The Earth. 337 



seven thousand four hundred and twenty-two 

 fathoms. 



Those who were sent to Peru, in South- Ame- 

 rica, had still greater difficulties to encounter 

 than their friends in Lapland, and were a longer 

 time employed in their operations. They set out 

 upon their expedition, about twelve months be- 

 fore the former, and did not finish their survey 

 till the year 1741. The province of Quito was 

 the place determined on as the most proper for 

 their purpose. Here they measured an arc of 

 the meridian, of three degrees seven minutes and 

 one second, and found it to contain 176,950 

 fathoms ; which being reduced to the level of the 

 sea, and properly corrected, the first degree of 

 the meridian from the equator was found to be 

 equal to 56,753 fathoms. These measures afford 

 a decisive demonstration that the earth is flat- 

 tened at the poles, and protuberant at the equa- 

 tor. For had the figure of it been a complete 

 globe, as was formerly imagined, a degree of the 

 meridian in every latitude would have been found 

 the same ; and had the figure been that which 

 was given to it by Cassini, a degree at the polar 

 circle would have been less than a degree at the 

 equator. But as a degree at the equator appears 

 to be about 307 fathoms less than a degree in 

 France, and about 669 less than a degree at the 

 arctic circle, it is easy to show that the figure of 

 the earth must be nearly the same as was as- 

 signed it by Newton. 



VOL. i. Q, 



