3© Hijiory of AJlronowy for 179S. 



The dire6lion of the obfervaton,'- at Amfterdam, belonging 

 to the Society Felix Meritls, has been entrufted to M. Cal- 

 koen. He has been at Gotha to exercife himfelf with M. 

 von Zach ; and has begun a courfe of obfcrvations which 

 will be ufeful in a country where none were ever made, 

 though the want of a navy muft induce the government to 

 open their eyes in regard to an objeft fo neceflary to navi- 

 gators. In vain did I go to Amllerdam in 1774; the Stadt- 

 holder and the Grand Penfionary promifed every thing I 

 wiflied, and did nothing. M. van Swinden afterwards made 

 fome exertions, the effefts of which begin to be felt. 



C. Henr\', who went from Manheim to Peterfburgh, ha? 

 been able to reflore aftivity to the obfervatory of that capital. 

 He has caufed to be ereftcd the large mural quadrant by 

 Bird, which had remained a long time in the packing-box, 

 and which Rumouflci never made ufc of. 



M. Piazzi, the aftronomer of Palermo, is preparing to 

 meafure a degree. I have fent him an exaft metre, and 

 the}' are employed on a complete circle. 



The minifler, Pleville-Peley, has increafed the falaries of 

 the aftronomers belonging to the marine obfervatory at 

 Marfcilles, where Thulis makes continued and important 

 obfcrvations. 



The furvey of Corfica, or defcription of that ifland, begun 

 thirty years ago, has been finiflied. The large triangles 

 were laid down by C. Tranchot; the minuter operations 

 were performed by a great number of afllftants. The minif- 

 ter of finance having commiffioned me to examine this 

 labour, I have reafon to think that it is fufficiently correct 

 to be taken as a model, fliould a like plan be adopted in re- 

 gard to all the departments of France, which would be highly 

 ufeful. 



C. Perny, who had been fcnt to Belgium, and who, fince 

 1795, has formed forty triangles at Bruges, Ghent, Oftcnd, 

 Antwerp, Middclburgh, &c. has fet out for the Batavian 



republic. 



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