6.62 [June 18; 



well-founded reasons for thinking that the whole arc will be found 

 measurable if the survey is continued. Mr. Chydenius has offered 

 to furnish the remaining part of the exploration. 



The Swedish Academy of Sciences consider the completion of 

 the survey so important, that they have petitioned Government to 

 supply funds for carrying it into effect during the present or next 

 year. There is every probability that the money will be granted, 

 and, if the result turn out as expected, that necessary steps will be 

 taken for executing the measurement of the arc itself. 



The Swedish Government has, at the instance of the Academy of 

 Sciences, already furnished means for preliminary investigations in 

 reference to another geodetic enterprise, namely, for the Swedish 

 share of the proposed large middle-European triangulation from 

 Palermo to Trondhjem, and have asked the Estates for money for 

 executing the measurement. Should, then, the survey in Spitzbergen 

 also be carried out, an important contribution will be made, not only 

 to ascertain the compression of the globe in the vicinity of the North 

 Pole, but also for the much-sought-after knowledge of the real form 

 of the earth on different portions of its surface ; and the undertaking 

 will to a certain degree complete the results both of the projected 

 middle-European triangulation and of the Russo- Scandinavian 

 already effected. 



If the triangulation in question be executed, it will not be the 

 only result arising from several years' scientific labours in Spitz- 

 bergen. It is superfluous here to allude to many investigations 

 of importance which may be made ; it is sufficient to keep in mind 

 the situation of Northern Spitzbergen, distant scarcely 1 of latitude 

 from the North Pole. There are well-founded reasons for thinking 

 that the execution of the measurement in question may be looked 

 forward to. And if we seek for the origin of the whole matter, we 

 can trace it in Captain Sabine's well-planned and lucidly explained 

 project, which he submitted to the examination of the Royal Society 

 in 1825. 



