434 Mr. Goldingham on the difference of longitudes found by 
happened at the springs near the vernal equinox of 1791 ; 
and except from particular combinations, it is never known 
to rise higher : as I was informed, the medium rise of the 
springs is about 15% feet. The variation of the compass in 
the beginning of the year 1791, by the mean of many obser- 
vations, I found to be 42' 59", or 43' west. 
During the passage from Bombay to Madras, I had an 
opportunity of ascertaining the latitude and longitude of Point 
de Galle, and of the Friars Hood ; and as the chronometer 
performed so well, it is to be regretted we did not see other 
places on the way. Point de Galle is, however, an important 
position to have accurately determined, and in the year 1791, 
the longitude deduced from different observations varied from 
8o° i' 30" to 8o°22 / . 
On the 8th of September we saw Point de Galle Flag Staff. 
Three bearings of it were taken with the azimuth compass ; 
one when it was E. 8° 24' N. ; a second when it was N. 28° 
38' E. ; and the third when it was due north. The time when 
each bearing was taken was correctly noted; and a base, 
measured by the run of the ship, corrected for current, was 
used for finding the distances, which, at the time the first 
bearing was taken, was 5,5 miles, and at the time the second 
was taken 3,7. The ship being in the longitude of Point de 
Galle at the time the third bearing was taken, no distance 
was necessary. Altitudes for finding the longitude by the 
chronometer were observed about half an hour before the first 
bearing was taken, whicli was at 5 h 43' p. m. apparent time. 
These altitudes give for the longitude of the ship at 5 h io' 
p. m., (by mean of two days observations after my arrival at 
Madras, and allowing 8o° 19' 42" as the longitude of the 
