UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH

Darlington JViemorial L/ibrai

TRANSACTIONS,

OF THE

AMERICAN
PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY^

HELD AT

PHILADELPHIA,

FOR PROMOTING m^<i^

inb 'pao) inb .
" •/''aojoj -/'aou^

Useful Knowledge.

Volume I.
From January iji, 1769, T'e? January iji, ^^77^-*

PHILADELPHIA:

Printed by William and Thomas Bradford, at the

London Coffee-Houfe,

M.DCC.LXXI.

976

tN.

f>

'' ' \

4

^

\

ADVERTISEMENT.

^ M ^ H E promoting ufeful Knowledge in
^ B general, and fuch branches 'hereof ia

A particular, as may be more immediately
ferviceable to the Britifh Colonies, being the
exprefs purpofe for which the American Phi-
losophical Society was inftituted ; the Publi-
cation ot fuch curious and ufeiul Papers, as
may, from time to time, be communicated to
'^ them, becomes, of courfe, one material part

^ of their defign.

As foon, therefore, as the Society judged

that they had received a fufficient Number of

Commimications for a Volume, they appointed

a Committee, to aflift the Secretaries, in fe-

"^ leding out of them fuch as might be mofi:

rv proper for the public view. '\nd for their

^ diredion in the execution of this trufl, the

two following Rules were given, viz.

% Firjl^ *' That the grounds of the Commit"

j *^ tee's choice of Papers for the Prefs, fliould

^. ** always be, the importance or iingularity of

a 2 <« the

iv Advertisement,

the fubjed-s, or the advantageous manner of
treating them, without pretending to anfwer,
or to make the Society anfvverable, for the

*' certainty of the fads, or propriety of the
reafonings, contained in the feveral Papers
fo publifhed, which muft ftiil reft on the
credit or judgment of their refpedive

'^ Authors.

Seco?2dly^ ** That neither the Society,
*' nor tlie Committee of the Prels, do ever
** give their opinion as a body, upon* any
** paper they may pubHfti, or upon any fub-
'' jed: of Art or Nature that comes before
^' them."

These Rules were adopted from the Rules
of that illuftrious Body the Royal Society of
London, whofe example the American Philo-
sophical Society think it their honor to follow,
in their endeavours for enlarging the Sphere of
Knowledge and ufeful Arts. And though, in
Countries where the Arts and all ufeful Im-
provements have arrived almoft at their ma-
turity, the following Work may fcarce be con-
(idcred as a mire thrown into the common
treafury ; yet here, where they are but in their
infancy, it may be received as fome acceflion
to our fmaller Stock.

LAWS AND REGULATIONS,

OF THE

American Philosophical Society,

Held at PHILADELPHIA, for promoting
Useful Knowledge.

TW O Societies having formerly fubfifted in
Philadelphia, whofe views and ends were
the fame, viz. " the Advancement of iijeful Know-
'' ledge" — it was judged that their Union would be
of public advantage ; and they were accordingly
united JoJiuaiy 2d, 1769, by a certain Funda-
mental Agreement ; the chief Articles of
which are-

Firjl, That the name of the United Society fhallbe
The American Philofophical Society, -held at Philadelphia^ ,
for promoting ufeful Knowledge.

Secondly, That there fliall be the following*
. Officers of the Society, viz. one Patron, one
Prfident, three Vice-Prefidents, one Treafurer, four *
Secretaries, and three Curators,

• Thirdly,

VI

LAWS, &c.

Thirdh, That all the above Officers fliall be
chofen annually by ballot, at the firft meeting of
the Society in January ; excepting only that in<
flead of electing a Patron, the Governor of the
Province be requefled to be Patron.

Other Laws were to be made by the United So-
ciety ; and accordingly the following LAWS, &c.
were \)?t.^cdL February 3d, 1769.

I. Of the annual payments to be made by Members,

EVERY Member of this Society (hall fubfcribe
Ten Shillings ye^Li'ly, to be applied by the Society
to fuch purpofes as they iliaU direct ; and no
Member fhall be entitled to a vote in the annual
Ele6ion of Officers, unlefs it appears that he has
paid into the hands of the Treafurer, the fubfcrip-
tion of the preceeding year, and all former ar-
rears, if any there were.

Every Member hereafter to be chofen, agree-
able to the Laws of this Society, fhall pay Ten.
Shillings admiffion money, and alfo fubfcribe for
the yearly payment of Ten Shillings, before he is
entitled to have any vote in the bufmefs of the
Society at their meetings.

IL Of the cleElion f Members.

* The Election of new Members fliall be by
Ballot, and that only on the third Friday in the

' months of January, April, July and Oclober ;
and in order to fuch ele(^tion at lead twenty
Members mufl; be prcfent. • Any

L A W '$, 6?c/

Vll

Any Member may, at any meeting, propofe
fuch perfon or perfons, as he thinks proper to be
a Member or Members of this Society ; but no
perfon fhall be ballotted for, unlefs his name, to-
gether with the name or names of the Member or
Members who propofed him, has been fixed up
by the Secretaries for the view of the Society, at
the two meetings preceeding the time of eleftion.
Nor fhall any perfon be deemed duly chofen
unlefs three-fourths of the votes of the whole
Members be in his favour.

IIL OJ the Officers, and manner of their eleBion.

The eleftion of fuch Officers as are to be chofen
in this Society, fhall be on the firft Friday in Janu-
ary every year, by ballot or written ticket, be-
tween the hours of Two and Five in the after-
noon, at fuch place in this city as fhall be fixed
by the Society at their previous meeting on the
third Friday in December every year ; of which
notice fliall be given in the Gazette, or fuch other
public Papers as the Society fhall order, at lead
one week before the day of eledion.

Before opening the ele6tion, the company that
fliall be met at half an hour after Two, fhall ap-
point three Members of the Society as judges of
the ele6lion, and alfo two clerks or fecretaries,
for taking down the names of the voters. And in
cafe of an equality of votes for any Officer, after
calling up the ballots, the decifion fhall be by lots,
to be drawn by one of the judges.

IV. Of

Vlll

LAWS, &e.

IV. Of the Prefident.

^ The Prefident is to prefide at'all meetings, to
preferve order, to regulate the debates, and to
llate and put queftions, agreeable to the fenfe
and intention of the Members.

V. Of the Vice-Prefidents .

In the abfence of the Prefident, his duty (hall
devolve on the Vice-Prefidents, fo that they fhiall
prefidc alternately at meetings. But if the Vice-
Prefidcnt, whofe turn it is to prefide at any meet-
ing, fliould be abfent, his place fhall be fupplied
by any of the other Vice-Prefidents, who fhall be
prefent, according as he may be next in turn. If
only one Vice-Prefident be prefent, he fhall of
courfe prefide ; and if neither the Prefident, nor
any Vice-Prcfident be prefent, the Members met,
fliall appoint one of their number to take the
chair for that meeting.

VI. Of the Treafurer.

The Treafurer fhall receive the fubfcriptions of
the Members, and all other monies that may be-
come due to the Society, and fhall pay the fame
agreeable to their orders, certified to him by the
Prefident, Vicc-Prcfident or Member, who was in
the Chan when the order was made. The Trea-
furer ffiall keep a regular account of all monies
received and paid by him as aforefaid ; and once
-every year, or oftncr if required by the Society,

he

LAWS, &c.

IX

he fhall render an account to them of the flock in
his hands, and the difburfements made by their
order, and (hall dehver up to his fuccefTor the
books and all papers belonging to them, together
with the ballance of cafli in his hands. And for
the faithful difcharge of his trufl, he fhall, before
he enters on his office, give bond and fecurity to
the Prefident and Vice-Prefidents, in double the
fum which they, or any three of them, fhall
judge he may probably become entrufted with,
during his faid office.

VII. Of the Secretaries.

The Secretaries fhall fo fettle matters as to
take equal fhares of all bufmefs, and fo as that
two of them fhall ferve ^t every meeting, viz,
one to take the minutes, ^nd one to read all let-
ters and papers that may be communicated to the
Society. It is alfo the bufmefs of the two Secre-
taries of each particular meeting, to copy into
the minute book the proceedings of that meeting,
in order to produce the fame fair to the next
meeting. They are further to copy into the pro-
per books all fuch letters, papers and elfays, as
the Society may think fit to preferve on record,
and to have the fame ready to be laid before the
next meeting.

The other two Secretaries are, in the mean
^hile, to give notice to new members of their
election, and agreeable to the directions of the

b Society,

Society, to write or anfwer letters ; and, in ge-
neral, to manage all matters of Correfpondence.

The Secretaries may, for their own eafe,
chaiio-e placps ; fo that the two who have ferved
as correfponding Secretaries, for one month or h-
mited time, fhall take their turn to ferve for the
hke time as fitting or attending Secretaries,

VIII. Of the Curators.

The bufmefs of the Curators Ihall be to take
charge of, and preferve, all Specimens of natural
Produaions, whether of the ANIMAL, VEGETA-
BLE or FOSSIL Kingdom; all Models of Machines
and Inftruments, and all other matters and things
belonging to the Society, which fhall be com-
mitted to them ; to clafs and arrange them in
their proper order, and keep an exacf lift of them,
with the names of the refpeclive donors, in a
book provided for that purpofe ; which book
fliall be laid before the Society, as often as
called for.

The Curators, on entering upon their office,-
fliall give fuch a receipt for every thing that is'
connnitted to their charge, as the Society fhall.
think proper ; and, at the end of their term, fhall
deliver up the fame to their fucccflbrs. For thie
faithful performance of their duty, and of the
truit rcpofed in them, they (hall give bond to the
Prefidents, and Vicc-Prefidents, in fuch a fum as
they, or any three of them, fliall require.

IX. 0/

L A W S, <E^^, XI

IX. Of the Meetings of the Society.

The ordinary Meetings of the Society fhali be
on the firll and third Fridays of every month,
from Oftober to May, both incluiive, at Six
o'clock in the evening, and on the third Friday
in each of the other four months at Seven o'clock.

No Meeting fhall be continued after ten o'clock,
nor any new matter be introduced by motion,
or otherwife, after nine o'clock.

X. Of the difpofilion of Money, and making new Laws.

No part of the Society's ftock fhall be difpofed
of in Premiums, or otherwife, nor fliall any. new
laws be made, until the fame have been propofed
at one meeting, and are agreed to by two-thirds
of twenty or more Members prefent at a fubfe-
quent meeting.

XI. ^ Of other Proceedings of the Society.

No queflion fhall be put on a motion, unlefs the
motion hefeco?ided ; and the determination of any
queftion fhall be hy ballot, inftead of openfuffrage,
if defired by any four Members. In cafe of an
equality of votes on any queftion, the fame fliali
be deferred to another meeting.

When any Member fpeaks he (hall Pcand up,
and addrefs himfelf to the Chair, and the reit
fhall remain filent in their feats. When two or
more offer to fpeak at the fame time, the pre-

b 2 ^ fiding

.Xll ...JiiLi'^i

Lv A. W. S,. Oc.

liding Member,' in that, as in other matters of or-
der, Ihall regulate and determine who fhall
fpeak firft.

XII. Of Committees.

The Members of this Society fhall be clafTed
into one or more of the following Committees.

1. Geography, Mathematics, Natural Philo-
fophy and Allronomy.

2. Medicine and Anatomy.

3. Natural Hillory and Chemiftry,

4. Trade and Commerce.

5. Mechanics and Architedure.

6. Hufbandry and American Improvements.

These Committees fhall meet on their own ad-
journments, and atfuch other times as the Society
ftiall appoint, for the confideration of any matters
referred to them, and fliall have power to chufe
their own Chairman. But no CommUtee, as fuch,
Ihall take up any new bufmefs of the Society, but
[liall confme themfelves only to the fubjefts for
which they arc appointed, and to matters referred
to ihem by the Society.

.^/r«;Cc.;.r, ro;,;^^r.^'U7^A^^yjLXjy^M SMITH, ?c

(he orif>,»al Laws ,n the (^hARLES THOMSON, f •S'^^''^^'-'"-
Society f Booh, h ' ' J "*

% m

L I S T,

For the ^Y E A R 1770,

Of the Officers and Members of the AMERICA^f
Philosophical Society, held at Philadelphia^ for
promoting ufcful Knowledge.—

Patron. The Governor of the Province, for the
Time being.

Officers, elefted ^^^nw^r)' 5th, 1770.

President. Benj. Franklin, lA^.T>.Y.R.S.Gott.S.Soc.

Jofeph Galloway, Efq; Speaker
of the Affembly of Penn-
fylvania.
Dr. Thomas Bond.
^Samuel Rhoads, Efq;
Treasurer. Mr. Philip Syng.

^William Smith, D. D. Provoft of
the College of Philadelphiao
Secretaries, i Mr. Charles Thomfon,

Thomas Mifflin.
George Roberts.
fBenjamin Rufh, M. D. ProfefTor of
J Chemifiry, College of Philadelphiac

wURATORS.

Vice-Presidents

Mr. Owen Biddle.
Ifaac Bartramo

Honorable

:X1V

HONORABLE William Allen, Efq; Chief
Juftice of Pennfylvania.
John Allen, Efq;
Andrew Allen, Efq;
James Alien, Efq;
Mr. James Alexander.
Francis Alifon, D. D. Vice-Provoft of the College

of Philadelphia.
Dr. James Anderfon of Maryland.
Mr. Arbo of Bethlehem, Pennfylvania.
Matthias Afpden. *

B
Samuel Bard, M. D. Profeffor of the Pradice of

Phyfic, King's College, New-York.
Thomas Barnlley, Efq; of Bucks County, Penn-
fylvania.
Rev. Thomas Barton, A. M. of Lancafler, Penn-
fylvania.
Mr. John Bartram, Botanill to the King ^ Acad,
Res:. Suec. Soc.
Mofes Bartram.
Willliam Bartram.
Paul Bedford, Efq; of Barbadoes.
Hon. Jonathan Belcher, Efq; Chief Juflice of No-
va Scotia.
Mr. John Benezet*

Dr. Charles Benfal, of Germantown, Philadelphia
County.

Mr.

• All thofc Membcrf, -whofc places of abode are not /pecified, arc of the City of
fhikddphia.

Mr. William Bettle.

Clement Biddle.
Edward Biddle, Efq; of Reading in Pennfylvania.
James Bicfei^- -Efq;
Phmeas B- ., M. D.
Mr. Thomas Bond.

Thomas Bradford, ,

Jofeph Bringhurft.
George Bryan, Efq;

C
Dr. Thomas Cadwalader.
Mr. John Cadwalader.

Lambert Cadwalader.
Samuel Caldwell.
Lionel Chalmers, M. D. of Charleftown, South-

Carolina.
Dr. John Chapman.
Benjamin Chew, Efq;
Dr. Gerardus Clarkfon.
Matthew Clarkfon, Efq;
Mr. Thomas Clifford.
Hon. Cadwalader Colden, Efq; Lieut. Governor

of New-York.
Thomas Coombe, Efq;

D
Rev.JamesDavidfon, A.M. Profeflbr of Languages

in the College of Philadelphia.
Mr. Benjamin Davis.
Rev. John Davis, A. M.

John Deas, Efq; of Charleflown, South-Carolina.
Dr. JohnDeNormandie,of Briflol, in Pennfylvania*
Mr. James Dickmfon.
John Dickinfon, Efq; Mr,

XVl

Mr. Henry Drinker.
• John Drinker.

Jacob Duchc, Efq;

Kev. Jacob Duche, A. M,

Mr. Edward Duffield.

Samuel Duffield, M. B.

Hon. Daniel Dulaney, Efq; of Maryland,

E.

Mr. Samuel Eldridge.

Samuel Elliot of Bofton.

Dr. Cadwalader Evans.

Rowland Evans, Efq; Philadelphia County.

Capt. Ofwald Eve.

Rev. John Ewing, A. M.

F.

Rev. Frederick Farmer.

Mr. Thomas Fifher.

Paul Fooks, Efq; ProfeflTor of the French and
Spanifh Languages, Coll, Philad.

Jofeph Fox, Efq;

John Foxcroft, Efq;

Thomas Foxcroft, Efq;

His Excellency William Franklin, Efq; Governor
of New-Jerfey.

G.

His Excellency General Gage, Commander in
Chief of his Majedy's Forces in North-America,

Benjamin Gale, M. D. of Connecticut.

Alexander Garden, M. D. of Charleilo wn, South-
Carolina.

Valentine Gardner, Efq; of New- York.

Sidney

Sidney George, Efq; of Maryland.
Mr. Thomas Gilpin.
George Glentworth, M. D. ■
Thomas Graeme, M. D.

H.
Jlon. James Hamilton, Efq;
Mr. David Hall.
Rev. Mr. Harding.
Dr. Robert Harris.

Mr. Jofeph Harnfon. ? ^^ New-England.

Peter Harrilon. S

William Henry of Lancafter, Pennfylvania,
Gilbert Hicks, Efq; Bucks County, Pennfylvania,
Michael Hillegas, Efq;

Mr. John Himili of Charleftown, South-Carolina.
Richard Hockley, Efq;
Henry Holiday, Efq; of Maryland,
Mr. Levi Holingfworth.

Edward Holyoke, LL.D. of Maflachufetts-Bayc
Hon. Stephen Hopkins, Efq; of Rhode-Illando
Mr. William Hopkins.
Francis Hopkinfon, Efq;
Jofhu^ How^ell, Efq;
Jofeph Hutchins, A. B. of Barbados.

I.
Mr. Benjamin Jacobs, Philadelphia County.
Abel James, Efq;

David Jamefon, Efq; M. D. of York, Pennfylvania.
Hon. Sir Wilham Johnfon, Bart, of Mount Johnfon,
• in the Province of New-York.
John Jones, M. D. of New- York,
Ifaac Jones, Efq;

c Robert

#

- f ,.,

XVUl

Robert Strettell Jones, A. M.

Ralph Izard, Efq; of Charles-Town, S. Carolina,

K.
Dr. John Kearfly.

Dr. John Kearfly, Jun. >/

Rev. Ebenezer Kinnerfley, A. M. ProfefTor of

Englifh and Oratory, Coll. Philadelphia.
John Kidd, Efq; / Bucks County, Penn-

Jofeph Kirkbride, Efq; S fylvania.
Adam Kuhn, M. D. Prof. Bot. & Mater. Med.

Coll. Philad.

L.

Lynford Lardner, Efq;

Arthur Lee, M. D.p r^r- •
T7 • r TTf c of Virginia.
Francis Lee, Elq; 3 ^

Thomas Livezey, Efq; Philadelphia County.

William Livingllon, Efq; of New-York.

William Logan, Efq;

Dr. John Lorimer of W^efl-Florida.

John Lukens, Efq; Surveyor-General of Penn>

fylvania.

M. «

Thomas Mc.Kean, Efq; of Newcaflle on Delaware.
Mr. Humphrey Marfliall of Chefler County, Penn-

fylvania.
Dr. Hugh Mercer of Frederickfburgh, Virginia.
Samuel Mifflin, Efq;
Mr. Samuel Miles.

Peter Miller of Ephrata, in Pennfylvania,
Dr. Mim of York, Pennfylvania.
Charles Moore, M. D.
Mr. George Morgan.

Joha

of Bethlehem in
Pennfylvania.

3UX

John Morgan, M.D. F.R. S. Prof. Theor. Sc Prad.

Phyfic, Coll. Philad.
John Morris, Efq;
Mr. John Murgatroyd.

' ' ' N.

Mr. Lewis Nicola of Northampton, Pennfylvania.

O.
Rev. Jonathan Odell, A. M. of Burlington, New-

Jerfey.
Mr. John Francis Oberlin,

John Okely,
Dr. Otto,
Hon. Andrew Oliver, Lieut. Gov. Maffachufetts

Bay. P.

Mr. Ifaac Pafchal.

Dr. John Pafchal of Derby, Pennfylvania,
Mr. Jofeph Pafchal.
Stephen Pafchal.
James Pearfon.
James Pemberton.
Ifrael Pemberton.
Mr. Edward Penington.
Richard Peters, D. D. Reftor of Chrifl Church and

St. Peters, Philadelphia. -

Edmund Phylick, Efq;

Mr. William Poole of Wilmington, Pennfylvania.
Mr. Chriilian Frederick Poll, of theMofquito Shore.
Mr. 7 homas Potts, of Philadelphia County.
Jonathan Potts, M. B. of Philadelphia County,
Samuel Powel, Efq;
Ebenezer Prime, M.D. of New- York.
Mr. Robert Proud.

■ Mr.

XX

Mr. Thoirias Pryor.

Samuel Purviance, Jun.

R.
Hon. Charles Read, Efq; of Burlingtofi, Ntw-Jerfe^,
John Redman, M. D.
Jofeph Reade, Efq;
Mr. John Reynell.

John Rhea.
Dr. Charles Ridgley of Dover, on Delaware,
David Rittenhoufe, A. M.
Mr. Hugh Roberts.
Mr. Samuel Robinfon.
John Rofs, Efq;
W'ilham Rumfey, Efq; of Maryland.

S.
Dr. Sandiford of Barbados.
John Morin Scot, Efq; of New-York.
Mr. William Scull of Reading, Pennfylvania.
John Sellers, Efq; of Cheller County, Pennfylvaniao

Edward Shippen, Efq; ofLancaller, Pennfylvania,

Edward Shippen, Jun. Efq;

Jofeph vShippen, Jun. Efq;

Di\ William Shippen.

William Shippen, Jun, M. D. Prof. Anat. Coll.
Philad.

Samuel Shoemaker, Efq;

Mr. Pierre Eugene du Simitiere.

Williams Smibert, M. D of Bofton.

Hon. Samuel Smith, Efq;

John Smith, Elq;

William Peartree Smith, Efq; New-Jerfey.

Dr. Ifaac Smith,

of the Province of

Right

Hon. William Smith, Efq; of New-York.
Jonathan Smith, A. M.
Mr. Robert Smith.

Thomas Smith.
Dr. Peter Sonmans.
Alexander Stedman, Efq;
Right Hon. William Earl of Stirhng, of Balkem

ridge, New-Jerfey.
Richard Stockton, Efq; of New-Jerfey.
Rev. Samuel Stillman A. M. of Boflon.
Ezra Styles, D. D. of Connedicut.
Capt. Jofeph Styles.

T.
James Tilghman, Efq;
Dr. John Tweedy of Newport, Rhode-Ifland.

W.
Nicholas Wain, Efq;
John Walker, Efq, of Virginia.
Hon. Afhton Warner, Efq; Phyhcian.]
Hon. Thomas Warner, Efq; | of Antigua,

Samuel Warner, Efqr. J

Stephen Watts, Efq;
Mr. James Webb of Lancafler, Pennfylvania.

Richard Wells of Burlington, New-Jerfey;
Rev. Mr. Samuel Weft of New-England.
Mr. William Vv^eft.
Ifaac Wharton.
Samuel Wharton.
Rev. Chauncey Whittlefey, of Conne6licut. .
Vv'illiam White, A M.
Alexander Wilcocks, Efq;
Hugh Williamfon, M. D.

Thomas

KXU

Thomas Willing, Efq;

James Wilfon, Efq; of Carlifle, Pennfylvanfa.

John Winthrop, Efq; F.R.S. Hollifian Prof. Math,

at Cambridge, in New-England.
John Witherfpoon, D. D. Prefident of the College

of New-Jerfey.
Mr. James Worral.
James Wright, Efq; of Lancafter County, Penn-

fylvania. V

Mr. Benjamin Wynkoop.

Omitted under Letter C.
Myles Cooper, L. L.D. Prefident of King's CalL

New-York.

EUROPEAN

MONSIEUR Buflfon of
Paris

Tecer Bergius, M. D. Prof.
Nat. Hilt. Stockholm.

John Martin Butt, M. D. of
Bath., Ejigland.

William Cullen, M. D. Prof.
Med. Univerfity of Edin-
burgh.

Sir Alexander Dick, M. D.
Bart, of Edinburgh.

Mr. Jeremiah Dixon, Lon-
don.

Mr. James Fergufon, F. R. S.
London.

JohnFothergill,M.D. F.R.S.
London.

Signor Famitz of Naples.

Dr. John Gill of Kin/ale, Ire-
land.

Mr. William Hevvfon, Praslec-
tor An at. London

Richard Huck,M.D. F.R.S.
%.ond<m.

MEMBERS.

John David Hahn, M.D. Prof.
Med. and Philof. Univer-
fity of Utrecht.

Hon. Ifaac Jamineau, Efq-,
Britifh Conful, Naples.

Sir Charles a Linne, M. D.
KnightofthePoiarSiar,FJrft
Phyfician toihcKingof^'w^-
Jf^jProf.Med&Bot. Upfal.

William Logan, M. D. London.

Mr. Charles Mafon, London.

Chriftian Magee, L. L. D. of
Heidelberg.

Mr. Edward Nairne, London.

Richard Penn, jun. Efq-, llon-
don.

Sir George Saville, Bart. Tork\
m England.

James Span, M D. Prof.
Mater. Med. Univerfity of
Dublin.

Mr. Benjamin Weft, London.

Charles Magnus W range),
D. D. of Sijueden.

CONTENTS

DESCRIPTION of an Orrery, executed on a nevj
plan. By D. Rittenhouse, A. M. Pao-e i

A

Calculation of the Tranfit of Venus over the Sun, as it is to hap-
pen June ^d ly^ g, in lat 40°. N. long, 5 h. Wefl from Green-
■ wich. By D. Rittenhouse, A. M. communicated June iifi

1768.

p. 4

Calculation of the fame for the city of Philadelphia. By Rev.
John Ewing, A. M. Coinmunicated June iifi^ 1768. p. r

An account of the Tranfit c/ Venus oi^er the Sun, June.od^
1769, as ohferved at Norriton, in Pennfyhania. By the
Committee appointed for that obfervation. Dra'wn up, and
commmicated^ in behalf of the Committee^ by Rev. William-
Smith, D. D. p^ g

An- account of the Transit of Venus over the Sun, June od,
lySg^andof the Tranftt of Merc- ry Nov. <^th, both asobferved
'" in the State- Houfe Square^ Philadelphia. By the Committee ap-
pointed for thofe obfervations. Draun up and communicated^ in
behalf of the- Committee^ by Rev.]omi Ewing, A. IvJ. p. 42

An account ef the Transit of Venus over the Sun., June od,

iy6g, as obferved near Crpe Henlopen, on BelawarL

By the Committee appointed for that obfervation. Drawn up

and communicated., in behalf of the Committee., by Mr. Owen

BiDDLE, p ^

XXlV

CONTENTS.

■An account of the Trnnfit sf Venus ^er the Sun, June 3^, 1-7%,
asobjerved at Providence^ Neiv England. Drawn up by Ben-
jamin West, ji- M. and tranfmitted to the bociety by
Mr Jcffpb Brown. p. 97

Obftrvations of the Tranftt af Venus and Edipfe of the Sun^
June o^d^ \'7^9-, «^^^^ ^^ the Royal Objervatory^ Greenwich.
By Rev. Nevil MAi^KELVNE, B.D. F.R.S. ««i Aftronomcr
Royal, '■'h-anfmitted by himfelf^ and communicatid to the Jme-
ricanPhilofcphical Society^bysNii^hiAU S^iT»y D.D. p. 105

Sofm account of the ^ranftt of Venus and Edipfe of the Sun, as
obferved at the Lizzard Point, June 3^, 1769. By Mr.
John Bradley. Extra^ed Jrorn a paper of the Jfironomer
Royal. P- 114

A^tter from Rev. Nevil Maskei-yn^, B. D. F. R S. Afiro-
ncmer Royal, to Rev, William Smith, D. D. Provoft of
the College of Philadelphia^ giving fome account of the Hudicn's
Bay and other Northern obfervations of the Tranjit of Venus ^
June o^d-, 1769. Appendix to Aftron. ±*apers, p. i

An account of theterreflrial meafurement between the o^fervatories
of KoRRiTON and Philadelphia ; '^vith the differ nee
of longitude nud latitude thence deduced. By William
Smith, D. D. Append, p. 5

Apparent time of the Contacts of the limbs of the Sun and
Venus ; with other circumfiances of moft note., in the different
European obfervations of the Tranfit., June 3^, 1769.

Append, p. 12

An improvement in the conjlru^icn of Godfrey'' s {commonly called
Hadlefs) ^ladrant. By i^^i;. John Ewing, A. M.

Append, p. 21

An effay on Comets, and an account of their luminous appear-
ance ; together with fome conjectures concerning the origin of
Heat. By Hugh Williamson, M.D. Append, p. 27

A Letter

C O N T E N T- S. XXV

Ohferz'ations on the Comet of June and July^ '770 i '^ith the
Elements of its Motion^ and the Trajectory of its Path^ in two
Letters^ fro7n David Rittenhouse A. M. to William
Smith, Z). D. Prov oft Coll. Philud. Aj.pend. p. 2,1

An Account of the fame Comet, in a Letter frcm the Right
//^«. William, Earl of Stirling, to William Smiih,
D, D. Provojl Coll. Philad. Append, p. 45

An eafy Method of deducing the Time 0^ the Suns pafjing the Me^
ridian per Clocks without the help of the Equation tables ^ by

■^ equal Altitudes taken on tivofucceeding Days. By David Rit-
tenhouse, A. M. Communicated by William Smith,
D. D. Provoft Coll. Philad. Append, p. 47

An Account of the Tranfit of Mercury over the Sun, Nov. C)th^
as obferved at NoRKiTONy in Pennfyhania; by the Comtnittee
appointed for that Obfervation. Drawn up and communicated.,
by DireElion and in Behalf of the Committee^ by William
Smith, D. D, Provoft Coll. Philad. Append, p. 50

The Sun'j Parallax deduced from a Comparifon of the Norri-
ton Obfervations of the Tranfit of Venus., 1709; with the
Greenwich and other ¥-.u\-o^t2in Obfavaticns of the fame.
By William Smith, D. D. Provoft Cell. Philad.

Append, p. 54

Meteorological Obfervations. Append, p. 69

CONTENTS 0/ Sect. II.

An Effay on the Cultivation of the Vine., and the making and pre^
ferving of IVijie, fuited to the different Climates in Noith-
America. By the Hon. * Edward An till, Efqr. Com-
municated by Mr. Charles Thomson. p. 117

d The

* iMr. Antill was one of his Majefty's Council for the Province of New-Terfey, and
a worthy Member of the Amerkin Philjfophical Society ; but he died before thic public?.-
cation of the Lift prefixed to this Volume,

XXVI

C ' O N T E N T S.

^he Method of curing Figs •, and ohf.rvations on the raijing and'
drejfing of Wy.u9. By Hon. Edward Antill, £/^r. p. 198

Obfervaticns concerning the Fly- We evil, that dsfiroys the
Wheat-, with fome ufeful Difcoveries and Concluftons., con~.
cerning the Propagation and Progrefs of that pernicious InfeSiy.
and the Methods to he ufed for preventing the dejirucfion of the
Grain by it. By Colonel Land on Carter, cf Sabine Hall\
Virginia •, communicated by Colonel LjEE, of Virginia. p. 205

Obfervations on the fame Subjecl -, by the Committee of Huf-
bandry, ^c. p. 2 1 8

Obfervations on the 'Native Silk Worms, of North- America •,
by Mr. Moses Bartram, p. 224

A Memoir on the Dijlillation of Persimons. By Mr. Isaac
Bartram. p. 231

Account of an Oil made from the Seeds of the Sun -Flower.
By Dr. Otto, of Bethlehem. Communicated by Dr. Thomas
Bond. p. 234

An Effay on the exprejfing of Oil from the Sun-FlOwer-Seed.
By John Morgan, M.D. p. 235

A Letter on the Expreff/ng of a fine Oil from Bene Seed. By
Mr. John Morel, of Georgia. Communicated by Mr.
Charles Thomson. p. 239

The Method of deflroying wild Garlic; by Mr. Henry
Hollingsworth, c/ Elk-Ridge. p. 241

A Method of f referring Peafe from the IVorms. By Mr. Peter
Miller, of Ephratah. Ccmmuniccted by Mr. Charles
Thomson. p. 243

An

CONTENT S.;j xxvU

Ah tafy Method of preferving SubjeSs in Spirits. By Mr.
Lewis Nicola. p. 244

A Letter from Bethlehem^ on making Currant Wine. p. 246

A Letter from Dr. ^ orimer, of PFe/i-Florida., to Hugh Wil-
liamson, M D CO -t dining fome Remarks on the Climate^
vegetable Prodii^ionsy ^c. p. 250

A Catalogue of fuch foreign Plants as are worthy of being en-
couraged in the American Colonies^ for the Purpofes of Medi^
cin'. Agriculture, andX^ommerce. p. 255

Dire^ions for putting up See.-s and Plants, fo as to preferve them
in a Jlate of Vegetation^ for being tranfported to dijiant coun-
tries, p. 266

An Attempt to account for the Change of Climate^ which has beejz
obfervedin the Middle Colonies, in North-America. By Hugh
Williamson, M. Dt p. 272

CONTENT S of Sect. III.

An Account of the Eruption of Mount Vefuvius, in 1767 j in a
Letter from a Englijh Gentleman refiding at Naples, to John
Morgan, M. D. Prof. Med. Coll. Philad. p. 281

A Defcriptionof a Self-moving or Sentinel Register-, in-
vented by Mr. William Henry, of Lancafier, in PennfyU
vania. p. 289

An Account of a Machine for pumping Veffels at Sea without the
Labor of Men. By Mr. Richard Wells, p. 280

d ^ Jin

xxvni CONTENTS.

An Ahfira^ of fun dry Papers and Propofah for improving the In-
land Navigation cf Pennfylvania and Mary lav dy by opening a
Communication betzveen the lide-waters of Delaware and Chefo-
peake Bay, illujlrated wi4h a Map, i^c. p, 293

A Defcription of a Machine for cutting Files. p. 300

CONTENTS of Sect. IV.

An Analyfis of the Chalybeate Waters of Briflol, in Pennfylvania -,
in tvjo Leners from Dr John De Normandie of Brificl^ to
Dr. Thomas Y^oud of Philadelphia^ V. P. of the American
Philof Society. V- 3^3

Remarkable Cafe cf a Tetanos and Locked Jaw a red by
amazing ^lantities of Opium; by Dr. Archibald Gloster
of Antigua \ communicated by John Morgan, M. D. Prof,
Pljyfick, Cell. Philad. p. 315

An Account cf the Effe^s of the Str ammonium, or Thorn Ap-
ple. By Benjamin Rush, M. D. Prof. Chem. Coll. Philad.

P- 3>8

An Enquiry into the Nature, Caufe and Cure of the Angina Suf-
focativa, or Sore Throat Di/lemper; by Samuel Bard,
M. D. Prof. Phyftc, Kmg's Coll. Neiv-2''crk; communicated by
John Morgan, M. D. Prof. Phyf. Cell. Philad. p. 322

An Account cf an Aurora Borealis, ffom a Correfpondent at Lan-
cafler, in Pennfylvania, p. 338

An Account of a Plorizontal Wind-mill, by Mr. Thomas Gil-
pin, p. '^'X^

An Account of a new Species of Grnpe Vines, by Mr. John
Jones, at Indian kiver, fVorcefitr County, Maryland, p. 340

.<*'

.■!>^

^*l ^ >:< ^ >i^ I

H t }3(i .»: ;«; i >: :<$( i !&: ;?si; i >:< t
i, I :sc u 0. y^ \ sk

P R E F A C E.

^^f^t N O W L E D G E is of little ulb,
vA.j„ ' ' 4..>> when coniined to mere Ipecula-
Xi" , . tX tion : But when fpeculative truths
^XXXXV are reduced to pradice, when
theories, grounded upon experiments, are
appHed to the common purpofes of hfe ;
and when, by thefe, agriculture is improved,
trade enlarged, the arts of living made more
eafy and comfortable, and, of courfe, the
increafe and happinefs of mankind pro-
moted ; knowledge then becomes really
ufeful. That this Society, therefore, may,
in fome degree, anfwer the ends of its in-
ftitution, the members propofe to confine
their difquifitions, principally, to fuch fub-
je6ls as tend to the improvement of their
country, and advancement of its intereft
and profperity.

b The.

11

PREFACE.

The traft of country now pofleflfed by the
Englifk in North- America is large and very ex-
tenfive ; the foil and climate various ; and,
lying between the 25th and 55th degrees of
north latitude, is not only fubject to the
gradations from extreme heat to extreme
cold, but feems capable of fupplying almoft
all the produftions of the earth. It is wa-
tered with plentiful flreams, accommodated
with creeks, bays and havens, and inter-
fered by rivers, which run far into the
country, and not only open an eafy com-
munication with the ocean, but, by inter-
locking with each other, afford an inland
navisration of fome thoufand miles, that
with no great expence might be rendered
iliU more extenfive.

By the induflry of it's inhabitants, the
land in many places is cleared of its wood,
reduced to arable and pafture ground, and
rendered fit to receive thofe fruits, trees,
plants and grain, which are proper to every
foil.— The Indians who were natives of this
country, and whofe employments v/ere hunt-
ing and fifliing, paid little regard to huf-
bandry, or the cultivation of the land. To
trade and commerce they were ftrangers.
Elegance of living they defpifed. They de-
pended

PREFACE.

Ill

pended on the bow, and were content if,
with the fortune of the chafe, the fpon-
taneous fruits of the foreft, the fifh which
they caught, and a Httle Indian corn which
their women and children raifed, they could
fupport life. Hence it was that, upon the
firil difcovery of America by the Europeans,
Indian corn was the only grain found here.

The fruits, trees, plants and grain, in-
troduced by the new inhabitants, are moflly
fuch as were cultivated in European countries,
from whence thefe inhabitants came. But
the foil and climate of thefe countries being
different from that of Europe, no wonder if
many of them do not fuceeed here as well
as in Europe.

If we may trufb to the report of travel-
lers, [a) this country, in the fame degree of
latitude, very nearly refembles China, or
the tra6l of land that forms the eaftern fide
o^ Afia, in foil, climate, temperature of the
air, winds, weather, and many natural pro-
du(jl:ions. And the fame refemblance is re-
markable between the weflern fide of the
old world and the weftern fide of our con-

(fl) Bell'j Trwuels into China. Du Halde'j Hijlory of China,
Koempfer'j Hijicry of Japan.

b 2 tinent:

iv PREFACE.

tinent ; (b) whereas the eaflern and weflern
fides of the fame continent differ greatly.

From the latefl and beft accounts, (<:) we
find that Kamtfchatka, and the coaft to the
north of it, are, in almoft every refpeft,
fimilar to Labrador in America ; but very dif-
ferent from thofe parts of Europe which are
comprehended within the fame degrees ot
latitude.

Philadelphia hes in the 40th degree of north
latitude, the very fame as Pekui in China, and
nearly the fame with Madrid in Spain, and
that part of California, of which Sir Francis
Brake took poffellion. In Philadelphia and
Pekin, which lie on the fame fides of the
two continents, namely, the eaftern, the
winters are cold, and the fummers are
very warm. The fame winds, in both places,
produce the fame effefts. Thus, in both,
the northweft winds are cold and piercing ;
the fouthwefl warm and dry ; the northeail
cold and wet ; the foutheait wet but warm.
Befides, the general winds that prevail are
the nortLweh in winter, and fouthwcll in

(.5) l^alural and Ci'vil Hijicry of California.
. (f) Maller'j Voyagts from h'Ai. /r /uncrica-

fum-

PREFACE. V

fummer. But the cafe is different in Madrid
and California, though thefe places agree with
each other in almoll every circumftance.

This refemblance is manifeft not only in
the weather and climate, but is alfo remark-
able in the foil and natural produce. To-
bacco, Phytolacca, (or Poke) the Perfmimoa
tree, the Mulberry tree, with feveral others,
are natives of China; they are alfo the natives
of this part of America. Ginfeng is gathered
to the weftward of Pekin, and, as far as we
knov/, has not been found in any other part
of the world, except within the fame degrees
of latitude in America. Thefe obfervations
give' grounds to hope that,if proper enquiries
were made, many more of the native plants
of China, and, very poITibly, the Tea, fo
much in ufe amongil us, and now become
fo neceffary a part of our diet, might bo
found in America-.

Who knows whether the Arrack tree, of
which we read, may not be the fame as
the American Cocoa ; or as our Sugar Maple,
which, for many years fucceflively, will yield
a large quantity of rich, Iweet fap, from
whence a fine fpirit may be dilliled ? It
might be worth inquiring, whether the Cot-
ton ,

VI

PREFACE.

ton o£ Virginia, which is different from that
raifed in our iflands, is not the fame as that
of which the Ckinefe make their fine Cahcoes
and Muflins ; whether the Indian Hemp of
America, or more probably, the Silk grafs
found in Virginia, is not the fame as the
Chinefe Herba ; and whether the Silk, ga-
thered from the trees in China, of which
poets and travellers have told marvellous
llories, is any thing more than the Cocoons,
which, in many places, are to be found in
great plenty, on our trees and bufaes.

The Silk of China feems to be of different
forts ; that of which their Bandanoes and
coarfe Silks are made, is llrong and harlh ;
that which they work up into their fine Da-
mafks is foft, but of a weaker thread. Hence
it is probable, that they have different fpecies
of Silkworms. In this part of America, diffe-
rent kinds of Silkworms are found upon
different trees and fhrubs ; the Cocoons of
fome of them, particularly tiiofe that feed
on the Salfafras, are larger, and the Silk
they produce, though not fo fine, is much
fironger than that of the Italia,n Silkworm
that feeds on the Mulberry. Is there not
reafbn then to believe that, if experiments
were made with our own Silkworms, and

fuch

PREFACE. vii

fuch as are moll ufeful were propagated,
this country might, in a few years, pro*
duce plenty of Silk ?

Such of the plants of China as have been
introduced here, feem to agree with our
foil and climate, and to thrive in a degree
equal to our warmefl expeftations ; witnefs
the Rice, the Whifk and the Ckinefe Vetch.
Thefe may encourage us to try others.
From the trials made in our iflands of the
Sugar-cane, Coffee, Ginger, &c. there is rea-
fon to hope, that the fpices of the Eajl-
Indies may be propagated and cultivated
there.

Thus by introducing the produce of thofe
countries, which lie on the eaft fide of the
old world, and particularly thofe of China,
this country may be improved beyond what
heretofore might have been expefted. And
could we be fo fortunate as to introduce the
mduftry of the Chineje, their arts of living
and improvements in hufbandry, as well as
their native plants, America might in time
become as populous as China, which is al-
lowed to contain more inhabitants than any
other country, of the fame extent, m. the
world.

We

viii PREFACE.

We have many trees, plants, roots and
herbs, to the medical virtues and ufes of
which v/e are fhrangers. The fruit of our
Perfimmon-tree has been ufcd, to good pur-
pofe, in brewing beer; but it was not known
before the experiment made, by order of
this fociety, lafl winter, that one bufhel of
this fruit will yield above a gallon of proof
fpirit, of an excellent tafle and flavour. To
what ufes in pharmacy the gum, the bark
and roots of this tree, which is fo very aftrin-
gent, may be applied, is unknown. The
virtues of die Magnolia and Spicewood are
not fufficiently afcertained, though they have
been ufed, and found to be excellent re-
medies in fome diforders. There is a tree
called the Zanthoxilum, that grows in Mary-
landj Virginia, and both the Carolinas, the
bark of which is of fuch a particular quality,
that the fmalleft bit of it, on being chev/ed,
ftimubtes the glands of the mouth and
tongue, and caufes a flow of faliva equal
to that of a flight falivation, wliile its action
continues.. No rational experiments have
yet been made to hnd out its virtues and
ufes. A number of other trees might be
mentioned, fuch as the Saffafras, the wild
Cinnamon, the Magnolia AltiiUma; the fra--
grant fmell ar.d aromatic tallc of vvhieh

pro^'e

PREFACE,

IX

prove that they have medicinal quahties,
though their ufes are not fully known. The
Sumach likewife deferves examination. Its
feed or berries, if not the wood itfelf, might
be ufed in dying. The Indians mix its leaves
with their Tobacco, and thereby render it
more aromatic and agreeable in fmoking.
There is a fpecies of it which yields a gum
that nearly, if not exaftly, refembles the
Gum Copal. Indeed, there is reafon to
believe it is the very fame.

Our Wines and Raifins are imported from
foreign countries ; while nature points out,
that there cannot be a country more proper
than this is for producing the grape. Be-
fore our lands were cleared, and fo many
of the Grape- Vines extirpated, foreigners,
who vifited this country, could not help ob-=
ferving and admiring the quantity that, like
native vineyards, prefented themfelves to
their view. And even now our hills, vales
and level land abound with them. They
grow in every foil, are fuited to every cli-
mate, and without cultivation, pour forth
their fruits in abundance ; many of them
rich and lufcious to the tafte. It is not a
little furpnfmg, therefore, that the culture
of the Grape was not amonsf the fird of our
improvements. Confide ring the great variety

G of

X PREFACE.

of Vines we have on this continent, it is not
to be doubted that, with a httle care and
induftry, America might produce Wine fuffi-
^ient, not only for home confumption, but
even for exportation ; and, coniidering the
richnefs of many of our Grapes, in their
prefent wild, uncultivated ftate, and the
improvement they muit receive from cul-
ture, there is reafon to hope that, in time,
our Wine may be much efteemed.

It would be endlefs to recount all our
plants, roots and herbs ; many of which,
though now neglefted, might, with a little
care and attention, become articles of com-
merce, and be of great ufe to our country.
It is found from experience that Flaxfeed,
by reafon of the drought and fcorching fun
in May and June, does not grow well, and
Hemp requires fo rich a foil, that few pieces
of ground will produce it. There is a plant,
a native of this country, which grows in
many places, but delights more particularly
m light fandy foils, known commonly by
the name of Indian Hemp. Its bark is fo
flrong, that the Indians make ufe of it for
bow-firings. Could we but find a method
of feparating and foftening its fibres, fo as
to render it fit to be fpun into fine thread,
it midit ferve as a fubfiitute for Flax and

Hemp,

PREFACE.

3U

Hemp. This plant deferves to be cultivated
on another account. The pod it bears con-
tains a fubftance that, from its foftnefs and
clafticity, might be ufed inflead of the fined
Down. Its culture is eafy, inafmuch as its
root, which penetrates deep into the earth,
furvives the winter, and (hoots out frefh
flalks every fpring. Five or fix years after
being fown, it is in its greateft perfeftion.
With the roots of plants, unknown to white
people, the Indians ftain wood, hair and
fkins of a beautiful colour, that prcferves
its luftre for years, though expofed to the
weather. With the juice of herbs they re-
lieve many difeafes, heal wounds, and cure
the bite of the moil venomous fnakes. A
perfe6l knowledge of thefe fimples, and of
many others, with which our country abounds,
might be of great ufe to mankind.

The bowels of our earth are but little ex-
plored, notwithftanding the encouragement
Teceived from the experiments that have
already been made. There is a great variety
of Clays, many of them valuable. Of fome,
good crucibles have been made, and fire
bricks, equal to any in the world. Others
have anfwered fo well in burning, as to in-
duce one to hope that, in time, a porce-
lain, equal to that brought from China^ may

c 2 , be

•aril P R E F A G E.

be made here. Near Newcaff.U on Delawarei
a clay is found, which, ufed as a paint, re-
tains its colour for years, even when ex^
pofed to the weather,^ without any mixture
of oil. In many places is found a kind of
earth, which has been ufed inllead of Span-
i/Ii brown, and anfwered the end. In other
places there is an ochre, which dyes a wainf-
cot colour. May not fome of thefe clays
have medicinal qualities ? About eighteen
miles from this city, on the banks of Ne/Iia-
meriy, is a large bed of black lead. The
lands to the fouthward are fo replete with
nitre, or fp favourable for producing it,
that, in fundry places, it appears like a,
hoar-froft, on the furface of the ground,.
We are informed that a gentleman in Vir~
ginia made a large quantity of faltpetre from
the fweepings of his tobacco -houfe, for
which he received a medal from the Socie-
ty of Arts : And, to evince the importance
of this difcovery, the fame gentleman aiTerts
that, from the floor of a tobacco-houfe, fix-
ty by forty feet, may be collected, by a ve-
ry fimple procefs, iixteen hundred weight,
of Nitre in a year. Nay, it is faid there
are, if the exprcflion may be allowed, mines
of Saknetre in the mountains.

Gf

P R E F A C E, xiii '

Of ores and minerals America ^produces
variety, as well as plenty ; iron, copper
and lead are found in many places. Some
famples of tin, antimony and bifmuth ores
have been lately difcovered, and other mi-
nerals, the nature and properties of which
are not fufficiently afcertained.

It would be worthy of every perfon,
therefore, who wifhes to improve his coun-
try, and advance its intereft, to try whe-
ther he cannot find at home, or introduce
from abroad, new fpecies of plants, trees,
fruits, grain, &c. fuitable to our own foil
and climate, for the fupport and ornament
of life, and for articles of trade and com-
merce. Each one according to his oppor-
tunities and ability, fhould cxulore the vir-
tues of our native plants. Sec. and fearch
out the treafures which nature has conceal-
ed in the bowels of the earih.

Such difcoveries v/ill not only be a bene-
fit to ourfelves, but they v/iU render us
more ufefiil to our Mother Country. They
will give full fcope to our induliry, without
exciting herjealoufy, or interfering in the
le ail: with her manufaclories ; they will en-
large and give ftability to her commerce,
^or, if by thefe means, the continental co-

loiiies

xiv PREFACE.

fonfes can fupply her with the rarities of
China, and her iflands can furnifh the rich
fpices of the Eajl-Indies, her merchants will
no longer be obhged, in order to obtain
thefe, to traverfe three quarters of the globe,
encounter the difficulties of fo tedious a
voyage, and, after all, fubmit to the info-
lence, or exorbitant demands of foreigners.

Already has Britain experienced the ad-
vantage of her colonies furnifhing thofe ar-
ticles, with which (he ufed to be fupplied by
foreign nations. In the infancy of the colo-
nies, and before they were fettled, fhe de-
pended on Sweden and Ruffia for naval ftores.
Thefe nations, imagining that fhe could not
procure them elfewhere, and refolving to
increafe their gain, entered into a combin-
ation to raife the price : And had not her
colonies furnifhed thefe articles, fhe mufl
have given up the empire of the fea, or fub-
mitted to their arbitrary impofitions.

But to accomplifh thefe defirable ends, it
is efleemed neceffary, and propofed, that
Men of Learning and Enquiry fhould turn
their thoughts and attention to thefe fub-
jeds. The bulk of mankmd follow a beaten
track. They feldom turn their thoughts to
experiments, and fcarcely ever adopt a new

meafure

PREFACE. XV

meafure, until they are well affured of fuc-
cefs and advantage from it, or are fet upon
it by thofe, who have weight and influence
with them.

That this Society may, a« far as in their
power, contribute to the carrying fuch a
Plan into execution, it is propofed to make
it a principal part of their bufinefs to in-
quire, and try to find out, what our coun-
try is capable of producing ; what improve-
ments may be made in agriculture, farming,
gardening. Sec. The befl methods of manu-
ring land, of relloring foils, that are worn
out, and of protecling and guarding our
fruits, trees, plants, and grains, from worms,
infefts, and blalls ; how to improve the breed
of ufeful animals, and introduce other fpe-
cies from foreign countries ; how to pre-
ferve our timber for (hip-building and other
purpofes, and to increafe the mod valua-
ble forts, the bed time for felfing and the
belt method of feafoning it ; what are the
virtues and ufes of the many plants, &c.
which thiscountry produces ; what exotics
or medicinal plants may be introduced, and
the bed method of propagating the mod
ufeful of them ; what new vegetable juices
may be difcovered, and the bed way of
^managing them ; what improvements may

. be-

XVI

PREFACE.

i)e made in the art of fermentation, making
of wine, cyder, vinegar, &c. the cheapefl
and bed methods of making highv/ays,
caufeways, and bridges, joining of rivers,
ajid increafing our inland navigation.

But it is not propofed to confine the views
of the Society, w^holly, to. thefe things, fo
as to exclude other ufeful fubjefts, either in
phyfics, mechanics, aflronomy. mathema-
tics, &c.

The means of conveying knowledge are
now become eafy. Printing Houfes are ereft-
ed in all the principal towns on the conti-
nent, and regular pods eftabliflied to carry
letters and papers from one to another.
Philadelphia, (the place where this Society
meets) hath, by its central fituation, not on-
ly a ready communication by land, with our
Continental-Colonies ; but likewife with our
Illands, by veflels employed in carrying on
our trade. Belides, hmts thrown out in our
public circulating papers are not loll, as
in this country, almoil every man is fond
of reading, and feems to have a third for
knowledge.

The Society arc very fenfible how une-
qual they are to the talk of carrying mto
execution a plan of fo extenfive a nature.

But

PREFACE.

xvn^

But they hope the ufefulnefs of it will pro-
cure them the countenance and affiftance of
every man who wiflies well to his country.

There are many gentlemen in different
parts of the country, whom Providence
hath bleffed with Affluence, and whofe un-
dei'fhanding is improved by a liberal edu-
cation. From fuch the Society promife them-
felves great affiftance, as their fortunes ena-
ble them to make experiments, which men
of narrow circumftances would not dare to.
attempt. The farmers employed in culti-
vating the lands are intelligent and fenfible,
capable of obfervation, and of making many
ufeful experiments. From thefe we fhall
thankfully receive every hint and praftical
obfervation, relative to the improvement of
their farms, the culture of trees and grain,
the raifmg of ftock, &c. As among our
mechanics many are expert and ingenious^
the Society hope to be favoured with any
new inventions and difcoveries they fliall
make ; and as many of our young men^
who have turned their thoughts to philofo-
phical fubjeds, have difcovered fuch a de-
gree of judgment and genius, as will enable
them to carry their refearches far into na-
ture, their fentiments on fuch fubjefts, as

d they

X-VIU

PREFACE.

they fliall be pleafed to communicate to us^
fhali be received wifeh thankfulnefs. For,
befides the other advantages that may re-
dound from an inftitution of this fort, it
may have a tendency to infpirc our youth
with a love of knowledge, to draw them
gently from fcenes of diffipation, and to
animate them with a laudable defire of dif-
tinguifhing themfelves by improvements in
arts and fciences, and by ufeful difcoveries
that may do honour to themfelves, and pro-
mote the intereft of their country.

Every fpecimen of what is curious or
trainable in forming a cabinet, or colle6lion
of foffil, vegetable or animal fubftances, that
may enlarge thebounds of natural hiftory in
general, and of this part of the world in par-
ticular, will be elleemed agreeable prefents,
and grateful acknov/ledgments will be made
to the refpeclive donors.

The Society propofe, as foon as their
Stock will enable them, to reward with fuit-
able premuims every perfon who fhall make
any valuable improvement, invention or dif-
covery, in any of the fubjefts before men-
tioned. They will always be ready to in-
corporate, as members, thofe who deferve

well

P R E F A C E. xix

well of their country. In fhort, the chief
merit the Society mean to claim to them-
felves is only that of encouraging and df-
re8:ing inquiries and experiments, of receiv-
ing, collecting and digefting difcoveries, in-
ventions and improvements, of communi-
cating them to the public, and diftinguifhing
the authors ; and of thus uniting the labours
of many, to attain one end, namely, the
advancement of ufeful knowledge and im^
provenient of our country.

4K>

'4f

a

Cajnc

/

?^* il^"i *^ 4*?^*}*

^ p? ,^%. :^^^

-5k

TRANSACTIONS

OF THE

American Philosophical Society, ^c.

Sect. I.
Mathematical and, Astronomical Papers.

A defcription of a new Orrery, -planned^ and now nearly
finijhed^ by David Rittenhoufe, A. M. of Norriton, in the
county of Philadelphia, Communicated by Dr, Smith.

M^ilA^M)^ his machine is intended to have three facesy
^|n*,^"^|r (landing perpendicular to the horizon : That in
^S: T =^Sr the front to be four feet fquare, made of fheet
jjWjj^Wj^^ brafs, curioufiy polifhed, filvered and painted in
"^^^^"^jaf proper places, and otherwife ornamented. From
the center ariles an axis, to fupport a gilded brafs ball, in-
tended to reprefent the fun. Round this ball move others,
made of brafs or ivory, to reprefent the j)/(2;2(?/j- : They are to
move in elliptical orbits, having the central ball in one focus -,
and their motions to be fom,etimes fwifter, and fometimes
flower, as nearly according to the true law of an equable de-
fcription of areas as is poflible, without too great a complica-
tion of wheel-work. The orbit ot each planet is likewife to be

A properly

PLATE, 1

^* 1^1 *:?^ <*j^*>

¥'

' ffy>k

TRANSACTIONS

OF THE

American Philosophical Society, &c.

S E C T. I.

