and the Connoissance des Teriis. 305 



tntific persons, among whom was the Earl of Rosse : and 

 this communication led to a correspondence between the 

 Lords oF the Admiralty and the Astronomer Royal '; the re- 

 . suit of which is understood to be, that the Almanac is to be 

 corrected in the second edition, which it is expected will be 

 wanted in the course of the year. This delay will not be 

 attended with any inconvenience to seamen, as the error 

 is too delicate to affect their calculations. It is only per- 

 ceptible to Astronomers at land, and especially in Observa- 

 tories; and they may be supposed able to correct for them- 

 selves. 



Dr. Kellv is now computing tables of the sun's right as- 

 cension and declination, for the use of his own Observatory; 

 and he will probably publish them in the beginning of the 

 year, if others are not brought out before that period. In 

 this operation he avails himself of the improved Solar Tables 

 in Mr. Vince*s third volume of Astronomy, which were 

 not published when the Almanac of 1812 was printed ; but 

 the effects of their superior accuracy may be observed in all 

 the Almanacs that follow. 



It is no way extraordinary that this mistake in the Nau- 

 tical Almanac should have escaped the notice of our Com- 

 puters and Examiners of the longitude, or of our other 

 Astronomers, as their attention might not have been im- 

 mediatelv directed to the subject. It seems, however, a little 

 curious that the American Astronomers, who have printed 

 this volume with additions and pretended improvements, 

 should have left the error in question with all its con- 

 sequences wholly uncorrected. But the most extraordinary 

 circumstance relating to this mistake is, that the French 

 have actually copied it into their Coimoissance des Terns. 

 They have, it is true, given the obliquity of the ecliptic 

 correctly in their fifth page; but in the columns of right 

 ascension and declination of about nine months, thev have 

 inserted our inaccuracies (only making their usual allowance 

 for the difference of meridians) ; and even at the solstitial 

 points, where the mistake is most obvious, they have co- 

 pied it exactly, and have thus made the sun's greatest de- 

 clination 9 seconds less than the obliquity of the ecliptic 

 in the fifth page, though both should be the same. 



If any thing could add to the fame of Dr. Maskelyne, it 

 is the entire confidence thus placed in his calculations by 

 the great Astronomers of France. It is, besides, highly 

 honourable to his memory, that in the Nautical Almanacs 

 of half a century, only one error should be found, and even 



Vol. 39. No. 162. Oct. 1811. U this 



