Uiftory of AJlronoviy for 1 798. 387 



the famous General Bonaparte was to be at the head of it. 

 I could recommend only citizens Nouet, Quenot, and Me- 

 chain the fon. They gladly embarked in this noble enter- 

 prize, and fet out on the 24th of April. On the 10th of May 

 they failed from Toulon, landed in Egypt on the 2d of July ; 

 and Ihavenodoubt that this voyage will be ufeful togeography, 

 and even aftronomy. I have written to all the aftronomers of 

 Europe to requeft them to co-operate, by correfponding ob- 

 fervations, with thofe which will be made by the aftronomers 

 of that expedition. 



Young Bernier, of Montauban, was defirous of fharing in 

 the voyage, but we applied for him too late. I recommend- 

 ed to the attention of our aftronomers, the level of the Me- 

 diterranean and the Red Sea, in which it has been often laid 

 there is a great difference, but I do not believe it. I have 

 written to Spain to procure information in regard to that of the 

 South Sea and the Gulph of Mexico, at the Ifthmus of 

 Panama, reflecting which the like difficulties have been 

 darted. 



The obfervatory of Gotha is the mod beautiful and moft 

 ufeful in Germany. The duke has expended on it more than 

 200,000 livres. No prince or king in the prefent century 

 has followed his example. M. von Zach, the director of 

 ithe obfervatory, is one of the moft celebrated altronomers in 

 .Europe. I had long wiftied to vifit and be acquainted with 

 the only monument of aftronomy which I had not feen, 

 after tlie example of H alley, who went from England to Den - 

 mark in 1679, to fee the obfervatory pf Hevelius, to converfe 

 with him, and examine the accuracy of his obfervalions. [ 

 have found that M. yori Zach can obferve the polar ftar .to a 

 fecond, inffcad of a hundred feconds, which we had of un- 

 certainty. Several German altroncmers, being- informed of 

 this defign, aflembled there alfo. Our conferences ferved to 

 ihcreafe our emulation. 1 brought back 1200 afcenfions of 

 zodiacal Mars, each obferved feveral times by M. von Zach, 

 with the moft beautiful tranfit instrument in exiftencs.'. They 

 C c 2 will 