Mathematical and Astronomical Papers.

A defcription of a new Orrery, planned^ and now nearly
Jmijhed, by David Rittenhoufe, A. M. of Norriton, in the
county of Philadelphia. Communicated by Dr. Smith.

^k,J^k.Jfi^k. HIS machine is intended to have three faces ^
"^f^"^^"^^ ftanding perpendicular to the horizon : That in
^^^ T =||S= the front to be four feet fquare, made of fheet
^Wjt^^jj^W brafs, curiouHy polifhed, filvered and painted in
~S?jtr"5S^^l;^jor proper places, and otherwife ornamented. From
the center arifes an axis, to fupport a gilded brafs ball, in-
tended to reprefent the fun. Round this ball move others,
made of brafs or ivory, to reprefent the />/(2«^/j- : They are to
move in elliptical orbits, having the central ball in one focus ;
and their motions to be fom.etimes fwifter, and fometimes
flower, as nearly according to the true law of an equable de-
fcription of areas as is pofllble, without too great a complica-
tion of wheel-v/'ork. The orbit ot each planet is likewife to be

A properly

[ 2 ]

properly inclined to thofe of the others ; and their ApheUa
and ISlodes juftly placed ; and their velocities lb accurately ad-
jufted, as not to differ fenfibly from the tables of altrononiy in
fome thoufands of years.

For the greater beauty of the inftrument, the balls repre-
fentlng the planets,, are to be of a confiderable bignefs ; but
fo contrived, that they may be taken off at pleafure, and
others, much fmaller,' and fitter for fome purpofes, put in
their places.

When the machine is put in m.otion, by the turning of z:
winch, there are three indexes, which point out the hour of
the day, the day of the month, and the year, (according to the
Julian account^ anfwering to that fituation of the heavenly
bodies which it then reprefented -, and fo continually, for a.'
period of 5000 years, either torward or backward.

Tn order to know the true fituation of a planet, at any par*
ticular time, the fmall fett of balls are to be put each on its
refpedlive axis, then the winch to be turned round 'till each
index points to the given time •, then a fmall 1'elefcope, made
for the purpofe, is to be applied to the central ball, and di-
rcding it to the planet, its longitude and inclination will be
feen on a large brafs circle, filvered, and properly graduated,
reprefenting the Z(5i^/^f, and having a motion of one degree in
72 years, agreeable to the precefTion of the Equinoxes: So
likewife by applying the telefcope to the ball reprefenting the
Earthy and direifting it to any planet, then will both the lon-
gitude and latitude of that planet be pointed out (by an index,
and graduated circle) as feen from the earth.

The two lefTer F^^(?j are four feet in heighth, and 2 feet
finches in breadth: One of them reprefents and exhibits
all the appearances of Jupiter, and his fatellites, their eclip-
fes, tranfits and inclinations : Likewife all the appearances
of Satttrn, with his ring and fatellites. And the other repre-
fents all the phasnomena of the Moon, particularly the exa6t
;'.me, quantity, and duratiion of her eclipfes, and thofe of the

Sutty

i: 3 ]

SuHy occafioned by her interpofition ; with a moft curious con,
trivancc for exhibiting the appearance of a Solar Eclipfe at any
particular place on the earth : Likewife the true place of the
Moon in the figns, with her la'.itude, and the place of htr
Apogee 2iX\di Nodes ^ the 5'««'s declination, equation of time, &C,
It muft be underftood tha^ all thefe motions are to correfpond
exaflly with the celeftial motions, and not to differ fome De-
grees from the truth, as is common in orreries.

The wholemav be adjufted to, and kept in motion by, a
flrong Pendulum Clocks neverthelefs, at liberty to be turned by
the winch, and adjufted to any time, paft or future.

N. B. The above machine is to be fupported by a mahoga-
ny cafe, adorned with foliage, and fome of the beft enrich-
ments of fculpture. The part containing the mechanical
aftronomy of the Moon^ has been fometime finifhed, and is
found perfetflly to anfwer, by many trials already made of it.
The remainder of the work, is now almoft compleated. The
clock part of it may be contrived to play a great variety of
Mujic,

T'h(

[ 4 ]

^he following CALCULATIONS and PROJECTIONS of
the Tranfit of Venus w^r^" laid before the Society agreeable to
their Dates, and claim a Place here, as it may be of ufe, in va-
rious Refpe5ls, to compare them with the aflual Obfervations of
the Tranfit, afterwards made in this Province ; and from thence
to coUeof the Differences between Computation and Obfervation^ ,
together wit j the Caufes of thofe Differences.

PROJECTION of the enfuing Transit of VENUS o'ver the SUN, 'which, is
to happen ]\inQ 3d, 1769. Bj David Rittenhoufe, J. M.

Elements from Halley'/ Tables, for Lat. 40" N. ^, Long. 75 W. from .

Greenwich.

Communicated ly Revd. i>r. Smith, June 21, 176^

■in(i(^, June 3d, at 3 h.P.MSun'splace, z*' 13". 21'. 37"

Heliocentric place of $ in ediptic, 8. 13. 18. 11 Lat. ? N. 4' 29'

© « ¥ 3' 26"

At 8 Hours P. M. Sun's Place, -J- 13°. 33' 35"

Place of Venus 8. 13. 38 .2 Lat. ?N. 3' 18"

? « Q 4. 27

Ijon, Q a Q 5.006568 Diftance 101523S5

Log. ? fl O 4.861095 Did. 7262652

Log. $ « 0 4.460858 Dift. 2^Sgy}^

DifF. Log. .400237 .

Apparent Semidiameter of O 15'- S^'^^^S » 85

Apparent Semidiameter of $ - - o', 5719

Diminifli'd * Semidiam. of © 6,3061: 7 ■ t, • c ^ . m
TA- • -j-u.j c -J- r- ^ ^ M" Ratio of 7262 to 2880

Diminimd Semidiam, of 9 0,2276^ ' ^

Beginning of the Tranfit, 2h. 1 6'
End 8. 50

But fuppofing the Sun's Horizontal Parallax but 8 Seconds, then for the.
above Lat. and Lon.

Firfl External Contadl will be at 2h. i imin.

* The Diameters ivere diminifhed to anfaver the Scale to nxjhich the Latitude of
FiMUi was fei off in the Projection.

See the Projeaion j Plate^ L

Th

[ 5 3

^he following Paper hy the Revd. Mr. Ewing, was alfo com-
municaied, June 21, 1768.

Gentlemen,

AS you have taken under confideration, the propofal which
I made to you the 19th of April laft, of obferving the
enfuing Tranfit of Venus over the Difl^ of the Sun, which will
be on the 3d of June, 1769 •, permit me to lay before you a
projeftion of the Tranfit, as feen from Philadelphia, together
with the elements of the projedion, deduced from as accu-
rate a calculation as I could make from Dr. Halley's tables.
I find from the obfervations made on the lad Tranfit in June,
1761, that the mean motion of Venus, for the year 1769,
fhould be 21^ more than thefe tables make it, and that the
place of the nodes of Venus, as ftated in thefe tables, needs
the following correction. At the time of the ecliptical con-
jundion of the Sun and Venus in June 1761, their place was
2* 15*^ ^6' Q^i"^ and her geocentric latitude was 9' 44'''' .9
fouth. Then fay, as 72626 .3 the diftance of Venus from the
Sun : 28894.9 the dift. of Venus from the earth : : 584^'' .9
her geocentric latitude : 3' c^z" .71 her heliocentric latitude
at that time. Then fay, as the tangent of the inchnation of
her orbit with the ecliptic, is to rad. fo is the tangent of her
heliocentric latitude to the fine of her dift. from the node; i. e.
as, T, 3" 23' 20^/ : rad. : : T, 3' s^" -7^ '• S, 1° 5' i4^
which deduct from her place June 6th, 1 761, at the time of the
tranfit, viz. at 5h. p,y' io'' at Greenwich ; and the remainder
viz. 2' 14° 31' 19^'' is the place of her afcending node at that
time. The motion of her nodes, as ftated by Dr. Halley, is
31^'' per annum-, therefore, for 8 years, add 4' 8'''' to the
abovementioned place of her node, and the fum, viz. 2* 14**
Q^c^' 2y" is the place of the node in the year 1769, June 3d.
With thefe correded elements, and others, as in the tables,
the following calculations are made.

The apparent time of the ecliptical conjunflion of the Sun
sind Venus, as feen from the center of the earth, 1769,

B Jiinc

K^^

^

Till.. 1\

i:u:.h},:Jr

.t!_.

[ 5 3

^he following Paper hy the Revd. Mr. Ewing, was alfo com^
municaied, June 21, 1768.

Gentlemen,

AS you have taken under confideration, the propofal which
I made to you the 19th of April laft, of obierving the
enfuing Tranfit of Venus over the Diflc of the Sun, which will
be on the 3d of June, 1769 ; permit me to lay before you a
projedion of the Tranfit, as feen from Philadelphia, together
with the elements of the projedion, deduced from as accu-
rate a calculation as I could make from Dr. Halley's tables.
1 find from the obfervations made on the laft Tranfit in June,
1761, that the mean motion of Venus, for the year 1769,
Ihould be 21^ more than thefe tables make it, and that the
place of the nodes of Venus, as ftated in thefe tables, needs
the following corredion. At the time of the eciiptical con-
jundion of the Sun and Venus in June 1761, their place was
2* 15^ ^6' 33^'', and her geocentric latitude was 9' 44^'' .9
fouth. Then fay, as 72626 .3 the diftance of Venus from the
Sun : 28894.9 thedift. of Venus from the earth: : 584^'' -9
her geocentric latitude : 3' ^2^^ .yi her heliocentric latitude
at that time. Then fay, as the tangent of the inchnation of
her orbit with the ecliptic, is to rad. fo is the tangent of her
heliocentric latitude to the fine of her dift. from the node-, /. e.
as, T, 3^^ 23' 20^'' : rad. : : T, 3' 52^^ .71 : S, i'^ 5' 14',
which deduct from her place June 6th, 1 761, at the time of the
tranfit, viz. at 3h. §y' 20'^ at Greenwich ; and the remainder
viz. 2' 14° 31' 19''' is the place of her afcendlng node at that
time. The motion of her nodes, as ftated by Dr. Halley, is
31'''' per annum; therefore, for 8 years, add 4' 8'''' to the
abovementioned place of her node, and the fum, viz. 2*14**
35' 27^^ is the place of the node in the year 1769, June 3d.
With thefe correded elements, and others, as in the tables,
the following calculations are made.

The apparent time of the eciiptical conjunflion of the Sun
Jind Venus, as feen from the center of the earth, 1769,

B June

r

6 3

June 3d, 5^. 4' 43'''', as reckoned at Philadelphia, 5*^.0' 32'
weft from Greenwich. The place of the Sun and Venus, at
the time of the tranfit, is 2" 13" 26' 32'^ The place of her
defcending node is 8* 14" 35' 2y'^ at that time. The geocen-
tric latitude of Venus at that time is 10' 16^295. The Sun's
femidiameter is 15' 45'''. 6g. The iemidiameter of Venus o^
29'^. Their fum 16' 14'''. 65 j their difference is 15' 16''^ .6§.Ye-
tius's horary motion from the Sun 3' 57'''^ .43. The angle
made by the axis of the earth and ecliptic, as feen from the
Sun, 7* 3' i6'\ The angle made by the axis of Venus's vi=-
fible pa^h and the axis of the ecliptic, is 8'' 34' i y^^ -, the angu-
lar point or node being 1" 8' ^^'^ weft of the Sun^. The angle
made by the earth's axis and the axis of Venus's vifible path
is equal to the fum of thefe 15" ^y' q^^''\ The horizontal pa-
rallax of the lun on the day of the tranfit is 8'''' .5204, when his
diftance from the earth is 1 0152 1.2, his parallax at his mean
diftance looooo being fuppofed to be S''^ 65, as found at the
laft tranfit 1761. The horizontal parallax of Venus on the
day of the tranfit 29' .9348 when her diftance from the Sun is
72626.3, her mean, diftance being according to her periodic
time yio^o^^)' The difference of thefe, viz. 2i'^.4i44, is the
horizontal parallax of Venus from the Sun on the faid day.
The Tranfit begins, as feen from the earth's center, at 2^. 17'
20"' .48, and ends at 8''. 41' 46^-^ .72. The total ingref> at 2*^,
36' 31'''' .38 -, the beginning of egrefs at 8^. 22' 35^ 82 ; fo
that the whole duration between the internal contads will be
5^. 46' 4'^.44. But thefe times will be confiderably altered by
the parallaxes of Venus in longitude and latitude,, as obferved
from different parts of the earth. The whole effcft of the pa-
rallaxes of lonfzitude and latitude at the time of the external
contaft to haften it, being 3' 31'''', the time of it, as {ttn from
Philadelphia, is at q> . 13' 49^/28'^^ P. M. And the time of
total ingrefs at Philadelphia is 2*^, 32'' 27^'' •, the total effeft of
thefe parallaxes to accelerate the internal contadl being 4^ ^J'..

These times depend upon the longitude of Philadelphia
Weft of Greenwich, which in this calculation is fuppofed to be
5h, o' 32'^, wiiich is as near as I have yet been able to afcertain
if, by comparing a number of obferyations made on the cclipfesv

C 7 ]

of the lirfl; fatellite of Jupiter, with Mr. Emmerfon's tables.
But theie cannot be depended upon for the longitude, within a
minute or two of time, which will by no means anfwer the de-
fign of alcertaining the diftancesof ihe Sun and planets by the
enfuing tranfic. I would therefore beg leave to propofe to the
Society, that provifion be made, without lofs cf time, for
erefting a fmall obiervatory in feme convenient place, that the
occukations of fome known (lars by the Moon, and the eclipfes
of Jupiter's fatelliies, may be noted, >and compared with
the correfponding obfervations made at Greenwich, and other
places : And that fome proper perfons be appointed to make
the obfervations, at the expence of the Society, ihat our lon-
gitude may be afcertained with theprecifion that is necellary.
It would be proper, that at leail two fetts of obfervers be ap-
pointed to view the tranfit in this city, in order to guard
againfl the fatal accident ot lofmg the Sun out of the field of
the telefcopc, in the critical and important moment ; which I
find happened to a good allronomer in the Eaft Indies, at the
time.of the iait tranfit. It is very difficult to preferve a celef-
tialobjedt in the field of a telefcope, that magnifies confiderably.

The expence of making thefe obfervations, with fufficient
accuracy, mutt be confiderable •, but it is hoped that an op-
portunity will not be negle(fl:ed on this account, which, for its
importance to the interefts of attronomy and navigation, has
juftly drawn the attention of every civilized nation in the
world, and which will not be prefented again for more than a
century to come.

These things are fubmitted, wath all humility and deference,
to the judgment of this refpedtable Society, by

Their very humble Servant,

Philadelphia, June 14, 1768. JOHN ElVING.

N. B. The diff^erence between fome of thefe Numbers and
thofe printed in the American Magazine, was occafioned by
neglefting the 21'' of corredlion in the place of Venus, as incon-
fiderablcj the effect of which is here taken into the computation*
and the refuk is fee down above. See the projedlion, plate 2.

B 2 Jn

C 8 }

'An Account of the Transit of Venus over the SunV Disc, as
ohferved at Norriton, in the County of Philadelphia, and
Province of Pennfylvania, June 3d, 1769,

By William Smith, D.B. Provoft of the C^//.?^e <?/ Philadel-
phia, John Lukens, Efq; Surveyor-General of Pennfy!va»
nia, David Rittenhouse, A. M. of Norriton, and John
Sellers, Efq\ Reprefentative in AJfembly^ for Chefler-
County

Being the Committee appointed for that Obfervation^ ^y the^
American Philosophical Society, held at Philadelphia,
for promoting ufeful Knowledge.

Communicated to /^^ Society, July 2o/i», 1769, hy Dire^ion^.
and in Behalf of^ the Committee j by Dr. Smith,

Gentlemen,

AMONG the various public fpiritcd defigns, that have
engaged the attention of this Society^, fince its firft Infti-
tution J none does them more honor than their early refolution"
to appoint Committees, of their own Members, to take as
many obfervations, in different places, of that rare Phccnome-
non^ the Transit of Venus over the SunV Disc, as they
had any probability of being able to defray the fxpence of,
either from their own funds, or the public afllilance they
expelled.

As the members of the Norri ton-Committee live at fomc
diftance from each other, I am, tlicrefore, at their requeft,
now to digeft and lay before you, in one view,, the whole of
our obfervations in that place ; diilinguifning, however, the
part of each obfervcr -, and going back to the firft prepara-
tions. For I am perfuaded that the dependence, v/hich the
learned world may place on any p.irticular Tranfit-Account,

will

[ 9 1

will be in proportion to the previous and fubfequent care,
which is found to have been taken in a feries of accurate and
well conduced obfervations, for alcertaining the going of the
time-pieces, and fixing tjie Latitude and Longitude of the
places of obfervation, ^c. ^

And I am the more defirous to be particular in thefe points,-
in order to do juftice to Mr. Rittenhcufe^ one of our Commit-
tee ; to whole extraordinary fl<ill and diligence ib owing what-
ever advantage may be derived, in thefe refpedts, to our obfer-
vation of the Tran/tt itfelf. It is further prefumed, that
Aftronomers, in diftant countries, will be defirous to have
not only the work and refults belonging to each particular
Tranfit-Obfervation^ but the materials alfo, that they may
examine and conclude for themfelves. And this may be more
particularly requifite, in a New Obfervatory, fuch as Norriton,
the name of which hath perhaps never before been heard of by.
diftant Aftronomers; and therefore, its latitude and longitude
are to be once fixed, from principles that may be fatisfacftory
on the prefent, as well as on any future, occafion.

O^R great difcouragement, at our firft appointment, was
the want of proper apparatus, efpecially good Tekfcopes^ with
Micrometers. The generofity of our Provincial Afjernbly foon
removed a great part of this difcouragement, not only by their
vote to purchafe one of the belt Reflefling Telefcopes, with a
I)oUond\s Micrometer; but likewife by their fubfequent dona-
tion of One Hundred Pounds^ for erefting Obfervatorici, and
defraying other incidental expences. It was forefeen that on
the arrival of this T-elefcope, added to fuch private ones as
might be procured in^ the city, together with fitting up the
inftruments belonging to the Honorable the Proprietaries of
the Province, viz. the equal Altitude and I'ranjit Injlrumenty
and the large aftronomical SeSlor^ nothing would be wanting
for the City -Obfervatory in the State-Houfe Square, but a good
Time-Piece, which v^^as eafily to be procured.

We remained hov/ever ftill at a lofs, how to furnifh the Ncr-
riton Obfervatory, -But even this difficulty gradually vanifhed, ,

Early^

C ^^ 3

lEarly in September, 1768, foon after the nomination of otir
Committees, I received a letter from that worthy and honorable
Gentleman, Thomas Penn, Ei^q-, one of the Proprietaries of
this Province, which he wrote at the defire of the Rev. Mr.
Mqfkelyne, Aftronomer Royal, exprcflTing their defire, " That
" we would exert ourfelves in obferving the Tranfit, for
" which our fituation would be fo favourable" ; and enclo-
fing fome copies of Mr. Mafkylyne's printed directions for that
purpofc.

This gave me an opportunity, which I immediately ^em-
braced, of acquainting Mr. Penn what preparations we had
already made •, and what encouragement the Aflembly had
given in voting One Hundred Pounds Sterling, for the purchafc
of One Refied-ing Telefcope and Micrometer, tor the City
Obfervatory •, but that we fhould be at a great lofs for a tel-
efcope of the like conftru6lion for the Norriton Obfervatory, and
re'quefting himtoorder ARefle£ior of two, or two and an half tect,
with Doliond's Micrometer, to be got ready as loon as polTible
in Loudon. It was not long before I had the pleafure to hear
thatMr.PENN had ordered fuch a Telefcope, which came to
hand about the middle of May, with a mod obliging letter,
expreffing the fitisfadlion he had in hearing of the fpirit fhevvn
at Phila'^elphia, for obferving this curious Phoenomenon when
it fhould happen ; and concluding as follows—

" Ihave fenr,by Capt. ^^^ry^j, a Reflefting-Telefcope with
" Doliond's Micrometer, cxadt to your requeft, which I hope
" will come fafe to hand. After making your obfervation
*' with it, I defire you will prefent it, in my name, to the Col-
" lege---Menrs. Mafon and Dixon tell me, they never ufed a
*' better than that* which I formerly fent to the Library Com-

* Mr. Owen BiDDLE, who was appointed by the Society to conduft the ob-
fervation ntdiT Cnpe Henlapen, had this telefcope ; nothing being defired there but
the coniaBs and tiieir exaft time ; which he obtained to great I'atisfac^ion, :'s by
his report may appear. As he had but (hort time to prepare, and there was a
difficulty in getting the neceiFary apparatus for fixing, by his own ob/ei vations,
the longitude and latirude of the place chofen for his ilation, it was ref^lved ro
depend on the afcertaining thefe articles, by runnings line from the place of his
obiervaiion to a known point in the work of MefTrs. Mafnn and Dixon, when em-
ployed in fettling the boundary lines of Pennfjl'vania and Marjland ; and in mta-
furing a degree of latitude, along that fioe level peniulula, hti/(tcn Dn'a^jjare
.and Cheafoptake Bays.

" pany

C » 1

" pany of Philadelphia^ with which a good obfervation may
**■ be made, tho* it has no micrometer."

We were now enabled to furnifh the Norriton Obfervatory,
as follows, viz.

1. A G'^iGORiAN Reflector about 2 f. focal length, with
a Doilond's Micrometer. This Telefcope hath four different
macrnifying powers, viz. g^-^ 95, 130, and 200 times; by
means of two Tubes containing eyeglaffes that magnify dif-
ferently, and two fnall Speculums of different focal diftances.

Made by Nairne. Ufed by Dr. Smith..

2. A Refractor of 42 f. its magnifying power about 140.
The glaiTes were fent i'rom Lo?tdon wich the large Ref^e6tor, and
belonged to Hai'vard CoWcgQ, Nezv ■ England ; but as they did
not arrive time enough to be fcnt to that place before the
Tranfit, they were fitted up here, by Mr. Rittenboufe ^ and

Ufed by Mr. Lukens.

3. Mr. Rittenhoufe's Refractor, with an obje6b glafs of
36 f. focus, and a convex eye-glafs of 3 inches, magnifying
about 144 times. Ufed by Himself.

Both thefe Refraftors, as well as the Refiedor, were in moil
exquilite order.

4. t^)i Equal- Altitude Instrument ; its telefcope thre^and an half
f. focal length, v/ith two' horizontal hairs, and a vertical one, in
its focus, firmly fupportedon a ftonepedeftal, andeafily adjulled
to a plummet wire 4 feet in length, by 2 fcrews •, one moving it
in aNorthand South, the other in an Eaft and Weft, direction.

5. A Transit-Telescope, fixed in the Meridian on an
axis with fine Iteel points •, fo tliat the hair in its focus can*'*'
move in no other direction than along the meridian ; in which
are two marks South and North, about 330 yards diilance
each ; to which it can be readily adjufted in a horizontal po-
fition by one fcrew, as it can in a vertical pofition by another/
fcrew. 6.. Ah.

r t2 2

6. An excellent Time-Piece, having for its pendulum-
rod a flat ftecl-bar, with a /^ui' weighing about 12 lb. and vi-
brating in a fmall arch. It goes 8 days, does not ftop when
wound up, beats dead feconds, and is kept in motion by a
weight of 5 pounds.

These three laft articles were alfo Mr. Rittenhoufe^s proper-
ty, and made by himfelf.

7. An Astronomical Quadrant, two and an half f. radius,
made by Sijfon, the property of the Eaft-Jerfey Proprietors ;
under the care of the Right Hon. William Earl (A Stirling^ Sur-
veyor-General of that Province-, from whom Mr. Lukens pro-
cured the ufe of it, and fent it up to Mr. Rittenhoiife for afcer-
tainingthe latitude of the Obfervatory. Thus we were at length
compleatly furnifhed with every inftrumcnt proper for our
work.

As Mr. Rittenhoufe' % dwelling at Norriton is about 20 miles
North-Weft of Philadelphia, our other engagements did not
permit Mr. Lukens or myfelf, to pay much attention to the
neceffary preparations ; but weknewthatwehadentruiled them
to a gentleman on the fpot, who had joined to a compleat fkiU
in Mechanics, fo extenfive an ajlronomical and mathematical
knowlege, that the ufe, management, and even the conftruttion,
of the neceflary apparatus, were perfedly familiar to him.
Mr. Lukens and myfelf could not fet out for his houfe till
Thurfday, June i(l-, but, on our arrival there, we found every
preparation fo forv/ard, that we had little to do, but to exa-
mine, and adjuft our refpeftive telefcopes to diftinft vifion.
He had fitted up the different infVruments, and made a great
number of obfervations, to a! certain the going of his Time-
Piece, and to determine the latitude and longitude of his
Ohfervatorys The laudable pains he hat-h taken in thefe mate-
•rial articles, will beft appear from the work itfelf, v/hich he
hath committed into my hanJs, wiih the following modeft in-
troduftion-, giving mc a liberty, which his own accuracy, care
and abilities, leave no room to exercife.

Nor-

DiAR Sir,

L 13 1

Norrlton, July 18, 1769.

*' / 'HE inclofed is the heft account I can give of the Con-

" TACTS, as I obferved the:n ; and of what I Jaiv during

" the interval between them. I fhould he glad yen would contraSi

** them^ and alfo the other papers^ into a fmaller compafs, as I

" would have done niyfelf^ if I had known how. I beg you would

" not copy any thing merely becaufe I have written it, but leave cut

*^ what you think fuperfluous.

I am.

With great e fie em and affe^ion.

Tours, 5cc.

DAVID RirrENHOUSE."
To Revd. Dr. Smith.

Mr. Rittenhouse'j Obfervations at Norritori, before and
after the Transit of Venus, June 3d, 1769 ; for fixing
the Latitude and Longitude of his Obfervatory, and the
going of his Clock, &c.

" "fT> ARLY in November, 1768, I began to ere(5l an
" Xl/ Obfervatory, agreeable to the refolutions of the Ame-
'•= RicAN Philosophical Society •, but, thro' various difap-
" pointments from workmen and weather, could not com-
" pleat it, till the middle of April, 1769. I had for fome
" time expc6led the ufe of an Equal -Altitude inftrument
" from Philadelphia \ but finding I could not depend on
" having it, I tell to work, and made one of as * fimplc a
" conftrudlion as 1 could. March 20th this inftrument v/as
" finiflied, and put up out of doors, the Obfervatory not
" being yet ready. - .

* It is defcrihed aho've, No, 4, of tht Apparatus,

C " I

C u 1

" I HAD, however, for fome weeks before this, with my
^6 f. Refradlor, obferved eclipfes of Jupiter's fatellites, in
fuch a manner that, tho' my equal-altitude inftrument was
not finilhed, and confequently I could not fet my time-
piece to the true noon, I fhould neverthelefs be able to tell
the time of thofe eclipfes afterwards, when the inftrument
Ihould be ready For this purpofe, I obferved, almoft eve-
ry fair evening, the time by the clock, when the bright ftar
in Orion difappeared behind a fixed obftacie, by applying
my eye to a fmall fight-hole, made thro' a piece of brafs,
faftened to a ftrong poft.

The Obfervations were as follows, viz.

1769.

Star difap-

Immer. ift fatcl.

Equal aldtudes of ©

Hence ap-r

pear'd

per clock.

per clock.

par, noon, or

FeL D.

h m. fee.

Fei. D. h. m. fee.

0's eent»

J5

9. 26. 39

16 I I. 24. 58

Mar. J. M. P. M

on Merid.

22

8.58.52

23 16. 17. 41

D. h. m, fee. h. m. fee.
J i. 58. 52. 2. 56. 52

per clock,
h m. fee.

24

8. 50. 57

Hence, from co-

-> 9. 2. 12, 2. 53. 32

J 1- 57- 37

MMr. 3

8. 23. 21 ' lumn 3d. the ap-

12
17

7. 48. 26, parent times of
7.40.41! thee immerfions
7. 29. 4' above, are,

-\ 8. 56. 40 2. 58. 26
38.59.59. 2.55. 7

I J. 57. 18,

20

7. 17. 16 fe^. D. h. m. fee.

21

7. 13. 21 ! 16 14 21. 10

28

6.45. 44 zs 16. 15. I

" From this time, to May 20th, the clock was altered
'•' fcveral times ; once taken down and cleaned, removed back
^' to the Obiervatory, and regulated anev/. Care v/as, how-
" ever, taken to obferve equal- altitudes of the Sun, on the
" days preceedincr and following any vifible cclipfe of t\\Q ill
~" fatellite •, when the weather would permit.

" The whole obfervationSj during this period, v/ere the

Equal

" following.

C i5 1

A

h.
8.
8.

Equal Altitudes of O
April 3d, 1769.

. M. P. M.

m, fee, h. m. fee,
5. 22 4. I. 56
8. 16 3. 59. 2

lerice appar,
noon : or Q's
cent, onMerid.

per clock.

h. m. fee.

12. 3 25

Oblciveo iin.iici-^
fions of 111 Sa-
tellite.
April 3d.

h. m; fee.
14. 52. 40

8.
8.

4th.

3- 43 4- 3- 3
6. 38 4. 0. 10

12. 3. 9

8.

8.
8

loth.
32. 8 i
35 6 V Cloudy.

36. 31 >

loth.
16. 46. 20
Day-Light.

8.

8

8.

nth,
30. 22 • 3. 30 4.3
33- 18 3. 27. 47
34. 41 3- 26. 22

12. 0. 20

8.
8.
8.

1 2th.

5-8 5? ;

31. 51 '^ Cloudy.
33- 16

12th,
II. 14. 38

8.
CI
8

14th.

2v 42 3- 33- 5^

oudy. 3. 31. I

30. 2 3. 29. 37

II. 59. 38

8.
8.
8.

Muy 4th.
5. 15 3. 44. 6
8. 3 3. 41. 18
9- 23 3- 39 58

II. 54. 32

8.
8-

Sth.
4. u 3. 44. ;i
6. 59 3. 42. 4

8. 19 3. 40. 42

II. 54. 22

11. 23. 45

00 00 00

6th.
3- 8 3. 45. 37
5. 54 3. 42. 51

7. 15 ....

11. 54. 14

8.
8.
8.
8.

I ith.

34. 51 3. 17. 12

36. 13 3. 15. 49

7 40 3. 14. 22

39- 3 3- 12. 59

ir. 55. 54

! 9-
! -

\ 9-

15 th.

12, 59 2. 39. 28

- - - 2. 38. 2

15. 53 2. 36. 32

- - - 2. 35. 7

11. 56. 7

A/^ 14th.
tmerfion.
9. 58. 20

w4

C 2

<• IvL

I iff 1

T-

" May 20th, in the morning, the clock was fet up for the laft
time, pretty near the mean time. It had no provifion for pre-
venting the irregularities arifmg from heat and cold ; nor could
I fine leifure to apply any contrivance of this fort.
" This day I likewife put wires inftead of hairs in the telefcope
of the equal altitude inflrument •, and the following are the ob-
fervations, taken both with it, and with the meridian or Tranftt-
Telefcope, in the order wherein they were made.
" The ill ftate of my health would not permit me to fit up at
nights, to take equal altitudes of the ftars. I was therefore
obluTP-^ ro ronrenr mvTelf with thofe of the Sua only.

\_}7}n-

Ma)i zcth.

iSqual Alticudcbofo

\am. p. m.

li 1. m. fee h, m. fee
^3.1. 30*3.51. 28
\i.z. 52 3.50. 8
58.4. 15 3.48.45
!i^-5- 36 3.47- 24

Hence ap-

par. noon ;

or ©'scent.

on Merid.

per clock.

h. m fer
II. 56. 23!

Obferv'd E-
merfions ot
li's Satel-
lites.

Obfervations with thejHence ap- I
Meridian Telefcope. par. noon ;
or© 'scent.,
on Merid.
per clock. |
I h. m. (ec. I

In. 56. 23 i'

GW.limb

on Merid.

EaftDo.

h, m, fee.
>ii.55.i6

II-S7-3'

May 2\Ji.

I. I 352. I I

y 3-5°- 5°

ijC!ouds.\ 3.49 27

.<3'4^- 7

56. 30

Em. iftSat,

hC' m. fee.
If. 51. 46.

O W.Iirab.i i.cc. 2t i .

E.Do. ii.c;. ,-7 1"- 56. 30

? centre
on Me

57- 37
itre ? „
rid.^ ^•^^•39

Alay 23^.

3. o- 4 3-53- 36

3. 1.24 3.52. 16

8. 2-47 3.50.53

b\ 4 8

II. 56. 45

O W.limb 1 1 .55. 39
£ Do. 11.57. 53

May ZAth.

[Qii. limb, 1 1.58. o
— pafi. Qfemidi. 1. 8
2 centre >

I ditto, \ '• ^- 4

1 1. 56, 52

i\tiy z^th.

:7-59i5 3-54- 57

V- «-35 3-53- 38

8. 1.58 3.52. 15

\6. 3.18 3 50. 54

11. 57. 1

©W.limb 11.55. S3
Ei Do, 1 1.58. 9

1 1 .SI'

* 111 the abuvf Equal Aliiiudes,
noon arc itt dow.i in i\\\ iiiver'eil o
ding totiie \\\ A. M. Tiie iii fet
Suds upper lin".b-?.tup.per liair ;
lower iiir.bat Upper liair 3 and the
inverts.

it may be proper to olvferve tiiat fliofe in the after,
rder, tlie 4.tli P. M. ot-jng op|oiite. and c<.i •rei'p<:n-
t, according to tlie urdur in whicli tliey fland,.is the
the 2d is tlie vippt-r limb at lower liair j tiie 3d die

4th theluHcrhmb at lower haii, as the. telefcope.

Mil)/ 2 6jL

C 17 1

1769,

Equal Altitudes ofO

y/. M. P. M.
h. m (ec h. m. lee

58.54
0.1 5
1.37
8. 2.57

3-55-

3-S2.
3-5I-

38
18

56

^5

Hence ap-
par. noon :
orO's cent
on Merid.
per clock,
h. m. fee.

II. 57. 10

May 2.}h.

Obferved E-
merfions of
li's Satel-
lites.

Obfervations with the
Meridian Telefcope.

b. m. fee.

OW.limb 1 1.56. 3

E. ditto, 11.58. 18

Hence ap-

par. noon ;

or© 'i cent.

on Merid.

per clock.

h. m. Uc.
II. 57. loi

May 2jth.

Ow.limb
E. Do.

1 1.56. 12
II 58, 27

II. 57. i9i

May 10th.

D E. limb
on Meri

mbl
id. 1

20.20.31

May 31//.

57.29 3.58

,58.49 3.57

o.ii 3-56. 8

1. 31 3.;4. 49

49

30

m. fee.

58. Si

OW.limb 11.56. 58
+pafr.Gfemidi. i. 8

I. 58. 6

June id.

ut I'maller wires in
the Telefcope ;
hence the dif-
ference of the in-
tervali.

4. o.
3.58.

3-S7-
3. ,-6.

57- 9
58.29

59-53
i-«3

6

47

22

3

M. 58. 34.

©W. limb 11.57. 26
E. Do. 1 1.59. 41

11-58. 33'

June id.

t L^.-vNbli' DAY.

^ual altitudes were
not taken thisday,
as the inllrument
was to be other
wiie emplayed in
the afternoon.

© W. limb 1 1.57 41
E, Do. 11.59.57

11. 58.49

June ^th.

7'

•7

8

jl ."

- - 4. I. '8

58.10 3.59. 59

59-H 3;5J- ?5

OCX X.'-. \-^

II. 59. I \

©W. limb 11.57 54
E. Do. 12. o 10

a^mmmmmnmn

I. 59-

Juns t^th*

t 18 ]

4t»m

i76g.

EqualAltitudesof©

\ A. M. P. M.

h, m fee. h. m. Tec
^7-56. 43 4. I. 50

V.53. 3 4. o. 30
57S9-27 3-S9- 7
i8. 0.47 357-47

Hence ap- |Oblaved E ObiervatLns witli thelHence ap-
par. noon ; merfions of Meridian Telefcope. par. noon ;

or G 'scent.! l^'s Satel-

on Merid

per clock.

h. m, lec.

II. 59. 13I

lites.

or G 'scent'

on Merid.

per clock.

.9.1 1.30 2.47. 26 i

June 6th.
^m. ift Sat.

fee.

J - -' -^ I : R Tin ^ 9 et ft

10. II.

o- 33

h tn.

n. 59-

lec. I

Yufie -jth.

.7.57.52 4. .
7.59 16 4. o.

0-35 - -

ill- 59. 3<

• ai. 2d. Sat
8. 23. 42

W.limb 1 1.58. 27
E. Do. 12. o. 44

D W.limb 7

on Merid. S ^'^^' ^^

II. 59,35 A

June %th.

•7.56.27 4 3- '2

l/. 57.48 4. 1. 52

)7.59.io 4. o. 28

j8. 0.32 3.59. 7

II. 59. 4I

G W.limb
on Me.id.
E. Do.

■> I i.c .40 o r!

S ^ ^ .;ii. 59. 48 »^

12. o. 57

y^^w I oih.

7.56.22 4. 4. I

7.57.48 4 2.41

7.59.12 4. -. 17

0-32 3-59- 7

Junt 1 2//?".

0W. limb 11.59.29
F. Do 12. 1.4.5

12. o. i-j

tune 1 ^lU.

1 59 '3 4- 2. 30
1« 0.33 4. I. 1 1

jEm. lit Sat
o 50 12 q. 59

0W limb 1 1 -59 42
I E. Do. 12. 159

12.

50 1

/ uhc 1 4. b

!0W. limb 1 1.59 s7

E. Do.

12. 2.13

7«'

idth.

7 56.52 4. 6. 16

7.58.12 4 4 1:7

7 59 36 4- 3- -?3

Y> o i;6 4 2.12

!• 34

0V/. limb 12. o. 26 ;
E. Do. 12. 2. -, '
% cent. '^ g
on Merid. S " ' ^

J- 34

"Juni I 7/^=

r 19 ]

•j ^769

June I jth.

jEqjaiAlatude5of0
1 A. M. P. M.

i

1 '

Hence ap-
par. noon ;
orQ 'scent
on Merid.
per clock.

Obf-rved E.

merfions of
ll's Satel-
lites.

Obfervations with the Hence ap- ,

Meridian Telefcopc. par. noon;

or 0 '6 cent.

on Merid. j

h. m. fee. per clock, r:

OW.Iimbi2. 0. 36 1 '" ■"• ^««=- '

+pafr femid. i. 8,8 /J,' » 44-8

rher- ^ f

1; centre ; mo- S-y?^,

onMerid. S 9-^ i° meter V i

!

-

June \:)th i

QW.limb 12.0. 5e) ^
+pafl- fen,idi. .. 8.8-,J; ^-.'^^
i;c.onmer.8.53. 24 '' ^

j June 21/?. . j.

OW.iimb 12. I. 17 12. 2. 25 1 f
E. Do 12. 3. 34 Therm. 83"^-

J'ti'ie zzd. [

'

1

0 W.limb 12. 1.28 12. 2.36} 1
E. Do. 12. 3.45 Therm. 74«»i

! . J^ne 23^. ■\

OW.iimb 12. I. 39
E. Do. 12. 3. 51J

12. 2 47 i

Therm 7 3°i!

June Z/^th. \

G'W.limb 12. 1.49 12. 2. 57 ij
E. Do. 124.:? Therm 84°.*!

yune zc^th. \

3'i tr.c t..u; ot
the ftiadow,
on applying
the eye at
8. 54. 39.

0W. limb I 2. 1.57
E. Do. 12. 4. 14

Therm. 80 ".[

June zdth

j

©W.limb 12.2. 6
E. Do. 12. 4. 23

pE.limb^ 0
onMerid. ^^^'^SS^

12. 3. 14 il
Therm. 85 = '

1 June 2jth j

/-----'■'■ ■

0 W.limb 12. 2. 14
E Do. 12. 4. 31

12. 3. 22

Therm. S8".
(

]) E.limb > ,

DnMerid.r^' '^•'^
lic.cnirer. 8.19. 58

J^a/;^ z8//5.

y; 20 1

mHaani.......!

1769.

-- -

June z%th, [!

EqualAititudes of0
A. M. P._ M.

jH. m. icc. h. m. Tec.
7.59. II 4. 7.45
8. 0. 31 4. 6.25
8. I. ^5 4 5. 0
8 3.15 - - -

Hence ap-
par. noon j
or0'scent.
on Merid.
per clock.

h. m fee.

17. 3. 29,4

Obferved E-
clipies of
1^'s Satel-
lites.

Obfervations with rhe
Meridian Telefcope

h. m. fee.

©W.limb 12, 2. 21

E Do. 12. 4.38

iience ap-
par. noon :
or©'sccnt.
on Merid.
per clock,
h. m. fee.

iz 3. 29i!

June Z'^th. ' \\

S. 0.48
8. 2. II

8. 3.32

4- 7-43
4. 6. 22

4- 4-59
4- 3-38

12.

3- 37

Em. I ft Sat.

having been

hid by a

cloud, at

h. m. fee.

10 25. I

0 W. limb 12. 2. 29
E. Do, 12. 4 45

12- 3- 37

June 1)0th.
Therm. 85°.

July Zd. \

JS. 0.24
j8. r.44

;8. 3. 8
l8. 4.29

4. 7.28
4. 6. 8
4- 4-43

12.

3- 59

fmmerfion.

3d Satellite. © W. limb 12. 2.52
II. 19. 36 E. Do. 12, 5. 8

12. 4. 0
Therm. 8i°l

j >h Id. - I

|8. 0.4.6

;s. 2.'7

■8. 3-3'
8. 4.51

4. 7,21
4. 5.58

4' 4-37
4. 3.16

12.

4. 6

©W.limb 12. 2.58
E. Do. 13. 1;. 15

12. 4. 61
Therm. 83'*.

>/j' 4^^^.

II

,8. I. 9

i8. 2.30
'8. 3 53

;.8. 5H

4- 7- 13
4. 5.52

4-4 3'
4. 3.10

^2.

4. 14

©W.limb 12. 3. 6
E. Do. 12. 5,23

12. 4. i4\
Therm. 87".'

1

July sth. \\

;8. 5.30

\

4. 2.57

12.

4- '9'3

©W. limb 12. 3. 1 1
4-pafr. femidi. i. 8,5

12. 4. 19]!
Ther. )

at )94«»J
3P.M, )

\ 7-b ^th. 1

'8. 1.36
8. 2.56
;8- 4- '0

4. 7.41
4. 6. 20

4. 4-. '^7

12.

4. 42. i

©W.limb 12. 3 36
E. Do. 12. 5 52 ^^- 4- 44
Therm. 83 •;

TABLE

[ 21 3

TABLE «/ the tdip/es of Jupiter's \ft Satellite, olfer-vtd at NoRRiTOK, fram
February \6th to June iph; compared w//^ /^^ calculated Times of the fume
Eclipfes, for Greenivich, in order to fix the Longitude of the Qbfernjatory. The
Immerftons ivere ohfer'ved ^ith Mr. Rittenhoufe'j RefraSior, and the EmerfioKt
ivith the Gregorian Reflector.

"Calculated apparent time ot J

W. from Greenivich i
thence deduced.
h. m. fee.

111.

Sat. Immerftons.

Calculated apparent time of

1769. Apparent Time at

the fame at Greenivich.

Norriton.

D.

h. ra. fee.

D. h. m. fee.

Feb. 16

14. 21. 10

Feb. 16 19. 22. 29

23

16. 15. I

23 21. 16. 35

Jpri/ 3

14. 4Q. 25

^pril 3 19. 51. 24

10

16. 46. 0

10 21. 47. 14

12

u. 14. 37

12 i6. 16. 13

May 5

II. 29. 27

May 5 1 6. 31. 20

Emerfions.

Emerfions.

21

II. 55. 13

21 16. 56. 49

June 6

10. II. 32

Junt 6 15. 12. 59

13

12. 5. I

13 17. 6. 31

19

34

59

14

36

S3

36

27

30

DifF. of Longitude from a Mean of the above g Eclipfes 5. i. 34,22
which we mull fix for the Longitude of our Obfervatory, for the prefent.

But fhould the obfervcd * times of thofe Eclipfes, come out
different at Greenwich from their calculated times in the nau-
tical almanac, for the prefent year, a corredion of the differ-
ence of longitude muft be made accordingly. OBSER-

* iiiice iirawiiig up the above, the Revd. Mr. Malkelyiie, Attronomer Royal,
agreeable to my requelt, hath been plealied to ccramunicate the following lilt
of Eclipfes of Jupiter's ift Sattellite as obferved at the Royal Obfervatory,
from April to June, both inclufive, viz.
1769. Apparent Time; Immerfions of ift Sat. at Greenwich.
D. h. m. lee.

with 1 f. Refledl. made by Short ; A pert. 4, 5 inche* diam.
with 2 f. Refleft. made by Bird; Apert.3, S inches diam.
with Short's a f. Refleaor.

with Short's a f. RefleiSlor.

with 6 f, Newtonian Refleftor j Aperture 9 inches diara.
with 6 f. Ditto,
with Sdorl's 2 f. Refle6lor.
with Ditto.
Malkelyne writes that the 6 f. Refleflor Ihews an imraerfion later and an
emeifion fooner than Short's z f. Refieiflor by about zo"; and that the difference
of tlie 2 i. Refleftors, owing to the difference of their apertures, may be about 5".
There are only three of the above eclipfes obferved at Greenwich, (viz. the 3
imraerlions) that could have been feen here, and but one of them happens to be
among thole aftually obferved, viz.

^ •/ .1. ) i6h.i6'. 8" at Greenivich.
"^P"'^ ^^'* ) IT. T^. ^7 at Norriton.

Hence 5. i. 31 Difference of Longitude.
Till we have an opportunity, the enfuing fpring, to obferve more eclipfes of
Jupiter's Satellites, we would rather depend on the difference of longitude de-

D duced

D. h.

m. lee.

March z^ 12.
Jtpril 12 16.

25- 7
16. 8

z% 14.
El)

35- 17
erfions.

May j6 "^ 9-

June 8 9.

32. 15

31- 35
40. 56

15 11.

July I 9-
Mr. Malkely

35- 33

50. 24

ne writes

[- 22 2

OBSERVATIONS /of fxi»g the Latitude 0/ Norrlton-Obfervatory, 'with an
AJironomical-^adrant of t-ivo and an half feet radius ; made hy Siflbn,

This Quadrant was fent up by Mr. Lukens, and erefted in the meridian of
the Obfervatory, May 20th, by Mr. Rittenhoufe ; who took the following Ob-
fervations with it ; 'viz.

Zenith diftances of Stars, for difcovering whether there might be any
error in the inftrument^
With the face of theQuadrant weftwards.l With the face eaftwards.

Higheft ftar in ^ May 3 1
left leg of Bootes \ June 4

3 5

.-\ May 3 1

Arfturus

Bright ftar in
the Crown

June

'June

20''
20.
20.
19.
19.
19.
19.
12.
12.

.36'.
36.
36.
46.
46.
46.
46.

39-
39

6"Higheft ^zx^June6 20<>.35'

7 20. 35,

8 20.
\ June 6 19.

C 7 »9-

\ 8 19.

J 10 19.

Brightftar in Vy««f6 12.

theCrown S 10 12,

in left leg
of Bootes

Arfturus

36.
46.
46.
46.
46.

39-
39

■55'*'

54
o

5

8

13
1 1

34
18

From a mean of the above 18 Obfervations, the error of the quadrant is
3,"5 to be fiibftraSied from the Zenith diftance when the face is weftwards,
and rt^aif^when it is eaftwards.

OBSERVATIONS o/"/^/? Zm/>& Di/?fl«rf of the Sun's upper and loiver Limb r,
and the Latitude of the Objerijatory deduced from each feparately.

0's upp. limb « Zen.

May 25.
26.
27. 18.

June 1 . 17*

18.
I

48'. 4r'

38. iS

2.

4-

douhtf.e.

7-
12.

^3-

17-
»7-
17-

»7-
16.
16.

28.

43-

36.

21.

8.

3-
41.

37-

21

47
16

5^
53
21
10

45

Hence Lat.
40°. 10'. 17"
40. 10. 10

40. 10. ID

^cloudy, and
5 doubtful.
40. 10. 2

40. 9. 52
9-

9-
10,

10.

I ©'s low. limb « Zen. Hence Lat.

40,
40
40,
40

34
47
'4

Mean of the above
9 obfervations of]
O's upper limb is, _
Do. from the 5 ob-
fervations of lower ]
limb.

Mean of both,
And

June 8.

9-
10.
1 1.
14.

17"
17-
17-
17-

n-

29
24,
20.

15-

6.

33
35

5
59

9

40^
40.
40.
40.
40.

48^
47

49
52.

53

•40«.io.i .33

40. 9.50. a.8

Mean of the 5
obfervations of the
lower limb.

.40°. 9'. 5o".48'

40'

39-

■.9.-56.'
56.54.

for the Lat, of Norriton Obfervatory.
Lat. of Philadelphia Obfervatory.

The

duced from the two foregoing conerponding obfervations, than on tlie mean
deduced from the calculated times; whicli, however, puts us only 3" more weft.
The immerfiou oi April 12th was taken ztGreenn.vich, with Bird's Teiefcope of 3,8 ■
inches aperture, and the fame immerfion at Norriton with a Refraftor that, in all ^
trials, as near as can be judged, gives the rtmeCecond with the Gregorian Reflector
of 4, 4 inches aperture; f'o that z" or 3""* might be added to the time of the im-
merfion at Greenivich to agree with our Teleicope, which would make 5.h 1.' 33''
or 34.'" diff. long, the fameas got from the w-f^w of the calculated times.

The eclipfes of 2d. and 3,!. fatellite are not fet down, as they are not fo much-

I bs depended on, as thole of the ift., .

■40

t 23 J

The difference of the above obfervatlons is gf-eater than
might be wilhed. All that can be offered to excuie them is the
want of better inllruments •, though Mr. Rittenhotife thinks thr
dirrerences chiefly arofe from the adion of the fun on tlic
wooden frame which fupported the quadrant. For he always
obferved that when the fhutter In the roof was opened, the
plummet-wire would, in a minute or two, leave the point,
though it had Hood over it quietly all the forenoon. Yet, not-
withftanding thofe differences, a Mean^ from fo many, may be
fuppofed very near the truth; fmce, if we leave out that of June
dth, which differs mofl from the others, the mean of the reit
will be but 2" o-reater than it is fet down above.

o

So far I have gwtnyiv .Rittenhoufe* s obfervations, previous and
fubfequent to the Tranfit, for afcertaining the going of his time*
piece and fixing the latitude and longitude of the obfervatory,
from February 15th to July 8th-, by which it will appear what
laudable diligence he hath ufed in thefe material articles. He
hath taken many more obfervations fmce -, but thofe given
above, are judged fully fufEcient to fhev/ that both the' latitude
and longitude of the obfervatory may be * depended on, and
alfo the times given on the day of the tranfit.

It hath been mentioned before, that it was on Thurfday af-
ternoon, June I ft, that Mr. Lukens and myfelf arrived aC
Norriton, with a defign to continue with Mr. Rittenhoufe *till
the tranfit fhould be over. The profpe<5t before us was very
difcou raging. That day, and feveral preceeding,* had beea
generally overcaft with clouds, and frequent heavy rains ; a
thing not very common for fo long a period at that feafon of
the year, in this part of America. But, by one of thofe fudden
tranfitions, which we often experience here, on Thurfday
evening, the weather became perfe6lly clear, and continued the
day following, as well as the day of the Tranfit^ in fuch a
Hate of ferenity, fplendor of funfhine, and purity of atmof-
phere, that not the leaft appearance of a cloud was to be fecn.

D 3 June

* As the menforation of the ground between the Obfervatories of Philadelpln'a
and Norriton, will give the fame difference both of longitude and latitude, which
■was got by the different aftronomical obfervations at each place, they may be
therefore taken a$ a confirmation of each other.

,■>«-

C 24 3

June 2d, and the forenoon of June 3d, were fpent in
making the neceffary preparations, fuch as examining and
marking the foci of our fcveral telefcopes, particularly the
refleftor, with and without the micrometer. The refleftor was
alio placed on a polar axis, and fuch fupports contrived for
refting the ends of the refradtors, as might give them a motion
as nearly parallel to the equator as fuch hafty preparations
would admit. Several diameters of the Sun were taken, and
the micrometer examined by fuch other methods as the fhort-
ncfs of the time would allow.

The Sun was fo intenfely bright on the Day of the Tranfit,.
that inftead of ufing the coloured glalTes fent from England viith.
the Refle(5tor, I put on a deeply-fmoaked glafs prepared by
Mr. Lukens^ which gave a much more beautiful, natural and
■well-defined appearance of the Sun's Difk.Thefmoaked glafs was
fattened on the Eye Tube with a little bees-wax, and there was
no occafion to change it during the whole day, as there was not
the leaft cloud, or intermiflion of the Sun*s fplendor.

Mr. Rittenhoufe\ in his previous proje6lion (fee p. 4) had
made the fir ft external contaft to be, June 3d, 2*^. 11^ for lat. .
40* N. and long. 5^. W. of Greenwich ; on a fuppofition of
the Sun's horizontal parallax being 8'^. He happened to be .
very near the truth. For at 2*^. 10' 33' mean time, the ift.
external contact was at Norriton, lat. 40^. 9^ s^" N. and"
long. 5^. \'. 31'''' weft. Other calculations made it generally.,
from b' to 8 ' later for the fame latitude and longitude.

Tho' this calculation v/as not given, to be entirely depended '
on, yet it was fufficient to make us keep what, in the fea-
phrafe, v/ould be called a good look-out •, and therefore, at one .
o'clock^ we took off the Micrometer, which had been fitted to the
Refiedtor with a power of 95, and adjufted it to diftintfl vi-
iion, with the * fame power to obferve the. Contacts. And,

during

• As the two Kefrafii'ig Tek/copes, iife'd by my aflbciates, took into tbeir field
but a fmull part of the Sun's limb, ruid were difficult to manage on account of.
their length and the Sun's great altitude, it was thought bell that I fhould not
ufc the g?e.Uell power of the /?5^fi?5r} that, having a larger field, I might be aiiie-

to

C 25 1

during the hour that was to intervene from one to two, we
refolved to keep an alternate watch through the Refle^or, on.
that half ot the Sun's limb, where Fgnus was certainly expcvfted
to touch; while the others, not thus employed, were fixing
what more remained to be done, as follows, viz.

First, That each of us might the better exercife our own
judgmenti without being influenced, or thrown into any agi-
tation by the others, it was agreed to tranfad every thing by
fignals, and that one fhould not know what another was doing.
The Situation of the Telefcopes, the two Refradtors being at
fome diftance withaut the Obfervatory, and the Refledor within^
favoured this defign.

Secondly, Two perfons, Mr.5^//^rj, one of our Committee,
and Mr. Archibald Mc.Clean, both well accuftomed to matters
of this kind, were placed at one window of the Obfervatory,
to count the clock and take the fignal from Mr. Lukens. Two
of Mr. Rittenhoufe's family, whom he hath often employed to
count the clock for him in his obfervations, were placed at
another window to take his fignal. My Telefcope was placed
clofe by the clock, and I was to count its beats, and fet down
my own time.

These Preliminaries being fettled, we prepared at two'
o'clock to fit down to our refpeftive Telefcopes ; or (I fhould ^
rather fay) lie down to the Refra^lors, on account of the Sun's ^
great height.

As there was a large <:oncourfe of the inhabitants of the'
county, and many from the city, we were apprehenfive ■
that our fcheme for filence might be defeated, by fome ■
of them fpeaking, when they fhould fee any of the fignals

to give noHce to them, if the Contact fhould hap^pen at any great diftance from •
tirat part of the Sun's limb where it was expefted, and which might not be within
their field. Bur, if it fhould happen near that part, we were to traiifaft every ■
thing by fignals siven to the counters at the clock, without the leaft notice to each 1
other. It°was alfo thought belt that there fhould be fome difference in our ma-g-
r.ifying powers; and I am well pleafed that I did not ufe a larger with theRtfieftur, ■
aj.the viiion, with the power I uftd, was exquifitel^ diltiudt and accuratcr

for.

f 26 3

^For the Conta£ls •, and therefore we found it neceflary to tell
them that the faccefs of our obfervation would depend on their
keeping a profound fiience 'till the ContaSis were over. And to
do them juftice, during the 12' that enfued, there could not
iiave been a more folemn paufe of filence and expeftation, if
each individual had been waiting for the fentence that was to
give him life or death. So regular and quiet was the whole,
that, far from hearing a whifper, or word fpoken, I did not
even hear the feet of the counters, who palled behind me from
the windows to the clock ; and was furprized when I turned
from my Tclefcope to the clock, to find them all there before
me, counting up their feconds to an even number •, as I imagin-
ed, from the deep filence, that my affociates had yet {^t^i
nothing oi Venus.

