jqo Mojpr^Gensfal Rot’s Account of the 
give fo liberally^ it is our duty to manage with proper and be- 
coming, frugality, confident with the bed poffible, execution .of 
the bufinefs to be done, fo as to make it redound to the credit 
of the Nation in general, and of this Society in particular. 
The operation, whereof we are now to give fome account, 
being the fir fit: of the kind, on any extenfive fcale, ever under- 
taken in this country, naturally enough fob- divides itfelf into 
two parts. Firft, the choice and meaiurement of the bafe, with 
every poffible care and attention, as the foundation of the 
work ; fecondly, the difpofition of the triangles, whereby the 
bafe is to be conneded with foch parts of the coaft of this, 
ifland as are neareft to the coaft of France, and the determina- 
tion of their angles, by means of the belt inftrument that can be 
obtained for the purpofe, from which the refill t or conclufion 
will be drawn. It is the firft part only, as a fubjed of itfelf 
diffidently diftind, that we are now to lay before the Society ; 
it having been judged more advifable, to (hew that no time 
has been loft in making reafonable progrefs, than to defer the 
account till the whole operation fhould be ultimately com- 
pleted. 
Choice of the Baft. Tab. XVI. 
Hounflow- Heath having always appeared to be one of the 
moft eligible fituations, for any general purpofe of the fort 
now under confideration, becaufe of its vicinity to the Capital 
and Royal Obfervatory at Greenwich, its great extent, and the 
extraordinary levelnefs of its forface, without any local ob- 
ftrudions whatever to render the meaforement difficult ; be- 
ing likewife commodioufly fituated for any future operations of 
a fimilar nature, which his Majefty may pleafe to order to be 
extended 
