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fomewhat dubious upon the account of the irregular 
Refractions. 
March z 3. 1711. 
IX. A Propofal for meafuring the height of Places , 
by help of the Barometer 0} Mr. Patrick, in which 
the Scale is greatly enlarged . By the fame . 
S INCE Torricelli firft found that the Mercury in an 
inverted Tube was in sEquilibrio with the whole 
Column of Air that was over it, and that the weight 
of the incumbent Column was various according to 
the different Difpofitions of the Air, in refpeCt of ferene 
fair Weather, and of rainy, windy, or otherwife tern- 
peftuous Weather: there have been feveral attempts 
and contrivances to make the minute variations thereof 
mere fenfible. And firft the Wheel Barometer was 
thought of, which certainly fhews thefe variations 
with great exaCtnefs, but is only proper for a fixe Sta- 
tion, nor eafy to be removed ; which Circumflance is 
required for the principal ufe this [nftrument is ap- 
plicable to, and which I would recommend it for. 
The next thought for this purpofe was that of Mr. 
Hub in, deferibed in Phil. Tranf. N° 184, who return- 
ing the Tube of the Barometer, as an inverted Syphon, 
made a large dilatation in the afeending Leg thereof, 
wherein the Mercury afeended, as its Altitude in the 
other part thereof abated, and e contra : over this he 
drew out a narrow Glafs Cane, which he fill’d with a 
tinged Spirit, and which being about fifteen times 
lighter 
