igo Weafunng a "Degree of the Mertit:an in LnphnS. 



tranfported to the obfervatory of the academy, where I hope 

 we ihall be able to make all the obfervations neceflarv to 

 prove it, and to acquire the habit of ufing it before it is con- 

 veyed to Tornea. 



"The double metre, the toife, and the volumes, which the 

 Inftitute prefented to our acadeuiv, were alio in good condi- 

 tion, and I begvou will nrcfcnt molt refpeftful thanks to the 

 Inftitute both on the part of the Academy of Sciences and 

 on my own. 



" In regard to the meafurcment in Lapland, I fliall give 

 you an account of every thing hitherto done. MeflVs. 

 Svanberg and Ofverbom had no need of ailiftants during the 

 firft journey which they made tin's year to examine the coun- 

 try ; but at prefent, when the objeA is to meafure the bafc 

 and the angles, they will have occafion for two able and ex- 

 pert ones, 



" In this refpeft I have found every thing T could dcfirc. 

 The fir'l is M. Holniquift, mathematical afliftant at Upfal, 

 where he has laboured for feveral years in the obfervatory ; 

 the other is M. Palmier, teacher of mathematics in the 

 univerfity of Abo, in Finland. They are both well acquainted 

 with the mathematics and afrronomy, and animated with the 

 ftrongeft zeal for the iuccefs of the expedition, 



" McflVs. Svanberg and Ofverbom returned hither In the 

 beginning of Ocfober,lheir firft journey having been attended 

 with conlple'te fuccefs. The only thing wanting, in my opi- 

 nion, is, that, notwithftanding the ftriiSlcft fearch, they were 

 ^ot able to find the northern point of the bafe of 1736. The 

 iincertuintv in regard to this point is about two toifes. I 

 confider this diflerencc as a great defe6l,as I wiflied, above all 

 things, to have exacl;ly the fame bafe, to render our verifica- 

 tion more certain and conclunve. They have found all the 

 other ftations and points of the meafurement of the above 

 period. What they have done befides mav be reduced to 

 the following articles : they have erected all the fignals ne- 

 celTary for continuing the are, which will extend to lat. 67° 

 08' 36'', almolt 30' beyond that of 1736. They have alfo 

 given a pcculia • confirucfion to the fignals, that they may be 

 exaftly fure of the point obferved. I have fent you the figure 

 and defcription of thefe fignals. They have caufed two new 

 obfervatories to be built at the extremities of the arc, with 

 huts to ferve as lodging-places during the time of obferva- 

 tion. But all their refearches to find ground proj)er for a 

 fecond bafe have been fruitlefs. We muft be contented with 

 nieafuring twice the fame bafe as in 1736. 



" In 



