76 
Biographical Sketch 
[March 
A curious circumstance occurred during the siege, which serves to show the 
practical value of even a very elementary knowledge of astronomy. On the 4th of 
April, 1799, General Baird received orders to proceed, during the approaching night, 
with part of the right division, and scour a large orchard, where it was supposed 
Tipti had established an advanced post. After repeatedly traversing the orchard 
without finding any one, the general resolved to return. It so happened, however, 
that from the various windings the detachment had made, the column took a direc- 
tion which was not the one intended. Brigade Major Lambton, who of course ac- 
companied General Baird as his staff, observed by the position of the pole-star, that 
instead of proceeding south, in which direction their camp was situated, they were 
inarching north, that is to say, upon Tipfi’s whole army. He communicated his 
opinion to the general, with the grounds on which it rested : but the latter, who was 
no astronomer, answered, “ He knew very well where he W'as going without con- 
sulting the stars.” Presently the detachment fell in with one of the enemy’s out- 
posts, which was soon dispersed. The General now began to think that LambtQn’s 
opinion might be, after all, correct. A light was ordered to be struck, and on re- 
ferring to a pocket compass, it was found that the stars were right ! If we mis- 
take not, we have heard a somewhat similar story of an officer on the Bengal side 
of India, who conducted a detachment across the western desert to their destination 
by a reference to the position of the pole-star, during a night-march, and when such 
a thing as a pocket or any other compass was not available. Such knowledge as 
this can be scarcely dignified with the name of astronomy — every peasant in Eng- 
land, we should suppose, knows Charles’ wain, and could readily, from its position, 
point out the north; the wonder is to find men of education, and, above all mili- 
tary men, ignorant of such simple matters. 
It was after the successful termination of the war with Tipu, that Brio-ade-Ma- 
joi Lambton brought forward liis plan ot a geographical survey of part of the pe- 
ninsula of India. This work subsequently became the nucleus of the Great Tri°-ono- 
metrical Survey of India, which, carried on for 20 years, at the expense of the 
Honorable Company, lias spread a net-work of triangles over nearly the whole o; 
the peninsula, and, advancing into the Bengal dependencies, has reached the 24th 
degree ot latitude : — a work that has earned for the author of it well-merited 
eulogiums from the first mathematicians of the dav, and obtained for him the 
distinction of being elected member of the two first learned Societies in the world- 
— A work .too, which reflects almost equal credit on his employers as steady 
effniTf 0 f. sc,encc - .The Honorable Company’s Government have 5 , in ’fact in this 
effoit for the promotion of sound geography, and the obtaininga knowledge of the 
dimensions and figure of the earth, thrown the regal governments of F, ■ 
the shade; and we agree with the writer in the Edinburgh ■ .Europe into 
commende5.” UrVe ^' “ ** ** ^ ® 
" as , C0Dfined *° ? 
purpose of determining the breadth of the npninci., } ?* 0Mt , e coast > for the 
Wellesley, the latter handed it up to Government ^withh* g &K bef ° re Colone l 
support. Mr. Josiah Webb, then secretary to ® recommendation and 
opinion of the undertaking; and in consequence nf f! ment » had also a favorable 
two gentlemen, the first patrons of the project Lord rr repre f® 1 ? tatl ®ns of these 
tioned it, and directed Major Lambton to pienare the f *'! and hls - council sanC ‘ 
formation for the passing the special ordere o( Govev nmeni^ 7 eStmiate6 acd in ‘ 
The juncture was every way favorable- fnr ;«• i, * \ 
superior instruments, which Lord Macartnev had ap . pened at that time some 
that they would proie very interesting «°der the idea 
knowledge of astronomy, had found their wav to ,^0 Pnde themselves on tbeir 
available tor the purposes of the survev Th^ l , ndia > an( ? ’’vere immediately 
notice either of the instruments or of the astronomer* n C n Ua bavi . n & . taken 110 
nouce eitner ot the instruments or of the rC ^ mua hav,n £ take# 11 
charge they were, Lord Macartney had presented th?m r ’ Dinwid dief in wbos 
that gentleman, who remained in India. m ° n T hls return from China, b 
Stationed in Fm-f ", -tillgade Maior I*amlifnn ._l. 1 1 i.— 
(tyc 
3cut: 
i n s tr u me nti~ similar ^ to UiJ 
An altitude and azimutli °?T tlons in En » lan<i l aml a 
th cucle, with a theodolite like 
an X.uua tciuni ir oin umna, w 
stationed in Fort William, an opportunity' of S.mfi ?JOr .f‘ ambton > wt ><* bad. wta. 
theywere tolly adapted to the' pro"& ^ stained « 
100 feet steel chain Kit U t ■ it*. 
zenith sector of 5 feet 
nent, similar to i 
chronometer, by Arnold. 
to 
radius 
