Convenience of a Meafurement near Geneva. % 15 
trouble and danger. A convenient tent, to (belter the inftru- 
ments in the ftations, (hould be added, or might be made at 
Geneva. 
The glafs rods for the meafurement of the bafis could be 
drawn of any convenient (hape, in a glafs-houfe not far diftant 
from Geneva. The thermometers, and any additions or repairs 
the apparatus might require, would be duly performed by Meff. 
Paul, eminent artifts of this town; and we abound with 
artifts of inferior merit. 
Thus far, Sir, I forefee no capital obftacles to the execution 
of the plan I have the honour of laying before the Royal So- 
ciety. All the data feem in favour of it ; and I may add, as 
another favourable circumftance, that the ftar Gdpella of the 
firft magnitude culminates between the zeniths of Geneva and 
St. Jean Maurienne , and confequently might be obferved fimul- 
taneoufly from both ftations at any hour in which the feafon of 
the year would bring its meridian tranfit. 
I (hall conclude this Paper with a few more refledions on 
the undertaking in general. 
Suppofing it to be the intention of the Royal Society to 
attempt the inveftigation of the true figure of the earth, by 
meafurements executed in different parts of the globe ; this 
firft operation, performed in a foreign country, might be looked 
upon as a kind of previous trial for the obfervers, a fort of 
initiation, in which fome difficulties, owing to the nature of 
the foil, but no true hardfhips, would be encountered. The 
whole of the work, except perhaps one (ingle ftation, would 
be carried on in the King of Sardinia's dominions, and in fome of 
the Republics of Switzerland ; countries, where no moral nor 
political obftacles would be ftarted, and where the inhabitants, 
far from being troublefome, would afford every affiftance and 
Q 2 comfort 