As the Contacts are among the moll efiential articles re-
lative to this phaenomenon, it is material, before we fet down
the times^ to give a particular account of the manner in which
each obferver judged of them, and the circumftances attending
them.

Mr. RITTENHOUSE's Account of the Contacts,

" At 2*^. 11'. 39''' per clock, the Revd. Mr. Barton of
Lancafter^ who aflifted me at the Telefcope, on receiving my
fignal, as had been agreed, inftantaneoufly communicated it
to the counters at the window, by waving a handkerchief;
•who walking foftly to the clock, counting feconds as they went
along, noted down their times feparately, agreeing to the fame
fecond. And three feconds fooner than this, to the beft of my
judgment, was the time when the leaR impreflion made by
Venus on the Sun's limb, could be feen by my Telefcope.'*

" When the Planet had advanced about one third of its
diameter on the Sun, as I was fteadily viewing its progrefs,
my fight was fuddenly attraded by a beam of light, which
broke through on that fide oi Venus yet off the Sun. Its figure
was that of a hroad-bafed pyramid -, fituated at about 40 or 45
degrees on the limb oi Venus ^ from a line pafling through her

center

t 27 11

center and the Sun's, and to the left hand of that line as feen
through my Telefcope, which inverted. About the fame time,
the Sun's light began to fpread round Venus on each fide, from
the points where their limbs interfedtcd each other." See a
reprefentation of both thefe phaenomena, plate 3. fig. i..

" As Fenus advanced, the point of the Pyramid ftill grew
lower, and its circular Bafe wider, until it met the light which
crept round from the points of interfeftion of the two limbs ; fo
that when half the planet appeared on the Sun, the other half
yet off the Sun was entirely furrounded by a femicircular light,
bell defined on the fide next to the body of Fems, which con-
tinually grew brighter, till the time of the internal contaft.''
See plate 3. fig. 2.

" Imagination cannot form any thing more beautifully
ferene and quiet, than was the air during the whole time ; nor
did I ever fee the Sun's limb more perfectly defined, or more
free from any tremulous motion •, to which his great altitude
undoubtedly contributed much.'*

" When the internal contact (as it is called) drew nigh, I
forefaw that it would be very difficult to fix the time with any
certainty, on account of the great breadth and brightnefs of
the light which furrounded that part of Venus yet off the Sun.
After feme confideration, I refolved to judge as well as I could
of the co-incidence of the limbs •, and accordingly gave the
fignal for the internal contaSf, at 2*^. 28' 45''' by the clocl^
(v/hen the appearance of Venus and the border of light
were as in fig. 3. plate 3.) and immediately began to count
feconds, which any one, who has been acculiomed to it, may
do for a minute or two, pretty near the truth. In this manner
I counted no lefs than i' 32''' * before the effed of the at-

* Mr. Rittenkouii thinks that a perfon who had feen the Sun nearer the horizon,
and could not fo well dillinguKh between the body of Venus, and this furround--
ing atmofphere, would have been near i' later than him in pronouncing the
contact J and that tiie other 32" elapled before the Sun's limb (through the larg?-
Refrattor he uledj. appeared totally reltored to its farmer fplendor.

mofpher'^

t^y ■/z?i,eo^ort c/tAe 7r'a?l/ir in^ T^nuJ', irv€r/-Ae J^iun, aa o^nfea^a^t^A^mfyn mT^e^ft^hantafLrua/^d'a

Pl.ra

Jnr

\

645'^

Srei„«,/x^iy iy'^i-^y ^^t^nA,-,,^: /p .,'.-«M,-j>i^ .,A-,v uA-M,.

center and the Sun's, and to the left hand of that line as feen
through my Telefcope, which inverted. About the fame time,
the Sun's light began to fpread round Venus on each fide, from
the points where their limbs interfered each other." See a
reprefentation of both thefe phaenomena, plate 3, fig. i..

" As Venus advanced, the point of the Pyramid dill grew
lower, and its circular Bafe wider, until it met the light which
crept round from the points of interfeftion of the two limbs •, fo
that when half the planet appeared on the Sun, the other half
yet off the Sun was entirely furrounded by a femicircular light,
bell defined on the fide next to the body oi Venus ^ which con-
tinually grew brighter, till the time of the internal contad.''
See plate 3. fig. 2.

" Imagination cannot form any thing more beautifully
ferene and quiet, than was the air during the whole time ; nor
did I ever fee the Sun's limb more perfe(5tly defined, or more
free from any tremulous motion •, to which his great altitude
undoubtedly contributed much."

" When the internal contact (as it is called) drew nigh, I'
forefaw that it would be very difficult to fix the time with any
certainty, on account of the great breadth and brightnefs of
the fight which furrounded that part oi Venus yet off the Sun.
After fome confideration, I refolved to judge as well as I could
of the co-incidence of the limbs ; and accordingly gave the
fignal for the internal contaEl, at 2*^. 28' \^' by the clocl<
(when the appearance of Venus and the border of light
were as in fig. 3. plate 3.) and immediately began to count
feconds, which any one, who has been accuiiomed to it, may
do for a minute or two, pretty near the truth. In this manner
I counted no lefs than 1' 32'-^ * before the effed of the at-

* Mr. RUtenhoufs thinks that a perfon who had feen the Sun nearer the horizon,
and could not fo well diftinguilh between the body of Venus, and this furround..-
iiig atmofphere, would have been near i' later than him in pronouncing the
contact j and that tlie other 32" elapled before the Sun's limb (tiirough thelargs;
Refratlor h? uJedX appeared totally reltored to its farmer fplendor.

mofphere

I 28 ]

■moTphere of ^^enuf on the Sun's limb wholly difappeared ;
.leaving that part of the limb as well defined as the reft. From
;this 1 concluded that I had given the fignal for the internal
£onta£l too foon •, and the times given by the other obfervers at
Norriicn confirm me in this opinion.'*

Mr. LUKENS'j Account of the Contacts.

*' The Telefcope I ufed, being a Refractor of 42 feet,
-giving but a fmall field, and fomething difficult to manage, by
reafon of the Sun's great altitude •, I was obliged to move *
often, and apprehend that 1 did not difcover the fir ft imprefTion
of the planet on the Sun, which my Telefcope would have
fhewn. For, after one of thofe movements, on bringmg the
glafs to bear again on that part of the Sun's limb where Venus
was expefted, I law a large tremulous Ihadow, already fome-
what advanced, andfeeming to prefs flill inwards on the Sun's
limb. Having contemplated this fpr a few feconds, and per-
ceiving the appearance grow more dark, and make a better
defined imprefTion on the limb, I gave the fignal to the perfons
■who counted time for me, which they noted down feparately
ajc 2^. 11' Q," by the clock. I fuppofe my telefcope might have
fhewn the imprefTion on the Sun's limb at leaft 15" fooner.

" When Venus was near one half of her diameter advanced
on the Sun, 1 faw diftinftly a border of light encompafTing
that part of her which was yet off the Sun. This was 'io bright
that it rendered that part of Venus vifible and pretty well
defined, although not yet entered on the Sun. But towards
the internal contacf, the circular border of light feemed to grow
more dufky towards the points where the luminous fegments of
the Sun's limb were ready to clofe round the planet. This
dulkinefs did not feem to part wholly from the Sun's limb, at
the time I apprehended the body of Venus to be wholly entered
on the Sun, and when I gave the fignal for the internal conta6t,
which was noted by both the perfons who counted for me at
2''. 28'. 58^'' by the clock. And I judge at leaft from 16^'' to 18^
more, before I faw the Sun's limb clear of this dufky Ihadow."

• The obfervers whh the ReJraSiors were obliged to lie on the ground, with
their heads bolfler'd up by the perfons that a(Med them.

Dr.

[ 29 ]

Dr. SMITHS Account of the Contacts.

" The power kept on the Gregorian Reflecf or ^ forobferving
the contdtls^ as hath been already obfcrved, was the fame
which we had been ufing, and were again to life, whh the
Micrometer^ magnifying 95 times. I had therefore a large
field, taking in about half the Sun's Difl^ •, and the inftrurnent
was fo firmly fupported, with its axis in a polar direftion, that
it could not be fhaken by any motion on the earthen floor of
the obfervatory, and required only an eafy movement of one
part of the rack-work to manage it. With thefe advantages,
any part of the Sun's limb could be readily kept in the middle
of the field, without neglefling, every 4''''or i^\ to caft my eye
on all other parts of the limb on both fides, where there was
any pofTibility of the contaft to happen.

Within half a minute of the time calculated for the ift
contadt by Mr. Rittenhoufe, I fpoke to the counters at the
windows to be very attentive to rhofe who were to give them
the fignals from the Telefcopes out of doors ; and turning
my eye clofely to the part of the Sun's limb where Venus was
expedted, I had viewed it ftedfaftly for feveral feconds, without
having occafion to change my field, wheni was fuddenly fur-
prized with fomething ftriking into it, like a watery pointed
Ihadow, appearing to give a tremulous motion to all that
part of the limb, although the Telefcope flood quite firm,
and not the lead difturbance or undulation were perceptible
about any other part.

" The idea I had formed of the conta^f was — That Venus
would inftantaneoufly make a well defined black and fmall
imprefiion or dent on the Sun, But this appearance was fo
different, the difturbance on th-e limb fo ill-defined, undulatory,
pointed, waterifh, and occupying a larger fpace than I expedled,
that I was held in a fufpenfe of 5^'' or 6'^ to examine whether it
might not be fome Ikirt of a watery flying cloud.

" Perceiving this fliadow (atmofphere, or whatever elfe
it was) to prefs ftill forward on the limb, with the fame tre-
mulous pointed appearance, the longeft points towards the

E middle

C so ]

middle, I began to count the beats of the clock for either
15'''' or i6'\ when a well-defined black dent, apparently occu-
pying a lefs fpace on the Sun's limb, became diilinftly vifible.
I then quilted the Tclefcojie and turning to the clock, noted
the time it then fhewed, which wa^ 2^. 12' 5''''.

" About 22''''fooner than this (viz. the 16^^ I counted, and
the 5''^ or 6'^ in which 1 remained in doubt at the beginning)
\vas the firft vifible impreffion on the limb which my Tele-
fcope would fhew •, and I alfo marked that time down ; viz.
2^. 11' 4.0^^ to 43^''. If this firft imprelTion is to be taken for
the external! contact., 1 think it may be judged of almoit to a
fingle fecond, by perfons having equally good eyes and Tele-
fcopes ; which cannot be done, as I apprehend, to feveral
feconds, either with refpe6l to the internal conta5f^ or even with
refpeft to the moment of the firft diftindt black dent, commonly
marked for the external contaB: In both thefe, fome differ-
tnccs may well happen among the beft obfervers, from their
diff'erent manner of judging, in refpeft to a circumftance of
fuch exquifite nicety.

*' Whether a Telefcope of larger powers than what I
made ufe of, might not have fooner fhewn this firft fhadowy
impreftion (that preceedcd the diftindl black contaft) I will
not take upon me to determine; though, from the time given
by IVlr. Rittenhcufe^ 1 think it would. But this 1 can be fure
of, that I faw the firft ftroke of it perceptible through my Te-
lefcope, having that part of the Sun's limb in full and fteady
view ; and I might have noted the time to a fingle fecond, if
I had expcdled it in that way,

*' As to the infernal cental., the thread or crefccnt of light,
coming round from both fides of the Sun's limb, did not clofe
inftantaneoufly about the daik body of the planet, but with an
uncertainty of feveral leconds \ the points of the threads darting
backwards and forwards into each other, in a quivei ing manner,
for fome fpace of time, before they finally adhered. The inftant of
this f.dhefton^ I determined to wait for, with all the r.ttention in
my power, and to note it down for the internal contaB \ which
Ididj at 2"^. 29' ^" by the clock j a few feconds later than

Mr,

t 31 ]

Mr. LukenSy whcrjaJged in the fame v/a/. And even tlienj
though the points of the thread of light feemcd to clofe, yec
the light itfeif did not appear perfed on that part of the limb [ill
about 13'^ afterwards ; and 1 apprehend that a perfori wlio had
waited for the perfedion of this fmall thread of light, would have
given the contad that number of feconds later than 1 did, al-
though I was later than the others."

" After, the ifl; contad, having quitted the Teleicope, to
note down my time, the gentlemen who counted for us, and
feveral others now in the obfervatory, were impatient to fee
Venus before flie had wholly entered on the Sun ; an indulgence
not to be denied them, as the Refledor was moll convenient:
for them. For this reafon i did not fit down to it again till
withm 5' or 6' of the internal contact, and confequently faw
none ot thofe curious appearances, on that part of'the planet off
the Sun, mentioned by my affociates. But their account may
be fully depended on, as both of them are v;cll accuilomed to
celeftial obfervations, and are accurate in jud^-ment as well as
- fight. The fmall differences in the times of our conta^s^ it is
prcfumed, may be eafily rec-nciled, from the different pov/ers
of our elefcopc-, and other circiimftances mentioned in the
manner ofjudging. At any rate, we have let them down faithfully.

" As to the fitft difturbance in the Sun's limb, it may be
worthy of confideration, whc'her it v/as really from the inter-
pofirion of the limb of Venus^ or of her atmofphere. One
cannot eafily imagine it to be tlie former, without fuppofing
her limb and body much more ragged and uneven, than they
appear when {^^n on the Sun. An atmofphere is a much more
probable fuppofition, not only from the faint and waterilh
colour at firft, but the undulatory motion above mentioned,
whicli might arile from the growing denfity of the atmofphere,
pufhing forward on the Sun, and varym^ the RefraBwn of his
rays, as they pafs in fuccefliun through it.

" If fuch an atmofphere be granted, it will probably ac-
count for the tremulous motion, in the thread of light creeping
round Venus at the internal conlaci ; which may be thus pre"-
vcnted irom clofing and adhering quietly, till this atmofphere

E 2 (or

r 32 1

(or at leaft its denfeit part) has entered wholly on the Sun, arid
Gonfc^quen Jy the co-incidence of the limbs be paft. For, though
the atmofphere of Venus (as far as we could poflibly judge)
be not vifible on the Sun ; yet that part of it which is fur-
rounding, or juft entering, his limb, may be vifible j having,
if I may fo exprefs it, a darker ground behind it.

" But thefe are only hafty conjeftures, fubmitted toothers;
although, if they have any foundation, it would make feme
difference in the time eftimated between the conta5is. And
therefore, thofe aitronomers who may happen to be in the
world at another tranfit^ will perhaps think it beil to fix on
fome general mode of pronouncing with refped to the conta^s •,
either by neglefting this atmofphere altogether, or taking their
time from the appearance and difappcarance of its effects on
the Sun's limb. In either cafe, it is prefumed the times of
different obfervcrs having nearly the fame altitude of the Sun,
and equal advantages of weather and inftruments, would not
differ fo much as has been the cafe hitherto, even amoog emi-
nent aftronomers at the fame place."

^^iTeral T A B L E of thT^C (TNT'J C'T'S~l/lfeTi»7fr^rrSv7~ana'i
Venus, as obfer'ved at Norriion, ynne yf, 1769. Reduced to apparent T:me.\
N B. June 3d, (bv t!i€ preceeding tables of the work) the Sun's center wa-^^
on the meridian at iih. 58'. 49" by the clock ; and June 4th, at uh, 59'. a'^.i
and therefore gained at the rate of 13' in 24 hours. Hence, at noon June 3d, tht'
clock being 1'. 11 "How of apparent time, (he was only 1'. 9". 4S'" flow at the';
external contniSV, and 1' 9". 40' ' flow at the internal contact. But to avoid

fractions, we fay, 1'. 10" flow at both conta61s. Whence

The apparent Time of the Contads, by the diF/erent Obfervers, was '

External Contaft,

by Mr. Lukens.

Mr. Lukens changing his

Field.

External CantaiJl,

by Dr. Smith.

Firit vifible impreffion

n G'siimb, in form of a

I emulous pointed (hadow,

at;-^ h. m. fee.

a. 12. 50 t® S3
A. well-defined black dent! A fraallDent in0's limb,

in 0's limb, at
13'

Internal Contad.
A thread of light, clo-
ingr round the daik body
f 5 with a tremulous mo-
ion, at i). ni. fee,
2. 30. 15
. The luminous thread
become clear ami quiet in
i2"niore, viz. at

."^_'?'^- *7

Intel nal

h. m fee,

2- '3- 13

Contaft.

External Contaft,
by Mr. Rittenhouse.
Fiift iniprefilun on (£)'$'
limb, judg'd of as in'
Plate 3. Fig. i. at

h. m. fee.

Z. 12. 49

Thread of light begin-
ning to clofe round 5 at
h. m. fee.
2. 30. 8

Thread of light Teemed
compleat, at

2. 30. 24

Internal Contafl.

Appearance as inPlate 3
Fig. 3, and judged b
him for the CoiitMi::^, at

h. ni. ftc.

2. 29. 55

a

WaEM

t 33 3

When Venus was fully entered on the Sun's limb, and we
had compared the different papers on which our contads were
written down, and entered them in our book, we prepared for
the Micrometer and other obfervations.

Those of the Micrometer, reduced to apparent time, are
as follow, viz.

•z

Apparen

t Micrometer mealure;.

Value oi

Parallaxes of $ nom ©J

time.

of leail diftance of

micromet.

adjulledto the times of the

J

une 3d

, neareil limbs of

meafures;

Micrometer meafures, in

o

1769.

0 & ?

orleaft.lift

order to the ProjeAion ;

?r

of limbs,

by Mr. Rittenhoufe. |

<

5'

in min. &
fee. ofO's

i

In the

In Path

Perpendic]

5

diameter.

Vertical.

of?

to Path.

H

M. S'

c. Inches, aoths, 50oths.

m. fee.

Seconds.

Sccnnds.

Seconds.

I

3-

7- >

9 0. 4. 0,5

'• 45.4

H'54

13,67

4.94

2

3-

11. 3

Q 0. 4

12

I- 57'6

14.74

13.88

4,96

3

3-

17. ^

.2 0. 5

. 2

2. >3,5

15,09

14,24

5.01

4

I

3-

3-
4-

32-

3 0. 6

»4
4

2J,5

2. 52,7

3. S,6

15' 7 7
16,17

14,92
I ?,^2

■5.13 1

5-3 i
6,ot

40.

4 0. 7

5 0. 10

•

35-

4- 46.67

18,45

'7.45

7

4-

S7'

9 0. 1 1

19

5. 10,75

19,02

i7'95

6,32 \

8

5*

7- 4

9 0. 1 1

22,75

5- 14.5

19.5

18,36

6,63 i

9

5*

21. 4

0 0. 1 1

23.5

5- 15.3

19,88

18,64

6,98 j

h

5-

3'- 4

6 0. 1 1

21,5

5- '3. '7

20, (2

iS,8

7.23 1

in

5-

42. 3

8 0. n

'7^S

5- ^m

20,36

18,9?

7,48

12

5-

51. 1

0 0. 1 1

'3.5

5- 4' 7

20,52

19.06

7.67 ■

'3

6.

22. 1

4 0. 1 0

5'5

1- 29,7

21,00

19,21

8.57

'4

6.

31-

5 o- 9

20

4. 18,58

21,12

19,22

8,82

>5

6.

41. 2

4 0, 9

0

3- S7 i^

2 1,22

19.15

9.14 1

i6

6.

48. .

2 0. 8

13

3. 41,66

21,26

19,12

9-31 '

J?

6.

53- 3

c 0. 8.

'.5 -

3- 32.47

21,28

19,04

g,^,g

i8

6.

56. 2

; 0. 7.

23

3. 28,70

21,29

19,02

9-56

w

Dillance

of the Limbs of© and $ inChordsj

Parallaxes, to the times oft

o

1 o
-•^

O

parallel to the Equator.

the micrometer meafures

i

<

H.

m.fcc

In. 20ths. 5onfhs.

M. fe:>.

Secor.ds

Seconds

Seconds.!

I

3-

58-53

0. 17. 14,3 E. limb. 7. 44,57

17.0

16,1

5.40

2

4-

27 18

r. 3- 6 E. limb lo- M,74

18,16

17,18

5,86^

-

3

6.

4. 27

2. 0. zo r. limb. 18. 0,0*^

20.75

19,16

8,06 ;

±

6

q. ^8

0. 15 6,!; VV.lunbj 6. 43>t!7

20,81

19.2

. ^'^.".

-■*

"•' "

^"

"'"'•""'"-^ - --

'

Diameters

C 34 ]

jJianiecerj Of O June 3, 17

Timeoerclock
i. M.
ii in. Cec
8. 3,-. o
8. 40. o
8. 4,-. o

I\ M.
12. 35. o
12. 40. o

Micrometer
meafures.
\. aoths. 500lhs.

I I.

I I.
1 1.

1 1.
1 1.

'3
16

>3

13

I 2

Diameters oi ^ taKfu oa © Jun^'*'
3d, 1709.

Micrometer iValue
meafi'ics. j
In. 20ths. 5oorhs.{ Sec.
2. 4,6 -56,75
2. 5,0 157,, 8
2. 5,25 (57,44
2, 4,7 156,9]
2. 4,7 J56,9i
2- 5'33 157.53

Mean of the above 5 horizontal V ,,. ,. rg'Mean of the above 6

for diam. of $

57''2

diameters of G - ~ S

Or leaving out the 2d. which -^
'differs mofl from the reft,& was C ,, 5 ? 8q
'judged to be taken too large; ^-^ * •'■'' ^
,'the mean of the other \. is

Which gives O's fcmidiameter i 5'. 46, "94; that is, c^j^ytYo/i^/and ^ of a iecond
larger than the di::meter given in the nautical almanack for the iranlit day.
Yet, Vcnus's diameter, though taken with the utmolt care by the fame
Microrreter and at the fame focus (as the Sun's) comes out abut one fecond
lefs than it was expeded, being 5 7," 12 ; or about j-n of O's diameter.

The vertical diameter of O on the fame day was 31'. 31, "8 at 4^'
. 40'. P. M.

Of the Micrometer meafures, the 2d, 5rh, and 18th
diflance of the neareft limbs of x.ht Sun and Venus ; the lil in
a chord parallel to the equator, the iftand 6th of the ciiamete'rs
oi Venus \ and the ift and 4th of the diameters of the Sun,
were taken by Mr. Rittenhoufe. The 3d and i6th diftance of
the neareft limbs, the 3d diameter oi Venus and the 2d ot ihe
Sun, were taken by Mr. Lukcns. Ail rhc other Micrometer
meafures were taken by myfelf, while Mr. Rittenhoufe applied
himfelf to cake the appulfes of the limbs ot the Sun and center
of Venus to the crofs hairs of his equ.il altitude infrrument,
Mr„ Lukens writing down the obfcrvations and their exa6l
time.

The Micrometer meafures were all feparately reduced to
their value in minutes and feconds by Mr. Rittenhoufe, and by
myfelf, making the proper allowance for the error of adjufl-

menc

[ 35 3

raent of the inftrnment. Many more Micrometer meafures
might have been taken , but had we made the intervals
between them much fhorter than 8 or lo minutes, they
would have been of little ufe in the proje6lion, and would have
crouded it too much. Nor could we have beftowed the fame
care in fetting the inftrument, reading off the vernier, &c,
if a much larger number had been taken.

In order to judge of the error of the Micrometer (if any)
Jupiter's diameter was not only taken with it both ways, viz.
to the right and to the left, but Mr. Rittenhoufe likewife took
a mean to the right ot lo diameters of a white painted circle
about 330 yards diftant, and alfo a 7nean of as many to the left.
This work was performed early in the morning before fun-rife ;
when the air v/as free from ail tremulous motion ; and the re-
fult gave an error of adjuftment of i'''',! 2 to be fubilradled from
all the micrometer meafures.

It was once intended {till further to confirm the work of the
following delineation, by applying the obfervations of the ap-
pulfcs of the limbs of the Sun and center of Venus, mentioned to
have been taken above. But the lines neccfTary for this, would
have confuftd the figure ; and the Micrometer obfervations
being found fo exa(5t, any further ufe of the others, than to try
how well they would agree, was thought to be needlefs, efpe-
cial as the fraflions of fcconds in them could not be eftimated,
fo as to come up to the accuracy of the Micrometer. For this
reafon, thev are not fet down.

Delineation

[ 35 ]

"Delineation cf the tra'tifit of Venus over the Sun, c.ccording to-
the foregoing Ohfervations, with the principles of the work*

By Mr. Rittenhouse.

ii. 1 1 AHE Sun's horizontal parallax is afTumed 8'''', 65 at his
I mean diftance from the earth ; from which, and the
obfcrved lead diftance of the centers of the Sun and Venus,
the chord of the tranfit line was laid down. The Sun's femi-
diameter and that of Venus are taken as by the above obferva-
tions. One point in the tranfit line was then fixed by the firfl
Micrometer diftance of the limbs at 3''. 7' ig" apparent
time. This line was then divided carefully into hours and
minutes, fuppofing Venus to move 2 40, '^3 6 over the Sun's
Dilk in an hour, according to a calculation I had formerly
made from Hailey's tables. The place of Venus's center in
the tranfit line, was then marked to the times of each of the
obfervationsj and from thence the apparent place of her center
found, by fetting off the quantity ot her parallax from the Sun
in its proper diredion. About each of the centers fo found,
a circle is defcribed with the Radius i^"^c^6. the obferved femi-
diameter of Venus. Blank lines were next drawn through the
Sun's center and the apparent place of the center of Venus ;
and on thefe the black lines were drawn from the Sun's limb
precifely of fuch length as we found they ought to be by the
Micrometer -, fo that it may be feen at once how far they cor-
refpond with each other, by obferving how much they exceed
or fall fhort of reaching the limb of Venus.

Out of the 18 Micrometer Oblervations there is fo exatft
a correfpondence among 14 of them, that I am well convinced
they may be depended upon. Two of the others, as will appear
by the figure, reach about 2,fecond over the limb of Venus -^ and
the other twoarefcarce d.fecond{horx.o{ it. Such fmall differences
mi^hteafily have happened from the leaft inaccuray in reading,
off the time, or the divifions of the vernier, or from their not
being exadly taken in the diredion of the neareft diftance of
the limbs ; that is in a line joining the center of the Sun and
Venus.

The

C 37 3

The meafnres intended to be taken in chords parallel to ihe
equator, are likewife exceeding near the truth, if it be confidercd
that in fetting the Micrometer to that direftion, we had only the
truth of the polar axis to depend on, which was conilirufted
haftily to anfwer thepurpofe of the Day. Three of thefe meafures
agree well with each other, and with all the other Micrometer
Obfervations, on fuppofing the chord in which they were taken
inclined half a degree to the plane of the equator. The 4th
is ftill more nearly parallel, but diverging Ibmething the other
way. Thefe chords are delineated in the projedion, and ferve
to confirm the other work.

All the parallaxes of Venus from the Sun were taken from
a projedlion on a large fcale ot half an inch to a fecond, and
then reduced to the fcale of this delineation. After calculating
fome of thofe parallaxes, and finding that thofe got by the
projedion came as near thole got by calculation, as it was
polTible to lay them down from the fcale •, any further nicety
was not thought neceflary.

The angle of Venus's vifible way with the? ^^ , ,^
Ecliptic 1 find to be 5 • • 7

The angle of the ecliptic with a parallel of i ^ , ^^
declination at 3^. P,M. 5 7* 5 - '^Z

Decreafing 53^^ per Hour.

Latitude of the Obfervatory (as above) 40°. 9'. c^^"

Hence the parallaxes were fitted to each of the Micrometer
Obfervations, as laid down above. If a computation be made
from the firft Micrometer Obfervation of the diftance of the
limbs, we (hall find the time of the leaft diftance of the centers
ol the Sun and Venus as ieen from the Earth's center to have
been - - - - - ^. ^6' . \&

If a like computation be made from the 1 6th ^ r

Oblervation it will be found ^ ^'

By comparing fome other obfervations with thefe I conclude
the time of leait diftance of the centers to have been

F Then

V.

C 38 ]

5". 3'- 39"

Then fay, as Radius is to the tangentof the angle oi Venus^s
vifible way with the ecliptic -, fo is the leaft diftance of the
centers, to that portion of the path, intercepted between the,
place oi Venus at the time of the leaft diftance of the centers,,
and her place at the time of ecliptic conjun6lion \ that is---
Rad: T. 8°. 28'.2/'':: 610^'': 90^88.

But 90^88 reduced to time is - - o*^. 22'. a^i"

Time of leaft diftance of centers Is - 5. 26. 20

Difference of which is the time of.
ecliptic conjunftion

Again Rad : fee. 8°. 28' 2y":'. 610^: 6i6''\y ^ ; the geo-^
centric latitude of Venus at the time of ecliptic conjunftion.

From the logarithm oi Venus geocent. lat. 2. 7900974.

Subftradl the diff". of the logarithms of ^

Venus' s diftance from the Earth and (' o. 4002370
from the Sun

Remains the log. of the heliocentric lat. 2. 3^9^^^4- = a' -B'^ZS

Then fay -, as the tangent of the inclination of the orb of
Venus, is to Radius, fo is the tangent of her heliocent. lat. to
the fine of her diftance from the node in the ecliptic ; that is —

T. 3°. 23/ 20": Rad:: T. 4.' 5,"39 : Sine 1^.9/4"
the diftance from node.

The 5«k's place, by Halley's tables at time? ^s ,.0 ^6^ 0,2^'
of ecliptic conjundlion was -> ' ^ ' 'o

Diftance of the node from the Sun o. i. 9. 4

The Sum is the place of /^^;/«j's afcending > ^^ o^

node ^ • '^' ^^' 2^

But, by Halley's tables, the place of ^^;/«j ^ g ^^ ^^

to the above time is only *> • ^'

That is Ten Seconds too flow.

Thus, Gentlemen, you have a faithful account of our whole
work, which we could have wiflied to have reduced to IcTs
compafs. Had our latitude and longitude been previoufly
fixed, as thev had been at Philadelphia by able mathematicians,
a crrcat part of our work might have been faved. But we
thought it necefliu-y (as hath been before hinted) to ftievv that
fuch pains were taken in thefe material articles that they may

be

C 39 J

be depended on. And as we v/ere happily favoured at the
tranfit, with advantages of weather, and other circumftances,
which cannot have happened to the generahty of obfervers in
many parts of the world, it was thought we fhouki be more
readily excufed, by men of fcience, for the infertion of things
that might be fuperflous, than the omiffion of the lead article
material, in the account of a phcenomenon, that will never be
obferved again, by any of the prefent generation of men.
I am,
Gentlemen, with great refpeft.

Your moil obedient humble fervant,
Phihdelphia, July WILLIAM SMITH.

19th, 1769.

The reader is defired to make the following corredlion of the
equal altitudes of April nth and 14th, as that part of the
work was printed off before the miftake was dilcovered.

.^1 ji.M. P.M. f Hence ap- ^"^ J. M. P.M. Appar. nooifc
5.f h m. fee. h.m,fec.par. noon, g^^h. m. fee. h.m.fec.

^•8. 30. 32 3. 30. 431 per clock. - - ^

- yS, 33. 28 3. 27.47 h. m. fee.
•*"J8. 34. 55 3. 26. 22) 12. o. 25

„ >8-25- 42 3- 33-56
4^ \ - - - ;;. 31. 1

^8. 30. 2 3. 29. 37

per clock.

h. m. fee.
"• 59- 37

which gives i". to be fubtraded from, inftead of being added
to, the obferved time of the immerfion of ill fatellite, April
12th, and makes it 1 1*^. 14'. 37'^ (as it (lands corrected in the
table of eclipfes of the fatellites) inflead of 1 1^. 14'. 39^^, as it
would be deduced from the altitudes printed above tor April
nth, compared with thofe of April 14th.

The Emer. of 2d Sat. per Clock, June 7th5 is alfo to be read,
8h. 43'. 29'^ infteadof 8\ 23'. 42^^

P. S. As it is hoped that not only this province in general,
but likewife the Society who fet on foot, and the honorable
Houfe of Aficmbly, who ib liberally encouraged, the defign
for obferving the Tranfit here, may derive fome credit from
the laudable fpirit {hewn on that occafion, I fh all add an ex-
tra6l of a letter from the Revd. Mr. Maikelyne the Aftrono-
mer Royal, to fhew how well our labors have been received
at home.

F 2 Greenwich^

S I R,

r 40 ]•

Greenwich, Aiigu§i id, 1769.

•* T Thank you for the account of the Pennfylvania Obfer-

" X vations (of the Tranfit) which feem excellent and compleat^

" and do honor to the gentlemen who made them, and thofe

*' who promoted the undertaking ; among whom I reckon

" yourfelf in the firlt place.

" As foon as I can fettle the longitude of their places of
*' obfervations, with refpedt to this place, I hope to be able,
" from comparing them with my own, and other European
" obfervations, which I have already received, to find the
" Sun's Parallax, nearer than we could depend on it from
" the ^ran/it in 176 1,

" I DO not yet know whether the Obfervations made by
" MefTrs. Mafon and Dixon in Pennfylvania will fufEce to
'* fettle the longitude of Philadelphia, to the exaftnefs here
" requifite. I wifli, therefore to receive the obfervations 'of
*' the eciipfes of Jupiter's fatellites, made there in the fpring
*'- of this year, of which Dr. S?nith makes mention. Thofe
" which have been made here, 1 have fet down on the * next
*' page, and requeft you will be pleafed to fend them to him,.
" with my beft compliments and congratulations on his and
" his fellow-Obfervers fuccefsful labors. I wifli alfo to have
" an acount of the difference of latitude and longitude between
" the Philadelphia Ohfervatory, and the two other Ohfervatories
" at Norriton and the Capes of Delaware •, and alfo how much
" the Slate-Hou/e i'quarc differs from the fouthermoil point of
" the city of Philadelphia, to which Meffrs. Mafon and Dixoa
" have referred their obiervations.

" When you receive any further account of the Pennfylva-
" nia Obfervations, promiicd by Dr. Smith, or any other
" American Obfervations, I fliall be obliged to you for a fight
'^ of them.

" I BEG you will accept of the enclofed account of my ob-
'* fervations of the Tranfit, and of the cclipfe of the Sun,

* They are 'mferteJ above at the bottijm of Page ai.

" June

[ 41 J

" June 3d. Yon will perceive that feveral phoenomena noted
" at Norriton agreed with thofe obferved here ; but they have
" further oblerved a curious circumftance at the firft entrance
" of Venus, which the low altitude of the Sun did not permit
" me to oblerve here ; as, on the other hand, fome phseno-
" mena were noted here, which they have not taken notice of.

" In a few days I will do myfelf the pleafure to leave fome
*' of my pamphlets with you, which 1 beg you would fend to
" the Fennfylvania Obfervers, when you have an opportu--
" nity.

I am,

S I R,

Your very humble Servant,

NEVIL MA8KELYNE."/

^0 the hon. Thomas Penn, Efq\

The above letter was occafioned by a Ihort account I had
fent to Mr. Penn four days after the Tranfir, informing him
of the fuccefs of our obfervations, the times of the contads,
and a few other circumftances attending them ; which he com-
municated to Mr. Mafkelyne. Since that, Mr. Mafkelyne
has received full fatisfaclion on all the points mentioned in his
letter, as compleat copies of our different obfervations have
been tranfmitted to Dr. Franklin, to communicate to him,
and fuch other aftronomers as he may think proper among his
correfpondents in Europe. The particular circumftances which
I mentioned relative to the firll entrance of Venus, was the
du(ky tremulous fliadow or atmofphere that feemed to precede
her body, and the light that furrounded that part of her limb
not entered on the Sun, which was alfo oblerved by the gen-
tlemen at Philadelphia, and by Mr. Biddle at the CapeSi
Which of thefe, or whether both, may be the curious circum-
ftance, or circumftances, obferved here, which Mr. Mafkelyne
fays the low altitude of the Sun did 'not permit him to oblerve,
we cannot tell; as his account of the Greenwich Obfervations
has not yet come to hand. W. S.

An.

I 4"~ 1

An /Account of the Oservations on the Transit of "Venus
ever thsSuu, on the ^d of June, i 69, by the Committee
appointed to obferve it at Philadelphia j drawn up^ and pre-
fented to the American Philosophical Society, held at
Philadelphia^ for promoting ufeful Knovuledgey

By John Ewing,
Gentlemen,

T doubtlefs mufl appear ftrange to many, that flie parallax
^^ of the Sun, which is fo important and fundamental an ar-
ticle in Aftronomy, has not been fettled by Aftronomers long
ago, as fo many things in that ufeful Science depend upon it.
But this furprife is leifened by confidering, that the fmallnefs
of the paralla6lic angle has eluded their moil careful refearchcs
in all ages, as it is but about 8 or 9 fcconds of a minute •, fo
that the fubtenfe of it, were it much larger than it is, muft be
invifible to the naked eye at the dillance of 6 inches, and it is
hardly poiTible to diflinguiHi 10 feconds by inftruments, let
them be ever fo fliillfuUy made. Many methods have been
devlfed by Aftronomers, which flievv the ingenuity of the in-
ventors j but thedifadvantage of them all was, that they de-
pended upon obfervatlons to be made with aprecifion,which no
inftruments hitherto conftrufled could pofTibly accomplifh. The
Tranfirs ofVenus alone afford an opportunity of determiningthis
problem with fufficient certainty, and ihefe, from the ftri6t laws
of her^motion, happen fo feldom, that there cannot be more of
them than two in one century, and in fome centuries none at
all. Three only have been obferved fince the creation, and the
firft of them by two perfons only. The peculiar advantage of
this ph^enomenon for determining the parallax of the Sun with
aprecifion which is not to be expefted froin any other method,
confifts in its being deduced from the abfolute time that elapfes
between the inftants of the contadls with the Sun's limb, as
feen from different parts of the earth ; or from the difference of
total durations as noted by diftant obfcrvcrs, properly ftationed
for that purpofe. A fecond of lime being eafily diflinguifhed
by a well regulated clock, if the aforelaid abfolute difference of

time

r 43 3

time be carefully noted, in places where it will amount to 24 mi-
nutes, it will give the parallax, fmall as it is, within the hun-
dreth part of a fecondof a degree, and conlequently the dif-
tanceofthe Sun and planets within the feven hundredth part of
the whole. In Ibme Tranfits this difference of time will be
greater, and in others lefs, in certain places on the earth, which
renders thofe that happen on the northern part of the Sun's
difc, in general, more favourable to our purpofe, than thofe
that happen on the fouthern hemifphere. Hence it is, that al-
tho' much was done in this matter by the fedulity and care of
Aftronomers at the Tranfit in the year 1761, when Venus
palled fouth of the Sun's center, yet our expeflations could
not be fully anfwered by the obfervations that were then made j
as it was eafily forefeen that much greater precifion might be
attained, from the advantageous circumftances that would attend
the Tranfit in 1769. The great proficience, which the Aftro-
mers made in fettling this fundamental element, beyond what
v;as ever kno>vn before, has only raifed their expectations and
engaged their attention to improve every advantage, that can
be derived from a careful obfervation of this Tranlit. If they
have not been difappointed by unfavourable weather, we hope
for the utmoft certainty that can be gained in this matter,
from the Obfervations they have made, when they fhall be
compared together. But after all, we muft fit down with the
difagrecable aflurance that the diftance of the Sun cannot be
determined by them, let them be made with ever fo great ac-
curacy, within many thoufand miles ; which will not appear
ftrange, when we confider that his diftance is upwards of94-
miilions of miles, and that an error of a fingle fecond in his
parallax will give an uncertainty of 10 or 11 millions of miles
in his diftance.

This approximation, however, is fo much greater than
could be expected, from any other method, that has ever
been propofed, that it has defervediy engaged the attention of
every civilized nation in the world •, and it muft redound to
the honor of our Society, that they have taken fuch effeftual
care to have proper Obfervatories erected, to furnilh them
with the neceflary inftruments, and to appoint proper perfons,
to ufe them on that occalion,.

. As.

- C 44 ] .

As the credit of our Obfervations, and the ftrefs that will
be laid upon them, in determining the parallax of the Sun, will
greatly depend not only on the care and fl^ill of the perfons that
made them, but alio on the goodnefs of the inftruments, with
which we were furnifhed i it has been judged proper to give
the public the lollowing account of our apparatus, and of the
pains we have taken to have it in the beft order.

As the Society were pleafed to appoint Jofeph Shippen, Efq-,
Dr. Hugh Willi am f 011^ Mr. ChnrlesT'homJon^ Mr. Thomas Trior ^
and Myfelf^ as a Committee to oblerve the Tranfit at the Ob-
fcrvatory, which they had ereded in this city, we fpared nei-
ther time nor labor to have every thing necelTary for the Ob-
fervation in readinefs. We were provided with an excellent
Se6lor of 6 feet radius, made by the accurate Mr. Bird, and an
Equal Altitude and Tranfit Inilrument, both belonging to the
honorable Proprietaries of this province, w^hich the Governor
very generoufly lent to the Society on this occafion. Our Tele-
fcopeswere,alargeRefle61:or of 4feet focus and 7 inches aperture,
which magnified from 100 to 400 times with an excellent Mi-
crometer of Mr. Dollond's conllru6tion fitted to it, which the
AlTembly of the province had ordered over at the requeft of the
Society ; a Refradling Telefcope of 24 feet focus, belonging to
Mifs Norris-, twoP.efiedlingTelefcopes of 18 inches focus, one
the property of Mr. i-lamllton, the late Governor of this pro-
vince, and the other of Mr. Prior, together with another Refiec-
tor of 12 inches focus. With thefe, and a good time-piece, we
promifed ourfelve^ the pleafurc of making accurate Obferva-
tions, if the weather fhould prove favourable. Por this pur-
pofe we met frequently before the Day of the Tranfit, to ad-
jult our inftruments, and to remove every local obllruilion
that might hinder our Obfervations.

Some of us gave particular attention to the regulation of the
time-piece, and therefore took the pafTage of the Sun's limbs
over the crofs hairs of the Tranfit-Inftrument, both forenoon
and afternoon for many days before and after the Tranfit, and
particularly on that day. As it had 3 horizontal hairs fixed in
the focus, it afforded us 6 fetts of correfponding altitudes, which

generally

r 45 3

generally agreed in giving the time of apparent noon vvlthin
2 leconds ot each other •, fo that by comparing them together
daily, and applying the proper equations for correfponding
altitudes, on atcounc of the Sun's change of declination be-
tween the forenoon and atternoon Obfervations, we v/ere af-
fured of the race of our clock's going and the time of apparent
no n to a fingle fecond. We did not think it neceffary to
burden our minutes, wirh the great number of Obfervations of
this kind> that we made. Let it fuflice to lay, that they were
made with the utmoll- care, and that our time piece was fixed
to a large poft funk into the ground four or five feet, fecured
from {baking by a brick wail at the bottom, and no ways
comiuunicating with the fides of the building.

The long expected Day of the Tranfit came, fo favourable
to our v;;flies, that iherewas not the leall appearance of a
cloud in the whole horizon from morning till night, and the
fky was uncommonly fercne. The Committee aflembled in
the morning at the Obfervatory, examined the adjuftment of
their Telefcopes anew, and appointed two afTiftants to oblerve
the clock, one to count the leconds with an audible voice, and
the other to write down the minutes as they were compleated,
to prevent a miftake in that article.

Every Obferver being fixed at his Telefcope, at leafl half
an hour before the beginnmg of the Tranfit •, we obferved
the contacts of the limbs of Venus and the Sun at the times
mentioned in the following accounts, as they were drawn up
feparately by the Obfervers themfelves, and are here inferted
in their own words.

Account of the Contacts, by JOSEPH SHIPPEN, Ef^;

" loBSERVED this vcry uncommonand curious Phsenomenon
" with a new Refleding Telefcope, made by Mr. George
" Adams, whofe tube is two feet and half an inch long, its
" aperture 4,15 inches diameter, and its magnifying power
'• about 90 times. After having well adjufted its focal diliance,
'' tlie Sun's limb appeared fo well defined, that the leafl ob-
" fcuration of it might be clearly difcerned by a good eye.

G In

[ 46 'J

" In order to difcover the firfl: external contaft, as near the
" precife time of its happening as pofTible, I kept conftantly
" in the field of the Telefcope, but a fmall arch of the Sun's
" limb, and only that part of it, where it was expe6ted the
" Planet would enter •, by which means I believe 1 law the
" obfcuration on the limb of the Sun as near the exaft time of
*' its beginning as the pov/er of the Telefcope v/ould admit of.

" The firft alteration which I perceived in the Sun's difc,
" was a jagged like appearance on a fmall arch ot the limb ^ as
•* if a (hadow had been caft on it with an irregular notched edge^
" which, at every fecond, feemed to increafe with a kind of
" w-aving and tremulous motion. I firft perceived this change
-'■ at 2*^. 13^ 47''' ap, time, though I was not then convinced
-' that that appearance was, either the Phgenomenon wc looked
" for, or caufed by the Planet's near approach to the Sun's
••' limb-, but imputed it rather to fome dufi: that might acci-
" dentally have fallen on the large mirror of the Telefcope,
^' as I expe6led the conta6t would have (hewn itfelf by one
"' fmall arched indent on the Sun's limb. And it was not till
" after 12 feconds more had paffed, that I was certain the
" contadl had happened \ for then, viz. at 2^. 13'. 59'' ap,
" time, I could plainly diftinguilh a fingle impreffion, or in-
" dent, in the Sun's limb ; yet it was exceedingly fmall, and
'' without any of xht jagged appearance before mentioned,

" I CANNOT well account for thele different appearances in
*' fo fmall a fpaceof time, but by fuppofing that the firft was
" occafioned by an acmofphere around the body of Venus,
" which might have obfcured, in a fmall degree, part of the
*' Sun's limb, a few feconds before the contad ; and that after
•' Venus herfelf had a6tually entered on the Sun's limb, the
". brilliancy of the Solar rays might have fo far illuminated the
" atmofphere of Venus, as to'caufe the obfcuration at firft
'* perceived to dilappear, and leave only the well defined
" form of the planet on tile Sun^s difc.

" On confidering the matter in this view, I am inclined to
^* think that the firft external contact did not really happen

'' till

r 47 ]

" tillatleaft^ fcconds after I firft perceived the jagged obfcii-
" ration on the Sun's limb i and then it v/ould be at
" 2". 13'. c^o" ap. time.

" But if Aftronomersagree to fix the time of the firft con-
*' tact at the beginning of that obfcuration, I think it is pro-
" bable the contacl may have happened two or three feccnds
" before I difcerned that obfcuration : In which calc, the con-
" tacl may be faid to take place at 2^. 1 3 '.44^^ ap, time.

" In determining on the manner in which I fliould judge of

" xhc Internal Gonial ^ I confidered that after Venus fhould

*' move on the Sun's difc with half her diameter, the horned

" points occafioned thereby in the Sun's limb would appear

" more acute, and approach nearer to each other as the planet

" proceeded till the points Ihould acftually unite. From this

" reflection I was induced to think, that the inftant of the

" clofing of thofe points ought to be fixed on as the precife

" time of the internal contact -, becaufe Venus mull then have

" pafifed the Sun's Umb with her whole diameter, and both

" their circumferences, or limbs, might be faid to coincide.

*'^ I THEREFORE Carefully obferved the progrefs of the
" Planet, and faw very diftindtly, as flie moved onwards, that
*' the illuminated points of the Sun's limb became better de-
fined; and when they approached fo near each other- as to be
within about 8 fecondsof touching, which wasat2f'. 31'. 26/
ap. time, I heard one of the Obfervers call out, Conta5l ;
but as Jais obfervation did not feem to agree with the manner
" which T had fixed forjudging of the conra»5t, I continued
" viewing with the clofeil attention, in order to hx the time
" of contadt according to the idea I had form.ed ot it •, and at
" 2h. 31'. 34^^ ap. time I could fcarcely diltir>guifh the illu-
" minated points of the Sun's limb to be any long;jr feparate ;
" tor in two feconds more they appeared to be fo far clofed as
" to form a fingle thread of light on that part of the Sun's
" limb, which a few feconds before had been eclipfed. I
" therefore conclude that the apparent firft internal conradt
*' of Yenus happened at 2^ 31'. 34'^ ap. time. Yet it is

G 2 " not

r 48 ■]

" not improbable that her real Contad may have happened a
^ few feconds fooner, if it be certain that fhe has an At-
" mofphere -, becaufe that might have obfcured the Sun's limb
" a few feconds after Venus was entirely immerfed within the
" difc •, in the fame manner as I judged with refpe<51; to the
" external Contaft, that the beginning of the Obfcuration of
" the Sun's limb was occafioned by the intervention of the
" atmofphere of Venus a few feconds before her body adually
" came in contadl with the Sun."

Account of the Contacts, hy Dr. WILLIAMSON;

" I MADE ufe of aRefradlingTelefcope 24 feet long, which

" magnifies ninety times. The glafles were in very good or-

" der, and the air uncommonly ferene, fo that the Sun's limb

" appeared very diftind and well defined, whence I promifed

" myfelf the pleafure of fixing the external contafl to a fecond,

'^' but the event convinced me that I had promifed too much.

*' A dufky appearance once and again drew my attention to a

" particular part of the Sun's limb, but I could fee no fuch

*' dark fpot there as I thought Venus mud produce, and it

" was not till 2h, 11'. 31'^' mean time, or 2'\ 13'. 46^'' apparent

" time, that I determined to ftop a watch which 1 had in my

'' hand, to afcertain the time of my Obfervation, leafl fome

" accident fnould prevent my hearing the alTillant, who flood

" at 5 or 6 yards diftance by the clock counting feconds. At

" that very time I was doubtful, whether ihe appearance on

" the limb of the Sun was certainly occafioned by the inter-

" pofition of the body of Venus ^ for tho' the daikUffs was of

" fome extent along the Sun's limb, yet the imprelTion v;as

" not proportionably deep, fuppofing that it was made by

'-' a circle fo fmall as Venus compared with the diameter of'

" the Sun, nor v/as the darknefs equally perfe6l •, yet the fub-

'* fequent progrcfs of the darknels foon convinced me that I

** had not been much too hafty in noting the time of the exter-

■-'• nal contadl.

" When Venus had advanced with a little more than half
** her body on the S.un, her whole eaftern linih appeared faint-

" Jy

[ 4-9 ]

" ly illuminated : This light feemed to encreafe as flie advait-

" cfd farther on the Sun, till near the time of the internal con-

" ta6l. By this time I was convinced that Venus is furroun-

" ded by a denfe atmofphere of a confiderable height, which

" doubtlels had prevented my fixing the external contact,

*' with that accuracy I had expefted, and had occafioned that

" inequality in the darknefs, which I had obferved on the

*' Sun's limb.

" In determining the internal contafl, which I apprehend
" was done with great exadnefs, I attended to the inflant,
" when there was a perfed coincidence of the limb of Venus
" with the limb of the Sun, as when two circles touch "intcr-
" nally. This appeared at 2*^. 31'. 24'''' apparent time. I ex-
^' pe£ted by the time the afTiftant had counted anotlier fecond,
" to have feen light diftincflly round the egftern limb of Ve-
" nus •, not fuch a radiance as had for 7 or 8 minutes render-
" ed that part of the planet vifible ; but a certain narrow
"■ portion of the Sun's limb which had a very diftinguifliable
" appearance from the light I have mentioned. The edge of
" the Sun did not appear fo foon •, neverthelefs I fixed upon
** 2''. 31''. 25'' for the precife time of the internal contaft,
" being certain, that no part of Venus was then off the Sun.
" One or two feconds niore were counted before the Sun ap-
" peared diftindly without the limb of Venus. But then it
" was obvious that Venus did not then touch the Sun's limb
" in any part,, fo that the contad: was certainly over."

Mr. prior made his Obfervations with his own Reflefling
Telefcope, whofe magnifying power he does not certainly
know, but fuppofes it to be at lead an hundred times. He
gave the following account of his Obfervation of the Contadls, .

.viz.

" The uncertainty where Venus would touch the Sun*s
" limb made me take the following method. From 8 or 9
" minutes pad two o'clock I made it a rule to pafs my eye
'' from the lower edge of the field of fny Telefcope to the
^' upper, many times in a minute, and examine the limb of.

"the-

C 50 n

'-'' tlie Sun uriftly, in hopes of difcovering the atn^ofphere of
" Venus approach, fo as to give &n opportunity of taking the
" con tails of the limbs to a great certainty. In paffing my
" eye along the limb of the Sun, I dilcovered a finall imper-
" fection, which I thought muft be the llroke of the at-
" mofphere, but in four feconds I difcovered it to be the limb
*' of Venus, the atmofphere not being vifible on the Sun.
" The time therefore that 1 note for my external contact is,
*' when 1 firR" difcovered that imperfection on the Sun's limb,
" which was at 2^. 13' 42'''' apparent time. Vv'hen the body of
" Venus was fomething more than one third on the Sun, 1 faw
" her eailern atmofphere very diftindtly reflcdtmg the light of
*' the Sun fo (Irongly on the limb of Venus, as to fhew it well
" defined -, but as it came on the Sun, it was entirely loll.
" The time, I note for my internal Contact, was, when the
" thread ot light was diftinflly feen all round the body of
*' Venus, which was at 2^. 31'. 28'^ apparent time."

Mr. JAMES PEARSON having obferved the external
Contad; at 2h. 1 3^ 50''^ apparent time, with a fmall TelefcopCj
belonging to the honorable Proprietaries of this province,
whole magnifying power is about 6.0 times ; Mr. CHARLES
THOMSON obferved the internal conta6l with the fame
Telefcope, or which he gave the following account, viz.

" At 2'\ 29'. i\" mean time, or 2^. 31'. 16'^ apparent
" time, 1 f^w fome tremulous rays of light pals from the up-
" per or eaftern limb of the Sun to the eye, acrofs, and fo as
*' juft to touch the upper limb of Venus. Marking that dov/n
" therefore as the time of Contaft, I counted four le^onds, at
" which time I faw a continued thread ot light, like a filver
*' lace, but dill with a tremulous motion, round the eaftern
" limb of Venus whereby it appeared to me that the whole
" body of Venus was then within the difc of the Sun. The
" tremulous appearance of the rays of light, I at firft attri-
*' buted to my Telefcope refting againft the fide of the Ob-
"• fervatory, but afterwards apprehended might be owing to
" their pafTing thro' the atmofpere of Venus.'*

The

■m

[ 51 J

The Committee having defired me to ufe the large Reflec-
tor abovementioned, I chofe that power which magnifies the
diameters of objeds 300 times ; with which I obferved at
2^. 13'. 48'^ apparent time, an oblcuration on the north-eaftern
limb of the Sun, gradually advancing forwards with a tremu-
lous motion, which from its irregular and dufl<y appearance,
I concluded was occafioned by the refradlion of the Sun's rays
thro* the atmofphere of Venus, which atmofphere foon after-
wards became very obfervable to us all. From this 1 was led to
conclude that the Conta(5t did not happen till about 15 or 16
feconds afterwards, when there was a large and evident imprel-
fion made on the limb of the Sun^ but as the precife moment of
the external Contaft cannot be noted by an Obferver, the body
of Venus not yet being interpofed between the Sun's limb and
the eye -, this Conta6l muft have happened about the time tliat
her atmofphere made the abovementioned obfcuration, and
therefore I am of opinion that the true timeoftheContadt fhould
be accounted at2'\ 13''. 48^', or it may be 3 or 4 feconds fooner,
when nothing but the atmofphere of Venus, which preceded
her body, appeared on the limb of the Sun. About the time that
the center of Venus approached the Sun's difc, I faw the whole
body of Venus, her eaftern edge being furrounded with a faint
light, which was doubtlefs occafioned by her atmofphere re-
fradling the Sun's rays. At 2^^. 29'. 11 ^''meantime, or 2^.31'. 26''''
apparent time, 1 faw the internal contact, v/hen the whole body
of Venus was introduced v/ithin the difc of the Sun, and the
thread of light had compleatly furrounded her, altho' not as
bright as it became in two fecoiids afterwards.

pROM-what has been faid, it appears that the apparent times
of theContafts may be reprefented at one view in the following
table, as they were noted l>y the different Obfervers.

lllExter. Contaft. ift Inter. Contad. Magnifying

h. m, fee. b. m. fee. Powers.

Jofeph Shippen, Efq; 2. 1 3. 47 Ap. T. 2. 3 J. 34 Ap. T. 80 times.

