

 time at which they exactly agreed. 



So early as 1775 M. Turgot, then minister, wished to 

 send M. Messier to Bourdeaux, in order to have the pendu- 

 lum at 45°. His retiring from public life prevented the 

 success of this enterprise, but at present we have much 

 more perfect methods. 



M. iJiot Vv'rites from Barcelona on the S^d of September, 

 that he was received in the handsomest manner by the heads 

 of the Spanish government. Upon the fourth of October, 

 he writes from Tarragosa, that the grand triangle wilt be 

 easily niade between the middle of November and the end of 

 February. 



Upon the i2th of October he set out for Valentia, and 

 then proceeded to Cullera, where he reckons upon one 

 station ; the rains are still an obstacle; but in the montli of 

 November the north winds will clear the sky. 



On the-lGth of October, the small advice boat or brigan- 

 tinc. La Mystique, which was to carry the astronomers' 

 to the island of Ivica, arrived j. it goes with sails and Oars, 

 and is commanded by a very experienced and very zealous 

 officer, M. de Vacaro: it is not armed. The passports of - 

 the English admiralty arrived. They were to embark at 

 Dcnia, 15 leagues to the south of Valentia; from Denia to 

 Ivica is only 25 leagues, and this great triangle w-ould be 

 easily made in the months of January and February. 



23d October, M. Jiiot embarked for Ivica; he returned 

 on the 10th November. The rcsslt of this voyage was, that 

 they were to choose the port of Mongon, near Dcnia, in 

 place of Cullera, and the mountain of Camrey in the island 

 of Ivica. All tho triangles will be finished in two months; 

 but the latitudes will not be observed until the end of the 

 year at Formcnteva, a small island in the neighbourhood of 

 Ivica, where a base will be measured. M. Chaix has taken 

 charge of the post of Mongon, M. dc Vacaro superintends 

 another station. 



M. de Vandcuil of Madrid, M. Viot at Barcelona, M, la 

 Nussc at Valence, and M. Morand at Denia, took great in- 

 terest 



