' ON THE MERIDIAN. 5 



In order to do every poITible juftice to this important fabjefl, in 

 pkcdofth&meafurement of degrees due toany particular latitudes, I hsve 

 ufed the two longest arcs, viz. the one vvhich I have here given aa 

 accounc of. and that meafured by De-Lambre and Meciiain between 

 Dunt-rk and B^vcdma. . I'he first-being- 598510 -fathoms, correfpond- 

 ing with a . celestial arc of 9° .53 ' 45/'! 3 ; the oth-er 587987 fathoms, 

 corresponding wiih an arc of 9° 40/ 12'C2 j with thefe I have inveftt- 

 gated the compreffion by a method similar to that given- by Prokifor 

 Playfair in the 5th Vol. Edinburgh Philos. Tranfactiens. This method 

 with. very^ long arcs, such as thefe, one would iinagine must afford furer 

 refults thanby takmg fingle degrees due to particular -latitudes, where 

 there is much irregularity in their fuccefiion, as is the cafe with the 

 French meafurements. The compr^iflion brought out by this method 

 (see Art. i8j is ^ , f nearly, which difF.-rs very coafiderably from what 

 is brought out by the afjrefaid general mem ; and what is fingular, it 

 is nearly the fame as th t given by taking the degree in 9" 34 44'"equal 

 60472,83 fathoms, and the one in 10'^ J4'53^'equdl 60476,89 fathoms, 

 and where^ the degree in latitude 16'' -34' 42" bv obfervation, only dif- 

 fers 3,66 fathoms from the computed on^. 1 have however, for rea- 

 fons already given; abided by the compreiTion gf «■ as brought out by 

 the general comparifon. 



This meridional feries, which commences at the bafe near Gooty, is 

 terminated by another JDafe in latitude 18° 2 n-^arlv, which has been 

 meafured with more than ordinary attention; and befides the ftars ob- 

 ferved at DauTmrgiddcb for comparing with thofe pbferved at the fouth- 

 crn (lations, feveral others have been felccted for extending the ce- 

 leftial arc feveral degrees further to the northward, fhould time and 

 circumilances prove favorable for that purppfe. However, fhould this 



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