ing corrected their errors and without having taken precautions 
to determine the rapidity of the running out of definite lengths — 
of line, by which errors could have been avoided. Moreover 
differences appeared every time that two soundings were made 
nearly on the same place, one in going out and the other in 
coming back, as was several times the case. For exam = be- 
bottom is not to be ascribed rather to an accidental error 
the different manipulations of those who were charged with the 
It is not surprising that the statements of this letter should 
call forth both criticism and satire. The discrepancies inthe 