Dr. William/en, 2. 1 3. 46 2. 3 1. 25 to 27 90 times.

Mr. Pear/on, 2. I 3, CO ..... ^ .

■nvr CTL \,r /: . C CO times.

Mr. '^Ihcmpjen, _ . _ _ 2. 31. 26 to 303

"Mr. Prior, 2. 1 3. 42 2. 31. 28 lOO times.

Myfelf, 2. 13. 48 2. 31.- 26 300 times.
Awai-iiefined black)

dcntiiiG'slim.b;ar)^' "''" ^ Aft£3

[ 52 J

After the Obfervation of the Conta6ts, I applied myfelf to
the Micrometer to meature the diameters of the Sun andVenus,
and the diftance of their limbs at fundry times during the
Tranfit. I had indeed frequently meafured the equatorial dia-
meter of the Sun before ,ihe Day of the Tranfit, and always
found it to be 6 feconds lefs than what is given in the Nautical
Almanac. The mean of 6 mcaibres on that day is 31'. 31 ''''.6,
which differs but o^\'^ or three-tenths of a fecond from what is
given in the faid Almanac leiTened as above. Therefore I have
ilated it 7it 31'. 3i'^3 in the following redudlions and cal-
culations.

Six meafures of the diameter of Venus on the Sun made it
58 feconds. I attempted to m.eafure it both ways, with the
beginning of the divifions of the vernier advanced on the fcale
of the Micrometer and the contrary, that the error of ai^jull-
ment might have been thereby taken away. Eut the Micro-
meter did not admit of it, the diameter of Venus being a fmall
matter too large for this operation. However I took lome
meafures this way, but they gave the diameter no more than
55'''.4, which appearing too fmall were thcretore rejected.

About 20 minutes after the Contafls, 1 began to meafure
the neareil difiance of the limbs of Venus and the Sun, and
continued untill the Sun A'as fo low, that the meafures could
not be made with fufficient accuracy any longer. Some of the
meafures appear to difagree too much with the others, and
therefore (hould not be depended on ; but 1 could not prevail
upon myfelf to nee;le(5t the inferting of them ; leaft the unufual
agreement among fo great a number fliould raife a fufpicion in
the minds of Aflronomers that thty had not been honeflly
tranfcribed from our minutes •, efpecially as there are enough
to anfwer all the purpofes dcfigned by them, which agree
in giving the neareft diftance of the centers with fufficient
precifion. Although thefe meafures are fet down in the fol~
lowing table with the parts of a fecond, v^'e would not therefore
be fuppofed to affeft an impolTible accuracy in them, but they
are fuch as the Micrometer has given them when properly
reduced..

Mean

m

t 53 3

]Z

M

. Tinier

Ap.Time.

Neareft

Neareft

Par. of

"Parr"of

'Par. of'^'

?

dirt, of the

diltance of

? in

¥ in

perpen

1

1769.

limbs of 0

their cea-

the

her

die. to

c

and ?

ters.

Ver-

Phlh.

herPath,

7

line ^cl,

tical.

h.

m. fee

4. m.

fee.

m. fee.

m. fee.

fee

fee.

fee.

■|

2.

53- 43

z. 55

59

I. 8,46

14. 8,19

13.95

13.20

4., 56

2

3-

S- 5'

3. 8

7

I

48,23

13. 57,42

14 60

'3.9

4,64

3

3-

II. 32

3- 13

48

2

4»49

13. 12,16

14,92

14,20

4,68

4

3"

14. 17

3. 16

33

2

10,4

13. 6,25

15.05

14. 3

4,70

?

3-

22. 7

3- 24

23

2

24'77

12. 33,07

15.50

14,70

4.78

6

3-

25. 4 J

3. 28

. 0

2

• 33'25

12. 34,5

15.70

14.90

4,86

7 3-

27. 37

y 29

52

2

38,46

12. 29,09

15.75

15,02

4,90

83-

44- 3 «

3. 46

46

3

. 18,86

II. 57,89

16,55

15,80

5.02

94-

2- 31

4- 4

.46

3

. 53'^4

11. 23,01

•7.38

16,56

5 30

104.

3- 41:

4- 5

56

3

• 55.6

II. 21,05

17.45

I ,62

5'3i

1 1

4-

8. 39

^. 10

54

4

8.54

II. 8,11

17.63

16,64

5'32

\z

4-

10. 9

4. 1 2

24

4

13.85

II. 2,8

17,66

16,80

S'35

13

^•

H- 53 1

4. 17

8

4

15,81

II. 0,84

^l^'^i

17.01

5'44

'4

4-

r. 2. 5

4. 24

20

4

22,10

10. 53.55

18, lO

17.20

^'^6
^'l\

15

4-

25- 37

4. 27

52

4

30,3''

10. 46,29

18,20

17,30

16

4-

29. 47

I- 32

2

4

■ 35.92

10. 40,73

18,40

• 7.50

5,68

17

4-

41- 57

4. 44

12

4

50,14

10, 26,51

18,80

17,90

5,90

18

4-

4.4. 0

4. 46

15

4

51,96

\o- 24,69

.8,94

17,98

1'^^

19

4-

51. 18

+• 53

33

4

58,62

10. 18,03

19.14

18,10

6,06

.20

4-

52, 16

1- 54

3»

5

1,23

10. 15,42

19,16

18,16

6,09

h'

4.

53- 27

4- 55

42

5

1,23

10. 15,42

1^,20

i8,.-!o

6,12

,22

4-

54- 52

i- 57

7

3

3.-8

JO. 13,47

19,26

18,26

6,17

^23

4-

56. 30

4. 58

45

5

. 5.14

10. 11,51

19,30

18,30

6,20

iH

4-

S8. 29

5- 0

4+

5

6,44

10. 10,21

19,30

•«.35

6,24

''^5

>• 35

5- 3

50

5<

5»'4

10. I r,5 1

19.44

18,43

6,30

'26

9. 29

5- II

44

5

S'TSJ

10, 10,86

'9.55

.8,52

6,46

27

11. 52

5- H

7

5

9'^5

10. 7,6

19,68

18,74

6,50

^28

18. 29

5- 20

44

5

12,96

10. 3,6t,

19.95

18,85

6,tg

'29

20. 29

^ 22

43

5"

14,26

lo. 2,y9

20,05

18,90

6,'j6

'30

24. 1/

4. 26

3'

5

14,26

10. 2,39

20,14

18,98

6,90

3«

25. 59

5. 28

13

5

9'7

10. 6,()'^

20,19

18,99

6,91.

32

28. 33

5- 30

47

5

8.4

10. 8,25

20,20

19.01

6,96

53

33- 39

5- 35

53

5

5,14

10. 11,51

20,36

19,08

7,08

34

35. 45

5- 37

59

5

1,88

10. 14,77

^0,40

19,10

7.10

35

43- 17

5- 45

31

5

2,53

10. 14,12

20,50

iy,>8

7,28

36

6.'

I. 13

b. s

27

4

5^^'-9

10. 26,86

20,84

1934

7^7^

37

6.

2. 39

6. 4.

53

4

49.49

10. 27,16

20,go

i9.3«

7.88

38

6.

8, 7

5. 10

21

4

44,27

10. 32,38

20,96

19,42

7.97

39

6.

10. 4

5. 12

18

4

43.52

10. 33.13

21,0

19.44

8,00

40

6.

18. 37

5. 20

51

4

30,58

10, 4(3,07

21,04

19.46

8,20

4'

6,

21. 49

5. 24

3

4

24,06

10. 52,59

21, 10

19.48

8,32

42

6.

26. 13

5 28

27

±

iq,8i

1 1. 0,84121,14 1

19.50

8,40

*=5S

^

"^

**"

I

i

No,

f 54 )

+3

■14

4?
46

^7
.8

[49

V

!53

M. Time.

. lee.

32 18

^- 55
29

h.
6.
6.
6.

6. 38. 55
6. 4i.
6. 43.
6. 46.
48.

53-
2.

4-
_9-

Ap

.Time. I Nearelt
dift. oftht
limbs of©
and $

m. fee

53:3
'»!3
39;3
313
3»:3
'5 3
47 3
40 3

Ml mi I ■ MiirrTTii-iMr—^r'aa ibb tuiinn «n ii« mi

fee,
1,46

3'42
58,2

54.29

49' 7 3
44,94
42,98
36,46
28,64
9,08

4'52

5,8-2

Nearefi
diftanee of
their cen
ters.

fee.
14,19

>3.23
18,45
22,36
26,92

3».7'
35»07

39' '9

48,01

7'57
12,13

I .,83

Par. of, Par. of
? in ? in

the

her

Ver-

Path

tical.

fee.

fee.

21,18

19,50

21,20

i9'46

21,22

»9'43

21.24

19.40

21,26

19,36

21, .8

19.34

2-., 29

^9.3'

21,30

19,29

21,34

19,26

21,38

19,24

2'. 39

19,20

21,40

1910

?ar. of $
perpen.
die. to
her Path \

fee.

8,60

8,68

8,76

8,52

8,92

8,98

9 02

9'»7
9,21

9,48
9,56

-2:22.

The foregoing neareft diftances of their centers are deduced
from the mealured diftances of their limbs, taking their dia-
meters as they are dated above : And the parallaxes are not
computed, but mcafured trom a projeftion of the difc of the
earth as leen from the Sun> the projcftion being2 i mches and
an half in diameter,

The latitude of our Oblervatory in" Philadelphia is deter-
mined from the Obfervations of MefTrs. M..fon and Dixon with
the above mentioned Seftor. From a .mean of thirty Obfer-
vations of the pafiage of fome ftars over the Meridian, they
found the latitude of the moft fouthern point of the city of
Philadelphia to be 39°. 56'. 29, '^2. Our Cbfervatory is North
of this point, 25 feconds, and therefore, its latitude is
.39°. 56'. 54''''.

In order to determine the parallax of the Sun, from the
foregoing Obfervations, it is neceffary that our longitude from
lome fixed Meridian fliould be afcertained with theinoft riqor-
ous precifion. For this purpofe we have obfcrved various
Eclipics of Jupiter's Sareliires that they might be compared
withtl-.econ-fiponv'ent Obfervations made at Greenwich and
ejfewjiere, when wearcfuruifhed with t!iem.

Eclipfes" -

[ 55

■Ecllpfes of JUPlTER'f SATELLITES, obferved at Philadelphia, witk
a Two Feet Reflei^or.

D. h. m.

1767.^/^/3, 7. II.

May 30, lO, 15

7//«£i3, 9. 18

iy6S. Mar. I, 9. 46

^/r/V 9, 10. 37.

25, 8.56.

Mayi2, 10. 33.

iy6g.Fei>.l6, 14. 21.

20, 15. 42,

23, 16. 16.

Mar.\j, 12.45

fee.

23 Em.zd. Ap.T.
3 2 Em. I/?.
6 Em. 2^/.

49 Im. 17?.
2 Em. I/?.

50 Em ly?.
9 Hm. 2</.

51 Im. V?.
I Im. 2^.

21 Im. 17?.
, 21 Im. id.

D. h. fn. fee;
l-j6g.J/>riI^j 14. 50.481m. I/^. Ap.T.

11, 9. 49. 14 Im. zd.

12, I 1. 15. 49 Im. ly?.
M«y 5,11.30. 28 Im, ly?.

With a four teet Refledor.

June 7, 8.44. 37 Em. Zi/\

22, 8. 27. 35 Em. ij^.

29, 10. 21. 55 Em. \J/.

j^ug.z^riz. 15. 48 Em. ly?.

Sep. II, 7.44.41 Em. z^/.

Since the foregoing account has been drawn up, we have
been turnifhed with fume Gbfervations of the eclipies (;f Jupi-
ter's fatellites, m:de by the Revd. Mr. Mafkelyne, Aftrono-
mer Royal, at Greenwich. By comparing thefe with the like
Gbfervations made at Philadelphia and Norriton, we are en-
abled to lettle the longitudes of our Obfcrvatories. But as
there are but two or three of them correfpondent wirh ours,
we muft: have recourfc to another method ; which is firft to
compare them with the calculations in the Nautical Almanxc,
which were made for ihe meridian of Greenwich, that the er-
ror of the tables may be difcovered by the mean of them •, and
then to compare ours wi'h the fame calculations, applying the
errors of th^ tables to the longitude deduced from this com-
parifon. We may depend upon the refult of this method with
much more confidence, than upon any fingle obfervation.

Here follow the Apparent Times of the Greenwich Obfervations compared
with the calculations of the Nautical Almanac.

J769. D. h. m. fee.
ik/ar. 29, 12. 25 7 Im. 1/7. Obf. at Gr.
29, 12, 24. 26 Do. p. cak. ofN.Ai.

41 Err'or Weft.

Jpr. II, 14, 50. 23 Im. 2<s/. Obf. at Gr.

11, 14.50. 4 Do. p. calc. ofN.Al.

19 Error Weft.

12, i6. 16. 13 Im. I/?. Obf. ?t Gr.
12, 16. 16. 13 Do.p.calc.of N.Al,

H

1769. D. h. m, fee.
i;ril2S, 14 35. 171m. 1/7. Obf. atGr.
28, 14. 36. 14 Do. p, calc ofN.AU

"~ 57 Error Eaft.

May 6, 11, 51, 2 Im. 2d. Obf. at Gr*
6, 11. 51. 45D0. p. calc. of N.Ah

43 Error Eaft.

May 16, 9. s?. 15 Em. ij). Obf atGr.
16, 9.31. 7 D. p, calc. of N. A!.

1 . 8 Error V/eft.

June

[ 56 3

7«af 8, 9 41. j6 Em. 177. Obf. at Gr.
8, g. 41. z6 Do, p. calc. of N.Al-

10 Error Eaft.

15, 1 1. 35. 33 Em. I/?. Obf. at Gr.
15, II 34.. 35D0, p. calc otN.Ai.

1769. D. h. m. fee.

July I, 9. 50. 24 Em. ly?. Obf. at Gr,
I, 9. ^o. •;7 Do. p. calc. of N.Al.

1 3 Error Eaft.

38 Error Weft.

Now altho' the errors of the firft fatelike appear confidera-
ble, yet if we reje£t the Obfervation of the i6th of May as
being too near to the time of Jupiter's oppofition with the Sun j
the mean of thofe, which give an eaftern meridian correlponciing
with the calculations of the Nautical Almanac, exadly counter-
balances the mean of thofe which give a weftern meridian cor-
refponding with them. Therefore we have nothing to Jo but
to reduce all our Obfervations at Norriton and Philadelphia to
the meridian of Philadelfhia, and then compare them with the
calculations m the Nautical Almanac.

Ihe Norriton Obfervations of the cdipfes of Jupiter's firft Satellite are

as follow.

\ D. h. m. fee.

3769 Feb. 16, 14. 2 1. 10 "m. i^.

23, 16, 15. I )m \Ji.

April 3, 14. 49 25 Im. ly?.

10, 16. 46. o Im. \ft.

12, 1 1. 14. 37 Im. ly?.

May 5, II. 29. 27 Im. \Ji.

1769 D h, m. fee.

May 14, 10. ;•. \d^^m..\Ji. doubtful.

21, 11. 55. 13 km. \Ji.

Jimeb, 10. II. 32 Em. \Ji.

7, 8. 43 44 Fm. iJ.

13, 12. 5. 1 Ein. \Ji.

Now if we compare the correfpondenr Obfervations at Phi-
ladelphia and Norriton on the i6th of February, the 12th of
April, the 5th of May, and the 7th of June 1769, the ditre-
rtnce of our meridians will be found from, the mean of them to
be c^'] feconds of time, ihis is farther confirmed by the Obler-
vations we have made on ihe Tranfit of Mercury over the Sun,
on the 9ih of November, j 769, which being compleated before
.thefefiieets were printed off, we have judged proper to infert.
Apparent Time. h. m. fee.
Theexter.contaAwas at 2. 36. 9 by the mean of 4 Obfer. at Philadelphia,

And at

17 by the mean of 3 Obfer. atNorriton.

The difference is, 52

The inter, contaft was at z, 37. 34 by the mean of 4. Obfer. at Philadelphia,

And at - - - 2. ;',6. 3 =j. by the m?an ot 3 Obfer. at Norriton.

The ditference is 1. o Thereforb

I 57 ]

Therefore the mean of both thefe makes the difference
of our meridians ^6 feconds of time, which muft certamly be
more accurate than what is dcduied from a few correfponding
Obfervations of the eclipfes ot Jupiter's fattllites j both becaufe
they afford 24 comparifons, all nearly agreeing among them-
felves, and becaufe thefe Tranfits, in the judgment of mod
altronomcrs, afford the beft opportunities of fettling the lon-
gitudes of places. Hence if we add ^6 feconds to the time of
the Norriton Obfervations of the eclipfes of Jupiter's fatellites,
they will be reduced to the meridian of our Obfcrvatory in
Philadelphia, and may be uf:rd in fixing our longituce from
Greenwich, in the following manner.

' I he caiculated Time per Is an
tical Almanac.

I-

D. h.

lyGy.Maj^o, 15

7««-fi3, 14.

{•^SS.Mcir. 1,14

Ajiril g, I 5.

25, 13.

May I 2. 15

iy6g.FeL 16, 19.

I& 19.

20, 20.
23,21.
23,21.

Mar. 17, 17.
Jjiril 3,19.

3. 19'

10, 21

1 1, 14

12, 16.
12, 16,

May. 5, 16.
5, 16

21, 16
j^une 6, I 5.

7 »3

J3'i7.

22, 13.

29.15

Jug. .'3, 12.

Sept . M 12

m. fee.

16. loEm.

17. 37Sni.
48. 24101.
36. 3 4Eir
57.46;;.n.
34 iiEm
22. 2glni.
22 29 m.
42. 55lni.
16.35 m.
16. 35Jm.
4b. 4rir.

5 1. 241m
5 i . 241m.
47. 1 4lm.
50. 4lm.
16. I 3fm.
16. 13)115.
3 i.2cim.
31. 2oIm
q6. 49Em
12 59Ern

45 ' 3^n)'
45. 1 ^Em
6.3 I Em
28. 3oEm.
22. 1 iE:n
1-5. 49Em.
4.-. loK V

2^

•/■
I .'

I./.

'/
2/

'/•
./.
■^d
Xji.
Xji.

I/.
1/.

'/
I/,

'/■
./.

2'
2^.

yi-
\jt.

yi
y^
2a.

The obleived

1 ime at

Philad

D h. m. fee.

30,10. 15.32

I 3, 9. I 8 6

1, 9 46 49

9, Jo 37. 2

25, 8. 56 50

12, 10. 33. 9

lb, 14. 21. 51.

20, 1 5. 42. I
23, 16. 1621

17, 12. 45. 21
3, 14.50.48

11, 9 49.14

12, 1 1. 15. 49

5, I 1 .30. 28

7, 8 44. 3;

•2, 8. 27.35
'9, 10.21. 5^

^3. 7-

7' 4+ 4'

The Norriton
Ob. red.tothe
Mer of Phil.
D. h. ni, fee.

16, 14. 22. 6

23,16. 15.57

3,14.50. 21
10, 16. 46. 56

12,11.15,33

5, 11.30.23

2Ij I I. 56. 9

6, lO. 12 28

, 8. 44. 30
13,12. 5 57

Th« Diff. of;
Mer. ofGr
and Phil-i
D. h fee
q, o. 38
59' 31
'■ 35
59 32

0. 56

1. 2
o. 38
o 23
o. 54
o. 14
o 38
o. 43
o. 36

I- 3
o. 18
o. 50
o. 24
o. 40
o. 52
o. 57
o. 40
o. 31
o. 36

o 34
o. 34

o. 55

O. lb
O. 1
O. 2 9

Now

z 58 :]

Now if v/e take the mean of all the 2 i foregoing determina-
tions of our longitude from Greenwich, by the eclipies of the
jfirft fateliite, rejeding on^y thofe of March ift, and April 9th,
1768, which differ moft from the others, the refult will be
5h. o'. 35''' for the difference of our meridians. Thefe ought
evidently to be rejedcd, as they differ near twice as much,
from the mean of the reft, as any other of the determinations
doy yet the retaining of them will make no difference in the
reiult. If the mean determination of the longitude be taken
from the immerfions alone, rejecting that of the ill of March,
1768, it will be 5''. p'. ^6^\ and if trom the emierfions alone,
it will be 5^. o'. 34% when the Oblervation of the 9th of
April, 1768, is excluded. Therefore the mean of both,
(which Ihould always be preferred,) is 5"". o^ 35^',

As a farther confirmation of ihis concl.ufion ; if this dif-
ference of meridians be applit^d to the Greenwich Obfervations,
of tie lirft fateliite, rejechng that of the i6th of May, to re-
duce them to the meridian of PhilKklphia, an 1 if they are then
compared wi'h the calculations in tlie Nautical ALnanac -, we
Ihall have the fame refult from them alfo.

The calculated Time per Nau-
tical Almanac.

1769. D. h. m. fee.

Mar. 29, 12. 24. ;l6 Im. ijl.

Jpril 12, 16. 16. 13 Im 1/?.

28, 14. 36 14. m. 17?.

June 8, 9- 41- -61^11 \Ji.

15, II. 34. 55 Em. ty?

July I, 9 50. 37 Em. I/?.

j4pril\i, 14. 50. 4 'm. zd.

May 6, I 1 . 5 1 . 45 Im, zd.

The mean of thefe determinations of the longitude, from the
Greenwich Obfervations of the firft fateliite, is 5'^ o\ i^". But
farther if we take the mean of all the determinations, derived
from the eclipfes of the fecond fateliite^ it will be found to be
5^. o'. 37'^ Andlaftly, if the mean of all the determinarions
from the eclipfes of both firit and fecond fateliite be chofen,

the

Greenw

ich Obf. re-

Diff.

of Meridian of

ducei.

to the Merid

Gi

en-vich and

of Philadelphia.

Philadelphia.

D.

h. m, fee.

h m. fee.

29,

7. 24. 32

4. 59. 54

12,

II. 15. 38

5- o- 35

28,

9. 34. 42

s- '' • 32

8,

4. 40. 41

5. 0. 45

IS'

6. 34. 58

4- 59- 57

I,

4. 49. 49

5. 0. 48

II.

9. 49. 48

5. 0. 1 6

6,

6. 50, 27

5 1.18

i -*

■[ 58 :]

Now if v/e take the mean of all the 2 i foregoing determina-
tions of our longitude from Greenwich, by the eciipies of the
jfirft fatellite, rcjeding onfy thofe of March ift, and April 9th,
1768, which differ moft from the others, the refult will be
^h. o'. 35''' for the difference of our meridians. Thefe ought
evidently to be rejeded, as they differ near twice as much,
from the mean of the reft, as any other of the determinations
do, yet the retaining of them will make no difference in the
refult. If the mean determination of the longitude be taken
from the immerfions alone, rejedling that of the ill of March,
1768, it will be 5''. .0'. ^6'^, and if trom the emjerfions alone,
it will be 5^. o'. 34% when the Obfervation of the 9th of
April, 1768, is excluded. Therefore the mean of both,
(which fhould always be preferred,) is 5*". o'. ^5^',

As a farther confirmation of this conclufion ; if this dif-
ference of meridians be applied to the Greenwich Obfervations,
of tl e firft fatellite, rejectmg that of the i6th of May, to re-
duce them to the meridian of Phihdclphia, an i if they are then
compared wi^h the calculations in the Nautical Almanac ; we
{hall have the fame refult from them alfo.

The calculated Time per Nau-
tical Almaiiac.

1769. D.
Mar. 29,
jfpril 1 2,

28,

7«w 8,

j^pril I I ,
May 6.,

h.

12.

16.
14.

9
II.

9

14-
1 1.

m.
24.
16.

36
41.

34-
50.
50.
5»'

fee.
.t.6 Im.

13 Im

14 m.

./.

ly?.

6 Em i/.

55 Em. ly?

37 Em. lyf.

4 'm. 2i/.

45 Im. 2</.,

Greenwich Obf. re-
duced to the Merid
of Philadelphia,
h

D.

29,

12,

28,

8,

I,

1 1)
6,

7-
1 1.

9-
4-
6.

4-
9-
6.

m . fee.

24. 32

IS-

34-
40.

34-
49.
49.
50.

38
42

4'

58
49
48

27

Diff. of Meridian of
Greii 'iich and
Philadeli^hia.
h m. fee.

59- 54
o- 35
I. 32
o. 45

59- 57
o. 48

0. I 6

1. iS

The mean of thefe determinations of the longitude, from the
Greenwich Cbfervations of the firft fatellite, is 5'\ o\ i^". But
farther if we take the mean of all the determinations, derived
from the eclipfes of the fecond fatellite, it will be found to be
5'». o'. 37^ Andlaftly, if the mean of all the determmations
from the eclipfes of both firlt and fecond fatellite be chofen,

the

■/»«' cV////. '///Ji,' ,<,■" ^7^Q, ^—N

"t/A,- /"^o- jy! '/Af^hn.m? /.im a/^//,^ I'i^yL.W OnJuiuJ^n Li3.2^./Jr.J

t/"/!, /-'itn- ^'Mr M^'i./iii^ i4 }•/<■ ,^' 'riiu, , 2.l*-SS.Se^il

&'4^,y!i,u&^iui,n-/,'t.,„ A-^ IMu^'/Zm /.«_S<13

S/kt t/„f/i^'/wi'^;'llli- ■''.'//l «'M f/,^ /i/yia,- - g.33^II.J

t/'Af ii'.-mn/ ?/l,-/i<'ii ,y' /mm . J.J^.i/ri:

iy'/u- AJmf/i-r^'/ll.rMn m, Mf S^a^ a''f/i,-£/'n,luif 31.31.3

i'/l,''S>/^m,^rf^'/^iM . ' M.

S/'/if//mnl/h.-!iKir».r'S>ui.!,uf»'M.-<r('fti/ra llI.ll!.■^p

S/'/l/r/nnriifn',' J.',ra'/>„/f ly' l.-uu : W_IJ.S36'

iyAf.'/l7/lWt-/l/tU-^'lf/f!/it</,r,V '/4-TftM •/■.J. ■/,?<?.

J-.Vrt >>,:.■: P.im&u'.jfU, j:,,i.,ir/ii, mtait S"»/™,v f/i.iMi>f^ t'i.fi.u/i s.est

j'y, lA.yAif, ,,,'M,-»y,m<i^ ,:'.'„■» 4/1, b^^taiu'r m.u ' /MMo'df/h^u. <P. ASf

Tte/ini-t Sjrlir. Cmfaef. at i- /3.-M. T/itfirj!- Tntima/ Cmifael ^

.^a-^/7 >^5^» M, ^mm M,S^/), «r'M,Srn„ui^ . . Hl.jil<t:

^/uaJymfmt-^mfiy'tA^ t^yt/icii/ Cny'iin^itrn t, di'-J-t6*

i^A^mit/i//^a^'iAe^nTfuif-arlA^ Cffi/in-pyM^ CiayM s -2S.iatr

C^ A^ fJrmtiAtra^t At/ti'tm /Af /nAnitt/ f?pnitc£i. .-.----.--...-...... S .JS-Af.y

5>^5Vv7w//^<;««,.,rtv/,r//{^^ {^>tA^ Cftt/^ a/- t./ff.fg

e7»i/Af*mfaeee/!rru/ai^Ai/fiaM/Air 3.3'ff ^y'lymir ifAtnfnta/^<^A/AtJ.''a/- 2-/£_./2

.J<?<'t^(Wj»A^^WdW<>iiw a^M^ /a^^ C^Ar-a/. i.3S.3f

ilrh/Aafj^aea/fiwA^ Ay Air/ir/AoJ- A A ty^r'ytrni'ifAa/i/t^nj aA. 2 31- 27

Mv^ee^/cr^at'3^-'fl>\j"A and U^^iyUujA' m4'^ e/\/r.vnn»'M ^3..^^ -AS •■i'.O 9^ t^S'i'm*:.

'^«'^'-

/

C 59 J

the deduced longitude will be 5^. q'. ^5^^. So that we may
faf'ely conclude, that the difference of meridians between Phi-
ladelphia and Greenwich, is 5''. o'. 2§^^. ; and that Norricon
is 56''' of time well of Philadelphia, and its longiiude is
5'\ 1'. 31'^ weft. With this determination we mud be con-
tented until farther obfervations are made, by which it may
be confirmed, or rendered liable to exception.

These Obfervations are fufficlent to determine every thing
relative to the theory of Venus, and the parallaxes of the Sun
and planets, as may be feen by the annexed projedlion of the
Tranfit, and the following calculations. Altho' the parallax
of the Sun may be obtained from the obferved neareft diftance
of the centers of the Sun and Venus, yet this method cannot
be fo much depended on, as the comparifon of the contacSts of
the limbs obferved m proper places, v/here the abfokite dif-
ference of time is confiderable. Neverthelefs, as the public
fcem very impatient to know the refult ot what was done in
this place •, I have endeavoured to deduce it from our Obfer-
vations alone ; and flatter myfelf, that, in the conc'ufion, it
will be found pretty accurate •, as it is nearly the fame, with
what I had before found it to be, by an hundred and forty
determinations of it, from. the. Obfervations of Aftronomers
on the Tranfit of 1761 •, and alfo from another method, the
invention of the celebrated Mr. Stuart, of Glafgowj both
v/hich I have now annexed to the following calculations.

Having thus collefted together all the elements necefTary
for the enluing calculation ; before I proceed to it, I muft, in
juftice to Dr. Williamlon and Mr. Prior, obferve, that of the
Micrometer meafures, the 2d,.. 3d, 19th, 20ih, 21ft, 22d, 23d,
24'"h, and 25th wcie made by Mr. Prior, and the 35th, 43d,
44rh, and 54th by Dr. Williamlon, with the fame adjuftment
of the focus, that 1 ufed in the others. \v

Ihave taken the trouble of making above fifty deterrl ina-
tionsofthc middle of the Tranfit, and find from a mean of
tbem, that the neareft approach of their centers was at
5h. .2 i'. 2f^ mean time, or 5^ 23^ 41^'',; apparent time, which -

was-

C So T

^^as hafcened by parallax ^ . 48''' at Philadelphia •, " and there»
• fore, that the central apparent time of the middle of the Tran-
fit v/as 5''. 28'. 29''^7, according to our meridian.

By comparing together eighteen determinations of the near-
eft diftance of the center of the Sun and Venus, 1 find the
mean of them to be 10'. 3'''', 58, as fcen in Philadelphia. But flie
was then deprefled 6, "91 by parallax-, and therefore, the geo-
cent. neareft diftance of the centers was lO^ 10", 49 = 610", 49.
Therefore fay,

As 72626,45 the dift. of $ fromO *• 28879,55 her dill, from © ::6io ',49 ;
helioc. dift. of their centers.
4. 861,094.9
4. 4^0,5904

7. 246,2689

2. 385,i74C=242",7583=4'. 2" 7583theheHoc. dirt, of their cent.

As S, 3°. 23'. 20" the incl. of ? orbit to the eclip. : R : : S, 4 . 2', 758 :
Sine of O'^ di;h from the node of $ .
8. 71,6803
10. - - -

7. 070,2506

8. 298, 5703 = 1°. 8'. 2o'',23 0dift. from the node of ?

As S, 1°. 8'. 2o",23 : R : : S, lo'. io",4p : S, of the angle of her vifible
path with the eclip.

8. 298,5703
10. - - .

y. 470,9623

9. 1 7 2, 39 2 0=8°. 3 3*. 11", 5 the angle of her vifible path.

IfAB repref.nt the horary motion ofO = 2, '392375. See PI. IV. Fig. 2d.
BAG the inclination of the orbit of ? with the ecliptic=3*>. 23*. 20 '
DEC the angle of ? vifi. path with the eclipt.=8°. 33 . 1 i ,5

Then AC will reprefent the horary motion of $ and may be found by the
following proportion ;

As S, A C B : A B : : S, D B C or A B C : A C.

AsS, 5°. 9'. 5 .",5 : 2',3922357; : S, 8". 33'. 11 ",5 : the hor. mot. of ?

8. 954,3008
o. 378,8292

9. 172,3920

~~o 596,9204=3',952942=237",i7652 the hor. mot. ? whafe
log. is 2. 3,5.0716. ^^^^

C 61 ]

916,6^ sthe diiF. of the femidiameters of O »nd f
6io,49;=thc geo. neareft dirt, of their centers.

Sum, 1527,14=3. 183,8789
Diff. 306,16=2. 485,9484

5. 669,8273 the log. of the fquare of half the tranfit line
between the internal contads.

2. 834,91 36=the log. of half the tranfit line between the
^2. 375.o7i6=the log.of $ her. mot. [int. cont.=683",776

o. 459,8420=2^. 882982=2h. j2'. 58",7=the fcmidu-
ration between the int. contads.

974,65=the fum of the femidiameters of O and ?

610, 49= the geo. neareft dilt. of their centers.
Sum, 1585,14 3. 200,0677
DiJF. 364,16 2. 561,2922

5- 7'^'^'IS99

2. 88o,6799=thelog.ofhalf the tranfit line between the

2- 375,o7i6=thelog.ff g hor. mot. [ext. co.=759'',766

o. 505,6o83=3h. 20338=3^. 12'. i2",i68==the femidu"
ration between the ext. csntads.

AsR : Sec, S^'. 33'. 11 ",5 : : 6io",49 : geo. latitude of ?
TO. - - -
10. 004,8572

2. 785,6785

2. 790»S357=6i7"'35'5=io'. 1 7", 3 3 6= the geo. lat. of g

As 72626,45 : 28879,55 : : geo. lat. : hel. lat. of %
4. 861,0949
4. 460,5904
2- 790»S3S7
7. 251,1261

2. 390,o3i2=245",4885=4'. 5'',4885=thehcl. lat. of g

610,49

6'7»3S6

1227,846 3. 089,1440
96,866 o. 836,7038

3. 925,8478

1. 962,9239

2. 3 7 5, 071 6= the log. of hor. mot. of J

—

9. 587,8523=oh.387J26=s23-.i3'',6536==the dmt
between the middle and edip. conjundion.

I From

C 62 1

.^. From the ap^pare^it time of the middle of the Tranfit, viz.
^5*'. 2b'. 29^7 dedud 23'. 13", 65, and theapparent time of
•the ecliptical conjunflion will be 5^. 5'. 16" ^o^^ when
the Sun's place given in the Nautical Almanac was
2^ 13^°. 27'. iV^j, making the difference of our meridian
from Greenwich 5^. o'. 35'''', as found above. To bis place in
the ecliptic add his diftance from iht node of Venus, found
above, viz. i*'. 8'. 20^,23, and the fum gives the place of her
afcending node, 2*. 14°. 35'. 38^9.

From the middle of the Tranfit, as feen at the center of the
earth, viz. 5^. 28'. i-^^.yj- apparent time, dedu(5t the femidura-
tion between the internal contacts, viz. 2*^. 52'. S^"->7-> ^^d
there remains 2^. gi^'. 31' the apparent time of the hrft inter-
nal con ta(5l, without parallax. This lobferved at 2''. 31'. 26*
apparent time -, the difference between thefe is the total effed:
of parallax in longitude and latitude, which is 4'. 5^''. But
upon the fuppofition that the Sun's horizontal parallax, on the
day of tne Tranfit. vas 8''',5204, the total effed: of parallax
fhould have been 4^ 4^''. Therefore fay.

As 4'. ^^4- =244^ : A.'. 5"-^A5" :: 8^5204-. 8^555 =
the hor. par. of the Sun on June 3d, 1769. Then

As icoooo = his mean dift. from the earth : ioi5o6 = hj$
did. on the day of the Tranfit, :: 8^555 : 8'''',6838 his hori-
zontal parallax at his mean diftance from theearth.

This is nearly the fame, with what is deduced from the bed
of the Obfervations made on the Tranfit of 1761 : And ac-
cording to this paralls^x of the Sun, the mean diftances of the
planets from the Sun will be, as they are exhibited in the fol-
lowing table, taking a mean femidiameter of the earth 3985
Englifh miles,

36693417 Mercury's

68564850 Venus's

94790550 the Earth's /Mean diftance from the Sun, in
144431400 Mars's ( Englifli mileSi

493C05300 Jupiter's
904307200 Saturn's

Ok

C 63 ]

>: On account of the difficulty of afcertaining the prccife tno-
incnt of the middle of the Tranfit, from the menfurations of
the neareft diftances of the limbs of the Sun and Venus, and
thefmalldifferenceof time between the contafts happening, at
the center of the earth, and at any particular place on its lurface ;
Aftronomers have generally prcf::rred the compariion of two
'Obfervations at proper places, where the effefls of parallax will
be contrary to each other, retarding the contacts at one place
and accelerating them at the othe*-, for the purpofe of deducing
the parallax and diftance of the Sun from them. We have an
opportunity of confirming the former conclufions, by com-
paring our Obfervations with thofe that have been made at the
Royal Obfervatory at Greenwich, as they have lately come to
hand. They differ indeed confiderably among themfelves, pro-
bably owing to the various methods, which the Obfervers took
tojudgeof the contafts, the account of which is not yet ar-
rived here-, yet they give a mean parrallax of the Sun nearly
the fame that we have deduced from our own Obfervations at
Philadelphia. I have therefore inferted them in this account of
the Tranfit, as they ferve to fhew that we have not loft our la-
bour and cxpence on this occafion. The method I have ufed is
firft to reduce the Greenwich Obfervations of the contads to
the meridian of our Obfervatory in Philadelphia, by deducting
from them the diff'erence of longitude converted into time -,
and then to calculate the effeft of parallax for both places at the
apparent times of the contads, upon the fuppofition of the
Sun*s horizontal parallax being 8 '^,5204 on the day of theTran-
fit. From this, the Sun*s horizontal parallax is found cither
greater or lefs, as the calculated cffefl of parallax is greater or
Icfs, than what is obferved.

The parallax of Venus in longitude at Greenwich, at the
time of the firft external contaft was i6'''',9, which haftencd
the contadl there 4'. i6'^5, and her parallax in lat. at the fame
time was, 12^^,97, which deprefled her on the difc of the Sun,
lengthened her vifible path, and accelerated the contaft
2'. 34-'\Sf ^^ ^^^^ ^^^ ^<^^^^ effeft of her parallax was to haften
the contaft 6'. 51'''' of time. In like manner her parallax in
longitude at the internal contaft was i6\6, which haftened

I 2 it

C 64 ]

if 4'. 12' of time; and her parallax in latitude being 13^42
at that time, for the fame reafon haftened the faidconta6t2'. 40*^;
and therefore the total effeft of parallax to accelerate the inter-
nal contadtat Greenwich is 6'. 52^

At Philadelphia her parallax in longitude being io^'',74 at
the external contadt, haftened it 2'. 43^*' ; and her parallax in
latitude being 4''^43, lengthened her vifible path on the Sun
and haftened the conta6t53''^of time; whence its total effeft was
3'. 36*' of time. In like manner her parallax in longitude at
the internal contaft being 11^95 haftened it 3'. \" of time,
and her parallax in lat. being 4'''',49 lengthened the tranfit line,
and haftened the contad i^ i," ; and therefore the total effed:
of her parallax at that time to haften the internal contadt was

a' a 'I

4.4.

Now as the total effefl ot parallax both at Greenwich and
at Philadelphia confpired to haften the contafts at both thefe
places, with refpedt to the center of the earth, their difference
is the whole effe<5t they have on abfolute time, viz. 3^ 15'' at
the external contadt, and 2'. 48^'' at the internal con ta(5l.

The contadls were obferved atGreenw. at the apparent times
mentioned in the following table, according to their meridian,
Exter. Contact. Int. Contadl,

h. m. fee* h, m. fee.

7. 10. 54 7. 28. 47 by Hitchins.

7. II. II - - - _ Hirft.

7. 10. o,'] 7. 29. 28 Dun.

7. II. 19 7. 29. 20 Dolland.

7. II. 30 7. 29. 20 Nairne.

7. 10. 58 7. 29. 23 Mafkelyne.

These times are reduced to the meridian of Philadelphia, by
iubftrading 5^. o'. 35'' from them in the following manner.
Exter. Contaft. Int. Contadl.

h. m. fee. h. m. fee.

2. 10. 19 2. 28. 12 by Hitchins.

2. 10. 36 - _ - - Hirft.

2. 10. 2 2. 28. 53 Dun.

2. 10. 44 2. 28. 45 Dolland.

2. 10. c^c^ 2. 28. 45 Nairne.

2. 10. 23 2. 28. 48 Maflcclyne..

M. of all is, 2. io. 30 2. 28. 40,6 Th£

The mean of all the times of the external contafts atr
Philadelphia is 2^. 13'. 46^'', 6, and of the internal conta<5ts
2^. 31'. 28^'', as appears by pag. 51, and the difference be-
tween thefe means is the obferved effeft of parallax.

h. m. fee. h. m. fee.

2. 13. 46,6 2. 31. 28 at Philadelphia.

2. 10. 30 2. 28. 40,6 at Greenwich.

3. 16,6 2. 47,4 the obferved effeds of

parallax, at theext. and int. contadls. Therefore fay.

As 3'. 15^=195/'' the calculated effefl of parallax at the ex-
ternal contadl is to 3'. i6',6== i96^'',6 : : So is the afTumed ho-
rizontal parallax of the Sun on the day of the Tranfit 8''',5204 :
to his true parallax on that day. And m like manner, as
a'. 48^^= 168^'': 2'. 47^4=167^4 : : 8^5204: theSun*s par.,
on that day.
2, 290,0346 2. 225,3093

2. 293,5835 2. 223,7555
o. 930,4600 o. 930,4600

3. 224,0435 3. 154.2155

Q. 934,oo89=8",5903 I ©horpar. o. g28,go6z=Z",^Zggj Q hor. par,
2) i7'*,o8o28

8'',540i4 the meanhor. par. of ©on the day of the Tranfit.
As 100000 : 101506 : : 8'''',540i4 : the Sun's horizontal
parallax at his mean diftance from the earth,
5. 000,0000
5. 006,4917
o. 931,4650

o. 937,9567 = 8^^,66875 the Sun*shor. par, at his mean
diftance from the earth.

The parallax of the Sun being fixed by the mean of fuch
comparifons as thefe, it isaneafy matter to afcertain not only the
diftances of the bodies, which compofe the folar fyftem, but
alfo their real diameter?; that of the earth being previoufly known
from the actual menfuration ot fome degrees on its furface. For

As the reftangle of the parallax of the Sun, and his diftance
from the earth, is to the real diameter of the earth -, fo is the
rectangle of the parallax and diftance of any other planet from,
the Sun, to its real diameter.

A&

£ 66 ■]

^ fi wy delineation -of tbeTranJit % I have taken the ile mints of
• the projefticn front cur own Ohfervations on the '^d of JunSy
1769. Plate 4, fig. 2.

' ?."

THE ncareft approach of the centers having been determiR-
edjfrom the mean of a-grcat number of computations, and
found to agree very nearly with the meafurcs that were a6lual-
ly made at the middle of the Tranfit, it was accordingly fet ofF
on the diameter of the Sun, and thro' this point a chord was
drawn at right angles to the fail diameter for the central tran-
fit line. This was then divided careluUy into hours and mi-
nutes, according to the horary motion of Venus, determined
by the preceeding calculation, in fuch a manner, as that the
cxafl moment of the middleof the Tranfit, at the earth's center,
fhould fall on the point of interfedion between the faid dia-
meter of the Sun and tranfit line i this moment of time having
been previoufly determined, by the mean of a fufficicnt num-
ber of computations.

The parallaxes of Venus, in longitude and latitude, as feeitf",
from Philadelphia, having been alio adapted to the apparent
times of the micrometer meafures, on the luppoficion of the
Sun's horizontal par. being 8^5204 on the day of the Tran-
fit, they were accordingly applied to the projcdion, by which
the places of her center were determined for the faid times.
Round thefe, fmall circles were drawn, with the radius of 29
feconds, to reprefent the difc of Venus on the face of the Sun ;
and lines were drawn between the limbs, in the dire(?lion of
their centers, of fuch a determined length, as the micrometer
has given them. Many of the meafures were taken from the
farthefl: limb of the Sun, as well as from the neareft, to both
limbs of Venus, and thefe meafures were afterwards reduced to
the nearefi: diftance of the neareft limbs, as they are exhibited
in the preceeding Table, ufing the diameters of the Sun and
Venus, as they are ftatcd above.

As a confirmation of the foregoing conclufions, I have fub-
joined the Obfervations of Aftronomers, in different places, of
the contafts and durations of the Tranfit of 1761, as they
have fen r them to the Royal Society, together with the longi- \
tudes and latitudes of the places of Obfervation, on which the
following calculations depend. Obser-

[ 67 '3

aSSERVAllONS

June 6th,
Mam. of Placei j iftEx. Con
m. fee.
reenwich,
Shirburn caftle,
Saville hoafe,
Spictal fquare,
Chelfea,
Lefkard,
Paris,

Bologna,

Rome,
Drontheim,

on the Tranfu of Venus over the Sun,
1761, N. S. Appar. Time.

ift In. Cont J2dIn.Con.\ 2d Ex Con

Upfal,

Stockholm,
Hernofand,
Galmar,
Abo,

Tornea,

Cajaneburg,
robolflci,
-ape G. Hope,
Rodrigues,

alcutta,
Madrafs,
Tranqucbar,
Great Mount,

3. 20.40

3-45

5-44 ^
0 5 » S

y.^u 10

Duration.

h. m. fee.

3-37-43
1056

3.38. 5
3 2>Q 231020;
3.38.261035
3-33- i
3-S5-50
4. 4. o

19. 5

O. 2S

h. m. fee.
8.19. o
8. 15. 1 2
8. i8.2z
8. 18.41
8.18. 4
8- 0.21
8.28.27

57
36

9. 4

)• 9

).28

49
6

8.20 58

7-47-55

9.30.10

9. 28.52

9.23.^0

9.45.59

9 54. 8

to 22

10. 8.59

I 2.49.20J

9.39.50

12.35.47

14. II. 3+

»3-39-3«

h. m. lee.
8.37- 9
^■•33- > 7

9.46.43
10. 4.42

10. 12. l8t022

13- 7-39i:

•2.53
1^.27

»3-S5

18
38
44

h. m. lee.

50. s ?

to 26 5

5.50.41104
5.50. 171026

5-50-39
5.50. 9

5.50. 9t02I

5-49-54
5.48.50

5.50.36
5-5I-43
5-5»-33
5 51,20

N. of Places, Latitude

Longitude
rV. Greenvv.

•J. of Places I Latitude

I Longitude
fr. Greenw.

Greenwich,,

Shirb. cafile

Sav. houfe.

Spit, fquare,

Chelfea,

Leflcp.rd,

'aris,

Bologna,

Rome,

Drontheim,

Upfal,

Stockholm,

o

51.28.

51.39.

50. 26.
4-8. 5°-
H- 29-
+ I-53-

63. 26.
59.51.
;;g.20

37N

22N

55N.
I4N.
36N.
54N.

loN.

50N.
30N.

m. lee.

o. 18

0. 9.
C.45.
0.49.
0.44.

1. le.
r 12

. o
1 W

31 E.
16IW
40 W

32 w.
16 E.
ti E.

53 E-

3E.

26 E.

26 E,

riernofand,

Caimar,

Abo,

I'ornea,

Cajaneburg,

Tobolfki,

C. G. Hope..

Rodrigues,

Calcutta,

Madrafs,

Tranquebar,

Gr. Mount,

o

60.38. oN

;6. 40. 30N

oN
50N

30N
22N

JO. 27
165.50
04.13
58.. 2

33-55-42S

! 9 40 40 S

22.30 oN
13. 8. oN
10. 56. oN

h. m. fee.
I. 1 1. 28E.
I 5 . 39E.
I. 28. 33E.
I. 36 48E.
(.51. 50E.
J..32.52E.
I. 13.35E.
4.. 12. 34E.
5.53.44E. I
5. 20. loE
c . 1 8. 8E

C 68 ]

",55 Parallax of tht SUN, deduced frojn the id Itternal Conta.il of the Limbs o,
^tht SUN and FENUS, ifi ikcTranfit of i-j6i.

^•. 7- 43

8. o. 2 1 Lejk. I. 4

7. 22 7. 12

As 7.1 2: 7.22 : : 8'',5
O's Par. 8 ",69

:aieofG.HDi!, \3Ltfkard.

Para;
h. m. fee. '

9. 39. ^oCa/ie, 6. 8
1.32. 7 DifF. Long.

Cape i^ Swville Houfe
9. 39. 50 6. 8

I. 14 5

8. 25. 45

8. I -. 22 5av. 1 . 1 1

7. 23 7. 19

Sun's Par. 8 .(;7

9- 39- 50 6. 8

_L 4- '9

3- 35- 3'
8. 28. 27

7. 2

7- 4
Sun's Par. 8,54

Cape iff Rome.
9. 39. 50 6. 8

9. 16.

9. 9. 30 o. 13

6.

8

9- 36
632

Sun's Par. 8,74

Cape y Hirnofand.
9 39. 50 6. 8

o 2. 7

9- 37- 43
9. 28, 52

26

8. 5 I 8. 34

Sun's Par. 8,78

Cape y Tcrnta.

9 39- 50 ^•
+c 3 13

3

1 0. ^. ■^

9. ^4. 8 3.

•N

Cape & Sherburne Caflle.
Panali.
h. m. fee.

9. 39. CO 6. 8

1 . 17. ci6 DifF. Long.
8. 22. I 4
. I ^. 12 Zhirb. I. 12

7. 2 7. 20

Sun's Par. 8 %i 5

Cape y Spittal Square.
9 39- 5° ^- ^

8. 25. 59

8. 18. 41 5/ 5y.i. II

7 18 7 19

Sun's Par. 8,4-7

Cape £jr Ckelfea.

Parrall"
h. m, fee.

39. CO 6. S

'4- '5

-5 34

I S. 4 C/&. 1 . 1 1

7. 30 ^7. 19
Sun's Par. 8 ,73

Ca/)e y Lireeifvoich
9. 39 so 6 8

1 . 13 ?5

2D 15
j^9 o Green, i . 11

7 »9

8,42

7- 15
Sun'' P.ir

Ctf/^ y Drontheim.
9. 39. 50 6. 8

o. 29. 32^
9. 10. 18
9. I. 49 2. 38

Cape ks Boicgna.
9. 39 SO 6 8

o 28. 14

1 1. 16

A.. C7

29

8. 29 8. 46

Sun's Par. 8,2^

0 39 0 37

Sun's Par. 8,^4

Cape y Calmar.
9. 39. 50 6. 8

o. 7. 56

9. 31. 54
9. 23. 40

». 14 «.

S.jn's Par 8,62

^9.

7

Cape y Stockholm.
9. 39. 50 6.

o. I 9

9. 38. 41
9 30. 10

8. 31
Sun's Par. 8,^8

2. t8
8TT6^

Cfl/>* y Cajaneturg.
9. 39 so 6. 8

+0.38^15

lo- 18, 5
10. 8 s ^

2. S9

8. 55 9. 13

Sun'b Pp.r. 822

g. 5 9. 7

Sun's Par. 8,49

L.ape y Upfal.

9- 39-

9- 36- 4*

9. 28. 6

2. 2 I

». ^s «• -29

Sun's Par. 8,60

Cape y .</ie.

9 39- 5° 6.

+r. 14. s8

9 S4- 48
9 4S- 59
8 49

38

8. 38
Sun's Par. 8,68

Cape y 'ioboljki.
9. 39. SO 6

7. 15 17

'^-59 7

I 2. 4.0- 20

^- 1'

V 9- 47 9- 43

Sun's Par. 8,64

Cape

C 69 ]

lO^fi & Madrafs.

Farall.
h. m. fee.

9. 39. 50 6. 8

4. 6. 35

o. ^6

13. 40. 25
^3- 39- 3.3

6. 47 ^^- 4^-

Sun's Par. 8'%74
"Rfdrigues & Lejkard.
12. 35. 47 3- 7-

4-3'- 6
8.
8.

4. 41
o. 21

T- 4
4. II

Sun's Par. 8,80

Rodrigi'is l5 Ha'ViUe houj.
12. 35. 47 3- 7

4- »3- +

C«/r 6f Calcutta.

Parall
h. m. fee.
9. 39. 50 6. 8

4. 40. 9

'4- 19- 59
I i. 11- u

2. 14

Cape y Roarigues,

Parall.

b. zj

h. 01. fee.
9. 39. so

^- 5^- 59

12. 38. 49

12- 3;. 47

^. 2

6. 8

Sun's Par. 8", 5 5

S, -^'s Par. 8'',i;4

Rodrigues l£ Sherburn cajt.

12. 35. 47 3. 7
4- '6. 35
8. ig. 12

8. 15. 12 I. 12

4. o 4. 19

Sun's Par. 8,00

Kuoi^ut!'^ Chtljea.
3- 7

Roangues i^ bpittatfquare'

«-5- 35- 47 3- 7

4. 12. qo

8. 22. 43
8. 18, 22

I. 1 1

4. 21 4. I

Sun's Par. 8,60

Rodrigues i^ Paris.
12- 35- 47 3- 7

H-. 3-_ii
8. 32. 29
8. 28, 27 o. 54

4. 2 4-1

Sun's Par. 8,53

Rodrigues ijf Ro/ne.

12- 35- 47 3- 7-
3. 22. 41

8. 22. 57
8. 18. 41

4. i6 4.
Sun's Par. 8,44

9. 13. 6

9^_9^ 3^

3- 30
Sun's Par. 8,92

o. T 3_
3. 20

Rodrigues ^ Hemcfand.
12. 35. 47 3. 7

3: i-_ 6_

9- 34- 4«
9. 28. 52

r~49 5- 3 3

Rodrigues l^ Dnntheim.
12. 35- 47 3- 7

3- ^^- 3'
9. -. 16

9- ^- 45 }' 38

5- 27 s- 45

Sun's Par. 8,0;

Rodrigues (^ Calmar.
12. 3^ 47 3- 7

59

1. II

4. 29 ^

Sun's Par. 8,i

Rodrigues ^ Greenxvich.

12. 35. 47
4. 12. 34

8. 23. 13

8. 19. o 1. II

4-~i3 4- 1 8

Sun's Par. 8,33

Rodrigues (J Bologna.

12. 35. 47 3- 7
3- 27. 13

8. 34
4- 57

3- 37
Sun's Par. 8,54

o. 29
3- 36

3-

6.

55

9-
9-

•;8.
23-

52
40

Sun'i Par. 8,67

Rodrigues t^ Stoikholm.
2. 35 47 3 7-

3-

y- 35-

39
10

2. i^

3. 29

Rodrigues ^ t//>/.
12. 35. 47 3- 7

9- 33- 39
9. 28. 6

2. 21
"5. 28

5- 33 „ -
Sun's Par. 8,62

Rodrigues ^ Abo.

12. 35. 47 3- 7

2- 44- ^

9. 51. 46

9- 45-_59. .^- 30

5- 47 5- 37

1 Sun's Par. 8 7?

Rodnguts

C 70 ]

Rodrigucs Cf/ Tome a.
Parall
I h. m. fee.
,12. 3,. 47 3. 7

2. 35, 46

10. o.
9. 54.

•?• 5

5- 'i^

6. 12

Sun's Par. ^" ,o-]

Rodrigues i^ Calcutta.

12- 35- 47 3- 7

j I. 41. 10

Rodrigues iJ Cajaneburg.
Parall,
h. m, fee.

>2- 35- 47 3- 7

2. 20. 44

10. 15. 3

10. 8. 59 2. 59

d! 4 6. 6

Sun's Par. 8 '',45

2. 14

14. 16. 57

14-_11^3 +

5. 23 5. 21

Sun's Par. 8,55

YofolJkil^'Chelfea.
12. 49.- 20 3. 35

Rodrigues tff Madrafs
12. 35. 47 3- 7

I. 7. 36

13. 43. 23
'3- 39- 38

36

3- 45 3- 43

Sun's Par. 8,58

Toboljki y 5«W/^ houfe.
|I2. 49. 20 3. 35

4- 33

Rodrigues ij Toboljki. I
ParajlJ

h. m. fee.

12. 3-. 47 3. 7

ro. 20. 18

12. 56. 5
12. 49. 20

3' ^5

6. 45 6. 42
Sun's Par, 8",56

Toboljki tff Ze/^^;<j'.

49

57-
o.

20
24

3- 35

56

21

2. 25

Sun's Par. 8,16

+
3»

Toboljki IsS Spittal fquare.\

Cajanebi

C 71 ]

hCajaHe6urg i^ Sav. boufe.

Cajaneb. U Spittaljquare.

