48 " Midler’s Review of Schubert's 
efforts, and in order to place the merit of the writer in its proper 
hight, especially for those not possessing a special knowledge of 
the subject in question. 
The alo investigations were all based upon the follow- 
ing assumption 
(1.) The meridians of the earth are ellipses.* 
(2.) The minor axis is also the axis of rotation. 
(8.) All the meridians of the earth are equal. 
The writer remarks that, in a rigorous sense, no one of these* 
assumptions is proved and that we do not possess the means of 
proving the first two. We may however add, that these two 
assumptions, if not absolutely, must be very nearly true.t 
In regard to the third assumption we are now prepared to . 
submit it to investigation, and the previous failures compel us to 
question its applicability. Paucker and Borenius have already 
attempted to prove that it must be false, but neither has arrived 
at any definite ‘glide The writer uses as a basis the pele. 
measurements of a 
(1.) The Ree es more properly Russo-Scandinavian) exe- 
pe in 1820-51 by Hansteen, Selander, Struve and Tenner 
m Fugleniis (in latitude 70° 40’ 11” -3 N) to Staro-Nekrasofka 
(5° 20’ 02’ -8 N) the longest arc yet measured. 
(2.) The Indian se 1802-43, by Lambton and Everest, from 
Kaliana (29° 30’ 48” -9 N) to Punne (8° 09’ 82” -3 N). 
(8.) The French are, 1792-1806, by ae Delambre, Biot 
and Arago, from Dunkirk (51° 02’ 08” 5 N) to Formentera 
(88° 39’ 56” -1 N). 
(4.) The measure at the Cape of Good Hope, by Henderson 
and Maclear, from 84° 21’ re i S to 29° 44’ 17” 7S. 
(5.) The Peruvian aro 1735-46, by Bouguer and la Condamine, 
ae Tarqui (3° 04’ 82” 1 S) to Cotchesqui (0° 02’ 31” 4 N). 
The russian es 1831-84, by Bessel and Beyer, from 
Mom (55° 43! 4 ‘4 N) to Trunz (54° 13/ 11” ‘5 N). 
(7.) The British arc, by Roy and opie from Clifton (53° 27° 
31” -1 N) to Dunnose (50° 37’ 07” -6 N), a 
(By The ee ate arc, 176, » PY Mason and Dixon, from _ 
39° nad 22" 5 N to 38° 2 37" ie 
equal and similar, and pr onouncing his own work as preliminary, 
no exception can be ta 
* In the recent Becirayr ih of the Ordnance Survey of Great Britain sg — of 
the yen ‘ets hypotheses, is not restr ae to this conditio 
i The truth of the nietiod assumption may be granted. 
The reais for taking in this are will be dorariet from what follows, 
