300 Mr Harvey on the Method of Minimum Squares, 
from which we deduce « = 0.0675, and € = 0.0000778, 
and therefore the compression a, = 
and the 45th degree D = 28497.78. 
The compression determined by the length of the pendulum 
and by certain astronomical phenomena, is but and the 
45th degree, such as we have deduced from the comparison of 
the measurements made in France with those of Peru, is 
S8504.10. The absolute determination of the metre is founded 
on this last result ; and ought to be diminished by about its 
4500th part, if we consider only the measurements executed in 
France ; but the compression accords so little with that 
which we have deduced from other phenomena, that it does not 
permit us to adopt this last result. 
The values found for oc and €, determine the ellipsis, which 
satisfies as exactly as is possible the measurement of the arc of 
the meridian comprised between Dunkirk and Barcelona. This 
ellipsis is flattened in a much greater degree than that which 
corresponds to the general figure of the earth ; and supposes 
errors in the observed latitudes, which may be determined by 
substituting the values found for and €, in the expressions for 
E^, Sec. : We shall find by reducing these errors into 
secpnds 
E* = — 0"73, E“ = l"83, E«i=l"55, EiVr=0".42, Ev=0".03.* 
The greatest of these errors does not amount to S", and the 
mean, without regarding the signs, is but 0''91v 
If, instead of determining the two quantities u. and €, which 
correspond to the absolute minimum, we begin by making the 
quantity a, equal to the known compression the equations (c) 
will become 
* I have not altered the Vjalues of &c. in the text; but I find 
= 1".82, Eil»:= — 1 ". 5 G 5 E'^ 0",01 ; the mean error, however, is not affect, 
pd. H. ^ 
