71 
north polar distances of the principal fixed stars. 
(1 ) Mean zenith distance, January 1, 1802. 
Dunnose. 
Arbury Hill. 
Greenwich. 
y Ursae Maj. 4 0 io' 37",8 N 
2 0 34' 1 6", 8 N 
3 0 x 9 ' 6",o N 
Capella . . 4 50 21 ,7 S 
6 26 41 ,4 S 
5 41 51 ,0 S 
9 0 59 >5 
9 0 58 ,2 
9 0 57 >0 
Mean of the three 
= 9 0 5 s > 2 
Greenwich, 
Mean from Z. Sect. 
Dublin, 
1755, decl. 
1802. 
Jan. 1, 1823. 
Capella . . 45°43' 4'',8 
DifF. 9 0 0' s8",2 
44 0 1 1' 3 6", 2 
- Ursae Maj. 55 3 24 ,4 
9 20 19 ,6 
35 ! 9 !5 n 
9 20 19 ,6 
(47 y.) 19 21 ,4 
8 52 21 ,1 
9 o 58 ,2 
(21 y.) 8 37 ,i 
The secular variation of annual precession = o",622 
— 0,029 = + ,593- 
Hence, 
Rate 2 \l\\ } in ten y £ars { III 2 } reduced to ' 7 8 ° { 4 s 7 "’,! 
This discordance, contrary to the southern motion, may be 
safely attributed to the errors of observation. 
(2 ) If we compare rj Ursse Majoris and Capella, 
Dunnose. Clifton. Arbury Hill. Greenwich. 
vi Ursae Maj. o°i8'45",5S 3 0 9' g",2 S i°5S' 6",2 S i°io' I7*,8 S 
Capella 4 50 21 ,7 S 7 40 42 ,7 S 6 26 41 ,4 S 5 41 51 ,oS 
4 31 36 ,2 4 31 33 ,5 4 31 35 ,2 4 31 33 ,2 
The Mean is 4 3 1 34 ,5 
We may now refer back to (II.) (1 ), and instead of the 
Palermo difF. of declination, insert this, and we shall obtain, 
Rate at 1747 for ten years, gives rate for ten years at 1780 3' 49", 9 
1778 1780 3 49 ,5 
1813 — 1780 3 49 ,9 
This, therefore, shows a uniform variation. 
