259 
of Eciinlurgli, Session 1883-84. 
(1643)* first appeared; tliis consists of a series of small copper- 
plate maps of each county with a cross-line table of the distances 
between places in the county, besides a similar plate of all England. 
The same plates were printed from again by the same publisher in 
A Book of the Names of all Parishes, &c, (1662 and 1668). Taking 
from each plate two of the distances stated between places in miles, 
and comparing the 73 distances thus extracted with the true road 
distances, the mean mile is 1375 ±12. But this is so decidedly 
longer than the mean mile of any other authority, that it seems as 
if these distances had been compiled and tabulated by measurement 
from the plates, or from some older maps, in straight lines. If this 
were the case we should subtract about 7 per cent., f and the true mile 
will then be 1280 ± 20, and thus in accordance with other authorities. 
Speed’s maps of counties preceded this by some time (1610); 
and on measuring the mile scale, and a distance between towns, on 
each plate, and then taking the mean of the 43 results, the mile 
comes out 1300 ±12, omitting the Welsh counties. 
Saxton’s county maps (1575) also have scales, and were examined 
like Speed’s for extracting the mile. Erom thirty plates the mean 
result is 1310 ± 16, omitting the Welsh as before. 
William of Worcester (1473) gives measurements and distances 
continually, throughout his rambling note-book ; and by extracting 
all the distances, his mean mile may be obtained. But it is not 
desirable to include any of less than 5 miles, as such are necessarily 
much less accurate, being only stated to single miles ; and all sea 
distances, and rough statements of the dimensions of districts or 
countries, should be omitted. There then remain 92 distances, 
and on measuring all these on modern maps, it appears that his 
mile was 1310 ± 20. 
Sir Gilbert de Lannoy’s distances in Palestine (1422), quoted by 
De Morgan (article “ Mile ”), give by five examples a mean mile 
of 1180 ± 20, about 8 per cent, for winding of roads, and 
therefore probably about 1280 ± 20. 
* Published by Thos. Jenner, under whose name it is catalogued in the Brit. 
Mus. 
t By careful map-measurement of six long distances in England of 50 to 200 
miles each, the excess due to windings is 127 on the 1000; and on short 
distances, of 12 to 25 miles, the windings make an increase of 66 on the 1000, 
beyond the direct distances in straight lines. 