Cajaneburg 0 Vjrft/ru,.tv,||

M Parall,
H h. m. fee.
lie. 8. 59 2. 59
1 I. 52. 20

Parall.
h. m. fee.
10. 8. 59 2. 59

I 52. 7

8 16. 52

8. 18.41 1. 1 1

I. 49 ^i. 4S
Sun's Par. ^ ',(;8

Parall [
h. m. fee. ' ''
ID 8. 59 2. .59
I. 51. 50
8. 17. 9
8. 19. 0 I. n

8. 16. 39

8, 18. 22 I. 11

I. 4? I 48
Sun's Par. 8", 1 1

I. 5 r I. 48
Sun s Par. 8",74
Cajaneburg i^ Bologna.
10. 8 59 2. 59
I. 6. 29
9. 2 30
9. 4. 57 0. 29

Cajaneburg <3 tans,
10. 8. 59 ?. 59
I. 4.2 34

Cajaneburg $if Rome.
10. 8. 59 2. 59
I. 2. 7
9. 6. 52

9l_9-._3^ ^13.
?. 44 2. 46
Sun's Par, ^,33

8. 26. 25

8. 28. 27 0- 54

2. 2 2. 5
Sun's Par. 8,30

2. 27 2. 30
Sun's Par. S.-^'?

Cajaneburg l£ Madrajs
10. 8. ?9 2. 59
3 28. 20

•3- 37- >9

13 39- 38 0. 36
2. 19 2. 23
Sun's Par. 8,27

iitockholm t^ Spittuljquare.
9. 30. 10 2. 18

I. )2. 43

8. 17. 37

8 18. 41 III

Stockholm iff Gran-Mic/j
9. 30. 10 2. 18
I. 12. 20

8. 17. 50

8. 19. 0 1. 11

I. 4 1. 7
Sun's i'ar. 8,12

1. 10 I. 7

Sun's Par. 8,88

Stockholm ij Pans.
9. 30. 10 2 18
1. 3. 10
8. 27. 0
8. 28. 27 0. ^4

Stockholm t^ Bologna.
9. 30. 10 2. 18

0. 27. 5

9- 3- 5

9. 4. 57 0. 29

Stockholm cy Kome.
9- 30. 10 2. 1
0, 22, 33

> 7- 37

9- 9- 3^ 0. 13
1. 59 2. 5
Slip's Par. 8.09

I. 27 I. 24

Sun's Par. 8,80

1. 52 I. 49
Sun's Par. 8,-'3

Stockholm & MadrfKfs.
9. 30. ID 2. 18

4 7- 44

U/jal ks Lejkard.
9, 28. 6 2. 21

I. 28. 58

Upjai «o iiua^aie houje
9. z8. 6 2. 21
r 10 56

13 1,7' 54

13. 39. 38 0. 36

7. 59. 8

8. 0. 21 I. 4

b. 17. 10

8. j8. 22 1. ir

1. 44 1. 42
Sun's Par. 8,67

I. 13 I. 17
Sun's Par. 8,06

Upjal & Belogna,
9. 28. 6 2. 21

0. ^5. 5

I- '2 I. ,0

Sun's Par. 8,74

Upfal y Paris.
9. 28. 6 2. 21

I. I. ID

9- 28. 6 2. 21

0. 20. 73

8 26. 56

8. 28. 27 0. 54

9- 3- I

9 4- 57 0. 29
1. 56 1. 52

Sun'. Par. 8, 0

9- 7- 33

9 9. 36 0. 13

2. 3 2. 8

Sun'"; Par. 8.17

I. 31 I. 27 j
^.1^'- Par. 8,8g

K z

t///«/

E 72 ■}

U/Jal ^ Muarajs.

Para 11

h.

m. fee.

9

.28. 6

4-

9- 44

15-

I3-

37
39

50

I. 48
Sun's Par. 8

2. 2'

o. 36

,'• 45

»74

Calcutta i^ Bologna.
14. II. 34 2. 14

5. 8. 23

1 1

57

o. 29

I- 46 I- 45

Sun's Par. 8,c;8

./fi&o iLff Rome,

9-

0.

45-

38.

59

40

9-
9-

7-
9-

»9

36

30

13

2. 17

Sun's Par. 8,50

17

Shetburne i^ ■lornea.

Calcutta (jf b'a'ville. houje.
Parall

h. ni. fee. ' "

14. II. 34 2. 14

5. 54. 14

17-
iS.

20
22

Sun

s Par.

8 -37

Calcutta y Madrajs.

14.

II.

34

2. 14

0.

33-

34

•3-

3«-

0

•3-

39-

3«

0. 36

1. 38

Sun's Par. 8,50

Hernofand i^ Rome.

28.
21,

52
3 5

2. 26

'7
36

2. >9
Sun's Par.

J 3

13

Greenwch i^ Fans.

Calcutta CS tans.

Parall,

m.
li.

44

fee.

34
28

2. 1 4

27. 6

28. 27

I. zi

_lt.
20

Sun's Par, 8 ,61

^/^» ^ Lejkard.
9. 45. 59 2. 30

I. 47. 5

ss.

o.

54
21

I. 27 I. 20

Sun's Par. 8,60

Calmar CS Madrajt.

23'

14.

40

31

n-

38.
39-

1 1

38

59

36

I. 27
Sun's Par.

1 . 23

8,91

Green^with ijf Lejkard.

iHt parallax ot iheSun may alio be deduced from the total
duration of the Tranfit, as obferved in difFererit places, in the
following manner.

'franquebar & Calmar.

Parall,
h. m. (tc.

5. 51. 33 6. 24

5. 50. 39 7- ^'

54-
Sun's Par.

8''>05

57

Tranquebar & Cajanebur^
5. 51. 33 6. 24

5-. 49. 54 8. _^

Tranquebar Gf Upfal,
Parall,
h. m. fee,

5. 51. 33 6. 24

5. 50. 26 7- 3'^

Trattquebar 6f y/Z^o.

Pa..-.)'
h. nr. fee. ' "

5. 51. 33 6. 24

5. 50.. 9 7. 46

I. 7 ^ I- 9

Sun's Par, 8", 25

'franquebar fiif Toboljli.
5. 51. 33 6. 24

(;. 4-S, <;o 9- ^

2. 39
8,67

I. 24.

Sun's Par.

I. 22

MaJra/i & Htjckh^im.
5- 5'- 43 6. 33

5. j;.^. 4.'. 7- 34-

Madraft

I n J

Maxrafs O 'lornea. ■
Parall.

6. 33
8. 7

Grtui iMuu/it (3 Aou.

Parail.

I. 34
Sun's p-ir, ?'

3 +

.50

Cijantburg tf Ufjai.
5. 4.9. 54 8. 5.

5 5°- ^6 7- 33

31 31

Sun's Par. 8,50

h. m. fee.
5. 51. 20

5. 50. 9

6. 33
7- 4^

I . II

Sun's Par. 2",26

>i

Crjjaneburg & Caimur.
5- 4-9' 5+ '• 5

5- 50- 59 7. ^i

«. 45 44.
Sun's Par. 8,70

Parn'
h. m. 'cc.

5. 51. ID
J- 4S 50

Sun's

6. 33

_9' 3

2. 30

■ "JO

•Tobc.Jki & Alo.
5- 48 53 9- 3

S 5°- 9 7- 46

1.19 !• 17

^un's Par. 8,72

The parallax of the Sun may alfo be determined, by com-
paring the times of the internal contads, as obfervcd in vari-
ous places, with the time of their happening as obferved at the
center of the earth. For this purpofc the following elements
arc ufed, as they were calculated by Mr. Short, from the mea-
fures made at the Tranfit in 1761, viz ; the diameter of the.
Sun3i'. 31^ the diameter of Venus ^g\ her horary motion
3'. 59^8, the angle of her path 8'. 30''. 10, the neareft difi
of theircenters 9'. 32.^'', and the diff. of their horizontal paral-
laxes 21^35. Hence the ap. time of the ill and 2d internal
conta(5ls was 2h. 22'. 3''', and 8fi. 20'. 4^, reckoned by the
meridian of Greenwich, without parallax, and the centi-al dura-
tion was 5^. 5 8'. i^''.

Lenual Time & Upial.
Parall.

(^entrai'i'ime k Upjal. ,Centrarrime&/i;rwA.«rf.|

m. fee.
22. 3

10. 26,

32-
37-

29
56

Sun's Par. 8 ,91

C&nuaXV'wn&ScHerno/and.
2. 22. 3 0.0

I, II. 28

33- 31
38' 26

4- 55
Sun's Par. 8.

h.

2
I.

m. f«c.
22. 3
10. 26

3-
3-

32. 29

3"' 4^

5- H
Sun's Par. 8

Parall.
o. o

5. 12

'55

Central l'imc<Sc LajaucL

2. 22.
I. 51.

3

5°

4- 13-
4. 19.

53
5

5. 12

Sim's Par.

5-

8,66

h. m. fee.

2, 22. 3
I. II. 28

Pi

0.

3- 33: 31

Parall.

10

5- 4-
Sun's Par. 8 ',

33

-entral 1 ime & Hiockbolm.
2- 22. 3 o. O

I. 12. 26

3-

34- ^9
39- 29

16 ||[

Sun's Par. 8,07 ([|
Central.

L 74 ]

Central iimei Jbo. Lentriti 1 ;me & -lornea. Cenirui iiaie ic L,iiivi.a>

h. m. fee.

2. 22. 3

I. 28. 33

3. 50. 36
3- SS-

Parall

o.

5 ^^

5. 14
Sun's l^ar, 8 ,44

h. m. fee;
2. 22. 3
I. 36. 48

Parai!.

o.

Parall.

3- 5«- 31
4. 4. o

5-9
Sun's Par. 8 ,6g

h. m. fee.

2. 22. 3 o.

i' S- 39

3. 28. 42

3- 33- ? 5- '

5- 23
Sun's Par. 8 ,52

Central lirue oc 'loboljki.

2. 22. 3
4. 32. 52

0. 54. 55

7. O- 28

5- 33
Sun's Par. 8,63

28

CciAial 1 ime & iki^^r«/i., Central Time ix. Calcutta.

27. 3

20. 10

2.

S-

7. 42. 13

7- 47 55
5. 4.2

o.

5- 57

Sun s Par. 8,14

2.

22.

.?

. 5

53-

44

8.

'5-

47

8

20.

58

16

5. II

Sun's Par. 8,36

The Sun's Parallax dtduced from the obferved and calculated Times of the
2d internal contad.

pentralTime ScSpit./qua.'
Parrajl

h. m. fee.

d 20. 4 0. 0
i 0 0. 1 7 j

CcntralTime&5'«'Z'. Hou/e.
Parall.
h. m. fee.

8. 20. 4 0. 0
0. 0. 30

Central Time Sc Paris.

Parall.
h. m. fee.

8. 20. 4 0. 0
0 9 16
b 29. 20
8. 28 27 c. 54

53
Sun's Par. 8 ,34

; 8. 19. 48

8. 18. 41 I. II

«• 7

Sun'i Par. 8" oi

8. 19. H
^8. 18. 22 1. 11

1. 12

Sun's Par. 8",62

J Jeutral iim^. u x>ci,^..u.
' S. 20. 4 0. 0
0. 45«_2i_
9. 5. 25

9. 4. <7 0. 29
28
Sun's Par. 8,2 1

L-^i.i.ui j imc & Cape.

8. 20. 4 0. 0
I. M. ;t;

9- 33- 39 ^ „

9. 39. 50 6. 8

6. II
Sun's Par. 8,58

Central Time & L/pJai.
8. 2 . 4 0. 0
I. 10. 26

9. 30. 30

9. 28. 9 2. 21

2. 21
Sun's Par. 8,qo

Central I'in.e & U/Jai.

8 20. 4 0. 0

I. 10. 26

9. 30. 30

9- 28. 7 2. 21

Central Time & £//>/.

8. 20. 4 0. 0
I. 10. 26

9. 30. 30

9. 28. 3 2, 21

Central Time Scioto. Khohn.

8. 20. 4 0. 0
I. 12 26

9 32- 30

9. 30 II 2. 18

i 2. 23

1| Sun's P r. 8,62

2. 27
Sun's Par. 8,86

2. 19.
Sun's Par. 8,56

a..., — ■ ■■■i»^ •m.^'^rr^

Ceiurfi]

C 75 ]

^cntral rime

h. m. fee,

8. 20. 4
1. 12. 26

9. 32. 30
9 30- 8

k Stockholm
Parall.

0. 0

2. 18

8^75

(J

h.
8.
1.

~9-
?:

ential I'une & r.Lo.
Parall.
m. fee.
^04 0. 0

2«- 33
48. 37

45- 59 2. 30

?. 22
Sun's Par.

2. 38
Sun's Par.

8"-95

- eatial Time
S. 20. 4
4- 3'- 5^

0. 0

3- 35
8.54

Cential 1 ime

8. 20. 4
1. <;. ^9

9- 25- 43

9. 23. 40

& Lalma)
0. 0

2. 52. 56
2. 49. 20

I. 59

3. 36
Sun's Par.

2- 3
Sun's Par.

3,78

^entipt riine

& Calcutta.

8. 20. 4
5- 53- 44

0. 0
2. 14

. 8,(^0

4 13. 48
4- II- 34

2. 14
Sun's Far

-J..' ».J ■.,««■.

Central T'luie 6i Ctjantb

h. m. fee.
8. 20. 4

I- 5'- ?o

54
5 '

Pars'

O.

10. 11
10. 8,

59

2- 55
Sun'b Par

-31

-diurai Wm^&cRodrigues
8. 20. 4 0.0

4- 12- 34 .

\z. 32. 38

'2- 3i- 47 3- 7

3 9
Sun's Par. 8,59

BBMMMiM'HIHaMW

miwtrMrWM

The Sun's parallax Is alfo found, by comparing the total
duration between the internal contacts, as it was oblerved in
different places, v/ith the duration at the center of the earth,
viz. 5h. 58^ \",

Cent. Duration icact'/ya/
Paiai:.

h. m. fee.

''

5. 58. I

0. 0

5. 50. 7

7- 33

7- 54
Sun's Par.

8

"«9

Jent. Durat.&ai C'a//««r.

5. 58. I 0.0

il_49-_54_ 8. "5
8. 7

Su JT^s Par. 8 , 5 3

Cent. I)ur.& at Stockholm
U, 58. I o. o

-.5-: CO. 4; 7- 34

7. 16

Sni's Pv

8.16

Jent. Duiation &:atL7>/2/
Paralk
h. m. fee.

5. 58. I o. o

5- 5°- 2 7. 33

7- 59
Sun's Par. 8 ,98

Cent. Dur.& at Hernojand.
5. 58. I 0.0

5. qo 26 7. 36

7- 3 5
Sun's Par. 8,48

Cent.Dur. h^X Stockholm.
5. 58. 1 o. o

5. 50. 42

7- 34

7. 19

Sii'-'s Par 8.2 2

-wcnc. Duration &

a-.L/yy..-/

Para'l

h.

m.

fec#

^ >/

5-

58.

I

0. 0

5-

50.

26

7- 33

7-

3 5

Sun

sPar.

8

'54

Cent. Dur. & dxHsmofand.
5. 58. I 0.0

5- 5"- 17 - /• 3^

7- 44
Sun's Par. 8.6^

Cent.

Dur.

&

at

/iLO

5-

58

I

0.

0

5-

50.

9

7-

46

7. 52

Son's Par. '^,'^»

.cnt,

I 76 ]

Cent. Dur. Sc at Cajamb.
Parrali,

o.
8.

8",S3

!Cent. Dur. & at Madrafs
ij. 5>^i 1 o. o

5'- 43 6- 33

Cent. Dur. & at Tcboljki
Parall.
h, m. fee*
5. 58. I

g. II
Suia'sPar. ^^ ,6^

o.

-ent. Dur. Si sXCalcurta.

6. 18
Sun's Par.

8,17

Cent. Dur. Sc at Tornea.

5. 58. 1 O. o

ilJ^'5_ ^- 7

7. 46

Sun's Par. 8,13

Cent. Dur. 3i nVlranqucS
Paral!
h, m, fee,
5.58. I
c 51. 33

6. 28
Sun's Par.

o.. o
6. 24

"-59

Cent.Dur.& atGr. Moun/

5. 58. 1 o. o

SlJJl^^ 6. 33

6 41

Sun's Par. 8,67

The mean of all the preceeding determinations of the Sun's
parallax is 8'''', 52 on the day of the Tranfit, in June 1761,
which gives S'\6^ for his horizontal parallax at his mean diit.
from the earth.

Mr. Stuart of Glafgow, whom I mentioned before, deduces
the parallax and diftances of the bodies that compofe the folar
fyftem, from the Newtonian theory of gravitation, and the pe-
riodical times of the Sun and Moon. As he proceeds upon
the fuppoiuion that the diftance of the Sun from the earth is
very great, it would therefore feem, that the conclufion fhould
be accurate, in proportion to the greatnefs of that diftance.
His method depends upon a feries of propofitions, with long
and difficult demonftrations -, fo that the rules of calculation
are not very obvious, without a confidcrable knowledge of geo-
metry, in general, and a particular acquaintance with his very
ufeful and ingenious treatife. I was dcfirous of feeing what
agreement there was between the refult of his method of cal-
culation, and the Obfervations made on the Tranfit of Venus ;
and theretoreamufed myfelf in a leifure hour with the compari-
fon. As it may be agreeable to fome, who have not time to
read over the book, and to others, whofe acquaintance with
■the mathematics will not admit of it, to have the pradlical

rules

C 77 ]

rules orcomputatlon deduced from his propofitions ; I (hall an-
nex them to the foregoing calculations, together with the daer-
inination of the Sun's parallax and diftance derived from them*

A Calculation of the horizontal Parallax and Diftance of -the Sun,
according to Mr. Stuarfs Method, from the Principles of
Gravitation.

I. As the cube root of the fquare of the ) ^

Moon's periodic revolution round the C TZ~'7r77^r — n
-c u ■ ( 27,32162036

Earth, viz. j

Is to the cube root of the fquare of her re- 1 4

volution from apogee to apogee, viz. C ^^tTsS^JsJ)

So is 1, to a fourth number, which call A.

i». As 5 A- — 3 : A — i : : i : a fourth number, which call B.

g. As the re(5lr:ngle of B and the fquare ^ ^

of the p'rriodic time of the Earth round t 6x305,250^
the Sun, viz. \

is to the fquare of the periodic time of the p ^

Moon round the Earth, viz. ^ 27,321620361

So is J, to a fourth number, which call C= 1,999840899.

4. As C^Tj : 12 : : C : to a fourth number -, to which add
I, and from the fquare root of that fum fubtract i, and multi-
ply the remainder by the half ot C— 'i, or 0,4999204495, and
call that produ(5tD= 1,9999715505.

5. Subtrafl D from 2, multiply the remainder by D, and
call the fquare root of the produd: E.

6. As three times the Moon's mean diftance from the
Earth, in femidiameters of the Earth is to E, fo is R. to the
tang, of the Sun's hor. parallax at his mean diftance = 8'''',65.

7. As E 1 3 : : the Moon's mean dift. in miles : the Sun's
mean dift. in miles =94982600.

L In

I 78 1

"^ In determining theparallax of the Sun, from' tKe bbfer-
t'ation made in our Obfcrvatory on the 3d of June, 1769J
Thave only made ule ot the time of the internal contadt, as 1
noted it on that day, together with fome of my own Micro-
meter obfervations, without attending to thofe of the other
gentlemen who obferved with me. But, as the Society has a
right to expe6t a full account of the refult of the other Obferva-
tions, which were made on that occafion •, and as fuch account
may tend to corroberate the foregoing calculations, 1 have,
with Dr. Williamfon's permifTion, fubjointd a calculation of
his, founded entirely on his own Oblervation, which being
very fho'-t, I have inferted entire in his own words, except
■what refers to the manner in which he judged of the contads,
&c. which I have tranfcribed in another place, (fee page 48.)
From this, which is very fimilar to the Obfervations m.ade by
the other gentlemen on that committee, the Society will per-
ceive, that our Obfervations mufl have been made with con-
fiderable accuracy, as the refult of the calculation is nearly
the fame.

Dr, WILLIAMSONS Determination of the Parallax of thi
SUN, from bis Obfervation of the Transit of VENUS,
at Philadelphia, June 3^, 1769.

*• TT 7" I T H a Refrading Telefcope, 24 feet long, which
\\l magnified near 100 times, I obferved,

The ext. conta6l at 2^. 11^

Int. Do. at 2.

19

. 10 5

Mean Time.

" With a Micrometer of Dollond's conftruftion, fitted to a
Gregorian Refieftor,. which magnified 100 times,. I .meafured
the dift. of Venus from the limb of the Sun ; alfo the diam.&?
ters of the Sun and Venus, as follows :

Mean

Time.

Neareft Diftance of the

Neareft Diftance of the

Centers of © & ? .

Limbs of 0 & $ ,

h.

m. fee.

m . fee.

m. fee.

t 5-

43- 17

I p. I4>12

5- '^^5^ .

6.

32. 18

II. 14,19

4.. ^A^

6.

33- 5b

II. J3,23

4- 3'42

7.

5. 26

12. 11,83

3. 5,82

J MEA-

L 79 1

. " I MEASURED the diam. of Venus on the Sun, and found it
to be 55^42. I alfo frequently meafured the diam. of the Sun,,
on the day of obfervaiion, and the next day, and found it to
be 31'. 3i'\so.

" From thefe data, Ifliall attempt to deduce the Sun's par.
except that I fhall make noufe of the meafure at 6\ 32'. 18"',
which rfufpedcd was not accurate at the inftant it was made,
wherefore I immediateiy made another meafure, viz. uti

6^ 33'' 55"'

*' Th.; neareft did. of the limb of the Sun from that of

Venus at 5^43''. i?'- 7 • a ^ .u

A J ? f- mean time compared together.

And at 6 33. 53 5 ^ & >

give the apparent neareft dift. of their centers lo''. 3^,"/^ or

6o3'''',7, and the parallax of Venus was at that time ibuth

6",^i nearly. Therefore, the geocent. nearell dift. of their

centers was 6io^\6i. Then,

. "As y2626,3 ihe relative neareft dift.ofVenus from the Siin,
" Is to 28894,9 her dift. from the Earth.
" So is 6io'''',6i the geocent. neareft dift. of the cent, of the
Sun and Venus,

. " To 242'''',936=4'. 2''',936,,the.heliocent. dift. of their cen-
ters at the neareft approach.

" As Sine 3^^. 23'. 20''' the given inclin. of Venus's orbit to-
the ecliptic : Js to Kad.us,

'* So is S, 2.42'''',936, the helioc^nt. dift. of the cent, of the
Sun from Venus, at the middle of the tranfit,

" lo the Sine of 4io''',5 = i^. 8'. 25", the Sun's dift. from;
the node of Venus at the ecliptical conjundion,

** AsS, ofi^. 8'. 25'/, the Sun's dift. fron-y the node of Venus, .
" Is to io''. io'\6i, the geocent. neareft dift. of their centers.
" So is Rad: to the S, of 8°. 32'. sy'^S, the angle of Vcnus's
vi-fible path with the ecliptic.

" From 8°. 32' ^.y^^e, the angle of Venus 's vifible path,
" Su3T. 3. 23. 20, the inciinition ot V<:nus's orbit with the
cclipt. and ti^e remainder is 5^. 9', 37^6. Then

As

t So 1

'ii;}U As.S» 5 V^'^* 3?^6 the diff. of the angle of Venus*s vifiblc
path and the inclin. of her orbit, &c.

e " Is to S, Sr. 32'. 57!^,6 the angle of Venus*s vifible path-
with the edipt.

" So is 2^,392375 the given hor. motion of the Sun.
.- *' To 3^95412 the hor. motion of Verfus.

! « As llad. Is toT, 8°. 32^ 5y\6 the angle of Venus*S

yifible path.

" So is S, I*'. 8^ 25" the Sun's dift. from the node of Venus.
** To T, loA i7'''',2 Venus's geocent. latitude.

*' As 72626,3 the relative did.' of Venus from the Sun,

^' Is to 28894,9 her diftancefrom the Earth.

*' So is oiy\z her geocent. latitude.

*' To 245^^,56 her heliocent. latitude.

" From 15'. 4r/^6^ the femid.-of the Sun,

*' 'T AKE "i-"/" •>"] \ the femid. ot Venus, and the difference
is 15'. i:'''',94., the dirt, of the center of the Sun from the
cenier^ot Wnus at the inter. conta<5f. But the geocent. neareft
dill, ot their centers was found 6io''',6i. From thefe (p. Euc.
1. 47) the length of half the tranfit line between the int. con-
ta(5ls is found to be 685'',397 which divided by the hor. motion
of Venus gives the femiduration of the tranfit between the
two internal contads 2*^. c,^'. iq\i.

'^" In the fame manner, from the geocent. lat. of Venus, and
the neareft dift. of her center from the center of the Sun, we
find the time of Venus pafting from the eclipt. conjundlion to
the middle of the tranfit 22'. 44^9. Then from 5h. 28' 47%
which 1 find to be the central time of the middle of the tranfit,
dedud: 22''. 44^.9, and the remainder, viz. 5^. (/ . l\i^ will
be the apparant time of the ecliptical conjunftion when the
Sun's place was 2*. 13°. 27^. 2o'^5, as calcu'ared hy the
Aftronomer Royal, on the fuppofit'on that our Obft-rvntory is

weft of Greenwich 5!^ o'. 35'''. To the Sun's pl.ict; in rlie

cclipt. add his d'.ft. from the node of Venus 1°. 8^ zrj'. The
fum is 2*. i4*>. 35'. 45^5, the place of Veiius*s af.ending node.

Fr.om

C 81 1

^*^"^Ftom the micrometer meafures above given, it appears that
the center of Venus was at her neareft approach to the center
of the Sun at 5^. 21'. 44"^ mean time, or §^. 23^ 59''' ap-
par. time. But on account of the parallax ot Venus, the appar.
time at the center of the Earth was 4'. 48'^ later, which brings
it to §^. 28'. 47'''' as I have mentioned. From this dedu6t the
femidurat. 2^. ^^^ 20, and the remainder 2^. ^§'. i-j" is the,
time of the internal conta6t at the center of ^he Earth. This
conta6t I obferved as above, at 2h. 29'. 10'' mean time, or
2^. 31' : 23" apparent time. This difference, therefore, viz.
4'. 2", is the obferved effects of Venus's parallax both in lati-
tude and longitude.

" But on the fuppofition that the Sun*s horizontal parallax,
at her mean didv from the Earth was 8 '^,65, as Mr. Short ,
has ftated it at the former Tranfit, then his horizontal paral- ,
lax, on the 3d of June, the day of the Tranfit, would have
been 8^', 5204, in which cafe the total effed; of her parallax,
to haften the internal contadt at Philadelphia, fhould be 4''. 1''.
Therefore,

*' As 4". i" is to 4^ '^2,fo is $'^',5204 to 8'^556, the Syn's
horizontal parallax on the day of the Tranfit, according to the
foregoing Obfervations.

*' Hf>jce we have §''^^,685, the Sun's horizontal parallax at
his mean diftance from the Earth. Then fay,

" As the T, of the Sun's horizontal parallax : is to the femi-
diameter of the Earth,

" So is Rad. to the diftance of the Earth from the Sun,
viz. 94791 loo Hnglifh miles, taking the Earth's mean femi-
diameter at 3985.4 miles.

M An

H. min. fee.
N. B. Page 78. For Int. ContaA i. 19. 10

Read X. jp. 10

[ 82 ]

An. Account of the tranftt of MERCURY over the SUN,
on November <^th, 1769. N. S.

IN the judgment of moftAftronomers, the tranfits of Mercury
and Venus over the Sun afford the beft opportunities, for
fetth'ng the longitudes of places on the earth, even preferable
to that derived from the eclipfes of Jupiter's fatellites, when
the parallax of the Sun is previoufly known. Thofe of Mer-
cury happen frequently, and although they are of but little
ifnporrance in determining the parallax of the Sun and the di-
me r.fions of the folar fyftem, by reafon of his great diftance
from the earrh, and the difference of their parallaxes being lefs
than that of the Sun •, yet they have been carefully obferved,
for the purpnfe of fettling his theory, and the longitudes of
the places of obfervation. The Society therefore, fenfible of
the importance of this phcenomenon, both to the perfedlion
of aftronomy in general, and particularly for compleating the
purpofes dcfigned to be anfwered by the obiervation of the
tranfit of Venus, have appointed the fame committee, with the
addition ot two other gentlemen, to obferve the tranfit of
Mercury on the 9th of November, 1769, in Philadelphia,
that had been before appointed to obferve that of Venus.

Having ftill the fame inftruments in our Obfervatory, which
vve ufed on the former occafion, together with a new Time-
Piece made by Mr. DuffieJd of this city, with an ingenious con-
trivance of his, in the conftruction of the pendulum, to remedy
the irregularities arifing from heat and cold ; we paid the
utmoft attention to the going of the clock,, both before and
after the tranfit. From comparing a fufficient number of cor-
refponding altitudes of the Sun's limbs, we found that our
clock was to (low for mean time i'. lo" and the equation
of time being 15'. 49'',6 or to avoid fradions 15^ 50''' ;
17^. 10" were added to the times of all our obfervations, as
they were v/rote down in the Obfervatory, to reduce them to
apparent time. In this manner we obtained the time of the
fublequent obfervations. Dr. IVilliamfon^ Mr. Shippen and my-
felf ulcrd the fame Telefcopes, we had ufed before in obferving
the tranfit ot Venus •, e^ccepting that on this occafion I choi'e

that

^^\3c-

'^^i V \t»v.o^

!<.>

ceptlBIs^"

\

[ . 83 ]•

tfiEt power of" the Telefcope which magnifies the diameters of'
objedts an hundred times. Mr. Evans uied the Reflecting Tele-
fcope formerly ufcd by Mr. Biddle at the Capes.

On the day of the tranfit, we aflembled together ar the Ob-
fervatory, adjufted our I'elelcopes to diftin6t vifion, appointed
an afliftant to count the clock with an audible voice, and agreed
that no other perion fhould Ipeak, nor move from his Tele-
fcope, until both contiidls were over •, but write down his own
oblervation feparately by himlelf, that it might be compared
with the others. The Iky being very ferene, and the limb of
the Sun well defined in our Telefcopes, we obferved the con.--
tadls, as they are exhibited in the following table.

Obfervers.

Dr. William/on,
Mr. Shippen,
Mr. E'vans,

My/elf.

External Cont.

[nt. Cont,

jPar. in

Par. p.

; Vert.

tohisP.

h. m. fee.

h. m. fee.

1

"

2 36. 5Ap.T. 2. 37. 3o!| 3,74

3»44

2.36.12 I2. 37. 4o;|

2.36. 9 2. 37. 38-, 3,745

3'^4

2.36. 9

2- S7- 30

H

Par. in his
Path.

1,4.8 atthe External

Contadl.
1,49 atthe Internal

Contad.

I HAPPENED to have that part of the limb of the Sun, on
which Mercury entered, in the middle of the field of my Te-
lefcope, with my eye intent upon it -, lb that I am certain that
there was not the leaft impreffion on theSun's limb, pt- rceptible
by my Telefcope, a fingle fecond of time before I difcovered
it. So that I am not furprized that Dr. Halley., who had ob-
ferved a tranfit of Mercury in the ifland of <S/. Helena.^ con-
cluding that, that of Venus would be equally inilantaneous,
expetted, that the contadt of her limb with the Sun might be
determined to a finale fecond of time. The.atmofphcre of
Venus renders it quite othcrwife, and produces an uncertainty
of 5 or 6 feconds of time in judging of the contadts \ whereas
no fuch thing was perceptible in Mercury. The firfl appear-
ance of Mercury, on the Sun's limb, was a ileadj fmall fpeck,
black, v/ell-defined, and not larger (in my Telefcope) than
the dot of a pen. But that of Venus was tremuloui;, obfcure,
and ill-defined, growing gradually darker as fne advanced on
the Sun. If Mercury has an atmofphere, it muft be fo rare
aijd low, that his diflance from us renders it abfolutely impeK

ceptible-.

( /:^jU,

r/tr//,'// J //,■ . //,f/////y. //'ny//y „,;, //,f. /////,,'U^rr,,/ „/ ■''y ////til/" . I ,,: ,j j^Oi). jV.s

.,y .,y <-y/W toy.

■_/7^U>„,.ju„^l„' .fc ll«r«m „l.;j..,~, .--/fc ..■.,-.

/U, J/^,.cr,irnr XxM„Jf „t 'J ■J-nm '""^ -

..Jh, ^/arr„r l„n, // ^-i/il.^^il C,,i/im/,.i„ ,„;un/,y *«.
..lUr^J..;, ,/ Jl-/„M.-/„I„-

[.83- 1

tfiat power of" the Telefcope which magnifies the diameters ot
objedts an hundred times. Mr. Evans uled the Reflecting Tele-
fcope formerly ufed by Mr. Biddk at the Capes.

On the day of the tranfit, we aflembled together at the Ob-
fervatory, adjufted onr Telefcopes to diftinft vifion, appointed
an affiftant to count the clock with an audible voice, and agreed
that no other perlon fhould fpeak, nor move from his Tele-
fcope, until both contacts were over •, but write down his own
obfervation frparately by himlelf, that it might be compared
with the others. The Iky being very ferene, and the limb of
the Sun well defined in our Telefcopes, we obferved the con-
tacts, as they are exhibited in the following table.

Obfervers.

External Cont. Int. Cont.

Par. in

Par. p.

Par. in his

Vert.

tohisP.

Path.

h. m. fee. h. m. fee.

"

"

"

Dr. William/on,

2 36. 5 Ap.T. 2. 37. 30

3'74

3'44

1,48 at the External

Mr. SLippen,

2.36.12 2. 37. 40;

i

Con tad.

Mr. Enjans,

2.36. 9 2. 37. 38:

) 3'715

3'A4

1,49 at the Internal

Mj/elf.

2.36. 9 I2. 37. 30

Con tad.

I HAPPENED to have that part of the limb of the Sun, on
which Mercury entered, in the middle of the field of my Te-
lefcope, with my eye intent upon it-, fo that I am certain that
there was not the leaft impreffion on theSun's limb, perceptible
by my Telefcope, a fingle fecond of time before I difcovered
it. So that 1 am not furprized that Dr. Hailey, v^ho had ob-
ferved a tranfit of Mercury in the ifiand of Si. Helena, con-
cluding that, that of Venus would be equally inilantaneous,
expetted, that the contaft of her limb with the Sun might be
determined to a fingle fecond of time. The.atmofphcre of
Venus renders it quite odierwife, and produces an uncertainty
of 5 or 6 feconds of time in judging of the contadts \ whereas
no fuch thing was perceptible in Mercury. The firft appear-
ance of Mercury, on the Sun*s limb, was a Head) fmall fpeck,
black, v/cll-defined, and not larger (in my Telefcope; than
the dot of a pen. But that -of Venus was tremulous, obfcure,
and ill-defined, growing gradually darker as fne advanced on
the Sun. If Mercury has an atmofphere, it muft be fo rare
aijd lovv> that his dillance from us renders it abfolutely impeh-

ceptible-.

C 84 1

'ceptlBle with the Telefcopes that we ufed. At the int^rnaj
xonrad:!:, the crckenc of light round the body of Mercary clofed
infiantaneoufly, fo that it might be judged of with more pre-
ciiion than that of Venus ^ his atmoiphere giving us no dif-
turbance in this cafe. We could not have a tairer opportunity,
for afcertaining the truth of thefe conclufions-, as our elelcopes
were in good order, and well adjullcd, and the fky was re-
•markably clear and ferenc on both of thefe days. On the firft
'Of them, not a cloud appeared from morning till evening, and
on the latter, none till about four o'?!ock, when the Sun was
very low ; and both the tranfits began between two and ihree
•o'clock, in the afternoon.

About three o'clock, I applied myfelf ro the Micrometer to
meafure the diameters of the Sun and Mer* ury, and rhe nearefl:
diflance of their limbs, while Tiv.fVtllinnfon r^ad off the divifions
of the Micrometer, and a third pcrfon wrote them down, with
the times of making them. Thefe meafures make the :uamcter
of the Sun on the ^ih ci November 1769, 3^^ 20^'',2 Oi' his
femidiameter 970''',! feconds, and the femiciiameter of Mercury
4'''',238. The meafures of the lead diftances of their limbs re-
duced to minutes and feconds of a degree, w'th the parallaxes
of Mercury adapted to the apparent times of the obfervations,
as they are determined from a very large projeftion of cwo
jni-hes to a fecond of his hor. parallax, arefet down in the fol-

lowing table.

!! Apparent Time.

Neareft Dift. of Par. of ^ in

Par, per. to

Par, in his

Limbs ofo&§ the Ver.

his Path,

Path,

h. m. fee.

» ts "*

"

1

\ 2. 59- 40

I. 54,1

3,81

3*4

1*75

1 3. 1. 0

2. 0,62

3,81

?>^Z9^

1*73

! 3- 2- 35

2. 8,284

3,82

3^39S

J*745

! 3- 4- 30

2. 20,832

3.825

3^39

^^7^'5

p 3. 6. 10

2. 26,048

3,826

3,. 86

1,78

I 3- lo- Z'i

2. 48,216

Z^'^'iB

3-38

1,83

■ 3. 12. 6

2. 57,244

3*841

3^379

1,84

3 3. 12. s^^

3- -.56

3>844

3^37^

1,85

.) 3- 15- 4

,3- i3>744

3*850 _

3^375_

1,865

Apparent

C 85 y

AppareatTime.

Neareft Diit. of"

Par. of 5 in

Par. per. to

Par. in h

Limbs oi QSc^

the Ver,

his Path.

Path.

j h. m. fee.

r

II

//

//

II

3- 18. 4

3-

26,032

3.S56

3^3h

1,87

3. 19. 18

3-

30>59<5

3,86

3y3^^

1,888

3. 21. 30

3-

41,68

3,864

3^3^3

1,915

3. 24. 0

3-

51,684

z^^n

3^3^

'^95

3- 30- 0

4-

20,8

z^'^^s

3»34

2,0

3- 33- 30

4.

35^144

3,90

3^33^

2,02

3- 3^- 40

4.

51^4^4

3*905

3^334

2,04

3- 37- 40^

.

3- 39' 255

5-

2,202

Z^9^S

3>33

2,065

3. 41. 10 '.
3. 42. 505

5.

21,406

3^93^

. 3*325

2,09

3. 46. 58

5-

37»i84

3^935

3*32

2,145

3- 55- 32

6.

8,48

3^9^

3^30

2,2

3- 59- 10

6.

26,084

3.97

3^^9

2,24

4. 28. 50

7-

54.75^

4,0

3,22

2,42

1 4- 47- 50

8.

^S^^'^

4.02

3^^5

2,51

hisv

N. B. In the above Table, the meafure at 1^. 37',, 40'''' was
taken between the neareft limb of the Sun and the interior
limbof Mercury neareft to the Sun's center, and is 5'. 2^,202,
the fame with the diftance of their neareft limbs at 3*^. 39^ 25^': '
So alfo the diftance between the neareft limb of the Sun, and

the interior limb of Mercury, at 3'^. 41'.
with the diftance of their neareft limbs at

lO"

was

42'

the fame
5o^ viz.

5'. 2i'^4o6. The fame is to be faid of the laft meafure, which
was taken from the neareft limb of the Sun to the limb of Mer-
cury neareft to the Sun's center.

If a computation be made from the above meafures, the ap-
parent neareft diftance of their centers will be found to be
45 1 '^9 1 4. But Mercury was then deprefled by parallax 3^ n ;
fo that the geocentric neareft approach of their centers was
455^024, which happened at ^^. 1'. \e^'' ap. time, when his
par. in the vert. was4^'',042, and in his path 2^53, and per-
pend, to his path

0 jA 1.

M

Thk

I 86 }.

The horary motion of Mercury as fecn from the Earth is-
alfo determined from the above meafures to be 5'. ^6^^,gA.i==
c'\q4.S^6, which is nearly the fame with what is given by
Dr. Halley's tables of Mercury. On the day of the Tranfit, he
moves, by them, at the rate of 15^334 per hour. The Sun's
horary motion on that day is dated in the Nautical Almanac
at 2^516, and their difference, viz. 12,818 is his hor. motion,
from the Sun, as feen at that diftance. Then fay,

As the dift.of ^ from 0, is to his dift. from Q, So is this hor. mot. t».
his hor. mot. from O, as feen from ©
4. 830,2920

4. 495,3305
I. 107,8203

5. 603,1508

o. 772,8588=5',92733=5'. 55'',6398g'shbr. mot. from G» as

feen from 0.

15- 334
2. 5 16

17. 850=1. 251,6382

13. 818=1. IO-,8203

11. 214,2067= P the log. cot. of half the incl. of ^ 'sorbifi-
: — ^ with the ecliptic=2 6''. 59'. 20".

12, 322,0270

Log. Tang. ' 11. 070,3888=85°.' 8.22"

86. 30. 20

171. 38. 42

■with the ecliptic.

8. 21. 18= the angle of g 's v/fible patk-

As Rad : Sec, 8°. 21*. 18": : geo. neareft dift : the geo. lat. of g
10. 000,0000
10. 004,6^42
2. 658,0343=455 ",024=geo. neareft dift.

2. 662,6685=459,905=7'. 39'',905=geo. lat. of ^

As dift. of 5 from© : his dift. from 0 : : geo. lat. : his hejiocent. lathud^

4- 495'3305
4. 830,2920
2. 662,6685

7. ^92,9605

2.. 997,63oa=9;4",558^=i6'«,34".558 thehel. lat. of g

As

^

[ 87 ]

' As T, e**. 59*. 20" : R : : T, 16'. 34",ss8 : Sine of 0*s dift. from the
node of ^

g. 088,4153
10. - - - -

7. 683.0140

8. 504,6007=2''. 15'. I2",2 O's dift. from the node of g

459,905
45^'0-^4

914,929=2. 961,3873
4,881=0. 688,5088

3. 649,8961

1, 824,94805=66",8264= f the length of part of the tranfit

2, 551,0104 5 'shor. motion < line between the middle of
in feconds. I the tranfit & the ecl.conjundl.

• —I. 273,9376=0^. 187905=011. ii'. i6",458 the time be^
tween the middle and ecliptical conjunction.

9-'4,338 the fum of the feroidiameters of O and g
455,024 the gco. nearell dift. of their centers.

1429,367=3. 155,1422
519,314=2. 71^,4300

5. 870,5722

o^ o/: ,' z: Chalf the length of the tranfit lintf
2.935.2861 = 861,561 ^ from the Ixternalcontaa.

2 55i,oi04=thehor. mot, of § onO> as fecn from 0

O. 384,2757=2^. 422567=2^. 422567»:2h. 25'. 2l",24 *^s

femiduration from the external contad.

965,861 the di . of the femidiameters of O and g
4;S'024 the geo, nearell dift. of their centers.

1420,886 3 152,569-1
510,738 3. 708 2833

5. 860,8524

^ C 85i,g74^=thelengthofhalf the tranfit line

v.' 't j from fli(» int*»pnal mntci^

from the internal contact.

2. 551,0104

|# o- 379,4i58=2h. 39s6i=2h. 23'. 44 ',196

Now to 2K. 36'. g' the time of the exter contaft,

Add 2. 25 21 the femidur. between the external contafts.

The Si.' m, 5, I. 30 is the time of the neareft approach of their centers,
To this add, 11. 16,5 the time from the middle to the eel conjund.

I'he Sum, 5. 12. 46,5 is thea^. time of the eel. conjund. at Philad.
To this add, 5. o. 35 the diff,-of merid. between Greenw. & Philad,

The oum, -lo. 13. 21,6 ia the time ol the eel, conjundion at Gieenw,

M 2 wheii

[ 88 ]

when the Sun's place, according to the Nautical Almanac, is 7». 17°. 50', 41"^
and that of Mercury is, u. 17". 50'. 41", by Dr. Halley's tables. From
this lubtrafl 2°. 1 J""- '2'', the Sun's dift. from the node of Mercury, and the
remainder i». is"- ss'- ^9' ^* '^^ place of his node at that time.

^Jbe Projection of the Transit of MERCURY. PI V.

The following projcftion of the Tranfit of Mercury over
the Sun, on the 9th of November, 1769, was made from the
foregoing meafures and calculations, on the fuppofuion that
the Sun's horizontal parallax, at his mean diftance is, 8^,65,
and therefoje, 8^7437 on the day of the Tranfit. In this
cafe, the horizontal parallax of Mercury, at his mean diftance,
■will be 1 4'^ J 132, and on the day of the Tranfit 12^7856, and
therefore his horizontal parallax from the Sun, on that day is,
4^,0419, being the ditference of their parallaxes.

The delineation was made in the fame manner as that of the
Tranfit ot Venus. The elements for it were collefted from
the preceeding calculation, and the parallaxes of Mercury
were meafured upon a very large projedlion, for that pur-
pofe, adapted to the apparent times of the Micrometer
meafures, and applied to the projeftion. By thefe, the appa-
rent places of Mercury were determined, as feen at Philadel-
phia y, and fma^l circles v/ere drawn round them, with the Ra-
dius 4''^,2 38, to reprefcnt his difc, on the face of the Sun.
From the limbs of the Sun and Mercury, lines were drawn,
in the dire(flion of theircenters, of the precife length exhibited
in the foregoing table of meafures.

Upon the whole, I have given a ful-l and faithful account of
our Obfervations of the Tranfits of Venus and Mercury, in the
ibregoing fheets ; and if they fhould be found, in tlie conclu-
fion, to contribute any thing to the advancement of '^ftrono-
mical Knov/ledge, it muft refledt an honor on our new Cbfer-
vatory, and give pleafure to all the L'overs of Science, as well
as to.

Gentlemen,

Your moft obedient

And very humble Servant,
Phihddfhia, July i()th, ij6^. JOHN EWING

[ 89 ]

An AccovM of the Transit of Venus, over the Sus's Difc, as^
obfervednearQz'pt-WtnXo'^tn^ ofi DelawareBay^June '^d, lySg.
By Owen Biddle, Joel Bailey, and Richard Thomas.
Drawn up^ By Owen Biddle.

AGREEABLE to the appointment of the American Phi--
lofophical Society.^ to obferve the 'Tranjit of Venus at the
Light-Houfe, near Cape-Henlopen, I fet out by water from
Philadelphia, accompanied by Joel Bailey, and Richard Tho-
mas, the latter of whom had offered to accompany us at his
own expence, and proved very ferviceable in the afllftance
he gfjire us.

On the 26th of the 5th Month (May) we arrived at Lewes-
Town^ and immediately endeavoured to gain fuch informatiori
as might enable us to determine the beft place for our Ob-
fervations •, and, on mature deliberation, we fixed on a place
about one quarter of a mile S. W. of ihe town oi Lewes, where
a convenient houfe was to be had, in a retired fituation, and
having an open view of the fky.

We found on our firft landing on the beach, that neither
the Light-Houfe, nor any place near the fea-(hore, would be
ftiitable for our Obfervations ; as it would be difficult to keep
our inftruments fleady, or defend either the glaffes of the Tele-
fcopes, or the eyes of the obfervers, from receiving injury by
the fand which is wafted about by the wind.

Having chofen our place, we fixt up our inftruments on
the 27th of the month, and had fome good corrcfpending alti-
tudes of the Sun that day, by which we fet our clock, and
took fome equal altitudes of fixt ftars in the evening. The
four following days continued cloudy, with* frequent rains.
But that we might not be idle in the mean time, and have it
in our power to afcertain our latitude and longitude, in cafe
we (bould be dilappointed of celeftial obfervations for that
purpofe •, Joel Bailey and Richard Thomas, went to take the
Gourfes and diftances from our place of Obfervation, to the pro-
vincial weft line, which was run from Fenwick's I (land to the
middle Point of the peninfula ; fo that our Obfervatory might
thereby be conneded with MefTrs. Maibn and Dixon's meri-
dian line,. ' Thk

[ 90 ]

The I ft of the 6th month (June) my aflbciates returned
from this fervice -, and by their care and {kill, I make no
doubt, they performed it with the neceflary prccifion.

We had concluded that it would be a more expeditious way
to take the courfes, &c. from our Obfervatory to the weft line,
rather along the neareft public road than to run in one diredt
courfe through the woods ; as by this laft method, both the
expence and delay of opening a vifta, would have been ne-
ceflary.

As the fixing the latitude and longitude of our Obfervatory
muft depend chiefly on this part of the work, I fliall here^ in-
fert the field notes, before I proceed to draw the coaclufions
from them. And I think it the more neceflary to be particu-
lar in this requeft, that I may comply with the defire of the
Aftronomer Royal, exprefs'd in his note to Dr. Franklin, aa
follows, viz.

Greenwich, December ii, 1769.

" Mr. Majkelyne prefenis his compliments to Dr. Frankliff,
'* and J}jall be obliged to him^ when he writes to Philadelphia^ for
" enquiring of Mr. Ozien Biddle, what is the bearing and what
" the abfolute difiance of Lew est own from the Stone on Fenwick's
" IJle in Englip miLs •, or elfe what is the difference of latitude
"• and departure in Englifh miles ? He may alfo., if he pleafes^
" acquaint Mr. Buddie., that the latitude of the Middle Point
" between Fenwick's Ijle and Chefopeak Bay^ as found by Meffrs,
" Alafon ard Dixon, ^^ 3^°- 27'. 34^''; and the length of a
" degreee of lititude, as meofured by them is 6^,Sc)6 Jlatue miles.

" Mr, Majkelyne would alfo recommend it to Dr. ^mixh., and
" the other Norri:on-Obfei vers, to fettle the bearing and dlf-
*' tame in EngHfb mile- betwem N'rriton a-r'd the fouthermcji
" picnt of the city of Thiladelpkia., or elfe the State Houfe fquare -,
" as this will fill jurthtr confirm the fituation of t'-e Norriton-
" Obfervato-^y^ by conneSling it with Majfrs. Mafon and Dixon's
" Meridian Line. -

" Mr. Mctjkelyne hopes., the T^ennfvlvania-Obfervers will be
" fo kind as to fend us their Observations of t'e Transit of
" Mercury, wh ch h -ppened November c^tl\ if they were fcr-
"• tunate enough t.n fee it ••, and any other Ohftrvations., they have
" made., which h :v: not yet been fcnt hcre^ tending to eftabliih the
'"'■ difference of longitudes.''* Tut

t 91 ]

The COURSES anti DISTANCES from the Obfer^vatory near Leijoestonun, id the
Pri-jincial IVeft Line, between Fenxmck's-ljle and Chi'fopeak-Bay., ere c.s follouus.

jrfcs.

Dift.in

»

Perches

0 w

56

0 E.

I II

0 E.

54

0 E.

25

0 E.

6>

0 E.

22

10 E,

81

0 E.

61

0 W.

24

0 E.

36

0 W.

84

30 E.

40

0 E-

57

0 E.

26

0 E.

78

0 W.

96

50 W.

86

0 E.

-J^

0 W.

70

10 E.

48

0 E.

26

0 VV.

59

0 E.

46

0 W.

20

0 E.

42

0 E.

30

0 W.

46

0 E.

21

0 E.

48

30 E.

52

0 E.

49

D E.

44

0 E. 1

1 10

- _

31

0 E.

26 ^

0 E.

22 j

0 W.

27 1

TritNecdle, vvu
ridian Line, and
iiifiW, which w

Here the Line from'i
Fenvvick's Ifle to thei
Middle Point was in-'
cerfeded at 9 miles 86^
:ierches, from the llonefj
j^Fenwick's lile

n whicii cneic Cou^l-r^ .acic t^K-cn, bcjng comi>aico wirn i-u. Me-
aifo with the Prov. W. Line, was found to have 3°. 55'- f^aria-
as allowed tor in ledacing the Woik, Hekcs

t 92 ]

Hekce, from the above work, v/e get the Obfervatory
near Lewestown,

Weft of the Stone on Fenwlck's Ide 1895,5 Ferches,= 5 miles 295,5 perchcK
Eaftof the middle point, - - 9286,3 perches,= 29 miks 6,3 perches.
North of the middle point, - - 7007,5 perches, = 19' 4 ',3.
The latitude of the middle point is, - - - ■38". 27'. 34''

The fum is the latitude ot the Obfervatory, 38. 46 38.3

Thus the latitude of the Obfervatory was fixed, and fa
would its longitude have been fixed by the above work alfo -,
if we had known either the longitude of the Middle Point, or
of the Stone on Fenwick's Ide. But this not appearing from
any part of the work of Meffrs. Mafon and Dixon, left among
their public papers in this province, the American Phi-
losophical Society ordered us in the 5th Month, [May,]
1770, to take the Courfes and Diftances from New-Caftle
Coiirt-Houfe, to the Obfervatory in the State-Houfe fquare, by
which means the middle point, and confequently our Obfer-
vatory at Lewes might be conne6i:cd with the Philadelphia and
Norriton Obfervatories, and fo the longitude of the two latter
being known ; the longitude ot the former would be known
a:lfo. Our work is as follows.

Courses. Begun
at the Centerof
New-Caltle
Court-Houfe,

N. 39 \ o W,

N. 32'
N. 42.

6.
I.

19.

N.

N.
N.
N. 16.

12.

7-
42.

19.

N.
N.
N.
N.

North.
N. 2.
N. 7.
N. 35.
N. 59.
N. 41.
N. 51.
N. 49-

40' E.

00 E

50 E.

50 W.

o E

30 E.

30 E.

o E

o E

oW-

o W
o L

o I.

5s B

50 fc,

30 E

o L.

Di Trance

in
Perches .

_J,52

40
50
80

729

328

66

192

56

50,22
89
181

56
20

944

«7

276

4^

Courfes.
N. 43. 30 E.
>r. 45, 15 E.
N. 52. 30 E.
N. 60. 20 E.
N. 78. 20 E.

N. 62,

N. 69.

N. 71.

N. 43.
N. 58.
N. 67.
N. 49.

74-

N

N.

N.

N.

N.

N.

N.
fiN.

N.

N. 61
|N. 62

5
o

o

o
o

45
o
o
o
o

15 E.

30 E.

64

59
73
58

26. 30 W

56. 30 E

5. o E

35 25 E

o E.

.5 E

Perches
258
168

98
232
225
132
188

135

105

1 12
123
105
140
76
132
148

93

32
136
124
120
280
320

Perches.
189
116

438
406
120

66

42

38

37
162

45

790
100
189
104
432
32j,8
]8

I To the center of tJie
Ob(er\'atory in the State-
ilouie-fquare.

Courfes.

N.

69.

0

E.

N.

57-

0

E.

N.

37-

40

E,

N.

58.

0

E.

N.

47-

35

E.

N.

1 1.

40

E.

N.

55-

»5

E.

S.

73-

20

E.

N.

83.

30

E.

S.

70.

40

E.

N.

73-

30

E.

iNT.

50.

30

E.

^.

88.

15

E.

S.

71-

50

E.

s.

87.

0

E.

.M.

55-

0

E

S.

77'

40

E.

douth.

- -

-

N.B. Tl»e variatii. not the Needle, Dy VI h'ch uuie Cnui'les were taken was, 3°. 15'
Well, which was allowed foi in reducing the Work. 'J he

5". o.

35

5. 0.

34

75«. 8.

'30"

38. 46.

38,3

[ 93 ]

Thus by the above work we get— Perches

Newcad.e Courr-houlc Well of" Philadelphia Obfervatory 701 1,5

Middle Feint ot Feuin;ula Well of New- CalHe Court houfe 2212,2

Their Aim gives the iniddle point W. of Philad. Obfervatory 9223,7
But (}'. 9i) the Middle Foint is W. ot the liCwes Obfervatory 9286,5

Their difFerunce gives the Lewes Obfervatory Eaft of the ^ A <

PhiladeJphia Oofervatory 5 '"

This liiiFirence of fixty two perches does not give quite a fecond of time

difference of longitude.

And as, both by the Philadelphia and Norriton obfervations, the longitude

of the Philadelphia Obfervatory, Weft of Greenwich, is -^ _'--*'

The longitude of Lewei Obfervatory, Well of Green-
wich, is in time

Or, in degrees and parts of the equator, the longitude
of Lewes Obfervatory W. of Greenwich is

And its latitude as above - - . _ _ 38. 46. 38,3 North

For the advantage of navigation, we alfo took the courfes and dillances from
our Obfervatory to the Provincial Light-Houfe near the Cape ; and on reducing
the work, we find the Light-Houfe North of our Obfervatory 182,83
perches, =29", 8 ; and Eail of the fame 944 perches=3'. i6",8. — Whence

The latitude of the Light-Houfe, is 38''. 47'. 8", i North

And its longitude, W. of Greenwich 75". 5'. I3",2

I NOW proceed to give an account of the remainder of our
obfervations. The 2d of the Month we had feveral good cor-
refponding altitudes of the Sun for fettingour Time-piece.

