




























260 The Proposed Pendulum Operations for India. [No. 4, 
In 1821-22, some very good observations were made by Mr. 
Goldinghom, at Madras, and afterwards at a small island called Pulo 
Gaunsah Lout, lying nearly on the equator in Hast Longitude 98° 50’. 
The pendulum used was an invariable one, and observations were first 
taken with it in London, by Captain Kater. From the observations 
at Madras and London, Mr. Goldingham deduced an ellipticity of =4,. 
- Captain Basil Hall, assisted by Captain (then Lieutenant) Henry 
Foster, made a’ series of experiments with an invariable pendulum in 
1820-23, at Galapagos, San Blas (Mexico), Rio Janeiro, and London 
(Mr. Browne’s house). Comparing the results at each of his own 
stations, with each of Captain Kater’s, he deduced ellipticities of =4,, 
sia, and 353. 
In 1822, Sir Thomas Brisbane took with him to Paramatta (near 
Sydney,) an invariable pendulum that had previously been swung in 
London, at Mr. Browne’s house. He deduced ellipticities of 54, and 
giz, comparing his observations with those of Kater in London and 
at Unst. 
In 1817, the French Government fitted out a scientific expedition 
under the command of Captain Freycinet, who was furnished with 
three invariable brass pendulums, one of which was similar to Captain 
Kater’s pattern, and the other two had solid cylindrical rods instead 
of a flat bar. He had also a fourth pendulum, with a wooden rod 
formed of two plates of deal firmly clamped together. Instead of a 
clock he used an astronomical counter, (‘‘compteur astronomique”’) 
whose beats could be adjusted to synchronism with those of the pen- 
dulum. The counter had a dial, which showed hours, minutes, and 
seconds, so that by comparing the time shown by this “ compteur” 
with that of a chronometer, he obtained the number of vibrations 
made by the pendulum in a certain interval, generally an hour or 40 
minutes. The pendulums were first swung at Paris, and afterwards 
at Rio Janeiro, Mauritius, Guam (one of the Ladrone Islands), Mowi 
(one of the Sandwich Isles), Cape of Good Hope, Port Jackson, 
Ravak (an island under the line, north of New Guinea), and Malouine 
or Falkland Isles. Rejecting the determinations at the Mauritius, 
Guam and Mowi, as they appeared affected to a remarkable degree by 
local influences, Captain Freycinet deduced an ellipticity of z4, from 
all four pendulums. 
