3B8 Major 'General ^o^^s Account cf the 



thorough knowledge of the country, 1 have not failed to ob- 

 ferve, at lead in a general way, fuch fituatlons as feemed to 

 be the \:>t{l adapted for the meafurement of the bafes that 

 would he necefiary for the formation of the great triangles, 

 .and connecfling the different feriefes of them together. 



The peace of 1783 being concluded, and official bufinefs 

 having detained me In or near town during the whole of that 

 fummer, I embraced the opportunity, for my own private 

 amufement, to meafure a bafe of 7744.3 feet, acrofs the fields 

 between the Jews-Harp, near Marybone, and Black-Lane, 

 Rear Pancras ; as a foundation for a ferie? of triangles, carried 

 on at the fame time, for determining the relative lituatlons of 

 the mod: remarkable fteeples, and other places, in and about 

 the Capital, with regard to each other, and the Royal Obfer- 

 vatory at Greenwich. The principal obje<£l: I had here in view 

 (befides that it might poffibly ferve as a hint to the public, for 

 t'he revival of the now almoft forgotten fcheme of 1763) 

 was, to facilitate the comparifon of the oblervations, made by 

 the lovers of aflronomy, within the limits of the projected 

 furvey ; namely, Richmond and Harrow, on the weft; and 

 Shooter's-Hlll and Wanfted, on the eaft : and thinking, that a 

 Paper, containing the refult of thefe trigonometrical operations, 

 might not prove unacceptable to the Royal Society, I was en- 

 gaged in making the computations for that purpofe, when, 

 very unexpeftedly, I found, that an operation of the fame 

 Rature, but much more important in its obje£t, was really in 

 agitation. This I faw would fuperfede, at lead for the prefent, 

 iny ov/n private obfervations, and perhaps render them wholly 

 iifelefs, unlefs it were as a matter of mere curiofity hereafter, 

 to fee how far fuch as depended on a fhort bafe, and a fmall 

 .ip^flrument (a Cj^uadrant of a foot radius) would agree with 

 I thofe 