The 3d being the Tranjlt-Day^ was as fine in every refpefl:
for our Obfervation, as wc could defire ; the air calm, and not
a cloud in view. We had a feries of good correfponding alti-
tudes of the Sun, taken in feafon, not to interrupt the Obfer-
vation of the Tranfit.

About 12 o'clock we dire6led our Telefcopcs to the Sun,
determined to keep it conllantly in the field, till the contads
fhould be pad ; and in the mean time we fet our boys (whom
we had tutor'd for th t purpofe) to count the feconds by the
clock, each boy counting one minute alternately, leaft they
fhould be wearied, and not perform it with fufficient exaftnefs.
During the whole a perfon was (landing by to overlook thems
calling out each minute as it elapfed, and noting it down.

N We

C 94 ]

We had agreed with each other to attend to our Telefcopes
t>nc minute by turns, until about 7 or 8 minutes before the
expected time, lealt by too fteady attention, we (hould impair
our ficrht, and difable ourfelves from dilcernino; the contaft-
clearly. I had left my Telefcope the minute preceding the
concad, intending to apply myfelf fteadily to it before the
minute was fully clapfed ; and i.ot to quit it again until the,
contact occurred. When the 48thfecond was called, I applied'
myfelf to the Telefcope, and by the time three feconds more
were elapfcd, I perceived on that part ot the Sun's limb, where
I had expc(5led the contail to take place, a imall impreflion,
which proved to be the limb of Venus in contad with the Sun.
All the limb of the Sun which appeared at that time in the.
field of the Telefcope had a fmall undulatory motion, which I
apprehended was occafioned by the afcent of denfe vapours at
this place (being near the fea). On the firft appearance or
Venus, it was like one of thefe fmall waves on the limb of the.
Sun, enlarged in fo fmall a proportion, that 1 remained doubt-
ful for feveral feconds, whether it was any thing befides. It
continued making a deeper imprelTion with that tremulous
motion for about 10 feconds, when the tremor difappea-cd
where Venus was in contadt, and the indenture became truly
circular with an even termination.

My abfence from my Telefcope^ jufl: before, the contad oc-
curred, deprived me of the opportunity of judging whether
there was any appearance of an atmofpherc precceding the
wertern Umb of Venus as it came in contad •, but when Venus,
had entered near onehalf her diameter on the dilc of the Sun,,
my companion and 1 both faw a luminous crefcent, which en-
lightened that part of Venus's circumference which was off the
Sun, fo that the whole of her circumference was viiible ; but
it did not continue fo, until the firft internal , coutad took
place.

At the time of the internal contad, agreeable to what was
noted by fome of the obfervers at the tranlit 1761;." the
eaftern limb of Venus feemed to be united to the limb of the
Sun by a black protuberance or ligament, which was not broke

by.

r 95 D

by the entrance of the thread of light," until 4feconds after
the regular circumference of Venus feemcdto coincide with
the Sun*s.

For this obfervation I ufed a reflefling Telefcope, magni-
fying about 1 50 times, which was in exceeding good order at
the time, and defin'd the limb of the Sun, and Ipots on its
difk, very nicely. I had applied a Polar Axis to it, and had
alcered the rack work, by which 1 could keep the fame part of
the limb in the field with eafe.

My companion Joel Bailey was not fo well provided with a
Telefcope. ric had one of Dollond^s double obje6t lens refraft-
ing glaffcs of about four and an half feet length. This, with
a ball and focket, was fixt to a poll, which made it very con-
"venient for obfervation. Thus furniihed we found the contadts
take place as follows,

Joel Bailey's external contailwas loft by an accident, but
feen by him. after it had taken place, at 2^. 14'. 30'''' Ap. To
The internal contad, by Do. 2. 32. 8

External contaft, as feen by Owen 7 o

Biddle, - - . 5^- ■+■ ^

The internal contadl by Do. 2. 32. 8

These Obfervations are reduced to appar. time. And it muft
be noted, that the time of the internal contact, as given by
•Owen Biddle, is 4 feconds before the thread of light had
broke the dark ligament by which Venus's limb was united to
the limb of th- Sun, that being the time he eftim.ited the two
limbs to be in contact. Alfo, that as the internal contact oc-
curr'd fpeedily after he tvent to his Telefcope, he will not pre-
fume to affert that he has the time to a fingle fecond, yet he
conceives he has given the exact time of that contadt, as he is
not fenfible of any error therein.

The foregoing being an exadl diary of our Tranfaflions, we
fubmit the fame to the Society, and hope for their approbation.

OWEN BIDDLE.
N 2 P. S.

r 9S J

p. S. Since the foregoing was drawn up, I received from Dr. Smith the

following note; which gives me pleafure to find fe little difference between the
rei'ult of Charles Mafon and Jeremiah Dixon's meafurement and our own.
Dear Sir,

" Since you finifhed your meafurement from Newcaftle Court-houfe to the
Philadelphia Obfervatory in the btate-houfe Square, the 58th vol. of Philof.
Tranfac. has come to hand, containing the whole work of Meflrs. Mafon and
Dixon in meafuring a degree of latitude ; and it is with great pleafure I find,
that the longitude of the middle point of the peninfula (and confequently of
your Obfervatory at Lewes) in-refped; to Philadelphia, will come out almoft en-
tirely the fame from their work as from yours, altho' obtained by different * routs.
LONGITUDE of the Middle Point, and of the Lewes Obfewatory Weft of the

Philadelihia Obfer'vatory, agreeable to the Lines ofMeJJ'rs. Mafon and "Dixon,
Obfervatory in the Forks of Brandiwine Well of the South > miles, chains. lin.

point of the city of Philadelphia 5 S'- oo- 00

Middle point of Peninfula Eail of Obfervatory in the Forks 2. 5.49

Thediff. gives the middlepointofPeninf.W. of S. point ofPhilad. 28. 74. 51

But S. point of Phiiad. is E. of Obfervatory in State- houfeSquare o. 28. 75
The difference gives the middle point of Peninfula Weil of State- ") ~ ~"

houfe Obfervatory * Perches. S ^ ' ^^' ^

But by your work the middle point is W. of the Lewes Obf. 9286,3=29. i 57

The difference gives Lewes Obfervatory Eafi of the State-houfe /

Obfervatory, from Mafon and Dixon's Lines ^ °* 35* °^

But by your meafure to Newcallle the Lewes Obfervatory was i ci ic f\

Ea(l of the State-houfe Obfervatory 62,6 perches S '■ — ~ — — =•

So that Mafon and Dixon's lines give your Obfervatory more E. V ^

. 11 ' >- o. 20. 16

than your own work, only S

Thus, by their work, v.e get your Obfervatory not quite 2", and by your own,

rot quite i" Eaft of the Obfervatory in the State-houfe Square. Wheiefore i"

being taken as a mean, and applied to 5^, o'. 35" the longitude of the Siate-

houle Obfervatory Weft of Greenwich ; the longitude of the Lewes Obfervatory

may be well depended on as flated from your own work, to be in time Welt

of Greenwich jh. o'. 34"

II. B. As BritiHi mariners generally take their departure from the land's-end
of England, and as by Mr. Bradley's obfervation of the lateTranfit of Venus the
long, of the Lizard Point is now determined to be 5'\ 15' W. of Greenwich

it that be fubtracled from 75". 5'. 13 »2, it will give

The longitude of the Provincial Light-houfe near the Capes ^ , o "

Weft of Lizard Point S IjJZlUlI

If you think the above can be of any ufe, you may add it to the end of your
account. I think there is no rnillake in bringing out ihe ditferent refults ; but
if I can find leifure I will re-examine the work before the fheet is llruck off.

Philad. zidfuU, 1770. lam, with great regard, yours, &:c.

To Mr. Owen Biddj.e. WILLIAM SMITH,

An

• The relkltby Mr. Biddle's book is got, by going fmm the State Houfe Ob-
fervatory to New-Caltle Court Houle, agreca'-ile to his meafiiienieiit j thence by
theiam radius ami t.-ingent line to the middle point. Tne ralult hy Meflis. Ma-
fon .inil Dixon's work is got, by beginning at the fouth point of the city of Phi-
ladelphia, (or the place of their Ooi'crv.itory,) on tlie nortli fide <f Cedar Stieet,.
hit ween Fiont-Street and Dclawaie ; thence to tlieir Obict vat(;ry in the Forks of
Biandiwine, which is 31 r.iiles Welt, and 10, "5 South of the iouthernicift • oint
of" ilie city; thence b\ the other lines of latitude ar,'l departiKe, i^he.ewith
thev connect the O.ifervafory in theFoiks of Biaiidiwine, nith the mid.llepoliit of
tlu. Puiiinlula. tisc Uuir work in the vol.Qf Trrtnfa^iyijs, quotedabove^

C 91 ]

An Jhjlra5f of Mr. BENJAMIN WESTV Account of the
Tranjit of Ventis, as objervedat Providence, in Neiv-England,
June 3^, 'i'7^9'

JS S it appears by fome letters of the AfironomerRoyal^ which have
been communicated to this Society^ that mofl of the Northern
Obfervers^ both in Ruffia and Sweden^ were greatly difappointed, by
the unfavourable Jiate of the weather^ in their noble a::d public
fpirited endeavors to obferve the late Tranfit \ the American
Ob/ervations have become of the greater importance^ in order
to a comparifon with thofe of Greenwich^ and therefore the Society
think it very material to preferve in their Tranfa^iions^ fuch of the
Obfervaticns made on this Continent as they have been favored with.
The Account o//,-^*? Providence Otfervations, drawn tip by Mr.
WEST, was tranJmittedbyMr. JOSEPH BROWN, and being
laid before the Society by Dr. Smith ; the following Abfira5l there-
of was ordered to be publifhed at a Meetings May iSth, lyyo,

" 1[ ^ 7" ^ E N it became more fjenerally known that there
W would be a Tranfit of Venus in 1769, and the ad-
vantages which were like to accrue to Aftronomy, and con-
fcqiiently to Navigation and Chronologv, from proper ob-
fervations of it, Mr. JOSEPtI BROWN*, a very refpeftable
merchant of Providence, being very defirous, if poffible, to
obtain an obfervation of it, was pieafed to advife with me,,
concerning an apparatus fuitable for fuch an obfervation, and
to know if we fiiould be able to oblerve the tranfit with the
neceiTary precifion for anfwering the important defign ? My
anfwer gave him fo much fatisfadlion " in the matter, that he
immediately fent his orders to his correfpondent in Lon-
don,

• Reading Mr. Winthrop's account of the tranfit in 1761, was what firft
occafioned Mr. BROWN 10 fend for a tclefcope, fitted in the manner Mr.
Winthrop there defciibes ; afcervvards, taking notice of the application of the
American Philofophical 5-ociety to the-Afiembly ot Pennfylvania, for an appa-
ratus for obferving rlie Tranfit of Venus, he found the orders he had fent were
incompleac : He thca advifed with the author, as mentioned above, and there-
upon ordered a micrometer R) be added. — Mr. Brown's expence, in this
laudable undertaking, was little Icfs than One Hur'.dred Pounds llerlinp, be-
fides near a month's time of himfelf and fervants, in making the necefTarv
previous expeamcnts and preparations, ,

I -98 1

^don, to prcx^ure.the inftruments. His orders were acc^rdifigly
executed with fidelity and dilpatch -, and the inftruments ar-
rived in Providence about one month before the tranfit. Our
apparatus was made bv MelTieurs Watkins and Smith, Lon-
don i it confided of a three feet refleding telefcope, with hori-
zontal and vertical wires for tking differences of altitude and
azimuths, adjufted with fpirit-levels at right angles^ and a

-<livided arch ior taking altitudes; a curious heliofcope, together
with a micrometer of a new and elegant conflrudion, with rack
motions, and fitced to the telefcope. Befides the beforementioned
inftruments, vve had a fext^nt belonging to the government,
made in Newport, by Mr. Benjamin King, under the direc-
tion of Jofeph Harrilon, Efq-, now Colledor of his Majefty*5
Cuftoms tor the port ot Bo on •, its lirnb was divided to five
miles, and by a vernier index to fi^^e feconds§. We had two
good clocks, one of which was made in Providence, by Mr.
Edward Spalding." ^ ■ "

" We had nothing to learn refpefling th'' apparatus, except-
ing our new catadioptric micrometer, which, 1 have lately
learned, is of DoUond's conilrudlion •, not having any author
by us, from which we could get the ufeof that curious inftru-
ment, we were obliged to have recourfe to experiments.
When the micrometer was fixed upon the telefcope, it was
found by trial, that objefls could not be feen with the fame fo-
cal diftance as when it was off, and we were obliged to fcrew up
the fmall fpeculum nearer to the eye ; for which there is an
optical reafon. From whence it was concluded, that objects
fliould always be obferved in the moft diftin6l point of view,
the fame wiih the micrometer on as when it was off. The
next thing to be done was to find the apparent diameter of an
objedl (or the angle fubtt nded at the eye by two objctts) by
this inftrumen^ In order to this, we ftretched a cord, as
ftraight as poffible, one thoufand feet in length ; which was

meafured

^ And here we muft not forget the Hon, Abraham Redwood, Efq; of
Newport, who, in order that Newport and Providence might both be fupplied
with a fextac t, for this lingular o^cafion, ordeied one made at his own cod,
for the ufe of th- Hevd. Dr. Stiles. I am fenfible Mr. Redwood, for h pub-
lic fpirited an adion, will receive the thanks of every well-wifticr to fcience.

C 99 I

meafu red feveral times over, In order to avoid miftake. At
the end of the cord was fee two circular objefts, made of white
paper, in a line perpendicular to the cord, and exadlly ten'
feet apart •, (landing at the other end of the cord, and by
opening the micrometer, we conld bring the two images into
an exadt coincidence, or could make one of the images appear
like two, and by bringing their limbs in<o contad, the dif-
tance of their centers was fhewn on the fcale, to the five hun'-
dreth part of an inch. Now from the rules of trigonometry,
the angular diliance of the two objefts v/as 34' 22^,58 ; from
thence it was known, ho\v many inches and parrs of an inch
were anfwerable to that angle. Thele experiments were re-
peated every fair day (for no other was fuitable tor thefe ob-
fervations) till we could many times going find the diameter of
a body to a.fecond ot a degree. From thefe obiervations we
were enabled to make a table for the micrometer, as far as the
fcale extended. Thefe experiments were carried yet farther;
fcr, by looking at two bodies whoie diftance from each other
v;as known, we could tell their diftance from the place of ob-
fervation, to a critical ex/iftnefs ; and this was proved by ac- ■
curate menfuration. Thefe were certainly very diverting ex-
periments to an inquifitive mind ! The gentlemen who affifted
us through thefe experiments, and likcwife in the reft of our
v/oik, were the flon. Srephen Hopkins, Efq; Mr, Mofes
Brown, Or. Jabez Bowen, Jofeph Nafli, Efqi and Capt, .
John Burrough,"

" The regulation of our clocks, being of the utmoft confe-
quence in this affair, Vv'as what next commanded our attention*
In this part of the work we en.ieavoi;red to arrive at as great
a degree of certainty as the nature of the cafe would admit.—
Several workmen were employed in laying a platform, of fea-
foned pine plank, r.s fmooth and level as art could make it:
This was fecured from rain, or other moifture, tl-;at it might
not w^arp when expofed to the Sun. We exasrined this plat-
form three times a day (when the weather would admit of it)
with a very long level. On the fouth fide of the platform, and
exci6tly perpendicular to it, we ere(5led a ftile ten feet high ;
this, was likewile examined three times a day. We next per-

foratwd

t lOO ]

ferated a piece of board, into which was fixed the glafs of a
fcioptric ball, fo that the center of the glafs was exadlly in the
center of the perforation ; this board was fo cut,' and let in at
the top of the ftile, that it turned upon an axis, in fuch a
manner, that the center of the glafs did not alter its pofition.
The Sun's rays were tranfmitted through the lens upon the
platform, where they were formed into a bright fpot, and very
diftindtly defined. From the center of the lens was let lall a
perpendicular upon the platiorm •, from that point, as a cen-
ter, was drawn a great number ot concentric circles, for taking
correfpondent fhades, in order to trace a meridian line ; and,
asourwifhes would have it, the weather proved favourable
for this work. When the line was drawn j, 1 found, from
calculation, it declined o^" in time, eaft of the true meridian ;
this error arofe from the increafe of the Sun's declination,
between the times of forenoon and afternoon fhades \ this fmall
equation of 3'''' was allowed .for in regulating the clocks/*

*' As we were willing to have every corroborating circum-
ftance to prove our work, we made ufe of the method of cor-
refponding altitudes of the Sun, forenoon and afternoon, 'i he
fextant and refie6lor were both employed in this bufinefs for
feveral days preceeding the tranfit (and the day following) in
order to afcertain the going of the clocks. In the lall method
(as in that of correfponding fhades) the equation of time, an-
fwerable to the increafe of declination, ought by no means to
be negle6ted. The whole procefs was condudled with the ut-
moil caution, that no errors might efcape our notice. We
found upon the whole, a furprizing agreement in thefe two
methods of regulating clocks •, they were feldom found to dif-
fer a fingle fecond.'*

" Being in this readinefs, the morning of the third of June
was ufliered in with that ferenity the bufmefs of the day re-
quired •, all was calm, and not a cloud to be fcen. The gen-
tlemen concerned in the bufmefs convened very early at the

place

X The magnetic needle, being placed on his exaft meridian, line, was
found to differ from it 6? i wellwaia.

C 10' 1

place of obfervation, to fee that every thing was in order ; and
at the fight of fuch a morning, the gladnefs of their heart was
vifibly expreffed, by the pleafure of their countenance."

*' At noon we examined the going of the clocks, as the Sun
palTcd the meridian, and found them very regular."

" We b'-gan to look for the firft contact of Venus with the
San, at leaft 15 minutes before the time given bv calculation,
to get as e irly a fight of it as poffible. Venus was firft per-
ceived, by making a dent upon the iuperior limb of the Sun,
at 2h. 29^ 43''. F. M. apparent time. But, as it is likely the:
exterior conta(5ts will be given diff'crent, by different obfervers,
t'ley can be of but little confequence in this aff^air. 1 he
greateft attention was given to the interior contad; ; this was
at 2^. 46'. ^c^" . apparent timej!. From a mean of a number of
good obfervdtions, the apparent diameter of the Sun was
31'. 40", 66, and that of Venus 5S''66 ; though I could not
make it myfelf more than 58"', which wa. the fame we found
it about a forcn-ght betore the tranfit. The proportion of
their diameters was nearly as i to 33. The neareft approach
of their centers, at the middle of the tranfit, was taken with
the micrometer, and found to be 10'. 5"."

" The proportion of the diftances of the Sun and Venus,
'from the earth, at that time, \vas as 3.5143 to 1 •, then (allowing
■the Sun's parallax at his mean diltaace to be "i^dZ the lame

O it

|[ At the moment of interior contaft, the Sun's altitude was taken, with.
'tVe fextant, by Mr. Mofes Brown, and by the flile by Capt. John Burrough ;
and both gave the time with the clocks within two feconds i'he tdtal ingrefs
was not fo inftantaneous as I did, expeft it would be, but the bright cuips of
the San, as they incompafTed Venus, were much more obtu{e, and there
feemed to be a faint jundion of their limbs for at leafl: 4 feconds ; the moment
this penumbral ligament broke, I proclaimed the time ; at firft I fufpeded
the tel?fcope was not adjufted to a proper focus ; but afterwards, by looking
at the folar fpots, &c. I was convinced of the contrary. During the time we
faw Venus upon the Sun, fhe appeared to be furrounded by a ring ot a yel-
Io.vi(h colour ; its width was about one tenth of the diameter of Venus, W^
^fkw nothing that might be takeu for a fatcllite.

c

102 J

i£-was found the 6th of June, ij6i) the parallax of Venus
was 30^04-, the difference of their parallaxes 21^,49 is the
parallax of Venus from the Sun. The angle between the vifi-
ble way ot Venus and the ecliptic, 8°. 34'. ly" -, and the angle
made by the axis of the ecliptic and equator, j° . 3'. y" ; their
fum, 15°. 37' 24''', was the angle betweeji the axis of the
vifible way of Venus, and the Earth's axis. The tranfit line,
from total ingrefs to the middle of the tranfit (meafured in time
by the vifible motion of Venus) was 2^. c^^' . '^6" ; but Venus
was more accelerated in her orbit (by parallax in longitude) at'
the middle of the tranfit, than at total ingrefs ; this difference
of acceleration was i '. ^'^" -■, therefore from the. total ingrefs tO-
the middle of the tranfit was 2h. 54'. 3^" "

Thence I conclude, that the

* Firft contact was at - - ' -
But feen by us, as above, at -
Interior contadt, - - -

Middle of the tranfit, - - -

,// »

time.

" Venus*s parallax in longitude, at the middle of the tran-
frt, was I 8''', 7 ; this was paifcd over by Venus's vifible motiOn-
in 4'. 44" •, fo that the middleof the tranfit, as feen from the-
tenter of the earth, was at 5*^. 43''. 6'' mean^ time. The true
conjunftion was 23'. 21'' before the middle of the tranfit, as
feen from the earth's center •, confequently the true conjunc-
tion was at 5h. 19'. 45'', mean time. At which time, the-
place of the Sun and Planet \fJ3.s Gemhii 13®. 27'. 3'''; and the
geocentric latitude of Venus IO^ I9''^8 north. But her helio-
centric latitude was 4'. 6\^i ; and by the rules of fvherical
trigonometry, the afcending node of Venus was 1°. 9^ 23''''55,
in confequence of the Sun, or in Gemini 14.^. 36''. 26'^,^..**

" From the foregoing calculation it appears, that the mean
motion of Venus is ^7'''' torward of what it flands ia Dr. Hal-
ley's tables, and her afcending node 2'. 41''''."

" It

* When I calculated this tranfit, I fuppofed the lonc^itude of our place to be
tnucn k-ls than we have fin ce found it by obfe-vation. By coneding -that
error, the error in calculation will appear to be incoftfiderabk.

t ^^3 ]

** Tt is probable Dr. Halley' . folar numbers need fome cor-
recflioii likewife ; the following may not be tar from truth, viz,
iadd to Dr. Hailey's mean motion of the Sun, for any year of
the Chriftian sera, 25^, and to the apogee 6''. 18^ •, for each
century after 1700 add 14.^666 to the mean motion, and to
the apogee 3' 5^" j then by mak'ng ufe of the Panfian^
equation of the Sun's center, his place may be had within a,
fm Jl ma ter of truth."

*' By taking the mean of a number of o' fervations, the lati-
tude of our obfer- atory was fou.id to be 41^. 50'. 41'''' norih§.
T. he longitude was obtained by oblerving theemerfions of Ju-
Jiiter's fatellites, compared with the correfponding obfervations
made at Cambridge, in New-Ent.land, by Mr. Winthrop,
which he was fo kmd as to favour us with -, and for which we
return him our fincere thaiiks Providence was found lobe
16' m longitude weft from Cambridge. Mr. Winthrop has
hiiherto tound the longitude ot Cambridge to be 71*'. weft
from the Royal Obfervatory at Greenwich -, fo that the longi-^
tude of Providence is about 71° 16' from the Royal-
Obfervatory.'*

" I SHALL now give the reader a fhort account of the parallax
herein mentioned, and ho^ the planets are affeded thereby."

" The horizontal parallax of the Sun is that angle at the

Sun's center, which is included between two lines fuppofed to

'be drawn, one from the Sun's center to the center of the earth,

the other from the Sun's center to the furface ot the earth. Or,

O 2 in

^ According to tlie Parifian hypothefis, the eccentrity of the earth's orb is
■1680 parts, of which the mpan diftance of" the earth from the Sun is 100,000.

§ The latitude ofthcj-lact being of great conitqnence, and the fextant and
flile not giving it exadlv alike, the pei fevering Mr. Brown contrived to make
ufe ■ f the micrometer as a lens, which he placed on his houfe, twenty feven
feet hi*h, and exaftly perpendicular to a center on a horizontal platform
below, on .which was drawn a meridian line ; the Sun's image on this platform
wa. feen to move very fenfibly. By this the latitude was finally determined.
The Sun's meridian altitude, being taken for fevcial davs by this long flile,
the latitud>-s thence found did not differ from each other more than 1 5 feconds.
At the time thi-^ was done, we had fen no account that a glais had been made
ufe of, as here defciibed ; but fmce this, went f^ the prci'^, we Itarn from Dr.
Long's ailronomy, that he found the latiiude of Cambiidge, in Lni^Iand, by
the fame method.

' t 104 1

in other vvords, it is the angle, under which the femidlameter
of the earth would appear to an eye, at the center of ihc Sun,
The way that parallax aflfeds the Sun and Planets is, it makes
them appear below their true places in the heavens, except
they be in the zenith of the oblerver ; in that cafe parallax haih
noeffed: at all ; and the realbn is, becaufe the obferver is in
that right line which joins the centers of ihe earth and planet..
Parallax may affcdt the planets places leveral ways-, as if the
obferver fhould view the planet upon a vertical, cuttin.:; the
ecliptic at right angles ; in this cafe, parallax will affeft its.
place in refpecl to latitude only •, but if the obferver be fitu-
ated in the pl.ine of the ecliptic, it will then alter its place, in
refpe6t to longitude only •, and if the planet be viewed in art
oblque pofuion, with refpe(5t to the ecliptic, parallax will af-
fed: its place both in longitude and latitude.. The horizonial
parallaxes of the planets are to each other in a reciprocal pro-
portion to their dirtances ; that is, the planets which are
neareft have the greaieft parallax, and thofe which are moft
remote, the leaft. Thence it follows, if two planets are view-
ed together, that which is neareft will appear juft fo much be-
low the other, as what the difference of their parallaxes is.
7 he nearer a planet is to the horizon of the obU-rvcr, the
greater is its parallax, and in the horizon it is the greateil
pofTible i and is then called the horizontal parallax."

*' Hence comes the method of invelfigating the Sun*s
parallrx, from obfervations of Venus on his difc. At the time of
the tranfn, the third day of June, Venus was much nearer to
the earth than the Sun was, and, of confequence, was much
more affedled by parallax. This effed was produced in a. two-
fold manner, in reipect to us in the northern regions of our
earth. Firif, Venus was depreffed upon the Sun, by parallax,
in longitude, bringing her, to a conjutlion with th.- Sun looner
to our point of view, than to a fpecbator at the center ot the
earth. In the fecond place, ihe was carried nearer to the center
ot the. Sun, by parallax in latitude, thereby lengthening the tran-
fit-line •, both which effedts conlpired to accelerate the time of
fird interior contact. Now to an obferver in Great-Britain, pa-
rallax had a ftill greater effe6l, by what is faid before: That
is, fome minutes pafied aficr the contaifl was formed to the

obferver

^bferver there, before it was feen by us. Now the difference-
of longitude, between the two places of obiiTvation, being
accurately known, the effedt of parallax, between the two
places, is likewife known ; for the difference of longitude, by
thelc obfcrvations, will be conliderably lefs than the true dif-
ference."

" The method of calculating the Suns' parallax, from thefe
obfervations, is by trial •, the parallax will be iuppoied or that
quaniity, which the obfcrvations found it in i 6i •, hence the
total erfeft of parallax, at each place ol obfervation, muft be
computed v and if it fhould be the fame as given by ob-
fervation, it will prove the affumption to be julT: ; but if, by
obfervation, it fhould be greater or lefs than by calculation,
the Sun's parallax w,\] turn (>ut to be greater or lefs in nhe fame-
proportion.-— When the Sun's parallax is known, the diifance
of the earth, and of all the planets, from the Sun, will be
known likewiie.'*

OBSER V A TIONS cf the Transit of VENUS over the
SUiV, ajid the ricLivi>E 0 the ' U iV, on June 3d, 1769.
J[4i^de at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich. By the
Mevd. NhViL M .1 SKELYN K, B D. F. R. S. and
Ailronomer koyal.

Qommunicated to the Sccie')\ By Dr. S M I T H, and ordered to he^
phhlijljed, at a Metting, May i$t\ ^770..

TH E weather, which had been cloudy or rainy here,-,
with a fouch wind, for the greateft part of the day,
began to clear up at 4 O'clock in the afternoon, the wind
having returned to the wcfc, the lame quarter in which it had
been the afternoon before, which was remarkably fine and fe-
rene, though it changed early in the morning preceding the
tranfit. Towards the approach of Venus's ingrefson the Sun,
the fky \^ as become again very ferenc, and fo continued all
the evening, which afforded as favourable an obfervation of
the tranfit here as could well be expeAed, confidering that the
Sun was only 7°. 3' high at the external, and 4". ^i' ^t ^he
.internal conadl. I obferved th--. external contadl of Venus at
7*'. lo'. 58'^ apparent time, vviih an uncertainty feemingly not

exceeding

^exceeding cf \ and the internal <:onta(5l, by which I mean the
.com[.letion ot ihe thread of l.gh. between the circumterences
•of the Sun and Venus, at 7*". 29'. i^" apparent time, wiih a
feeming uncertainty ot only 2>" '-> ^o'" ^0 ^""g was the thread of
I'ght in .oiming, or the Sun's light in fiowmg round and filling
up that part ot his circumference, which was obf( ured by;
Venus*s exterior limb. Neverihelefs, I would not hence in-
fer, that obit rvations made by aftronomers in diftant places
ihould agree together within iuch narrow limits; for I know
they will not even in the fame place, and that a aiffercnce in
the fkill or jucgment of the obfervers, in the teUfcopes, and
perhaps in lome other little circumftances, not eafily dii^in-
guiflied, may produce much greater difagrcements, eipecially
if the Sun below, as it w.~.s here •, in like m.anner as in ob-
ferving the ecliples ot Jupiter's fat.llites, the immerfion or
emerfion (hall often ieem inttantaneous. or nearly fo, equally
to two obfervers in dift.^nt places, and yet the abfolute times
of the ohff rvations may ciiffcr a minute of time or more from
each other, owing to the difference of telefcopes, weather, or
other circumftances. Indeed, in the prelcnt cafe, the limit of
differences is certainly much narrower •, but what it is I fhall
not at prefcnt venture to luggeft, as that may better be done,
when all the obfervations that ftiali have been made of the
tranfit arc colkded together. 1 he telefcope which 1 uf d was
an excellent rtflcding one ot two feet locus, made by the late
ingenious Mr. Short, and is the fame with which the lafl cran-
fit was obferved here by Mr. Charles Green. I applied the
mao-nifying power of 140 times, and ufed fmoaked glaffes to
defend the" fight, which are much preferable to black c r rtd
gkfles, as fhewing the ol je6ts more diAindt, and being much
more plealant to the eye.

I SHALL now endeavour to defcribe, as accurately as I can,
feme other phaenomena which I noted during the immerfion of
Venus, and to mention fome others, which by fome ingenious
perfons were expcded to have been feen, but which I could
jaot dilcover.

It

C 107 J

, It had been thought by fome, that Venus's circumference
might probably be feen, in part at leaft, before Ihe entered at
all upon the Sun, by means of the illumination of her atmof-
phere by the Sun ; I therefore looked out diligently lor fuch
an appearance, but could fee no fuch thing.

I WAS alfo attentive to fee if any penumbra or dufky (hade
preceded Venus's firft impreflion on the Sun at the external
contadl, fuch a phaenomenon having been obferved by the
Rev. Mr. Hirft, F. R. S. at the former tranfit of Venus, in
1761, 'which he obferved with much care and diligence at
Madrafs, in the Eaft-Indies •, but I could not difcern the ieail
appearance of that kind. I would not, however, be therefore
thought to call in queftion either Mr. Hirft's difcernment or
fidelity •, as I am fenfible that the tremors of the limbs of the
Sun and Venus, occafioned by the vapours at the altitude of
7°, might eafily obfcure a faint obje<5t.

When Venus was a little more than half immerged into the
Sun's difc, I faw her whole circumference completed, by means
of a vivid, but narrow and ill-defined border of light, which
illumined that part of her circumference which was off the
Sun, and would otherwife have been invifible. This 1 might,
probably, have feen fooner, if I had attended to it. I con-
tinued to fee it till within a ttw minutes of the internal conradt,
and grew appr<:henfive that it would prevent the appearance
of the thread of light, v;hen it came to be formed ; but it
difappeared about two or three minutes before, as well as I,
can remember :* a<^ter which the regularity of Venus's circular
figure was difturbed towards the place were the internal contadt
fhould happen, by the addition of a protuberance, dark like
Venus, and proje(5i:ing outwards, which occupied a fpace upon
the Sun's circumference, which bore a confiderable proportion
ro the diameter of Venus. Fifty-two feconds before the thread
of light wa-i formed, Venus's regular circumference, fuppofed
to be continued as it would have been without the protube-?
rarce, feemed to be in conta6t with the Sun's circumference
fuppofed alio completed. Accordingly, from this time, Ve-
aus's regular circumference, fupoofed dclined in the manner

juil

f 108 3

^ft defcribed, appeared wholly within the Sun's circumference ;
and it feemed, theretore, wonderful that the thread of light
ihould be fo long before it appeared, the protuberance appear-
ing in its ftead.

At length, when a confiderable part of the Sun's circum-
ference, equal lo one third or one fourth of the diameter of
Venus, remained ft' 11 obfcured by the protuberance, a fine
llream of light flowed gently round it from each fide, and
completed the fame in the fpace of three feconds of time, from
7'. 29'. 20'^ t . 7^. 29'. 23''' apparent time-, and Venus appeared
wholly within the Sun's lucid circumference •, but the pro-
tuberance, though diminiflied, was not tiiken away till about
10" more, when, after bemg i^radually reduced, it difappearcd,
and Venus's circular figure was rtilored.

An ingenious gentleman of my acquaintance having defired
ine to examine if there wa. any protuberince of the Sun's
circumference about the point of the mcernal rontaft, a;, he
fuppofed fuch an appearance ouglu to arife from the refraction
of the Sun's rays through Venus's atmofphcre, if Ihe had one;
1 carefully looked ouc ior fuch a circumiiance, but could fee
no fuch thing i neither could I fee any rmg of light round
Venus, a little after ilie was got v/holly withm the un : but,
I confefs, I did not re-examine this latrcr pomt afterwards,
when ^ii^ was further advanced upon the Sun, at which time
other penbns at the obl'ervatory faw iuch an appearance.

How far the ring of light, which I faw round that part of
Venus's circumference whicn was off the Sun, during the im-
merfion, njay deferve to be coniidered as an indication of an
atmofphere about Venus, I fliall not at prefcnt inquire ; but
1 think it very probable, that the protuberance, which difturb-
ed Venus's circular figure at the internal contad, was owmg
to the enlargement of the diameter of the Sun, and the con-
tradion ot that of Venus, produced by the irregular refradlion
of the rays of light through our atmolphere, and the confequent
undulation of the limb<^ of the two planets -, the altitude of
Venus- being only 4^^. 48', though the Sun's limb was more

diltin^

C 109 ]

<^iftin6t and fteady th?.n ufual at that altitude. -This conJe6lure
jfeems corroborated by two circumftances : one is, that Venus'^j
limb, from its firll appearance to the total immerfion, as well
as afterwards, v/as very ill defined, and undulated very much;
the other is, that her horizontal diameter, which 1 meafured
foon after the internal contadt with an excellent achromatic
objcd-glafs micrometer, fitted to the two-feet refiefting tele-
fcope, was only fifty-five and thre-e fourths of a fecond, by a
mean of eight trials, or about 3'^ lefs than it fliould have been,
from the oblervations made, with the like indrument, at the
tranfit ot Venus in 1761, by Mr. Short, Mr. Canton, Mr.
Haydon, and Mr. Mafon, v/hen the Sun was at a confiderable
altitude ; and moft likely the Sun's diameter was enlarged in
proportion, though it might have been difficult to have afcer-
tained it by aftual meaiuve, had time allowed me to make the
experiment with the fame microm.eter before the Sun entered
into a black cloud near the horizon.

Six other perfons alfo cbferved the contafls of Venus here,
and noted fome other phasnomena. 1 heir names are, the
Rev. Malachy Hitchins, a gentleman well acquainted with
aftronomy and allronomical calculations, who has made and
examined many belonging to the Nautical Almanac, and has
been lb obligingr as to come here and affift me in making
ailronomical oblervat'.ons, during the abfence of my afTiilanr,
Mr. William Bayiey, who is gone to the North Cape, by
apTointment of th- Royal Society, to obierve the tranfit of
Venus there. The others are, the Rev. Wi'diam Hirft, who
cbferved the former tranfit of Venus, in 1761, at Madrafs ;
John Horfley, Elq-, a gentleman whom I had the pleafure of
firft commencing an acquaintance with during my voyage from
St. Helena to F.ngland, in the Warwick Eaft-lndia Ihip, and
who then, and in feveral voyages fince to the Eail-Indies and
home again, obferved and calculated the longitude from dif-
tances of the Moon from the Sun and fixed ftars with the
crreateft accuracy •, Mr. Samuel Dunn, who has had a good
deal of practice in making aftronomicil obfervations, an 1 who
carefully obfervtd the former tranfit of Venus, in 1761, at
Chelfea, Mr. Peter Doiiond, whole great (kill in conilruding

P achromatic

c

no

]

achromatic and reflefling telefcopes ; and Mr. Edward Nairne,
whole fkill hkewife in the fame way, and in making all kinds
of mathtmatical and philofophical inftruments, are fufficiently-
known to the public.

Mr. Horfley and Mr. Dunn obferved with me in the great
room ; Mr. Hitchins and Mr. Hirft in the eailern fummer-
houfci and Mr.Dollond and Mr.Nairne in the weftern fummer-
houfe •, by three clocks placed in the refpe6tive rooms, which
were compared with the clock in the tranfit room, before the
external conta6t, and again after the internal conta6l was pad ;
whence the times of the obfervations, as noted by the clocks,
were reduced to the time of the tranfit clock, and thence to
apparent time.

Their obfervations, together with my own, are given in
the following table, as reduced to apparent time.

CSS

Regular
circum-
ferences

1 i.reac.

of liijit

cnm-

Magni-

External
contaft.

in coii-

taa.

pleatfcd,
or, the

Telcrcopcs made ufeof.

f i ing

power.

"

1. t rna!

ccrtatt.

"

1..

'

h.

►.. ' "

N.
M

W

J-

s.
p.

E.

Mafkelyne

H'tchins

Hirlt

Hoi fiey

Dunn

Dollond

Kiiiine

7
/

7

7
7
7
7

lo 58

10 54

11 II

10 44

10 37
1 I iq

1 ! 30

7 28 31
7 28 47

7 28 15
7 29 28

7 29 23
7 28 57
7 29 18
7 29 28
7 29 48
7 29 20
7 29 20

2 fret refle61or.
6 feet refledor.

2 feet rcfleftor.
10 fe^;t achromatic

3 2 feet achromatic.
34 fctt achroEiatic.
2 ftet reil i\nr.

I 40
90

55

so

140

150

120

1

Mr. Dollond and Mr. Nairne ufed telefcopes of their own
conllrudion •, .but they did not wait till the thread of light was
formtd at tlie internal rontaft, but noted the time, vvhen
tlicy judged it .was juft n^ady to bt formed. Ihe three and
an half text achroniaclc, telefcopes were thofe made v/iih thre^i
objedt- glades.

The

C 111 3

The differences between the different obfervations feem
pretty confiderable, and greater than I expeded, confidering
that all the telefcopes may be reckoned pretty nearly equal,
excepting the fix feet refle(5lor, which is much luperior to
them all j and to its greater excellence and diftin6lnefs I prin-
cipally attribute the difference of 26^^, by which Mr. Hitchins
faw the internal contaft before me ; as lean depend upon his
obfervations. Foffibly the greatnefs ot the differences might:
arife from the low ahitude of .the Sun and Venus ^ and then
the like diffeiences would not be fo much to be feared in
places where the obfervation may be made at higher altitudes ;
otherwife the Sun's parallax will not be decucible from the
tranfic of Venus with that acv.uracy which has been expedled.

The other appearances about Venus, noted by the fix ob-
fervers, which they have communicated to me are as follows :

Mr. Hitchins remarks, that, at the firfl: contaft, though
there was a tremulous motion in iat Sun's limb, yet that part
of it which th^ planet entered was very well defined, and the
fir;t: impreffion of Venus appeared to be inilantaneous, and as a
black, fharp point. At the internal coincidence of circum-
ferences, the fluctuation of the .*^un's limb was increafed, and
the limb of Venus being affected in like minner, there was an
uncertainty of about 10'' in eftimating the faid coincidence ;
but at the breaking in of the thread of light between the limbs,
th'rre was not a greater uncertainty than a fecond and a half of
time. At the internal coincidence of circumferences, the limb
of Venu« next to that oi the Sun being protuberant, her ver-
tical diameter appeared to be longer than the horizontal one ;
but when the Sun approached the horizon, and was fcarce
above a degree high, Venus's horizontal diameter appeared to
be fenfibly longer than the vertical, v/hich was, probably,
owing to refraction. After the internal contacl, there ap-
peared a luminous rin,7; round tp.e body of Venus, about the
thicknefs of half her femi-diameter •, it v/as Drighteft towards
Venus's body, and gradually diminifhed in fplendor at greater
diftances, but the whole was exceffive v;hite and faint. This
radiancy round the placet feemed to him to be greater in Mr.
Nairne's two feet telelcope dian in the da feet Newtonian
reflector, P 2 ' After

[ 112 ]

After the fecond or internal contafl, Mr. HIrft left off
obfervincy with Mr. Dunn's two feet refledor, and had a fight
of Veniit in the fix feet Newtonian refledor, in which he
thought he perceived a glimmering of light about the upper
part of the circumference of Venus, or that part of the planet
which entered laft into the folar difc.

After Venus was got within the Sun's difc, a light a little
weaker than that of the Sun, of a purplifh colour, appeared
to Mr. HorQey, to the left hand of Venus, which is really to
the right, the telefcope mverting objeds. This light he faw
for fix or feven minutes.

From y^ 28' 26" to 7^ 28' 0,0^' apparent time, Mr. Dunn
faw a very faint rim of light at Venus's exterior limb. After
Venus was wholly on the Sun, he faw a faint ring of light
furroundino- her, both with the three and a half feet telefcope,
and Mr. Nairne's two feet refleftor.

When one third of Venus's diameter was entered upon the
Sun, Mr. DoUond firft faw a light about the exterior limb of
the planet : this light, during all the time of its continuance,
appeared rather reddifli, and in all refpefts like irregular re-
fraded liahi. After Venus was wholly entered upon the Sun,
he faw a faint ring furrounding her.

After Venus was wholly entered upon the Sun, and her
exterior limb was near one of her femi-diameters diltant from
the Sun's circumference, Mr. Nairne faw a faint light round
the planet, rather brighter and whiter than the body of the
Sun.

Fortunately', the weather was as favourable for the ob.
fervation of the eclipfeof the Sun, the next morning, as it had
been the evening before for that of the ingrefs of Venus upon
the Sun j which is of the more confequence, as the compari-
fon of it with the obfervations which may be made of it in the
northern and eallern parts of the world, will ferve to fettle the

longitudes

[ 113 J

longitudes of thofe places, and confequently render the obfer-
vations which may be made there of the tranfit more ufcful and
valuable.

I OBSERVED the beginning of the eclipfe at iS*'. 38'. 54^
and the end at 2o^ 23'. 30''' apparent time, with the 2 feet
refleflor, ufing the magnifying power 90 times. And at ig^,
2q/. ^i^' apparent time, I obferved the greateft eclipfe, at
which time 1 found the remaining lucid parts of the Sun
15'. 15^ with DoUond's micrometer, alTammg the horizontal
diameter of the Sun 3 i'. 3 i^ whence the value of the fcale of
the micrometer was determined for the prefent purpofe.
Hence the eclipfed parts of the Sun were 16'. 16^, or 6 dig.
II ',62 on the northern part of his difc.

Mr. Hitchins obferved the beginning of the eclipfe with a
three and an half feet achromatic telefcope magnifying 150
times (the fime with which Mr. DoUond obferved the contatis
of Venus), at 18''. 38'. 59^ and the end of the eclipfe with
the 6 feet refleftor with the magifying power 90, at 20^
22'. 33/'' apparent time. And Mr. Samuel Dunn obferved the
begmning of ihe eclipfe at 18^. 39'.9^ and the end at 20''.
22'. 33"' with the other three and an half feet achromatic te-
lefcope, magnifying 140 times, the lame with v/hich he ob-
ferved the contac5ts of Venus. Several inequalities in the
Moon's circumference, feen upon the Sun's difc during the
eclipfe, were diftindiy difcerned by all of us, the air being
very clear, and the objects fttady.

The whole feries of meaiures of the lucid parts, which T took v/ith the
achromatic objedl glafs micrometer applied to the 2 feet telefcope, was as

follows. , T • 1

Lucid parts.

Apparent

time.

h. '

''

19 22

^3

24

21

26

9

28

26

30

14

3'

4+

32

39

33

'9

3+

28

36

>9

. 37

56

15

40.5

»5

26,5

>S

2C,9

»5

•5.6

J5

14.5

'5

16,4

•5

16,4

15

19.8

•5

23,4

M

3^9

iS

49,1.

r 114

Some JCCOUNT of the Transit of Venus, and Eclipse of
the Sun, as obferved at the LIZARD POINT, June 3J,
1769. By Mr. John Bradley.

R. Maskelyne, the Aftronomer Royal, who has drav/n

up this fhort account, mentions that having had fome

doubts that ntithtr the lautude nor longitude of the Lizard-
Point were duly fixed, " he had propofed thofe doubts to
.the Board of Longitude, who being fenfible ol the importance
of determining the pofiiion of a place of fo much conf^quence
in the BritiQi navigauon, niblved that proper aftronomical
obfervations Ihould be made at the Lizard lor that purpofe ;
and the Tranfit of Venus appeared a convenient opportunity,
itfelf affording one of the beft means of determining the longi-
tude of places •, and the Edipfe of the Sun which was to happen
the morning after, affording another of determining the
fame.

*' Accordingly Mr. John Bradley, nephew of the late
Dr. Bradley, and formerly hi? afljftant at the Royal Ob-
fervatory, was appointed to miike thefe obfervations. 1 he
inftruments which he was provided vvnh, were an equal altitude
an.l tranfic inftrurnent in one, an atlronomical quadrant, and
a refleftine; telcfcope of two feet focus, all made by Mr. Bird;
and an aftronomical clock, with a gridiron pendulum, made
by Mr. Shelton.

" Mi<. Bradley ftaid at the Lizard 51 days, viz. from May
13th to July 3d, duiing which time he was luckv enough to
make a great m.-iny uieful obfervations ; fome of the principal
of which were the following, viz.—

Several meridian altitudes of the fun and pole ftar ; by
which the latitude of Lizard -Point was determined to be
49°. 57'. 30^ N,

The

r M5 ]

The Tranfit of Venus and Eclipfe of the^uN, viz.-r--

1769 Apparent time.

June 3d. 6". 50'. 7'''',4 External contaft of Venus and theSuN,

very exadl the eye being fixed on the
place.
7. 8. 25. Internal contadl -, doubtful to 4 or 5^,
a cloud having hid Vevus fo long ;
and at the cloud's going off, 2" atter
the tinie fet down, a thread of light
appeared very diftinft between the
circumferences of the Sun and Venus.

18. 14. 54. Begin, of the Eclipfe of theSun ? Both

19. S7' 17 End of the Eclipfe. Sveiygood

" These obfervations were made with the 2 f. refledtor,
and the magnifying power 120.

.. D. h. min. kc.
June 8. 9. 20. 14 Em. 1 ft fat. of Jupiter. Jupite*- had

not been from under the clouds 10'
when he faw the fatellite, yet he
reckons the obfervation good.

June 1 5. II. 13. 46 Em. r-ft. fat. A thin haze about Jupi-
ter, but the obfervation pretty good.
Thefe emerfions were obferved with
the fame telefcope, but with the
magnifying power 100.

Comparing the obfervation of the Contacts of ^^;?«j at
the Lizard with his own at Greenwich, making a fmall al-
lowance for the difference arifmg from the effeft of parallax. at
the two places, Mr. Maskelyne makes the difference of.
meridians of Greenwich and the Lizard

By the external contact of Venus 20'. r:o". ? r •

• " uo > r\\ time

By the internal contafl of ditto 21. 01 ->

The mean by the contads 20. ^']

By

I 217 "I

By the two thnerfions, making a fmall allowance fof the
■difrcrence of brightnefs of the telefcopes, he makes the dife-
ence of meridians as follows, viz.

By the firft emerfion - - - - 11'. oy"
By the fecond emerfion - - - 21. 52

The mean of thefe is - - - - 21. 29,5
The mean by the contafls - - - 20. 57

Mean of the two means _ - - 21. 13,25

But Mr. Mafkelyne, till he has time to compare the other
obfervationsj fixes on 2\'. o" oi time = 5°. 15''. of the equa-
tor, for the difference of longitude of the Lizard wefl of
Greenwich.

The above is taken from the nautical almanac for 1770;
and it was thought might be a proper addition to the foregoing
account of the Tranfu of Venus, at Greenwich, drawn up by
the Aftronomer Royal.

The Reader Is defired to correft the following ERRATA in fome of the fore-
going Sheets ;

Pag. 53 -for 4^. 26'. 31'', in the col. of Apparent Time, read 5h. 26*- 31*'.
Pag. 60, the fix'h :itie from the bottom, for 2,3922, &c. read 2',^g2^yS'
Pag. 6 , for 17", 3 36. read 1 7", 3 5 6.

Pag. 67, for 3'. ^i^E. in the col. of longitude of Sav. Houfe, read o . 3J 'W-
Pag. 79, 1. 25, for fo i'its Rad. S, 242",936, readh to R. fo is S, 242 ,936%
Pag. 80, 1. I 2, for her from the Earrh, read her diAance from the Earth.
Pag. 8 J, 1. 14, for et, read at; and line 26, for Sun, read iL&nh,

^^^_^^^^^^^^^^^^^.^^,,j.^^.^^ J,,,,.,, .r„..P,,. .---.,, .,^- ^^i^$^^V(?

6^ ^^ '^^>5*' ^..^ ^(W^ '-^.-^^^ ^-.^ e¥^ ^i
§ f 4^ ^ ^^ ^"^ ^^^ ->^=^ ^^'^ ^^ |;g

APPENDIX

To the ASTRONOMICAL and

MATHEMATHICAL Papers.

^ J.£rr£/^/r^;«//&^i?^^'^. Nevil .Maikelyne, 5.D. F./^.S",
Jjironomer RoyaU to the Revd. William Smith, D. Dr Provoji
of the College of Philadelphia ; acknowledging the receipt of the
NoRsiTON Obfervations of the T ran fit of Venus, and giving
fome account of the Hudfon's-Bay and other Northern Ob-
fervations of the fame. Read at a meeting of the American
Philofophical Society^ May i^th, ijyo.

Revd. SIR,

Greenwich, Dec. 26, 1769,

C(

I RETURN you many thanks for the account of the
valuable obfervations of the late Tranfit of Venus, made
at No^RiTON by yourfelf and two other gentlemen, which I
have communicated to the Royal Society. It is ordered to be
printed in the volume of their tranfadions for this year, and I
will take care to fee that it is printed corredtiy.

" I fent to the Honourable Mr. Penn, a good while ago,
my obfervations of the Edlpfes of Jupiter's firft fatellite made
this year, defiring that he would communicate them to you,
and 1 hope you * have received them.

By

• They are inferted above p. 21.

2

APPENDIX to the

" Bv a mean of your five ^r&i Immer/ions (rejecSbing that of
May 5th as too near the oppoficion to the Sun) compared with
the Nautical Mmanac^ the difference of our meridians is
5-^. i'. 32,''. But by a mean of my two firft immerfions, the,
corre6tion of the nautical ahnanac for a 2 feet refledlor of
Short's is + 20^5 which applied to 5^. i'. 0,1." gives
5*^. i'. S'^"->b for the difference of the meridians of Green-
wich and NoRRiTON by the hnmerfions.

" By a mean of your Emerfions^ June 6th and 13th, com-
pared with the Nautical Almanac^ the diff of our meridians is
5*^. i\ 28^5; and by a mean of my two emerfions June 8th
and July I ft the correction of the nautical almanac isi — 1\^^
which, applied to 5'^ l'. 2 8^5 gives 5^. i\ ^^n for the
difference of our meridians by the Emerfions \ but, by the Im-
merfions It was found above, ^. 1'. S^" ^S- The mean ot thefe
twor.fults is 5^. i'. 34^7 for the /y«^ difference of our me-
ridtans, which happens to agree to a fecond with what you
deduced from a comparifon ol all the obfervations with the
almanac alone.

" If any further obfervations of the Eclipfes of Jupiter's
fatellites ihall be made the enfuing iealbn, I Ihall be obliged
to you for a communication of them ; which will ferve further
to confirm the difference of our meridians.

" The many curious optical phenomena noted in your ac-
count (of the Norriton Obiervati-ns j cannot but be very
acceptable to phiiofophical readers. The Sun was too low.
here to givemean opportunity to obferve the ♦nrft imprerffonof
Venus (perhaps lought to fay of her atmofphere) in the fame
manner you faw it. Mr. Hirst's account of nis obf rvation
of the former tranfit 1761, at Madrafs, feems to have a great
refembiance to yours. But I have feen no fiinilar f account

with

f A1' the obfervers in this province noted much the fame plisenomena an
thofe referred to in thi» letter.

Astronomical Papers, &€, 3

with refpe(5l to the prefent tranfit. Perhaps none of the cb-
fervers had the Sun lb bright and clear as you had.

" Your meafures of the neareft diflances of the limbs of
the Sun and Venus determine very well the ncareil approach
of Venus to the Sun's center, which was a very important
obfervation, and could not be made here. If the appuifes of
the limbs of the Sun, and Venus's center, to the hairs of the
equal altitude inftrument fhould § arrive in time, I v/ill take
care that they be infer ted in the place left for them.

" I SEE Mr. Rittenhoufe^ in making his projedlion, afllimed.
Z^tC^ for the Sun's horizs. wtal parallax at the mean diftance ;
but, by the oblerv^tions of the tranfit in 1761, Mr. Short *
and myfeif both found that to l^e the parallax on the day of
the tranfit i whence the Sun's mean horizontal parallax (hould
be 8^^,84. But what it will be as refulting from the oblervarions
of the late tranfit, cannot be known without a number of la-
borious calculations, which I have undertaken.

" The Swedes and Russians were very unfuccef^ful. No
complete and tiiorough good obfervation ol- the total duration
is come to hand from ihc north. Our obfervers at the North
Cape faw the ingrefs only, and that in a very bad ftate of air,

o 2 The

§ They were not inferted in our own printed account, for the reafons givea
in p. 35.

• Mr. Rittenhoufe afTumed the parallax 8",65 from Mr. Short's paper in
Phil. Tranf. vol. 52, part 2d. page 621, «'herf the parallax of the Sun on the
tranfit day, 1761, is certainly made by Mr Short 8",52 and the mean hori-
zontal parallax 8'',65 as taken in our projeftion. Mr. Short's words are very
char. Aftt-r going through his laborious and accurate calculations, from the
di^erent obfervations of the tranf:t i'-6i, he conclude? as follows—" The
paiallax ot the Sun being thus found, by the obfervations of the internal con-
taft at the egrefs = S'j^z, en the day of the tranjit^ the mean horizontal
PARALLAX of the Sun is 8",65." We prefnme then there muft be fonie fubfe-
quent paper of Mi , Short^Sy and the r.Jirommer Royal, (which we have not yet
feen) that makes the parallax of the Sun 8",65 on the day of the tranfit 1761,
However the fmall difference of lefs than two-tenths of a iecocd will not mate-
rially aifeft the projedtion.

j|. A P P E N D I X to tht

The Hudfon's-Bay obfervers, (VIeffrs. Dymond and Wales,
had better luck, and obferved all the Contacts, and neareft
approach of the centers, as follows.

I ft External contact

o\

57'

• 4 »5

ift Internal conta6t

I.

15-

23

2d Internal contadt

7-

o.

47>5

2d External conta(^

7-

19.

21

'All apparent time.
'The laft very hazy,

*' At 4h. 5'. 30^^ apparent time, was the neareft approach
of Venus to the Sun's center j when the diftance of her interior
limb from the Sun's limb was 6'. 22'''. The diameter of Venus
was 59^5 and the Sun's horizontal diameter 31'. 32^4.Hence
the nearell approach of Venus to the Sun's center was about
9'. 54'''', or ']" lefs than by your obfervations \ undoubtedly
owing to a greater parallax. Their latitude is 58°. 47'. 30^
NorthT'hey could only obferve five occuUations ot ftars by the
moon to determine their longitude, and I have not yet found
any obfervations made in Europe, or ellewhere, correfponding
to them.

" I COULD wifli that difference of meridians of Norriton
and Philadelphia, could be determined by fome meafures
and bearings, within one-fiftieth or one-hundredth part of the
whole •, in order to tonneft your obfervations with thofe made
at Philadelphia and the Capes of Delaware, as alfo to connect
your obfervations of the longitude o^ Norriton with thofe made
by Meffrs. Mafon and Dixon, in the courfe of meafuring the
decrree of latitude. I hope to be favoured with an account of
your obfervations ot the late Tranfit of Mercury^ it you made
any, and of the late eclipfe of the moon I fhall be obliged to
you for the continuance of your correfpondence, and am,

Sir, yours, Sec.

NEVIL MASKELYNE.

Account

Astronomical Papers, ^c^ 5

Account of the terreSfrial Meafurement of the Difference of 'Lon*
gitude and Lat tude, between the Obfervatories of Norriton
and Philadelphia.

7*0 /i?^ American Philosophical Society, ^c.

Gentlemen,

AGREEABLE to the appointment you made (at the re-
queft ot the Aftronomer Royal) Mr. LukenSy Mr. Rtt-
tenhcu/e^ and myfelf, turnilhed with proper jnftriimcnts, met
at Norritcn early on Monday, July 2^, for the above fervicc j
and took to our affiftance two able and experienced Surveyors,
viz yir. Archibald M'Clean^ and Mr. Jejfe Lukens. The firft
thing we did was accurately to afcertain ihe variation of our
Compafs, which we found 3°. 8', by Mr. Rittenhoufc's Me-
ridian Line. We then carefully meafuied our chain, and ad-
juftcd it to the exadl llandard of 66 feet. In che execution of
the work, whenever the inftrument was duly fet, ei.ch courfc
was taken off, and entered down fcparately, by three different
perfons, who likewile kept feparatc accounts of all the dif-
tances, and fuperintended the ftretching of every chain, and
the levelling and plumbing it, whenever there was any afcent.
or defcent in the road.

July 4th. We finifhed the furvey -, and Mr. M-Clean^ Mr»
Jtfje Lukens 2,x\di\x\-^{t\'i, then agreed to bring our the difference
of latitude and departure feparately on each courfe and dillance
to tour -or five decimalplaces •, and there was fo . great an
agreement in this part of the work, when executed, that we
had all the famcefults to a few links, and the whole was at laft
broKght to agree in every figure, by comparing the few places
where there was any difference, which fcarce ever went farther
than the laft decimal place. yir.M'Chan and Mr.Lz/,^f«Jtook the
trouble to bring out their work by multiplying each diltance by
the natural Sine of the Courfe, to the Radius Unity, for the
departure -, and by the Cofine for the latitude. Mine was done
by Robertlbn's Tables. The whole follows, and we think it
may be depended on for corrednefs.

Courfes

s

APPENDIX to the

Ourfes and Dijiances from 'Norritoij Obsekvatorv, to the
Observatory i»//^.^ State Houle Square^ Philadelphia^ and
from thence to the Observatory oj Mefj'rs. Malon and
Dixon, at the South Point of the City of Philadelphia ;
taken July ilf ani 2d, lyyo : fVitb the Difference of Lon-
gitude and Latitude, between the faid Observatories, thence
deduced.

\\

Magnetic
Courfes.

27°

68.

89.

66

80.

-^o.

68.

72

70.

50.

.00 W.
00 \i.
00 E
00 E.

00
20

30
10
00

o

Diftanccs.
chaini, iinn!

13,00

1 1 ,00

8,29

«7'77
10,00
22,0.^
6 '00
26,00
69;Oo

2-' zz

Sumiiii2 0 Courf.

17

8;s.

20. s.

42.

45-
60,

27-
'5-
34-
49

42.

22,
2

00 i^.
00 -•■'.
00 E.
30 r,.
30 W.
30 E.
00 E.
45 E.
00 E.
30 E.

257,28

I 2,00
40... o

8.?7 •
2i ' • 4-
I ;,co

9.50
44mO
19,00
•g,oo

26>'0

Northing.

Southiag.

Eafting.

Welling.

- - - 1 IJ.5831

- - -| 4.1207

00,1447 ;. - -

- - - ■ 7.2277

- - - ^-7365

- - - 7'4^'40

lo.iqqo
8.2B87

16,2157
9,&48l

20.7166

5,9018

- .
...

- - -

21 .9900

7 9-^4

2-;.^993

'2,^^97'

55,8:50

2S7507
64,8388

15,4894

- -

- -

oOi-4,17 ( 98,6208 I 226, •900 \ $ <)~> i-

^.9177

8,02q6

- - ..

%?:. -^. ;

:'S i843

- . .

4.43':o

7,68-6

- -

2),/^ Zx

1 1 . ; 466

- - -

10,5999

- - -

2,9396

7,8292

5,3X09

- -

29' 1 94^

33.5848

- - .

'3.9521

12,8972

. - -

,7,6165

7. '-75

- - .

26,7745

I,i6g®

- -

isumiii. .io'wjun. ^ 472,09

00 1447 I 267,6370 . 341,4815 I S.S/)

No.

* The'Norlhini, South' w, EaflingandWcflin^, are in Chains and Decimali tf a
Chain^ to the ten thoufondth part ; or may be rear. Chains and Links, ailing the
I tijuo left hand jigures of the Decimal^ Ltakj, aud the two ether figures Hun-
dredth parts of Lia/is,

Astronomical Papers, &c.

7*

'--

•

— =^!

p

Magnetic

Diftances.

o

O

o
c

•1

Courfes.

cha'nf link'.

Northing.

Southing.

Eafting.

Wefting.

Sumsin 20C.

472,09

00,1447

267,6370

341,4815

8,8414

2 ;

brought over.
S 10 Too' VV.

1

4,00

- _ - -

3.9392

. . .

0,6946

zz

S- 20 30 E

54,i;6

_ - - -

51,1048

iq,io73

- - _ ,

23

S. 55. .,- E

^'■80

- - - -

18,1259

26, 1284

- - ' \

1

24

S 50. 00 E.

37.30

- - - -

23,9760

28,5734

- - - ;

1

25

S 46, 00 E.

9!, 00

- - - -

63,2139

65.4509

- - - i

1

26

S. 19. 5 E

10.00

. . - -

9,4504

3,2694

- - _

1

27

S 44. 30 w.

iO.OO

- . - -

7. '325

- - -

7.0091 1

j

28

S. 2. 00 E

18,28

. . - -

18,2689

0,6380

1
i

29

3. 42 40 E.

23 .4

_ - - -

17.0151

15,6817

1

i

3^

">. dQ 30 E.

10,00

- - - -

6,4945

7,6041

- - _ I

bui

Tis in 3oCourf

762,17

00, i 447

486,3582

507.9447

16,5451 j

3'

S. 44. 45 E.

12,00

. - .

8,5222

8,4482

- - ■

32 ^. 26. 00 b.

21,50

- _ - .

19,3241

9,425c

♦ - _

31^' 7- 30 E.

19,20

- - _ .

i9'0357

2,5061

- - -

34 S. 4. 00 w.

11, --7

- - - -

11,7413

. - .

0,8210

35 S. 10. 00 E.

23.14

- - - .

22,7884

4,0182

- - .

36,8. 26. 00 E.

26,20

. - - -

23,(1484

11,4853

_ _ _

37 S. II, 00 w.

28,00

- - - .

27.4856

5,3426

38'
39

b. 17. 15 E.

24,07

- - - -

22,9873

7-'i?,77

S. 43. 30 E.

17.35

- - - -

12,5851

1 ,9429

. - -

11

S. 59. 45 E

!6,93

- - - -

8,5290

14.6247

- - -

Sui

nsin 4oCourf. \

9*^2,33

00,1^47 I

662,9053 1

577.5 3 28J

22,7087

+ '

S. 40. 50 E.

15.87

' " " "

12,0075

10,3768

-

+ 2

S. 28, CO E.

23,50

- _ - .

20,7492

1 1.0326

- . .

+3

S. 63. 00 E.

19,36

. . . _

8,7892

17,2499

- - _

4A

S. 36. 45 E.

49,00

- - '

39,2614

29,3:79

. - _

+5;

S. 19. 10 E.

40,87

1

38,6045

'3'4'83

- . _

46;

S. 10. 00 W.

14.00

1

r ' " "

13.7873

2,4301

•V7.

S. 5. 4,- W.

28,53

28,3875

. . -

2,8584

48-

S. 72. 00 E.

8,QO

L - . -

2,4721

7,6084

. . .

.,

+91

S. 61. 30 E.

16,76

r " ' "

7.997^

14,7290

- . -

5°l

S. 29. 45 E.

12,65

L - . -

10,9 27

6,2771

- - -

bumsin 5oCourf

|_ii9^2,'^L

[^oo,i447j

3S^439J

687,5428

27,9972,

No;

8--

APPENDIX to the

Magnetic
Courres.

Dirtanccs

Northing,' [Southing. Eafting

5 ,SumsiD.50 C.
2 jbrought over.

5i'sT6o*.oo

1 190,87

00,1447

70.
42.

5-

00
20

2 CO
18. CO

2.
19.
40.

E.

45 E-

00 E.

ii

E.

W.

W.

W.

E.

E.

3°

'5
40

32,70

0,00

14,50

IC,25

13,50
19,90

7,bo
17,60

33. 'S

30.58

845»9439 I 687,5428

28,319c
4,51.0

•3.025s
6,8580
1,2548

Wefting.

27.997 ?

16,3500
3,9560

4'9593
7 0.72

»3'44'5
19,8879

7>4»83

31,3249
23,1952

10,9391
19,9276

0,0945
2,4 o..

0,7677

Sumsin6oCourf. \ 1376,88 | 00,1447 | 991,6774 | 772,9784 ! 31,8697

42. 30 E.

20. 30 E.

23' M E.

38. 00 E.

21. 00 E.
29. 00 E.
47. 00 E.
13. 00 W.
77. 00 E.

52,00
33,00
17,46
33,00
24,54

2^,72
34,00

77. 00 c-. ,7^ I " _ - ■ '-'>'■

To the Center of P'nilaaelphia Obfervatory

Total bams, | 630,79

-

38'3384
30 9 02
15,9813
26,0043
22,9 101
30,9615
15.49-0
33,1286
0,4027

35-»^o7
ii.5?'''8

7.0;. I 9
20,3168

^'79 3
» 7, 1623

16,6163
i,7H»

00, 447

1205.8095

00, i 447

89 ,3616

39,5180

7.6483 i
- J

!

39,5180 j

-tai ouu'hL.g, 205.6f:-48 | 8;^ 1,^4 j':) i oiaiEalung.

Chains- Log

ThenNAdifF.cflat. 1205,6648 3. 0812265
ToAEde;>art. 851,8x36 2.9303599

As Rad. 10 - - -

ToTana. ofENAlheZ';of /- 8491331

the rn.irfe 2rO. lA. 21 .08 S ^ t^^'.Jt

SSh-

thf courfe 35*^. 14 . 33 ,08

l4'.'3^^',o8 9. 7612048
10. -

2- 9303599

And Sine of 35
To RaJ,
As 8,-1,8436

To NE, the dirtance in a (Irait '^ ^

iine = i476,2336 Cauus, ^ ^' 9 55

AST.R GNOMICAL pAPERS, £Sc. ^

But the courfe of NE being 35*. 14'. 33' E. with rcfpeft only to NA

^\t magrMic /outh; add the Variation 3. 8 o

Which gives 38. zz. 33 E. for the courfe of NE
with refpeft to NS the true meiitlian.

So that the trne cosrfe and cii'ance from NorritonObfervatory to Philadelphia
Obfervatory in a ftrait tine, NE is S. jS'', 23'. 33" E. 147^2336 chains.

Then R^d. 10. - - - -

To cofme of 38''. 22'. 33" ^. 8Q'tz9;3

As NE 14-^,2336 3. -6915^1

To NS, truediiF. oflat. 1157,3013 3. 0634464

And Rad. 10, - - - -

To fiae of 38*^. 2z'. 33" 9. 7929637

As Nl:.. 1476,2336 3. 1691551

To SE true difF. of long. 916,4713 2. 9621 iS8

Thus we have-
Chains. Feet.
Norriton Obfervatory, 7 North, 1 1 57,3o-=7638 !,8=: ' 2'. 35",7 diff. of lat.
from Phiiad. Obferv. 5 Weft, 0.6,47=60487,02=00'. 52'^ of time=l5''
diff. of longitude=9',95 of a great circle, or geogra-
phical miles.

But the Obfervatory in the State-"^ Chains. Feet.
Houfe fquare, with refpeft to the 1 N, 40,0685 = 2644,5= 26'', 16 diiF. late
fouth point of the city of Phiiad. (to /•

which Meffi-s. Mafon & Dixon refer ( W. 28,7695 = 1898,8= i'/,6 of time.
their Obfervations,) is, -^

Wherefore Norriton Obfervatory, with refpefl to the fouthermoft point of
Philadelphia is. Chains Feet.

North, 1157,30 +40,0685=1197,3685=179026,3 - 13'. 01 ',86 diff. of lat;
Weft, 9<6,47 +28,7695= 945,2395 ^62385,8=00'. 53'',6 of time.

Hence, by the above meafurefnent and work, we get Nor-
riton Oblervatory c^i" of time Weft of the Obfervatory in
the State-houfe fquare ; which is exa6V y what we got, by
that excellent element, the external cont ah of Mercury with
the Sun November 9:h, 1769. The internal co- tii^ gave it
fomerhing more ; owing no doubt to the difference; that will
arife among obfervers, in determining the exact moment when
the thread of light is compleated ; and the mean of all our
other obfervations, gives the difference of meridians, beiwc. n
Norriton and Philadelphia, only 4^ of time more than the ter-

o h rellrial

lo APPEND rx to the

reftrial meafurement, and the external contafl of Mercury gave
it, which may be taken as a very great degree of exaftnefs for
celeftial obfervations i if we confider that the difference of.,
meridians, between the long eilablifhed obfervatories oi Green-
wich and Paris^ as Mr. De La Lande writes, November
1 8th, 1762, was not then determined within 10" of time.
For he fays " fome called it 9'. 15'^ j others 9'. \o" -., but
" that he himfelf commonly uled 9'. 2^^, though he could
" not tell on what obfervations founded." And it m ly be
needlefs to add that a fhort diifance is as liable to the dif-
ferences arifing from the ufe of inlVruments in celeftial obfer-
vations, as a greater one. Neverthelefs, if we apply the dif-
ference of meridians between Philadelphia and Norriton, got by
this meafurement (viz. 52^^ inftead of s^" ^) to the Kcvd.
Mr. Ewing's coUedion of Jupiter's fateilites, (p. 57), rejecSting
thofe ol- the 2d fat. and alfo the imm^rfions of May 5th, as too
near the oppofition, we fhall get Philadelphia, 5h. o' . 37^'',
and Norriton, 5^. 1'. 29''', Weft from Greenwich. This refult'is
■what ought to arife from a diminution of 4^^ of time in the dif-
ference ot meridians, by dividing that difference, and bring-
ing; the one meridian ^" more Weft,, and the other 1." more
E^aft ', and we believe future obfervations will confirm this as.
exceeding near the truih.

Tfie latitude of Norriton comes out, by the meafurement,

2.5^09 lefs North, with refpeft tj the vSouthermoft point of-

the city of Philadelphia, than Mr. Rittenhoufe\ obfervations

give it \ and if the latitude of that point of the city be taken,

as fixed by Mcffrs. Mafon and Dixon, at 39°. 56'. 29'''',4 then

thii VblX.. of Norriton (neglecting fraftions of Icconds) will be

4,0*^. 9'. 3 i^ inftead of 40*^. 9'. ^^6'^ However, as both were

fixed by celeftial Obfervations, atid by experienced men, the

fmall difference ought perhaps to be divided ; and if a mean

be taken to reconcile it with the terreftrial meafure, the lat.

of the fouth point of Philadelphia would be 39°, ^6^, ^2" \

and that of Norr'iton 40*^. 9'. 43''''. But, as Mr; kittenhoufe

had only Siffon's two and an half feet Quadrant, and Mcffrs.

Mnfon2t.v\A Dixon were furniftied with a compleat aftronomical

Sedtor, and did their work to fix the lines of two provinces,

it

Astronomical Papers, &c, h

it may be thought that their determination is mod to be relied
on. Nevertheifls, the whole difference of 25^ in the celeftiai
arc is fo inconfidtrable, as not to give 40 chains on the furtace
of the Karth.

All the refults in the above work are c^or, without any fcn-
fible error, by plain trigonometry, as the d,iterent arcs are fo
very fm.ill. In etlimating the length of a degree, to deduce
the difference of "latitude between the two Oblervatorles, the
fpheroidal figure ot the Earth was taken into confideration ;
and the degree meafured by LMeffrs. Malbn andDixon, in mean
latitude 39^* \2'^ = ^6^y']i feet, was made the ftandard, which
being lengtheed in the ratio of 59,7866 to 59,8035 gave
363874 for a degree of the meridian in the mean latitude be-
tween Philadelphia and Norriton, which is only 103 feet more
than the deg. in lat.- 39°. 12', and makes but a fradion
of- a fecond difference in tne latitude, fo that it might have been
difrcfjardcd. With refpeft to feconds of time in longitude, no
fcnfible difference can be obtained in the Imall diffance of
about II miles, whether we confider the earth as afphcre
or fphcroid.

In bringing out the 52''' of time diff". of long, a degree of
the equator was taken in proportion to Mcflrs. Mafon and
Dixon's deg. of the merid. in lat. 39'', 12, in the ratio of 60 to
59,7866, (agreeable to Mr. Simpfon's table) which gave 365070
for a degree of the equator. By taking a degiee of loncitude
as fixed at the middle point by Mr. Majke^.yne in lat. 38^.
27'- 2)5" -> 3"^ faying as the cofine of that lar. is to cofine of
mean latitude between Philadelphia and Norriton, fo is the
length of a degree of long, at the middle point (viz. 284869,5
feet) to the length of a deg. in mean lat. between Norriton
and Philadelphia, the refult was got 52^13 -, being only thir-
teen hundredth "parts oi a fecond of time more.

The above account of the work was thought proper, that
tlofe who win take the trouble may examine and cor red: it,
if in any part neceflary.

Philadelphia, Augujl ij, 1770. WILLIAM SMITH.

obi To

j.*^' -A P P E N D I X to the

^0 the American Philosophical Society, 'held at Phila-
delphia, for promoting ufeful knowledge.

Gentlemen,

AGREEABLE to the order of laft Meeting, we have col-
lefled into one general and fhort view (from the laft, or
59th vol. of the Philof. 1 ranfaftions), the following Account
of the different Obfervations of the late Tranfit of Venus made
in Europe and other diftant places •, containing the Apparent
Times of the contacts •, the latitude and longitude of the
places of obfervation, fo far as known to us, with fuch other
circumftances, as we judged proper for anfwering the end you
had in view ; namely the affording materials to perfons of a
*urious and mathematical turn, who might be defirous of en-
quiring what Pa li ALL AX of the Sun, may be deduced from a
comparifon of thefe diftant Obfervations, with thofe made in
this Province, by your appointment. We are, &c.

■^ William Smith, Hugh Williamson,
Nov. i6//y, 1770, > John Ewing, Thomas Combe,

J Ovten Biddle, D. Rittenhouse.

Apparent Tijnes of the Contacts of the Limbs of tie SUN and
VENUS ; with other Circu?nftancis of mojl Note, in the
different European Observations of the TRANSIT,
June 3^, I 769.

MIDDLE TEMPLE. Lat. 51°. 30'. 50" N. Long. 25" of Time * Weft.
By Mr. Horsfall, with a Gregorian RefleiHcr ; mag. power 100 times.

H. m. fee.

7. II. 5t: A Penumbra obfencd to ftrike into O's limb. At 8'' more, viz.

7. II. 15J $ had made a vifible dent near the Acrtex of o's limb.

7. 28. 49J: Internal ContaiSl. The light jurt clofing round ? .

SHIRBURN CASTLE, the Seat of Lord M<7ff/«>/^. Lat. ri°. 39'. 22"^

Long. 3'. 57" Weft
7. 7. 4 Ext. contaifl PBy Mr. Bartlet, Lord MacclesJieUh Obferver ; with
7. 25. 26 Internal ditto S '-f ^^et Refrador, m?.g. power 60 times.

C Internal contaft, by Lord MacchsfieU ; judged by the thread of
7. 25. 28^ <d light clofing round ?. With a treble objed glafs Refrador
C 3i f. power 150 times.

-, 15. i6?^Internal Contact, by Lady Macclesfield, with a 6 f . Refrndnr.

OXi-ORD

• The cliflerent longitudes are fct do-.vn in time, V.-^d or Weft with vcfpetSt to the
Royal Ubfsrvatory ot" Grctnv/ich, us tlic fiift raeridiau.

Astronomical P a ^ e: r s, &c, 13

OXFORD. Lat. 51". 45'. 15'

ir.
7-

m. fee.

Part of Venus's diameter entered on the Sun
He judges the Ext. Contaft to have hap
pened a few feconds fooner than this,
7- 23. 16 Reg. circumferences in contad.

. (cc. C

N. Long. 5*. 4" Weft.

-J By Mr. Homfby^

7: 24. 13

'Int. Cont. judged of by the compietion of
the thread of light. Aijout 10" later than
this, viz. yh. 24'. 23". the thread of
X J lieht appeared in breadth = ,^ of j s
diam. lb that he concludes the true Inter-
nal Cont aSi was about 1' fooner, viz, at
yh. 23'. 15''. ? 's diam. meafured, on a

Sav. Prof. Aftr,
The Hxt. Cont.
with a 12 Re-
frafl-or. Power68

The Int. Contadl
with a double
obje£b glafs Re-
fractor 7^ feet
power 90 times.

^ mean of fix meafures, 58*',!.

7. 6. 1 2

7. 24. 28

7. 6. o

7. 24. 22

Ext. ContaA certainly pafied, ^ By Mr. Zaf^^J ofiWw-Co//i?^^s
having perceived a fmall im- s with a 6 f . Acrom, Telef.
prefllon feveral feconds fooner. 3 power 60.

Int. Contaifl, thread of light en-
tirely compleated.

By Mr. Clare of St. John's Col.
lege, with the fame Telefcope.

? fomewhat entered 'jBy Mr. Syhs of Brazen- Noje

Int. Contaift, or thread of light > College, with 3I f, Acro-
compleated. J> matic Telefcope.

6.
24.

6.

24.

6.
24

5-
24.

8 Ext. Contaft.
25 Thread of light compleat.

"By Mr Shuckbmgh of Baliol Cell, who
thinks that at 7h, 23'. 16" the center
of ? was removed more than half
her diam. from © 's limb, and that
the true Inter^nal Contad was then
adlually pafTed, He thinks at lead
8*' or 10" are to be allowed for the
completion of thread of light.

44 Ext. Contaifl
I 5^* Internal ditto

29 Ext. Contaa ^ j^ ^.^^.^
loi Internal ditto \ ' •' *

By Mr. mkitin of 5/. Mary Hall, )

Both with
fmall Te-
lefcopes.

39
28

In'ternaTdftto %^^ Samuel Horjley^ LL. B. with an 1 8 inch Refleflor,

KEW

* When there are fni(Itions o£ feconJs, it is not to be imagined that feconds were di-
vided in pronounciog the times of" the conta<fts by the clocks ; but the fira«aions arift in
applying the equation to redsce mean into apparent time.

i4

APPENDIX to the

H.

m.

7.

9-

7-

lO.

fee. ^ _ KEW. 1'. 74" Weft.

59 A fudden boiling or tremor on O's limb.
7 A fmall Indent, and fignal given for A'at/. Conta£i.
C Limbs tangential, but ? quite enteied on Q,
j5 g 3 though iHU joined to his limb bv a flender !►
'' * "^ tail or ligament, but not fo black as her

V difc.
7. 28. 1 7. The tail vaniflied fuddenly.

" By Dr. Be VIS,
with a 3^ feet
Refl-aor of 6
inches aperture,
and a magnify-
ing power of
1 20 times.

10.
29.

SPITAL SQUARE. Lat. 5i«>. 31'. 15" Long. 17' W.

4'^ Ext cor.taa -^^X .^'■- Canton, with a Telefcope magnifying 95
ici Internal' do ' I ""'^^' ^ '" ^^^^' 59" ^n a mean of 4 meafures.
J O's

5^

'$ diam. 31'. 35 1

At i3h.
Or 9,

co'. o per clock,
2. 27 app. time.

HAMMERFOST ISLE, (in Danifh Lapland) near the North-Cape of Europe.
Lat. 70*'. 38'. 22", 5 N. long. ill. 34' 55''. E.

— — — — Ext. cont. at Tngrefs not feen, by reafon of clouds; but

1 Mr. Jeremiah Dixon (who conduded this Obfer-
vaiion,with a 2 f.RePiCiflor) had an inftantaneous
view of the Sun through a thin cloud ; when
Venus feemedcompleatly cnteied,but no thread
of light ; the air at this time very hazy, and
J the Sun was immediately hid again in a cloud.

N. B. Mr. Dixon's clock was kept nearSideiial time, and as fhe appears
at the noon of June 3d, to be 4h. 46'. ■}," faller than appare t time, gaining
thereof 3' 59 ',6 per day, fhe was at the time of the above hafty giimpfe of
the internal contaft, 4h. 47-'. 3 3" faller than apparent time.

ISLE MAGGERCE, (near the North Cape of Europe) Lat. 71'
long, ih, 44. 6" of time Eall.

47'

N.

14.
14.

iftCont not feen, the Sun being in a cloud. "^ By Mr. Bayley, af-

fiftant Oblerver at

2 ? 's outer limb in cont. withe's limb, but

^ flill joined by a black protuberant ligam.

56 The ligament broke ; but the air very red

and hazy, and in 10" or 11;" ? appeared

^'^th part of her diameter within O's limb.

theRoyalO ifrrva-
tory, Greenwich ;
with a 2 feet Re-
fledor.

LEICESTER ; Lat. 52®. 37'. y) N. long, not "J beg. of 0 eel. i8h. 35'. 21V
given; but may be deduced from J end of do. - - 20- 2 1 . 2.

7.
25.

I Ext. cont."? By Rev. Mr. Ludlam, with a triple Objed Glafs acrom.
9 int. ditto,-) Telefcope of j3 f inches ; its mag. power 54 times.

QpEBEC

, Astronomical Papers, ^c» 15-

QUEBEC, viz. Capt. Holland's Houfe, S. 56 . W. of the Caftle of St. Lewis

2 2 miles,
H. m, fee. Lat. 46^'. 47', 17'-'. N long. ^h. 44/. 4,". w.
2- 3°' 3 1 I ft Ext. con taa -) By ^azwa^/ i7o//a«^, Efq; Surveyor General"

— iftlnt. do. miffed > of the Northern Difcrid of America.

in a cloud. J With a DoUond's Refraftor.
The external contaft was likewife obferved at the fame inftant, viz. at
2h. 30'. 3"i. apparent time, by Mr. St. Germaiaof the Seminary of ^ehec,
with a 2 feet Refledlor of Short's.

The above latitude of Capt Holland's place of Obfervations, is taken from
a mean ofleveral refultsofthe latitude, deduced by himfelf. He has not de-
duced his lonjitude, but he has given the following Eclipfes of Jupiter's firfl
Satellite for that purpofe, oblerved with his Dollond's Refractor, viz.
1769. Immerfions ; Appar. time. Emerfions. Appar. time.

March II. i4h. 50^47^^,7 May 28. i4h. 5'.44'^7

April 3. 15. 7. 24 June 6. 10. 28. 2^6

19. 13. 27. 41,5

By a ff»fa« of the above three immerfions, compared with the Nautical AU'
manac, and applying. the correction which, (by the immernons obferved at
Greenwich,) the Almanac feems to requiie at this time, the difterence of me-'
ridians of Greenwich and Capt. Holland's Obfervatory is 4h. 44^ 35'/.

By a mean of the two emerfions, compared with the Almanac, and apply-
ing the neceflary correftion, the difference of meridians is, 4h. 44^ 47-".

The meanof thefe two refults, viz. 411. 44/. 41-'/ is the longitude fet down
above.

ISLE COUDi^ ; Lat. 47°. 17'. oo"- N, long.E. of Quebec, 3'. 6".
or 4h. 41'. 26'-/ W. of Greenwich.
2. 32, 56 A fmall imprefllononQ'j limb n

ext. cont. a few feconds part, j By Mr. Wright, Deputy Sur-
2. 50. 19 ? complcatly round; or regu • vcyor of the Northern Dif-

lai circumferences in contad;. f ■ -^ '• »
2. 50. 50 thread of light compleated ; or
internal coniaft.

tridl of America ; with a
two fset Refleftor,

SWEDISil OBSERVATIONS.
CAJANEBURG ; Lat. 64°. 13'. 30'. N. long. ih. 50'. 47". E. of Greenw.

9. 20. 4CX 111 int. contaa ; lig."^ By Men f. Planman , with a 20 f. Refrac
^ ^'^ ' -^ tor. He mifTed the ifte.xt. contad in a

cloud, ard after the ift int. con tad a-
night of th'jnder and ftorm enfued ;
yet, next morning, a little afiTer the zd

jult breaking

35. 32. 27 2A ext. contad ; or
total egrefs, ©
fhining extremely
bright.

int. contad, the Sun Ihone out, and
gave him an opportunity of obferving"
the total egrefs to great fatisfadionj
at the time marked in the margin.

STOCKHOLM 1

i6 A P P E M D I X to i^e

STOCKHOLM ; Lat. 59**. 20'. 30'-'. N, long, ih, 12'. zb" E,

ft. m. fee.

8. 24. 8 ifl ext. contafl, ■> By Monf. Ferner, wuh a 10 feetacromat.
8. 41- 48 lit int. ditto. j telcfcope mag. power 90 times.

8, 24. 5 ift ext. cont. 1

3. 41. 2 Regular circumfer-
ences in contaft

•^ The ligament broke
8. 41. 45 ^ &? appeared fome

J v/hat within O •

>Monf. IVilcke, with if feet Refledor.

8.23.51 Fxt. contaa. _ 7 Monf. ^^r^.«/««, with

8. 41. 32 Circumferences in contaft internally. > ^i f R f ad r
i8. 41. 47 Internal contaft; the ligamenc broke. -^ ' ^' ^*

UP3AL ; Lat. 59". 51'. 50". N. long. W. of Stockholm i' 40"; or
ih. 10', 46' E. oi Greett-wich.

Ext. contaft not fcen. )

8. 39. 58 Regular circumferences in contaft. f Monf. Stroer$er with a

7 Ii^'- contadi, the ligament broke £nd ^ 3 f . Rsfledor.
8. 40. 32^ circumferences feparated. 3

8. 2t. I External conta£l. , Monf. MelanJefj

8. 39. 57 Circumferences in contafl internally. ^ with a 20 f.

8. 40. 12 Threadof light compleaied, or internal contadl. \ Refrador.

. - - . _ Ext. contad not feen. ? Monf 5fr^/«a«, with a

8. 40. 9 The ligament broke at the internal contad. 5 21 f. Re fr alitor.

8. 22. 12 External contad, '^Monf. Pro/perin, with a i5

8. 40. 12 Internal ditto, the ligament broke. 5 f. Refrador.

8. 22. 15 Ext. contad ; a didind dent inQ's Hmb^j^^^^^ 5^/m«., mth
8. 39. 46 Regular circumferences in contact. *> f n » «

8. 40. 15 Thread of light compleated,orint.contad3 ^ '^ ^' ^"'■^"o*'-

GLASGOW; Lat. 55°. 51'. 32". N. Long, reckoned 17'. 11".* Weft.

6. 54. 31,4 External contad. ^

■^Internal contad ; judged by the (By Dr. Wtl/on, Prof. Aftr.

7 . II. 5 6, 7 > completion of the thread of light t in theCollege of Gla/gow,

3 round ? )

6. 54. 28 External contad. 1 By Dr. William/on and Dr. Reedt

7. 10. 24 reg. circumferences judged throwing the Q's image of about

in contad. fix inches diameter, on white pa-

7. 12. 24 Int. cont. judged by the] per, into a dark room ; through a

Doilond's Refrador of 2.; inches
focus.

External

completion of the thread
of light round ? .

■ Sec P. ^9- Some Eclipfes of Jupiter's Satellites for the further afcertaining the
Icngitude of Glifgow, in rcfpc(Sl of the Royal Obfcrvatory, Greenwich.

^1^
Astronomical Papers, &e. ij

H.

m.

itc.

6.

54-

28

7-

12.

^4

Ext. contaft. "^By Mr. Wil/on, (Son of Profe/Tor

Int. cent. Thread oMight ^ IVil/on.) with a Refle(5t. of if. of
compleated. -^ Short's..

N. B Dr. Wilfon writes, that his fon thinks, he would have given the ex-
ternal contaft 8"fooner, had he been obferving apart ; but was kept in doubt
whether the impreffion he firft faw was really ? on ©, by finding that Dr,
Williamfon and Dr. Reid had not then obferved any impreffion. The internal
contact, he adds, was noted by his fon, without any knowledge of the time
given by the other two.

HAWKHILL; the Seat of Lord Akmoor \ Lat. 55«'. 57/. 30'''. N. long

I 2/. 45/-'. Weft.

6. 59. 48^ Ext.cont.jg ,^^j^^ with an 18 inch Refleaor.

7. 16. 47q: Int. do. J '

6. 59. ^5J . Ext. cont. ") By Mr. James Hoy; with a i\ feet Acromatic
7 16. 505^ Int. do. J Telcfcope. Power 150 times.

?6 C2 Int * do" i ^y ■^'^' •^'*^' with a z feet Refledor. Power 100.

Dr. Lind writes, that he fufpefls all their external contafls at this place were
too late. The internal contads were all carefully judged of by the com-
pletion of the thread of light round $ , and the time accurately noted down.
The above latitude of Hawkhill, which lies about \\ mile N,E, of Edin-
burgh i- given from Dr. Lind's latelt observations ; and the longitude (viz.
\2i 45// of time) is taken from a mean of two refults, deduced by the Aftro-
nomer Royal from Dr. Lind's obfervation of the eclipfe of the Moon in Dec,
1769. The longitude of Hawkhill may be further deduced from the end of the
Solar eclipfe obferved there June 3d, 1769, which was at 2oh. iq^ 4^'^
apparent lime.

KIRKNEWTON ; Lat. <J5°. 54^ 30^/. N.

H. m. fee.

7. 14. 28I Internal contaft. Judged of by the completion of the thread of
light. This obfervarion was made by the Revd. Mr. Brjce. He did not fee
the external contad ; nor has he fixed the longitude of his place of obferva-
tion. He fays it is 17 miles W. of Hawkhill. But the long, may be deduced
pretty near the truth from the end of the Solar eclipfe, which was obferved
here at 2oh. 18''. 23^ • apparent time.

GIBRALTAR ; Lat. 36°. 4'. 44/'. N.

6. CI. 8 Ext. cont."?p y. ^ cv- ^•
-'o T .. . f By Lieut, fardtue.

7. 8. 21 Int. cont.J ' ■^

The longitude of this place is not fixed ; but for fixing the fame Mr. Jar-
dine gives the following obfervations, viz. 1

June 8th, ifl fat. emer. gh. 22'. 34''-' clock i', \t"\ beforemean time.

15th, iflfat.emer.il. 15. C4i clock i. 28 before mean time.

25th, 3d fat. emer. 11. 59. 56 clock i. 44 before mean time.

Of CAMBRfDGE.

i8

APPENDIX to the

z

2. 47

CAMBRIDGE, New-England ; Lat. 42'. 25'. long. 4h. 44/. Weft.

30. 4 Ext. cont.l By John Winthrop, Efq; F. R. S, Hollifian Profeflbr
o Int. do. 3 of Mathematics.

He makes O's horizontal diameter at 9 in the Biorning=3i'. 35''',2 ; and
5 's diameter 5 8'-',6, the leaft dillance of'lhe centers c^'. ^()^',j ; io that the
true duration of the ingrefs (hould be 18'. 56'''; but this being contraaed at
Cambridcye 15" by panillaxe leaves \%'../^\'', and therefore bethinks the ift
contafl h^ppened'nearly i^ 15'''. before the impreffion was difcovered by him.
The time of the neareft approach of the centers he makes at 5 h. 37^; all ap. time.

Mr. Winthrop, with a power of the great Telefcope, magnifying 260 times
could perceive no fuch dufkineh round ^ when on O, as he favv at the inter-
ral contact, nor that imperfed light whWh Mr. Dunn mentions in refpeA to
the Tra- fitof 1761. He gives the above longitude as ^xar the truth ; but for
the better fixing his longitude, he adis th- following eclipfes o'f Jupiter's fa-
teliites, as obferved at Cambridge, Ntw-England, viz.

;768. Apparent Time. lilSat. 1769 Apparent Time. iflSat.

April 25-' 9h-i3'-52" May 14. ioh.19'. 7^/

May iS. 9. 27. 27 Aug. 23. 7. 31. 50

June 10. 9.

July 3. 9- 45- 54

June 7.

■5

2d Sat.

II. m. fee.

7- 3S- 43
7- 3S. 33
7- 38 43J

FRENCH OBSERVATIONS.

PARIS.

fM. liiejjier, with an acromatic Telefcope, I2f. foe.

^ aperture, jI inch. Power iSo.

UnC. Cont. <i _ _ ^ _ ■

M. DuSricur, -^ ^^,j^j^ ^^^^jj^^ Telefcopes.

M. Lajfnn the Son. j ^^

M E U T E, near Paris.
7. 38. 45 Int. cont. r MelT. <?> JoA't/y/, .5«/V|;', Z)^ .^(i>',7, and two Opticians.

ROYAL OBSERVATORY of PARIS . Lat. 48'^. 50A 14". N.Long.

9/. i6".Eail.
-. 38. c ^ ■) fM. Cajpui de '■Thury.~^ox\\ with 'A feet Acromatic Te-

/• ?^- 57 Mn:. cont. i_ Duke ^/^ C^'tja//2tf.f, j lefcopes of DoUond.
7. 58. 50 J lA.MuraldL with a 3 f. do. made at Paris..

St. If U B E R T.
7. 38. 51 Int. contaft. M. Le Ma/inhr.

BORDEAUX.

7. 38. 50 Int. contaft. M. Fcguere.

B R E S

■7. 38. 58 Int. conta£\. ^L Fcduv,

hW

A S T R O N O M I C A L P A P K ^ S, Uc. l<j

All the above Obiervations of the /;.'/c/-«<7/ Cc/A'ji?, are r'^Juced tc* the tirnf-
of the Roya! Obfervatory cf Paris, allo\\ing for tiie ciffersnceof ineridians, ^-c,

I J. B. The External Cci.taSi was miffed by all the French Obfervers, the Sun
beinj in a cloud. Monl. Mejjer meafured the diameter of $ , and found the
greaiell meafure ^bi^ \ ; and liis lealt 53"*.

CAPE FRANCOIS; Lat. 19^.47/. Long, not given.

H. n. fee.

2. 26. 12 Ext. cont.-) »T /- n- ' -.u ■' • T" I /-

T J C Monf. Pm^rt, with a c r. acromatic Teiefcope.

2. .^4. 44 Int. do. J -^ ' 5 ^

M A R T I N I C O.

3. 15. 14 Ext. cont.-, By a MiiTionary. Neither latitude ncr longitude
'3- 33- 57 i'lt. do, j given.

AUSTIN FRIARS, London : 3". of time Eaft of St. Paul's * -, that is i8"5

Weft of Grcemvich,
o r T? .. . ^Mr. Aubert, wich a 2 f. Refieftor : povi-er no. He

7. 10. 2S i bxt. cont. / r \ \i, c i_ ■ tar l • - .

.' * T J V fays that 6" after the time marked for the iiit.

7. 20. 00 i Int. do. \ ^ o 1 1- . r^> 1- u 1 J

' -* 3 contact the hgnt ot 0 s limb was compleated.

WINDSOR CASTLE; Lat. 51°. i8a 15'^. N. Long^z^ 24^^|\V.

~\ By Mr. Horn's, Mathematical Mailer of ChriU's
7. ^'. 29 I Ext. cont. C Hofpital ; with an i S inch Reiiedor of Scroit's,
7. 26. 37 i Inter, do. C Power 55 times. 5 's diameter he makes ^()''l ;

•^ 0's diameter 31^. ^z^-'

EAST DEREHAM, Norfolk ; l.at. 52'^. 40'.

-^By Rev. Mr. JVallaJlon; who likewife obferveJ the
7. 14; 54^ Ext. cont. > Beginning of Q's eclipfe at i 81i. 44A '},g''
^ End of the fame at - - 20. 30. 23'

J^. S. The following Lid of Correfpondent Eclipfes of Jupiters hrfc Satellite
are given, for the better afcertaining the ditrereuce of Meridians of Greenwich
and Glafgow.

GLASGOW OBSERVATORY.
1762. Apparent Time.

Sept. II. Im. I oh. 5 5 .3 3-"^ -^
Oct. 4. Im. II. 13. 22 a C good.
1763. Nov. I. Im. g. 28. 2g ^j
1765. Dec. 22. Im. I 5. 54. 25 indifferent.

The above cbfervations we.i-e made by Dr. Wllf'.n, with a Refle£lor of
Short's of 18 inches.
J762. Apparent Time. Corresponding Observations.

Sept. II. Im. I ih. \z\\i>)Surry-Jireet, 2 f . ReBeaor ; by Mr. Majkehne.
Oct. 4. Im. 1 1. 31. x^Surrv-jireet, 2 feet Refiedor ; obferved by
1763. Nov. I. Im. 9. 45. 25 j Mw Short.

1765.Dec.22. Im.i6. 12. 19 Greenixich, 6 f. Refle£lor ; by "Mt. Mafielyne.

N. B.
* St. Paul's London is zj// i AFefl: of the Royal Obfervatory ; and its hticude
51°. joA j^^Ji.
N. B. The lat. of the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, is 51°. i8'. n".

20

A P P E N BIX to the

N. B. Mt. Sht>ft''s houCe'm Surrj-J?reef, where three of thefe four Obferva-
tions were made, is 26" 4 of time Weft of Greenwich. By comparing the-
three firft Obfervations in each of the above lifts, making an allowance of
4^' i or time for the diirerence of the two Refledtors ; Glafgow Obfervatory
conies out fy'. 10" Weft ot Mr. Short s houl'e in Surry-ftreet, or 17'. 36'^' i.
of time Weft of the Royal Obfervatory. But in the above lift it is only reckon-
ed 17''. II'". Weft. By an immediate comparifon of the two immerfions of
Dec. zzd, allowing 20^^ of time for the difference of aperture of the 6 feet Re-
flcdor, and the Refleftor of 1 8 nches, Glafgo^v will come out 17/. 34'^ Weft
of Greenwich ; agreeing within 2^/ with the refuU obtained from the three
former Obfcrvations.

The livo following Papers Jhould ha-ve been inferted immediately after the Pennfyl-

<vania Objer'vations of the Tr unfit of Venus, had they come to hand in time,

ijiz.
1. An Account of the Contaas of the limbs of VENUS and the SUN, June 5^,

l-6q,as ohfer^ed by the Right Hon. WILLIAM £W o/" STIRLING, at bis

Jeat at Bafienridge, Neiv ferjey.

Lat. 40°. 40''. N. Long. 4^. 58. of time Weft.
Apparent Time.
2h iS-*. 00" Fi^difcovery of the ext.. contad at the ingrel«.
2. 34 !2 Total ingrefs.

The above account is extraded from his Lordftiip's letter of June 29th.
1770, to the Revd. Dr. Smith, Provoft o:" the College of Philadelphia, and
wa^ communicited to the -ociety, July 20th folIo.NJng, together with his
Lordftiip's obfcrvations of the Comet, which are inferted below. He writes,
that he had no opportunities of making any other obfcrvations, refpeding the
'Tranfit of Venus except the contaib, and tluit his clock was properly regulated.

2. Obfer'vation cf the Contaas of the limbs o/' VENUS and /-^f SUN,
June 3/7', ■• 769, made by Mr. William Poolf , at Wilmington., in Ptnnjylvania.

Lat. * 39<>. 4-f-'. 3''. N Long 5h. zl . g". W,
Extrafted from a letter to Mr. Ozuen Bidd/e, and communicated to twe.
Society, Dec. 2Xft, 1770.

1 With a Refraftor of 1 2 f. Magnif, ing power
about. 50 times. Mr- Poole thinks the ex-
Apparent Time. i '^'■"^.' ^"'''''^} ^f (■"'^^"'' ^''^"<^' ^"'"'■^
2ll.i2'.43"; ift Ext. contaft. L,'^^ "'^^ "^^^^'"'^ >" '^' '^"'[S"'-. ^ ,
z. 30. 20 i ift Jnt. ditto. 1 The„,temal con ait was taken juft as the
•^ I Sun 3 light bef^an to luriound the Plaret.;
I though his limb was not vifible beyond
J the Planet, till a fecond or two aftervvaids.

To

' Mr. Pos/f had no opportunity of afccrtaining the latitude or longitude of Wilming-
lOn l>y c<;leftiil obfcrvations, Init they are both to be ;j,ot with fuffic'cnt cxa(£tnefs from
Mr. middle's mcafurcment between New-Ciftle and die Philadelphia Obfervatory,
p. 91. From tliai mL.-.fuvcmcnt, we get W^ilmin^tou Weft of Philidtlphia Obit-rv„tory
6741 I perchei=i-/. 38",8 dilf. of meridians, or"i/. i.i,"6 of time; and South o; the
fiine 473X i peri-lieszriz' 51 /,6 diff. of latitude. Whence the latitude and longitude
of Wilmington in rcfpeilt to Greenwich, are as above fet down. W^ SMJiH.

* AsRONOMiCAL Papers, &c. 21

7(5 //&e American Philosophical Society, held at Philadel-
phia for promoting ufeful Kfwwled^e.

Gentlemen, . ^

I TAKE the liberty of communicating to yon an improve-
ment in the contlru6lion of Godfrey's double reflecting
Quadrant, which I have difcovered about two years ago, which
may be offervice to fuch as ufe that excellent inftrument. The
greatefl: inconveniencies arifing from the former conftrudtion of
it a^ie owing to the badntfs of the glafTcs. the planes not being
ground parallel to each other, and to its (landing in need of a
new and careful adjuftment almoil every time it is uied. Both
thefe imperfe(51:ions,r apprehend, are thoroughly removed by
the new conftru^ion propofed. I have heard, that Mr. Wil-
liam Grant, an ingenious Mathematician of London had alfo
made fome improvement in that inftrument ^ but I had not
heard it beiore eighteen months had elapfed, after I had per-
fcdced my demor.llration cfit, and fpoke to the workman to
conllrudt it accordingly.

As the propofed alteration makes the inilrument capable of
affording a number of obfervations, the unavoidable errors
arifing from them may be greatly leffened, by taking a mean
of them : So that angles may be meafured by it with much
greater precifion than can be attained by the common qua-
drants. This will make it peculiarly ftrviceable for findinor
the longitude at lea, trom the obierved diftance of the Moon
from the Sun, or from a known ftar n< ar her path. For unlcfs
this diftance is mccifured accurately, it will occafion a confider-
able error in the deduced longitude.

That the inftrument mw anfwer thcfe purpofes, it is de-
figned that the a ch ihall contain an hundred and twenty whole
degrees, anci be numbered from the middle to 120 both ways,
and that inftead of one Ctniralfpeculum two fhould be affixed
to the indtx, and inclined to each other in an angle of 60 de-
crees. When they are once adjufted to this inclination, let
them be icrewed faft by the inftrument- maker.

Now

22 APPENDIX to the ^^-

Now the hirgenefs of the arch wiii enable us to meafure much
gi later angles than can be meafured by the fore obfervation of
the common Oitant. If the Sun be within 30 degrees of the
^nith, thc^.oubie Sextant will give his altitude either above
the fouthern or northern horizon, as may be moft convenient;
or for the lake of greater precifion, both may he'tahen in the
fame manner as by the fore obfervation •, and then half the
difference between their fum and i Go degrees, being added to
the lefier altitude v;hen the f.im is lefs than iSo degrees, or
fubtraded from ir, when greater, will give his true altitude
from nearelt horizon giiore accurately than eitlier of them fc-
parately could give it. This may be do:-;e by one central fpe-
culum alone and one half of the arch. The fame may be re-
peated by the otht^r, and the m.e?.n of all the four obfervations
taken as ilill nearer to the truth. IJereby the error of acljui!:-
mcntis taken away, and that of the obfervations leflened. Or
thefe errors may be corrected by the mean of four obfervations,
when only one horizon can be made ufe of, in the follov/ing
manner. Let the altitude be taken in the common v/ay, as
by afore obfervation, by one central fpeculum and noted ; let
the index be pufiied flill farther along the arch and the image
ct the Sun will again be brought down to the horizon by the
oth-er central fpeculum, which affords another obfervation of
the altitude to be noted alfo •, counting from tlie end of the
arch wtv.i to the obferver in the firft cafe, and from the middle
<-.fit in the hitter. Then let the arch of the inftrument be
held upv/ards and the center dov;n wards, and the index be
moved the contrary way; this will give tv;o other altitudes.
The mean of any two of thefe obfervations that depend on the
fame glaiies gives the true altitude free from the abovemention-
cd errors. The fame may be faid of taking any other angles.

The inverting cf the inftrument is not necefiary in taking
angles, when it is indifferent which of the objeds is brought
to the other by reflection \ as in meafuring the diftance between
two ilar?. But when one of the objefts is brighter than the
otiier, it is necefiary to bring the brighter to the other by re-
flexion, in that cafe it is necelfary to invert the double fextant.
In oilier ca'cs it will be found more convenient to make allthe
oblcrvations, by only moving the index both ways.

WHEJf

Astronomical Papers, iBc, 23

When the diftanceof two objecfls is continually changing,
and expedition is necefiary in the obfervacion •, two or more
pieces ofbrafs fnould be made to Aide on the arch of the in-
llrument, that the degrees noted by the index may be marked,
by bringing one of them up to the index and fcrewing it fad to
the arch, where it muft remain, untill all the obiervations are
mnde. In the fame manner may all the obiervations but the
lad be marked j that no time may be loft in reading off the de-
grees and minutes and writmg them down. When the ob-
iervations are compleatcd, they may be read off, by bringing
the index clofe up to the abovcmentioned pieces, and written
down at leiiure.

That the moving the index backwards, will give the alti-
tude of the Sun or (tar above the horizon, when the arch hano-s
downwards, v/ill appear very evident, by confidering, that
the image of the Sun is brought down to the horizon, by
pufhing the index from the obferver, and confequently tlic
image of the horizon is alfo funk as much below the true hori-
zon ; therefore, when the index is moved in a contrary direc-
tion or towards the obferver, the image of the. horizon is
thereby railed up to the Sun In the Heavens, and their dif-
tance is (hewn on the arch. But as it is requifite to brinar the
image of the Sun to the horizon, by moving the index both
v^ays, this is effe(Sbed by inverting the inftrument ; holdinp-th^
arch downwards, while one cbfervation is made, and upwards
while the other is made.

The above illuftration is fufncient to anfwer all the purpofes
of a denionftration to fuch as are acquainted with the theory
and prmciples of this Inftrument ; as it fnews, that the demon-
fcration is nearly the fame for the obfervations made both with
the arch hanging dov/n, and \m\.\\ it inverted. But as it may
be dcfired by fome, I iliall infer: the demonftrarion for the ob-
fervation with the inverted double Sextant, which will fliew
m.ore clearly the reafon of graduating the arch both ways from
the middle.

Let the double Sextant inverted be reprefented by APQR •,
CSee Plate IV. Fig. II.) Q^\R being the common Sextant,

and

24

A P P E N D I X to the

and QAP the additional part propofed •, in which it is to be
proved, that while the index moves from the pofition QCA,
to that'of AFD, the folar image will move twice as far from S,
down to the horizontal line IDG, and will be feen by the eye at
I, in the horizontal line IG, parallel to HO -, fo that the angle
QAD fiiall be half of the angle SFH, which is the Sun's
altitude.

Let SF be a ray of light from the Sun at S, falling on the
Speculum at F, an.', froni thence reflefted to the Speculum at
G, and from thence refleded again to the eye at 1, where the
Solar ima-^-e will be feen in the horizontal line IG ; the Specu-
lum at G,^ being let parallel to the line AQ, or to the larger
Speculum at F, when the index is at Q, or the beginning of
the o-raduations. Now it is to be proved, that the angle
SFH, is equal to twice the angle QAD, which is.the difting-
uilhing peculiarity of this Inftrument,

D E MO NSr RATION.

Since NGM, is parallel to CBA, the angle NGC, is equal
to GCB, and the anp^le lVlG6,is equal toGBC, being alternare ;
but the angles NGC, and MGB, are equal from the laws of
reflexion, v/hich make the angle of mcidence equal to that of
reflexion. Therefore GB.C is an ifofceles Triangle, having the
anelesatB, and C, equal.

Again, fmce HFS+SFD= (HFOr=Q.\T^+FKA=QAn+
+DEA= 'AD4-FBC=QAD+QAD+S?A=2QAD4.BFA=:
=2QAD+GFA=) 2QAD+SFD. Therefore, HFS=2QAD.

That the Inflrument may be held with greater eafe, an
handle may be affixed to the back of it, or another Sextant
might be added, di redly oppofite to the middle of the other
two, and the index continued to the oppolire arches, moving
on the center ; vvhich v/ould have its advantages efpecially on
land. And as the errors of adjuftment and obfervation may be
correded without the fecond central fpeculum, it may be
negledled.

This improvement of an Inftrumen::, whcih was firfl: invent-
•cd and conftrudcd by Mr. Godfrey of this city, and which, I

do

Astronomical Papers, &c, 25

do not heficace, to call the mod ufeful of all Aftronomical In-
ftrumcnts that the world ever knew, I hope will make it dill
more ftrrviceable to mankind. But however this may be, it
IS llibmittcd with all due refped to the Society, by

Xheir very humble Servant,

JOHN E W I N G.

To the American Philosophical Society, held at PhiladeU
phia, for promoting ufejul Knowkdge.

Gentlemen,

SINCE my delivering in the fhort account of the improve-=
ment, which I propofed in the conftrudion ot Mr. Godfrey's
double refle6ling Oftant, at a late meeting of this Society, I
have been mduced to fubjoin a relation of the manner in which
I was firft led into it, and of the time when it was effeded. In
the beginning of th.- year 1767, finding that the common arch
of thetD(5tant was too fliort, for taking large angles by a fore
obfervat'.on, I thought that it might be conveniently enlarge dj
and foon after found that this enlargement might anfwer va-
luable purpofes both at fea and on land. 1 communicated, to
Mr. Benjamin Ccndy, Mathematical Inllrument-maker or this
city, my propofal for making the inftrument with double the
ufual arch, and the addition of a fecond fpeculum on the index,
inclined to the other in an angle of half the length of the archj
as appears by his certificate, which I have here infcrted in the
following words, viz.

" T^H I S is to certify. That fometime in the fpring or fummer
*' -* of the year 1767, the Revd Mr. John Ewing, oj this
" city, communicated to me a propofal of his, for making Godfrey's
*' Sextant with double the ufual arch, and the addition of another
" Jpeculum affixed to the index, and inclined to the other in an
" angle of half the enlarged arch •, and that we had frequently
" ccnverj'd together on the purpofes defigned tn he anfwered by this
*' new conflruulion. As witnefs my hand, this icth day of Ja-
»* nuary, 1770. BENJAMIN CONDTr

o d About

26 APPENDIX to the

About two years after I had thought of this co-nftruiftion of
the inllrument and perkded the demonftration of it, which I
iaid before the Society on the original fcrap of paper, on which
it was firll wrote, 1 learned by. converfing with Mr. William
Grant, an ingenious Mathematician and Merchant of London,
who came to this city about April or May 1769, that he had
alfo propofed an improvement in the fame inftrument, but
different from mine In thefe refpedts, viz. His was a compieat
femi-circie, having the horizon glafs and place of the eye fixed
on the arch, and without the fecond fpeculum on the index j
which anfwered nearly tne fame purpofes, with mine •, except-
ing that by its wanting the above mentioned fpeculum, it
afforded but half the number of obfervations which my con-
ftruc^ion admits of. The firft intimation I ever had of his
improvement was from the Rev. Dr. William Smith, Provoft
of the College in this city, in May lad •, to whom I had fome
time before men'ioned, that I had thought ot fomething, whxh
might be deemed an improvement in the conftrudion of
Godfrey's Quadrant. This Dr. Smith intimated toMr.Grant,,
upon his informing him that he had improved that inftrument
before he left London % vyhich circumllance induced the Do6lor
to promife him an introduction to my acquaintance, as appears
by his certificate in the following words, viz.

Philadelphia, 12th Jan. 1770. .
" Rev. Si^.,

" J N anf-rer to your reqneji^ that I floould certify the occa/ion of'
" my introducing Mr. Grant to ycu., I do zvell remember it to'
" have been as follows. — That ingenious gen leman having been
" recommended to my acquaintance^ by feme- of my friejtds to the
" north-wardy we hap ened, one day about the beginning of laft
'' May., to fall into converfaticn ' upon fome literary fubj ^s.
" Among other things., Mr. Grant mentioned an improvement which
" he had made in the conflruclion cf Godfrey's ^tadrant., and with'
'^ a truly communicative (pirit feemed willing to explain the nnture
" of hn improvement., ly making out a draft or Jketcb of it for me.
'* Jt happened that I was to fet- out the day follo'ving., on a journey
" to Northampton County., and Mr. Grant was apprehenjive th,:t
" he fjculd leave Philaaclphia before my return. I then recolUSled-
'* what you had told me jcme time before^ concerning your nnprove--
' " fiijit

Astronomical Papers, &c. 27

" ment of Godfrey's ^.adrant^ and [poke to Mr, Grant as fcllozvs :
" I am for yy,, I am obliged to go out of tcivn to mcrrow, as I
*' could wifJj to hove foyne further converfation on this fuhjeSl \ hut
"" there is a gentleman of this city,, the Rev. Air. Ewing, who
*' fome lime ago mentioned to me an improvement of afimilar nature,,
*' 'Lvhich he had made,, and I believe he has engaged a workman to
" fir.iflj a ^adrant for h m,, on the plan he has projected. Are
" you acquainted with Mr. Ewing? If not ^ I will bring you to-
" gether,, for I would wifjj you to compare your fchemes,, and "to
" have a conference with each other. Mr. Grant ex-^reffed his
" defire to be acqucinted with Mr. Ewmg,, and I accordingly in-
*' tr educed them to eac.:> other,, before I went on my journey

V/ILLIAM SMITH.'*
To the Rev, Mr. Ewing.

These things ! have mentioned not from a folicitude about
the invention, but to fhew, that, what has often been iuppofed
probable in affairs of this nature, has adiuaily taken place in
the prefent inllance ; that men at the dil\ance of many thoufand
miles mioht fall nearly upon the fame inventions, about the
fame tim:-, without any previous correfpondence or acquaint-
ance with each other. J. E,

Jn ESS AT on the Ufe of COMETS, and an Account of their
Luminous Appearance ; together with fome Conj enures
CO. cerning the Origin of HE AT.

By HUGH WILLIAMSON, M. D

Read before the Society ,, Nov. 16th, 1770.

A COMET is a folid dark body revolving round the Sun
in dated periods, receiving light and heat from the Sun.
Comets revolve as other planets do in an ellipfis, one part of
■which is much farther from the Sun than another-, fome of them
are very eccentric •, that which appeared Anno 1680 was twelve
thoufand millions of miles from the Sun in aphelio, it was not
half a million in perihelio. The period of the Comet which

o d 2 appeared

28 A P P E N D I X to tlte

appeared Anno 1758 is ys years. That of 1661 is 120 years.
And that of 1680 is ^y^ years. Though Comets doubtlels
move in an ellipfis, yet from the extreme length of their path,
the fmall part that falls under our obfervation, the difficulty in
determining the Comet's ablblute dillante or velocity, &c. we
have obtained no certainty concerning the period of any Comet
except the three I have mentioned, nor Ihall we ev^er determine
their periods in all probability, except by a feries of obfcrva-
cTons on the return of each particular Comet, which may
require fcveral thoulands of years.

Comets receive their light and heat from the Sun, for they
appear to have no light of their own, and are thence invilible,
except on their near approach to the Sun. In the year 1723,
an Aftronome- had the fortune to difcover a Comet by means
ot his telefcope before it v/as bright enough to become vifible
by tlie naked eye. The great Comet which appeareci Anno
1743 fccmed no larger than a ftar of the fourth magnitude when
firlt difcovered ; as it came down towards the Sun it acquired
a tail, and increafed gradually in fize and luftre till it obtained
that amazing form with vi^hich it terrined haif the world. As
this Comet departed from tlve Sun, iis tail decre^^fed, it loiV
its brightnefs, till in a Ihort time it became mvifible ^ this has
alfo been the fate of every other Comet •, hence it is plain that
their light, like that of o. her planets, is borrowed from theSun,

Having jufl: menti'^^ned thofe general properties in which
Comets evidently agree with other planets, I fhall now try to
account for that luminous train which attends them on their
a})proach to the Sun, fro.n which they are generally deno-
minated Biazing Stais, and are iuppoled to differ eiTcntially
from every other planet or ftar. If 1 fhould be fingular in any
part of my opinion on tliis fu'jcd, 1 prellimc I fhall be in-
dulged, fmce it is matter of mere hypothecs.

Comets are not Blazing Sta-s, they do not burn at all, nor
is there any remarkable heat in that tail which has fo often
teirified the nations, and been thought to portend dilTolut ion
to the world itfelf. The Comet of 1743 had acquired a tail
>ibme thoulands of miles long above two months before he
♦ pafied

A ST 'R GNOMICAL f*APERS, &C, 29

pafTed the Sun, while he was yet three hundred millions of
iniies from the Sun. Surely this could not be a flame of fire
kindled by the Sun,, eUe Comets take fire in a place where
every drop of wacer on this globe would inftantly freeze.
There is no greater ^reafon to think that Comets burn by their
own heat, fince their tail, whatever it be, as well as their
ligiit, evidently depends on the Sun, as we have already
explained.

Philosophers have differed greatly in their attempts to ac-
count for the tail of a Con^et. One imagines that Comets are
furrounded on all fides by a lucid fiery vapour, or atmoiphere,
which on account of the Sun's fuperlor light, is only vifible in
the dark, whence we fee no part of it but that which is in the
fliadow of the Comet on the fide oppofitc to the Sun. Accord-
ing to him their atmoiphere extends in all directions feventy or
eighty millions of miles, for fome Comets have appeared with
a tail of tha^ length, fo that from the neai approach of Comets
to the earth we muft frequently have been enveloped in that
fa me 1 u c i d at mofp he re .

From the extreme viciffitudes which Comets feem to endure,
at one tim.e penetrated with intolerable cold, at another time
blazing with deftrudlive heat, fome have irreverently coru
jcclured that tliey v/ere dcfigned as a place of future refidence
for th:^ Uihappy tranfgrefTors in this ftate, and thus vainly
fuppofe that f\iiy or an hundred worlds were created for the
fake of punifhing the inhabitants of this little globe. It is.
fuificient to have mentioned fuch conjectures.

The great Sir Ifaac Newton was of opinion, that Comets
were defi^ned, among other purpofes, to nourifh and refrelh
this earth and all the neighbouring planets. He imagined that
by vtgetatioii and putrefa(5tion, a great deal of radical moifture
is confumed or changed into earth ; that the tail of a Comet is
a thick vapour exh.iled from the Comet by the heat of the Sun,
which vapour is fcattcred through the planetary regions, and
part of i': being received within our atmofphere, occafionally
tiipplies ouF'lois of moiilure.

Whatever..

30 APPENDIX to the*

Whatev-f.r properties have been afcribed to heat, it feems
very clear that evaporation cannot be performed unl fs by
means of an atmofp here whereby the fluid is attraded, fuf-
pended and carried off. Therefore if we fuppofe that the earth
and aii the Planets are fnpplied with radical mo.fture from
the Comets, we muft alfo luppofe, that the folar fyftem is
univerfally filled with an atmolphere fufficient for attra6ling
and fiifpending fluids, which hypothefls would certainly
deftroy our prefent lyftem of Ailronomy. Befides this we
may obferve, that from the nioft accurate chymical analyfls,
there feems great reafcn to belie\^e, that all the apparent
changes in matter depend on combination, and fokuion alone.
That water may be combined with earth and again fcparated
from it ; but, that fince the Creation, ihis Globe has not
fuilained the ablolute lols of one ounce of water, or gained
one ounce of earth. Thcefoie we do not require any nouiifli-
ment from the .vapour or Comets.

I SEE no realon to doubt that Corriets v/ere created like this
world, to be the refideiice of mcelllgent beings; fomc of them
no doubt which tra\cl to immenfe diftances through the
Heavens, miay be inhabited by rm order of beings, greatly fupe-
rior to this fliort lived race of m;-rials, -and much better fiLted
for comprehending and admirmg the works of their divme
original, which they behold in greater perfiecSfion. One of the
primary ideas we form of the Supreme Being is, that he is the
iburce of life, intelligence and happinefs, and delights to com-
municate them j the earth we tread, the water v.'e drink, and
the very air in which we breathe, fwarm with living creatures,
all fitted to their feverai habitations. Are we to fuppofe that
this little globe is the only animated part of the Creation,
while the Comets, many of which are larger worlds, and run a
nobler coune, are an idle chaos, formed tor the fole purpofe of
being frozen and burnt in turns. We cannot admit the
thought •, the Comets are doubtlefs inhabited. The great vi-
cifl~uudes of climate, is the only plaufible obieftion that has
been made to this opinion. The Comet of 1680 came within
one hundred thoufand miles of the Sun, but the Sun's whole
diameter is more than feven hundred thoufand miles. The
Coaiet's heat was then fuppofed to have been two thoufand

times

Astronomical Papers, tBc. 31

times hotter than red hot iron ; but the fame Comet was about
twelve thouland millions of miles from the Sun, at his greateft
diftance, when it is luppofed, that he perceived ten thoufand
times lefs heat than we ufually enjoy. Hence it is fuppoled,
that fuch a Planet could never afford a comfortable refidence
for rational creaiures.

But here philofophers have taken for granted that the heat
of every body is inverlcly as the Iquare of its diftance from the
Sun, a propofition which I greatly fufpedt \ for I apprehend
that it is contrary to experiment.

Were heat a certain body proceeding immediately from the
Sun, the quantity of heat in any fpace would doubtlefs be in-
verfeiy as the fquare of its diltance from the Sun. But I fee no
reafon to believe that He?t comes from the Sun, while there
is much reafon to think that it does not. We perceive that
Light comes from the Sun. We alfo perceive that Heat is
produced in the bodies on which the rays of light tall, hrnce
we are apt to confound 1 ight and Heat together, though it be
demon ftrable that Li^ht is not Heat and thit Heat is not
Light. So contracled is our knowledge of rhe primary con-
flituent parts ot bodies, that we cannot readily determine why
any particular caufe fhould not excite Heat with equal facility
in all bodies. But we are taught by experience that different
quantities are produced by the fame caufe, according to the
medium on which it operates. It alfo apptars that the parti-
cular aptitude ot any body to be heated is nearly as the
elafticity of that body, or the cohefion of its parts. Whatever
produces a tremulous motion in- the particles of any body,
excites Heat in that body, and vice verfa whatever excites Heat
produces 3 tremulous motion in the particles of the body.
i)oes Heat therefore confilt in nothing elfe than the- rapid vi-
brations ot the minute particles of any body ? or is there an
elementary principle of fire diiFufed through all bodies, which is
only excited or brought into aftion by any caufe which pro-
duces a tremulous motion in the particles of thofe bodies .? The
latter feeins moli probable, though in folving the prefent hy-
pothecs there is no difference whether Heat depends on the
•iimple vibration of the particks of matter, or whether it de^-

pends

32 A P P E N D I X to the

pends on tbe fire which was only brought into aflion by the
vibranon of thofe particles, provided it fhould appear that the
Heat in every body is uniformly as the vibratory motion of
the particles of that body.— This I apprehend is the cafe, and
(hall beg leave to mention fuch evidence as feems to render
the matter at leaft very probable.

Philosophers have enumerated five methods by which Heat
is generated, viz. i, by artricion, 2, chymical mixture, 3, fer-
mentation, 4, inftammation, and 5, by the Sun. In all thele
cafes it appears that the Heat depends on a vibratory motion
which by one means or another is excited in the particles ot the
body.

1. Heat is produced by attrition, or by the ftriking or
rubbing of one body againft another. In this cafe there can
be no doubt that the tleat depends on the vibratory mocion of
the particles, hence bodies are fooneft heated where the fri6tion
is confiderable, provided the bodies have alfo a proper degree
of elafticity. For the motion once communicated to the par-
ticles of an elaftic body, are retained a confiderable rime,
and increafed by every fucceeding ftroke of the caufe which put
ihem into motion. The quantity of Heat produced in anybody
by fridtion, depends greatly on the body being fit to preferve
the motion once communicated. Thus a faw fixed in a hand-
vice fo that it may long retain its tremulous motion, will foon
be heated, whilft the file with which it is rubbed is not foon
heated, being held in the foft unelaftic hand, whereby the
vibratory motion of its particles are immediately deftroyed.
Tiie facility with v/hich fome bodies arc heated before others,
and with which the fame body may be heated in one pofition
rather than in another, abundantly prove that the quantity of
Heat produced in any body by fri6iion will not be as the mo-
tion communicated, but as the firokes communicated, together
with the number of vibrations retained and communicated in
confequence of each ftroke.

2. The Heat which is produced by chymical mixture has
been the fubje^l of much fpeculation.— There are fundry bodies
which joined together produce confiderable Hear, as water
with oil of vitriol •, others produce cold, as fait of nitre with

water.

Astronomical Papers, ^c, 33.

water. V^M' fhouldone union produce htat the other cold ? It
appears flPgentiral that all mixtures, properly ib called, produce,
hear, all folutions produce cold. But in every mixture the
bodies undergo a certain change in their qualities, whereas bo-
dies undergo no change by i'oiution. Xliis may point out to-,
us the true origin of heat in one cafe, and cold in the other.
When two bodies have an attra«5lion to one anocher, and the
pores, ot the one body are fo conllituted as that the minute
particles or atoms of the other body may penetrate into them,
a general difl dution of the conftituent pares of the body mufl.
enfue, the 'minute particles being rent afunder by the attrac-
tive force of the parts •, fuch ddrolution of the conftituent parts
of a body neceffarily alters the qualities of that body. We may
eafily perceive that in the rapid union of fuch bodies by which
the m|§uteft particles are rent afunder, the vibratory motiorr
of thofe parts muft be greatly increafed. HeiJ'ce the genera-
tion of heat by mixtures. Hence too the heat in fuch mix-
tures, feems to be in proportion to the number of particles,
which in arFy body of a determmed bulk, rufh into union with
and deftroy the texture of one another.

In folutions or cooling combinations no change is produced
in the qualities of the bodies. Thus by a folution of nitre
in water cold is produced, and the fait may be depofited from
the water, or the water be evaporated, and neither of the bo-
dies undergo the leaft change. In this cafe it appears, that
there is no diffolution of the conftituent parts of either body,
by thjC attradlive force of the other, or by the conftruftion of
their parts •, but that the globules of one bodv adhere fuper-
ficially to thofe of the other, and the pcirticles of the fluid
are fimplv charged with thofe of the folid, by which means
the vibratory motion of the particles is diminiflied, whence
cold is neceffarily produced.

It has been obferved thit fpirit of nitre mixed v/ith water
produces heat, while the fame fpirit mixed with fnow produces
the moft intenfe cold. This may be probably urged as an
objeftion to the above theory of heating and cooling combina-
tions, under the apprehenfion that fnow being nothing elfe
than frozen water, fliould on thefe prmciples produce the fame
• o ^ effects.

34

A F P E N D I X to the

effefls, on combination with any third body. But jg^urr be^
obferved, that one is a mixture, the other a folutiofw Water
joined with fpirit of nitre prod\]ces a mixture, the bodies un-
dergo a change of qualities, and heat is generated. Pour the
fpirits of nitre into fnovv and nothing will follow, at leaft no-
thino^ has followed but a folution of the fnow in the fpirit.
For thefe experiments have always been made when the tem-
perature of the fpirits was much below the freezing poin4: of
water, fo that the fnow could not be melted by fuch com-
bination. Hence there being no intimate union of the parts,
nor any thing elfe than a proper folution, cold was generated
as in all fimilar cafes.

3. Heat produced by fermentation or putrefaftion, may be>
accounted ior in the fame msnner as that produced by chemical
mixture, there being no doubt that new mixtures are conftantly-
forming in every putrefcent or fermenting l^ody.-

4.. Heat which is produced, by inflammation -ftems' alfo'
to depend on the chymical mixture of bodies. In all bodies^
vhich blaze there is found an acid and mephytic air, which
ieem to abound in thofe bodies in proportion to their different
degrees of inflammability. The feparation of thefe two bodies-
conftitutes a flame-, this vve obferve can only be eff'edled by>
means of a third body, viz. common air. The union of the
acid with the water that is fufpended in the air, and the union*
of the mephytic with the common air, produces two heatingi
mixtures. Hence Heat is excited by flame. ^

5. Heat is produced by the Sun : Does that Heat pro-*
ceed immediately from the fun, as is generally fuppoled, or is
h mechanically excited by the adlion of the rays of light ?'
The latter is moft probable. We have feen a variety of me-
thods by which Heat is produced. They appear in difi'erent
forms, but they all terminate in the fame thing ; they are
d'fferent methods of exciting a tremulous motion in the par-
ticles of the body. By fome of them the moft intenfe Heat
is produced, and )et in no cafe is there any adual addition of
fire. When Heat is excited by the Sun, there is alio a tre-
mulous motion excited in the particles of the body, they ara

* expanded.

A S T R O N O -\r I C A L P A P E R S, ^C. 35

■expanded, i^c. The phenomena refemble thole of Heat ex-
cited by other means, whence it I'eems unphiiofophic to fiip-
pole that there fhould be an acceffion of fire in this cafe more
than in the others. I therefore fuppofe that all the heat which
is caufed by the Suriy depends on a tremulous motion excited by the
rays of light, in the t.articlts of the body which is heated. Hence
it will follow that the heat of any body will not be accordi)T^ to its
dijlance from the Sun^ but according to the fitnefs of that body, to
retr.in and fropagate the feveral vibrations which are communicated
to its particles by the rays of light. Hence it is that the air which
is very elaltic, when well comprelfed by the weight of the
incumbent atmofphere, will receive a great degree of Heat
near the furface of the earth, while the light thin air vvhofe
particles are removed to a confiderable diflance, as on the top
of a high mountain, is always in a freezing ftate within the
torrid zone.

Let us fee how this theory of the generation of Heat may
be fubfervient to the inhabitants of the Comctary worlds.

It is evident that Comets ?.re furrounded with an atmofoher^
very different from that of our globe •,, the heighth ot our
atmofpht-re is hardly fuppofed to exceed 60 or 70 miles, while
that of a Comet is frequently 8 or 10,000 miles. Why Hiould
they have fuch a weight of atmofphere more than us ? This
is doubileis lublervient to fome very excraordifiary purpofe.
Wc may alfjluppofe wi^h great probability, that the atmofphere
of aComct differs greatly from ours, i he particles may be fmaller,
more fubtile, elaitic, and much more eafily heated, whence
the Sun's rays may be enabled to warm fuch an atmofphere
compreffed together by the weiglu of eight or ten thoufand
mile'^, at a diftance from the Sun, in which we fhould perceive
the moft incenfe cold. This v/ill explain the manner in which
the inhabitants of a Comet may be fufficiently warm at their
greateli dillance from the Sun ^ but if they were proportion-
ably heated on their neareft approach to the Sun, their fum-
mer heats would be intolerable ; but tiiis muft certainly be the
cafe it their atmofphere were in a permanent ftate, an.! con-
tinued in all feafons of equal denfity and weio-ht. We are cer-
tain however from obfervatlon, that this is not the cafe-, for
as the Comet approaches the Sun, we can eafily perceive its at-

0 e 2 mofphere

;^6 APPEND IX to tlie

mofphere greatly rarify'd, and thence rendered lefs fit for gene-
rating- or retaining heat. But this is not the principal relief which
Gometarians receive from the fummer*s Heat 1 he atmolphere
of a Comet feems to undergo a change which is peculiar to
itfelf. It is removed by the rays of light, and thrown off to a
confiderable diftance behind the planet. _ It is demonilrable
that the rays of light pais with amazing velocity, they travel
above thirteen millions of miles in a minute-, fuch amazing
velocity multiplied into their weight, however fmall they be,
muft give them a contiderale momentum or impelling force,
which muft be great in regions near the Sun-, by this tcrce they
repel the extremely fubtile and light particles of air, and drive
them ofi- to iuch a diilance behind the Comet that their weight
is hardly perceived on its furtace. The atmofphere being thus
repelled by the Sun's rays, and thrown as it were into a
flielter behind the planer, will be there extended longitu-
dinally in the form of a fhadow, being very rare towards the
top. Every panicle near the furface of this immenfe ftream
of air muft be illuminated by the refradlion and refiedlion of
the Sun's rays, whence they will exhibit the faint appearance
of a blaze. Thus we are apt to imagine that a Comet is
intenfely hot, and that a prodigious flame proceeds from it,
while we fee nothing elfe than its enlightened atmofphere.

As the inhabitants ox Comets are not preffed by day. when
they come near the fun, with a thoulandth part ot the atmo-
lphere which ufually furrounds them, and which is doubtlefs
the mediate and principal caufe of their perceiving Heat, we
may eafily fee how they may be tolerably cool at noon day, on
their neareft approach to the Sun,

If wc .might form any conje6lure concerning the life of a
Cometarian, from the annual periods of the world which he
inhabits, we fhouki apprfhend that he far exceeds the years of
an antedeluvian. Or might we attempt to meafure the con-
tinuance of this globe, from the length of tim.e which will be
necefiary to bring the aftronomy of Comets, as well as every
other fcicnce to chat perfcdion at vv'hich they muft- doubtlefs
;jrrivo, we ihould infer that a fmall portion of that time is yet
clapfed. On which ever of thefe fubjcdts the mind is fuffered
to itray for a tew minutes, it will find fufjicient fubjed of-
pleafing fpcculation. ^.

A' ST R GNOMICAL PaPERS, i3c. 37

A fetter from David Rittenkonfe^ A. M. of Norriton, to William
Smithy D. D. Provoft of the college of Philadelphia \ contain-
ing ohfervations of the COiVlIiT, which appeared in June an4
July, 1770 ; with the elements of its motion^- and the Trajec-
tory of iispath. Communicated to the Society ^ Auguji ^d, 1770.

Rev. Sir,

HEREWITH I fend you the fruit of three or four days labour,
during which I have covered many fheets^ and literally
grained my ink fi and fever al times. It is an account., &c. of the
Comet which lately appeared., and I have 710 obje5lion to its being
made public. I mighty indeed, have been a little more careful to
have the precife time of my ohfervations^ as the near approach of
this Comec required ten times the accuracy., that is neceffary for
eampuling the place of any planet. lam, however., quite fatis-
fied that the fituation I have given its orbit will be found very near
the truth.

THE circnmftancies mod remarkable in this Comet were,
its prodigious apparent velocity,, the fmallnefs of its fize,
^nd the fhortneis of the time it continued vifible. Its velocity
was at Bril furprifingly accelerated, and before it difappeared
again retarded, from which its near approach to the earth tky
be inferred.

Tdid not fee it till Monday the 25th of June -, and, from
its fituation at that time, I expe<ited it would have been vifible
for many weeks, if not months-, and therefore did not prepare,
with fuch expedition as 1 m.ight have done, for obfervino- its
place with accuracy. But from the 27th to the 30th, the
•weather continuing fair, every evening about nine, 1 took the
(iillance of the Comet from Lucida Lyra and Lucida AquiUy
with a common Hadley's Quadrant.

July the firft, it was cloudy in the evening, At 10 how-
ever, I faw both Lucida Lyrse and the Comet throuf^h the
clouds, and oblerved their diilance ; but the Comet was again
hid before I could take its diftance from the Pole ftar, which
Teemed to be about 5 or 6 degrees. This evening it was dif-

tani

^3^ A F P E N'l) I X to the

tant from Lucida Lyras 49". 17'. whereas the evening before
it had been but 5°. 42'. from the fame ftar at ^h. It had
.therefore moved above 45°. in the lail 25 hours, and now
appeared much brighter than it had been before; there being
alfo fome appearance of a tail on the fide oppofite to the Sun.
July the 2d It was cloudy with rain in the evening-, but in
the morning of the 3d about 3h. I obferved its diftance from
the Pole ftar, from Capella, and from a ftar ot the fecond
magnitude in Caffiopiia, which was the laft time I faw it.

From the above obfervations, and many very laborious cal-
culations, I have endeavoured to fettle the elements of this
Comet's motions (fuppofing it to move in a parabola, and to
be governed by the Sun's attractive force) as follows, viz.

The place of the afcending node - Leo 14". 2 i'. ^c^".
The place of the perihelion - - Piices 16°. ig'. 28^''.
Inclination of the orbit - -c - - i^. 49'. s'^'

Perihelion diftance from the Sun,-^

in fuch parts, as the earth's V62757, 5 Log. 9.7976653

mean diiiance is 1 00000 ^

The lo2;arirhm of its daily mean motion - - 0.26^6206

Time of the Comet's being in perihello, Auguft-Sth, 19^.

0 26'. equal to Auguft 8.80965

Its motion direft; that is, according to the order of the (Igns.

From thefe elements, and Dr. Halley's Tabula Generalis
Moiuum Cometariim^ hi Orbe Paraholico^ it will be eafy to com-
pute this Comet's vifible place for any time i during its ftay in
the planetary regions, in this manner.

Find the difference between the time propofed and the time
of the perihelion •, that is, Auguft 8. 80965, in days and deci-
mal parts of a day ; and to the log. thereof add the log. of
the daily mean motion. The fum is the log. of the mean mo-
tion from the perihelion. To the mean motion fo found, take
the angle correfponding out of Dr. Halle) 's table above-
mentioned, which angle being added to or fubtra6led from the
place of the perihilion, as the time propofed is after or b fore
^^ugult Sch, 19/&. 26', gives the heliocentric place of the

Comet

As T R O N O M I C A L P A P E R S, &C,

Comet in its orbit ; and, as that is fo nearly parallel to the;
plane of the ecliptic, I have, foi the more eafy calculation, neg^-
ledted the reduilion entirely, which could fcarcely exceed 50^^
at any time. Lik<;vvire, to the mean motion, take out of the
table aforefaid xk\t Logarithmus fro dijiantia a fole \ from which
♦fubtraft the compliment of the log. of the perihelion diftance,
viz. .2023347 always, and you have the log. of the Comet's
diftance from the Sun. The inclination and geocentric place
may then be found by the fame method we ufe for the planets.

Example. Let the vifible place of the Comet for June 27th, qh, be le-
quired. From Augull 8. 80965
Subtract June 27. 375

Remain Days 42. 43465 log. 1. 6277207 '
Log. daily motion add - - 0.2636300
Mean motion before perihel. 77.86652.

Angle correfponding 80''. 5
Sub. from perihelion X26''. 19'

28"

Remains the Co ■^

met's heliocen- ^ Jtf . 6". 14'. 16'''

trie longitude J
Sub. from longitude© Icf. 6". 16/ f

1. 8913507

Log. pro diftantia

Compliment log. peri-
helion dift. fubtrad

5.2320440
} .2023347

Comet a O 107082, 2Log. 5. 0297093
© a O 101678. zLog. 5. 0072280

Comet a © 540'-- Log. 3 .7 3 27 1 "5 3

Difference =1'. ^i'^ Tangent 6.7308977

Add the Log. of © diftance a O 5.0072280

Subtraft the Leg. of the Comet a @

birm

II. 7381257
3-7327'53

Remains Tangent
Which fub. from

Remains
Place of the node

Argument of lat. 38

+ ^jine inclin. of orbit i'

7'. 29;

49'- 5'
Rad. = Sine heliocent. lat, i". 7-'

Tangent ditto
+ Log. Comet a ©

34-'. 48 8.0054104

Vf. 6°. 14'. 16'^ The heliocentric longitude.
Jtf. 5*^. 39'. 28''' The Comet's vifible place.
xc:.i4''. 21^ 45" Delcending.

Sine 9.7905493
8.50i4iri ''
20^' ""

Log Comet a © = 3.7327i53->
+ Secant 34'. 48-''' — Rad.=5i5 j

8.2919604

8.2920434
5.0297093

Sum 13 3217527
Sub, 3 7327668

Remains Tangent vifible lat. 2i«'. 13'. = 9-5889859

4^

Dbferved

Fro in

D. h.

June 17- 9

ip. p.

30. 9.

y«// z. IS.

3. 15, i

^ P P £ A^ D / Z td the

dinances of the COMET,'

Capella In fiexura
cd CoxaS
Cajicfeiic

Lui

}d»\

L^r.f.

40°.

44'

ii.

IJ

S-

42.

- -

- -

u.

S6

Lucidt!
4quilx.

54. so

8. 18 J

3S°. 31'

Longitude

ohferved.

Vf 5°.4i^

Vf 10. p

j^ J 3. 35

U ^4- 3i

B ^7- 19

Longifm'e
ccififuted.

Vf 10. II

>f 13' 38

n i4- 3S

U i7- ap

A^. L^T.j N. Let.
ohferved. commuted.

21^.15'
39. *i
64. o

33- SO

ii. 30

39-
64-
33-

13'

47

29

3f

This laft Ohfervct'iCH -was taken by the Rev. Mr. Ewing.

In making the above obfervations, the time (as hath been
already hinted; was not rtri£tly noted to minutes ; and there-
fore a 'p£rfe£f agreement, between the ol^/erveddind computed places,
cannoc be cxpedled. Befides, the Comet approached fo very
nigh, that an error of i'. in computing its heliocentric place,
mi^ht produce an error of a degree in its vifible place, and
more than two degrees in its longitude in the figns.

It is remarkable of this Comet, that in any future returns^
\vhilft it continues to move in the fame orbit, it can never
approach the earth nigher than it did this time. On the firft
of July, it wa? about one fixtieth part of the Sun's diftance
from us.

Perhaps, if the apparent dijiance of the Nucleus, from fome
fixed flar near which it paffed, had been meafured with a micro-
meter., at different places on the earth conveniently fjtuated, the
Sun's parallax might, by this means, have been determined
nearer than we can ever hope for, by any other method.

This Comet, notwithftanding its nearnefs, appeared but
fmall, and continued vifible but a few days; and, m all proba-
bility, had it pafled the earth's orb but three v/eeks fooner,
we l^iovUd never have feen any thing of it. This affords
ground for a probable conjefture, that there are numbers of
tliefe wandering bodies, which traverfe the vaft fpace encircled
by the planets, entirely unperceived by us. I remember one,
about ten or twelve years ago, that appeared much fmaller
than this, moved very fall, and difappeared in a few days like-
Avife.

Nothing

Astronomical Papers, i3c. 41

Nothing but the fmallnefs of the prefent Comet can pre-
vent its being fcen at this time (if indeed it be not feen) •, for
it mud rife in the morning before day, and continue to do
fo for fome months ; but will ai Icrngth retire to a prodigious
dil\ance, beyond the reach of the beft glaffes, in the 26th
degree of virgo, and very little north of the ecliptic.

The earth's place June 27th, i4'\ at tlie meridian of Green-
wich, is computed to be 9*. 6°. 16'. 7^ and the cxcentricity
of its orb 168 fuch parts, as its mean diftancc is loooo- It
anyone would compute the vifible place of the Comet, from
the principles above laid down, he muft find tlie Sun's place,
or rather the earth's, by the tables he makes ule of, to June
27, 14^. at Greenwich, and as much as he finds it fafter or
flower ^han 9s. 6^. \G' . 7^'', fo much muft he add to, or fub-
trad from, the place of the perihelion, not negleding feconds,
otherwife a very great difference might arife in the calculation.

If the redu(5fion to the plane of the ecliptic be applied,
e.o" may be fubtraded from the place of the perihelion.

.NoRRiTON, ^ RITTENHOUSEc

July 24, 1770.

L E ^ r E R II,

Dear Sir,

I WAS much pleafed with a paragraph in the Gentleman's
Magazine for July 1770, by which it appears, that M,
MefTier difcovered the laft Comet in France 10 or 12 days
fooner than we did here ; becaufe ic afforcis another opportu-
nity of comparing this Comet's motion with my theory.

AccoRi>iNG to M. MefTier's obfervation, on the night be-
tween the 15th and 16th or June, the Comet's right afcenfion
was 272*^. 57'. 37'' with 15^. c,^'. 2.\" South declination. The
hour of the night is not mentioned, but the place of the

0/ Comet

42

APPENDIX to the

Comet was no doubt determined by its palTing the meridian,
which he f.ys was about midnight, that is at Philadelphia June
15th, y\

Time of the Perihel. Aug. 8. 8096
Subtract, June I 5. 2916

Remain Days, 54. 518 Log. 1,736540
Add the log. of the daily mean motion, ,263630

M'ean motion, 100,04 Log. 2,000170

Angle coiv^fpcnJing 90°. of. $4'^ Log. pro Diflantia a Sole

Which fub. troiii 7 ^ c

the penhe . } ^^

Comet's helio'-ent.
lon5.8s.i6°i8/34'''— a6(S. 18. 34
©do.8.i4. 44.53

difFev. I. 33.41

Let S, (Plate L Fig. 3.) be the
place of the Sun ; E, the place
of the Earth ; and C, of the j
Comet.

SubtraA, -

o,3oia(Ja

>2.oi33S

Comet's dift. from ^rrCS 115,581, Log. 0,098915
Earth's diflance from do. 101,617 Log. 0,007011

Secant, 1°. 33-'. 41''' — Rad. fub. 161

PS - 101,590 Log. - - 2,006850

Sub. frmCS=:iz5,58i | +Tang. 1^.33/. 41'/ 8,455490

Rem. CPrr 23,991 [

Sum, 10,442340
Sub. CP. Log. 1,380048

Remauis Tang. ECS=6°. 35-'. 3 '''.n9, 062292'
-f-heliocent. long. 8s. 26°. 18-'. 34''

The Sum is the geoccnt. place of Comet, 9s. 2°. 53'. 37''-'

Long, of the defcending node 10s. 140. 22'. 45'-'
Sub. heliocent. long, of Com. 8. 26. 18. 34

Argument of latitude, 48, 4. 11 Sine, 9,871548
+The Sine of the ii.clinat. of orbit, i. 49. 5 8,501454

—Rad. =Sine heliocent. latitude, i. 21. 9 = - 8,373002

Asthecofine of 6". 35^. 3"— ECS/ 9,997126
is to Radius _ - _ 10, - -

So is CP=23,99i - - 1, 3 §0048

To CE=24,i5028

1,382922:

As CE=24,i 502.9 - - 1,382922
ToCS=i25,58i - - 2,098925

Soistang. Keliocent. lat. i°. 21''. g^rzS, ;7309t..

To the tang, of the 7 ^ ,
geoccnt. lat. -> ^

10.472016

9,089093

Hence the v-ifible place of" the Comet was >f z°, 53^ 37" with 7". o'North
laUtude. The right afcenfion and declination I find as follows.

Let

Astronomical Papehs^ &c. ^^

Let C, (Plate I. Fig. 4 ) be the place of the Comet ; A, the fi-ft: point of
Aries; AP, a portion of the ec'ipjc; CP, perpendicular to it ; AR, part of
the equator, and CR, perpendicular thereto. Then (hall AP, be >qual to the
complement of thj Comet's longitude^Sy . 7/, and PC, its North latitude
=7". o'. AR, the complement of right afc^nfion j and RC, the declination.

Cofme AP=:87°. 7' - - - 8,701589
+Cofine CP:= 7. o. - - - o.to'^-ti^i

—Rad. =Co5. AC=87«'. 8'. 2c'-8, 09^340

Rad. +Sine 7^.0' - - - 19,085895
—Sine 87**- 8>'. zo" - - - 9,999458
= Sine - - . 7<'. i', . 9,086437

Sub. from 25. 28 obliquity of the ecliptiCs
Rem.. 10°. 27' Sine, 9,452060

4-Sine - - 87. 8 20" 9.909458
— Rad =Sine 16. 26=CR= 9, .51518

Rad.+ Cofi. 87^'. 8/, 10" i8,698'540
— Cofine - - 1 6. z6. 9,9Si9'^6

= Cofine AR=87. i 8,7*0454

Which fubiraded from 360, leaves 272°. 59^ right afcenfion.

Right afcenhon. Declination Southo

Therefore, by calculation from "> ^72°. cq' i6«'.26'

the theory we have -> / ' by

But by Mr. Meffier's obfervation, _272 57^ 15. 55^

The difFerence in right afcenfion is, o**. \'^ and 0^.30'^ in declinat.

Hence it appears, than the obfervation of M. Mefller en-
tirely ac^rees with the magnitude I had affigned the Comet's
orbit, and likewife with the time and place of the perihelion ;
but the inclination of the orbit ought perhaps to be encreafed
four or five minutes. I am,

^ , ' Ever yours, &c.

December ^, 1770. j^^ RITTENHOUSE.

To Rev. Br. Smith.

POSTSCRIPT.
M . RiTTENHOusE, whcn he wrote his firfl Paper, expref-
fed his hopes of obi:aining a further confirmation ot liis theory,
of this Co et's motion, by feeing it on its afcent from the
perihelion. But it was not then feen (lb far as we have yet heard)
by any perfon in America. i his difappointment, nowever,
Le did not afcribe to any dcfcv?: in a theory which he had endea-
voured to eftabiilh from the bcft principles, and with great
labor of ralculaiion, but to the difficulty of finding a body of
fqch fmall fize, in the Heaven.'^ \ eipeciaily with fuch a large

0/2 unwiek y

44

i4 P P E N D I X to the

unwieldy Refractor, as he himfelf was obliged to ufe. The
account, therefore, of Mr. Meffier's obfervation, who law
the Comet ten or twelve days fooner than we did here, being
fo acceptable to him, (as it gave a further opportunity of con-
firming his theory by the above Paper of December 22d)
1 imagined that any account of the, Comet, after its return from
the Sun, would be ftill more acceptable-, and therefore, when
the Gentleman's Magazine, for Auguft laft, fell into my
hands, I loif no time in fending him the following, viz.

" Though we were not lucky enough in America to dif-
" cover the late Comet in its afcent from the Sun, yet I have
" the pleafure to acquaint you, that it was feen in England.
" I find, in the Gentleman's Magazine for Auguft, that Mr.
*' Six fays, he had the unexpe^ed p\t^(urc (to you it would not
*' have been unexpe^sd) of feeing the Comet on its afcent from
" the Sun towards its aphelion, and tho' not vifible to the
" naked eye, yet with a Tclefcope magnifying 25 times, it
" appeared much like the Nebula in Amircmeda's Girdle.
v^ " Aug. 22d, half patl two, 7nai:e, it had 106". 20'. right afcen-
" fioi7, and 21°. N. declin. The two fucceeding days its Ion-
*' gitude encreafed daily i''. 15'. but its latitude both days
" not inore than 5'. Its apparent motion, he fays, was nearly
*' parallel to the ecliptic. If tihefe fubfequent obfervations agree
*' as well, as Mr. Meffier's previous obfcrvations, with your
" theory ot this Comet, I think it will thereby be eftahlifhed
" paft doubt. I am yours, &:c. William Smith."

Mr. Rittenhouse'^ Anfiver. Dec, 16th, '^77^-

I WAS favoured with your extrafl from the Gentleman's Ma-
gazine, for Auguft, by v/hich 1 find Mr. Six was lucky enough
to difcover the Comet with his Telefcope, after it had paft its
perihelion, though it was not vifible to the naked eye. 1 have
computed the Comet's place to Auguft 22d, half paft two in the
morning, and make its right alcenfion 108°. 46'', with 21''. o'.
North declination-, agreeing with Mr. Six's obfervation entirely
in declination, but dilfering from ic about 2^ . in ri^ht al-
cenfion, which 1 cannot think material, unlefs I knew what me-
thod he took to deternline the right afcenfion of a h nvenly
body, out of the meridian. l^* ^*

Asf kON^MICAL pAfEllS, &6, 45

N. B. In \.\-it Parabolic Trajetfory of this Comet (Plate I,
Fig. 2.) luppofe that part, from A to B, a little elevate^
above the plane of ecliptic ; and the remainder, from B toC,
as much deprefled below it ; the two planes interfering each
other in the line of the nodes, at an angle of i*^. 49'.

Sfitne Account of the fame COMET, in a Letter from the Right
Honorable William Earl of Stirling; to William
Smith, £). D. ProzoSi of the College af Philadelphia. Com-
municated to the Society, Aug. lyth, 1770, viz.

Brjkenridge, June 2^^ lyjo.
Dear Sir,

YO U have reafon to think me negligent in not commu-
nicating (according to'my promifes, to you) my Obfer-
vations of the laft Transit of Venus. I now fend them *,
and you fnould have had them before, but 1 have been fo
much engaged in bufinefs the laft twelve months, that I have
had but little time to think of any thmg elfe.

Last night, about ten o'clock, I difcovered a New Star^
about 78°. diftant from the pole. It would pafs the meridian,
I imagine, about midnight, and a little before Lyra, Its ap-
pearance was larger than a Star of the firft magnitude, of a
dull light, with a bright fpeck or nucleus, in the center. I
take it to be aCoMET, and that its tail is from us. But whether
it be a Comet or not, will be determined in a few days ; for as
it changes its place, and the Earth moves on in its orbit, the
pofition of the tail, with regard to the Earth, muft be altered,
and will then appear to encreafe in length.

June 30th. Laft night I again obferved the new difcovered
Star. Its appearance was much as it was the night before,
but I think rather larger. Its fituation \^as about 70^. from
the pole, and it pafTcd the meridian with Lyra almoft half after

eieven*

* Tbe^ are infcrted above, P, 10, Appendix.

46" APPENDIX to tlie

eleven. I think I have its place fo well marked, that in two
or three evenings I (hall be able to determine its courfe. What
further oblervations I make before 1 have an opportunity of
fending this, I will add hereto.

July ift. The New Star, which, I no longer doubt, is a
Comet, on his way to the Sun, paffed the meridian laft night
about twelve o'clock, and nearly halt an hour after Lyra, and\
was advanced to within 48°. of the po^e, being a little to the
Northward of our Zenith. It feemed to me to be encreafed in
fize, the fhape rather more oval than circular, the nucleus no
longer in the cent^^r, but advanced towards the northern part
of fhe whole appearance.

July 2d, Laft night at twelve o'clock, the C^met was
nearly Eaft from the pole Star, and about ^° . diftant from
the pole..

•

July 4th. The night before laft, being cloudy, the Comet
w^iS not vifible •, and laft night, (July 3d) although the fl^y
was clear, the Scars bright, and myfeif on the watch for it
till day light began to appear in the Eaft, I could not dii'cover
any appea;anceof the Comet. It mull now be gone to the
region of ligtit, and we ihall not fee it more until its return
from the Sun,

The apparent velocity of this Comet, fof the laft three
days of its appearance, has been prodigioufty great, which,
together with its apparent fize, induces me to think, that
its real fize isAiut fmall; and that its path lay at no very great
diftance from the Earth. But thvMe matters may be better deter-
mined, it we have an opportunity of feeing the Comet again,
in its return rrom the Sun.

I am,

Pear Sir,

Your moft humble Servant,

STIRLING.

Jn

Astronomical Papers, &c, 47,

An eafy Method of deducing the true Time cf the Sun'^
•pajfing the Meridian -per Clocks -from a Comparifon of four
equal Jltiludes, obferved 07i tivo fucceeding Days, ^^y David
RiTTENHOusE, y/. M. of Norviton. Communicated Aug. lythy
1770 j by William Smith, Z). Z).

TH E method of obtaining the true time of the Sun's
pafTmg the meridian, by correcting the mean noon., de-
duced from obferved equal altitudes ot the Sun, by the help
or the tables of the equation of correfponding altitudes^ being at-
tended with fome trouble, and not oeing io ready as might be
wifhed i perhaps the communication of the following method,
which I frequently make ufe of, may be acceptable, as it is prac-
ticable without any tables, and will ikve a good deal of labor,
when the neccfTary correfponding altitudes can be obtained.

Suppose, then, there are four fetts of Altitudes obtained on
two luccefTive days, (viz. oncfettin the morning, and one in
the afternoon of each day) the inftrument being kept exa61:ly
at the fame height both days -, then the exadl time of the Sun's
paffing the meridian per clock, may be readily obtained by
the following —

' R U L E.

Take the difference in time between the forenoon obferva-
tions of the two days, and alfo between the afternoon obiir-
vations.

Call half the difference of the two differences X ;

And half the fum of the two differences Y.

Let the half interval, between the two obfervations of the
fame day, be Z.

Then, if the times of the altitudes obferved on the fecond
day- be both nearer 12, or both farther from 12 per clock, than
on the /;y? day— X will be the daily variation of the clock,
from apparent tim.e-, and Y will be the daily difference in time
of the Sun's coming to the fame altitude, arifing frqra the
change of declination. And the proportion v/ill be-—

24^ : Y_: : Z : E, the equation ^Lught ; which will be
found the fame ^without any fenfible difference) as the equa-
tion obtaiiied from the tables.

But

^8 A P P E N D I X to thQ

But if one of theobfervarians on the fecond ^2ty be nearer 12,
andthe other more remote from 12, than on the firft day- —

Then Y will become the daily variation of the clock from
apparent time, and X will be the daily difference in time of the
Sun's being at the fame altitude ;

And the proportion will be-"24h. : X : : Z : E.

The equation, E, thus obtained, is to be Jubtra^eA fromtlic
MEAN NOON, if the Sun's meridian altitude be daily encreafing ;
but to be added^ if it be daily decreafing. The reafon of all this
is very plain ; and an example or two will make the method
fajmiliar---

Sgppofe the following correfponding altitudes were taken---

•Morning. Afternoon.

D. H. m. fee. H. m. fee.

Nov. 8. 9. 58. ^t .2. 4. 9

9. 10 I. 16 2. l> S^

Required the time of the Sun's pafling the meridian •, and
hence of apparent noon, per clock, November Sih.
Diff between the morning ob- i u / //

fervations of the two days, S ' '^5

Diff.of theafternooji obiervations, o. 2. 17

Sum, 5'. 1"

Half Sum, 2. 3 1 = Y

Diff. of the two Differences, - - 28''''

Half Do.' ^-^t:- - - 14^''= X
The half Interval between the ^ ^ ^, .^^^2

tv*'o obferv. of Nov. 8th, is, ' ' '^^

Now becaufe both the obfervations on the fecond clny are
nearer 12 than on the Jirji day, X is only of ufc, as it gives the
daily variation of the clock trom apparent time-, and the pro-
portion for the equation, agreeable to the rule is,—
24h. : Y :: Z : E. Thatis 24^ : 2'. 31^:: 2^. 2'. 49 : 12^88 =E

And adding Z, or the half interval, to the forenoon obfervation
ofNov. 8ih,

We have 9^.58'. 3l(''+2^. 2'.49^^= 1 2^^. l'.20^'' MeanNoon, Nor.8.
Add*£, the equat. becaufe the Sun's > .1288

merid. altitude is daily decreafiiig S '

Which gives the true time of the ^ ^^^^ ^,^ 22^88
Sun's paffino merid. per clock, S

And thus the clock is i'. 32^b8 fafter than apparent time,
on the noon of November 8th. ^^

Astronomical Papers, ^c. 4^

Or fuppofc the correlponding altitudes had been as follows- —

MonuDg. ^ernoan.

D. H. m, fee, H, m. fee.

Nov, 8. 9. 58. 31 2. 4. 39

9. 10. 4. i6 2. 5. 22

Diff. between the morning ob- 1 / ^

vafions of the two days, ) 5 • 45

Diff of the afternoon oblervations 43

Sum, - 6. 28

Half Ditto, - 3. i4=Y

Diff. of the two D.flFerences, - - 5'. 2'"

Half Ditto, - - 2. 3r=X
Half interval between the two? j^ , //_ 7
Obfervations of Nov. 8 th, 5^ "^ * ^ "'

Nowas one of the obfervations on the fecond day is nearer
12, than on the ^r/?, and the other more remote, Y is the
daily variation of the clock from apparent time, and the pro-
portion for the equation, agreeable to the rule, is
24^':X::Z:E. Or i 24*^ : 2', 31^^: 2^3',4/^ i2^9=E.

The mean noon is, 9^ 58'. 31" +2^ 3'. 4''= 12^1.1 '.3 5"
To which add the equation, E= - - - 12,9

And the corredt time of noon per clock, is - - 12.1.47,9

^ So the clock would here be i'. 47'',9 fafter than apparent
tin^.

o g Account

5^

A P P E N D I X to the

Account cf the Tranfit cf Mercury over the Sun, November
Qth, 1769, ns ohferved at Norriton m Psnnfylvania^ by
William Smith, D. D. John Lukens, Efq-, Meffrs. David
Rittenhoufe <^«i Owen Biddle ; the Commit: ee appointed for
that ohfervation^ by the American Philofophical Society. Drawn
up and communicated, by dire^ion and in behalf of the Corn-
mitt ee^ by Dr. Smith.

HE inftruments iifed in this obfervation, were the fame
as are already defcribed, in the Norriton account of the
Tranfit of Venus.

The forenoon of November 9th was, for the mod part,
cloudy, and made us almoft defpair of obtaining any favourable
fight of Mercury on the Sun ; but about one o'clock the Sun
flione out perfectly clear, and continued undifturbed by clouds
till about half an hour after three, which gave us an oppor-
tunity, as favorable as could be defired, not only for obfer-
ving the external and internal contacts at the ingcefs, but alfo
for making fome material micrometer obfcrvations.

The external conta<5l v^as noted to the very fame infts^nt of
time by all the three obfervers, without having any communi-
cation with each other-, the fame method, of giving fignals to
perfons ftatloned by the clock, being purfued now, as at the
Tranfit of Venus.

Mr. Rittenhoufe and myfelf likewife gave the internal con-
tact to the lame inftant, but Mr. Lukens was 1" fooner.

A Telescope could not be procured for Mr. Biddle to ob-
ferve the contacts ; but he gave a ready aOlftance in the other
parts of the bufinefs.

The

Astronomical Papers, &c, 5 1

The whole work of the day ftands as follows, viz.

1769. Apparent time.

D. h. m. Inches, soths. jooths,

Nov, p. 9. 30//, M. 7 p . !• f 3. '5. 7 7 «»•

9. Is Do. S ^""*'^^^"^- 1 3. I J. J j per Micrometer.
Mean of thefe gives 0"s diam. =3*', ao/',i8.

Fiift external contact.

Dr. Smith, with a 2 f . rir-fleftor. Mag. power 200.
Mr. Lukens, with a 42 f. refrador, Mag. power 140.
Mr. Rittenhoufc, with a 36 f. refraftor.Mag. pow. 144.

2. 36 35
2. 36. 35

Firft internal contaft

By Mr. Lukens, -\ Each obferver having the fame
By Dr. Smith and > telefcopes, and mag. powers, as
Mr. Rittenhoufe. > at the external contadl.

Micrometer meafures of the lead diflance of the nearefl limbs

of G and ?.

parent time.

Value in

H. m. fee.

Inches, aoths.

tooths.

Min.

Sec.

3. 2. 44

0. 5.

04

2.

^5^52

3. 10. 9

0. 6.

12

2.

50.5

3- 19- ^7

0. 8.

1

3.

3'>84

3- 31- 11

0. 10.

0

4.

23,78

4. 33. 20

0. 18.

11

8,

7.44

From 31'' paft three, the Sun was conftantly obfcured in a
cloud that defcended with him, till about 30' paft four, at
which tiir-e he flione out for about 3'. During this interval, the
laft micrometer meafure was taken, which is therefore a lit-
tle doubtful, as the Sun entered another cloud as foon as the
artificial conta6t of the limbs of O and 2 was formed, and
before we could be certain that the micrometer Rood in the
diredion of the leaft diftance. The firft micrometer mealure
is alfo a little doubtful, the micrometer having been acciden-
tally moved, while we were reading off the Vernier. Both of
them however are near the truth ; and the other three mea-
fures may be perfedly depended on.

0^2 On

5* APPEND IX to the

On a mean of fundry meafurcs taken backwards and for-
wards (during the intervals of the other micrometer meafures)
Mercury's diameter was found no more than 8''',2 2. Thi
utmoft attention was paid to this point, as one of the moft
important obfervations ot the whole.

The following obfervations were alfo taken of the appulfes
of the limbs of the Sun, and Mercury's ceater, to the crof&-
wires of the tranfit telefcope, viz.

O's I-ower limb at horizontal wire.
G's Precedent limb at vertical wire.
S's Center at vertical wire.
G's Subftquent limb at vertical wire.
5J's Center at the horizontal wire.
O's Upper limb at the horizontal wire»

3.

G's Lower limb at the horizontal wire. .
O's Precedent limb at the vertical,
^ 's Center at the vertical.
G's Upper limb at the horizontal wire.

The other two obfervations of this fct could not be corn-
pleated, the Sun being again hid under clouds, and ap-
peared no more during that day.

Several more micrometer meafures of the diftance of the
ncareft limbs of O and § might have been taken, between
the time of the total ingrefs, and half an hour paft three, when
the Sun was firft: oblcured. But a meafure of this kind, taken
carefully once in every 8' or lo', was judged fufficicnt ; and
the intervals were employed in attempting by frequent mea-
furcs Tas already hinted) to afcertain the diameter of Mercury
on the Sun, to the greateft pofiible exadnefs.

Fp.oM the above meafures, and the appulfes of the Sun and,
Planet to the wires of the telefcope, a projeftion of the tranfit
might be made, were it necefiary. But the chief advantages
*o be derived from obfervations of a tranfit of Mercury, are

the

Apparent time,

H.

m.

fee.

3-

3-

30

3-

3-

42

3-

5-

58

3-

6.

31

3-

6.

32

3-

7.

18

4.

30-

34

4

31-

4

4-

32-

39

4-

33-

41

Astronomical Papers, CBt, 53

the perfe(5ling the theory of his motions, and fixing the lon-
gitude of places on the Earth. For the firft, the leaft diftance
of the centers, and the diameters of 0 and 2, which may be
got from the foregoing obfervations, are the moft material ele-
ments ; and for tjhe fccond, the coatadts and their exad: times
are fufficient.

With refpc^l to the theory of Mercury's motion, the late
Dr. Halley hath left but little to be fettled. He obf rves
(Philof. IVanf. vol. VI. No. 39.) a remarkable period in this
planet's motion, wherein he makes 191 revolutions about the
Sun, and correfponding tranfits over his difc. Thus, if at the
efcending node, the planet hath paffed over the Sun, it will, in
46 Julian years, 4 hours, 51 minutes, (if there have been 12
intercalations) pal's over the i>im again, only i'. 7.1" more
northerly j or in one day more, if there have been but 1 1 in-
tercalations. At ihc de/cending node, the period is 46 years,
7 hours, 14 minutes, or one day more, according as the in-
tercalation requires. Thus, if one tranfit of any feries or clafs
hath been obferved, the times of the following correfpondent
ones are obtained by addition only ; and all we have to do, is
to examine, the theory by the obfervations, to fee if it needs
correftion. .

The fiift time that ever Mercury was obferved on the Sun*s
difc, was by GafTcndus, at Paris, Odlober 28th, 1631, O. S ;
and the late tranfit of November 9th, was the fourth in that
clafs, the two intermediate ones, each at 46 years diftance,
being obferved by Dr. /7^//f)', in 1677 and 1723. This clafs,
thtrefo-re, will afford as good a comparifon as any.

Thu*^, at Paris, 28th Oflober, 1631, at 10^. 28'' mane,
Gaflendus obf^^rved the laft external contad:. Whence the
middle reduced to the meridian of Greenwich was, in the
Aftronomical reckoning, Odober 27, 19*^. ^j'. SS" » ^"4
the lead diftance of the centers, according to Dr. Halley,
3'. 20'''. Taking this as our ground work, let us compare .■
theory with obfervation.

54

APPENDIX to the

"By the T H E O K \.

By OSERVATIONS.

Odlober.

Years
iflTranfit 11531.
4- 4-5

Middle re-
duced to
Green^vich.

D. h. m. fee.
^^■ 19- B7- ii

o. 4. 51

Leaft dift- ]
of Centers.

M. fee.

3. ao

4-1. jiN.

Middle re-'DifF. la-
duced to j terin 46
Greenwich, years.

D. h. m. fee.! H. m. fee.
17. 19. 37. 55

■ 4- SO- S

LeaftJ DifF.

dill:, ofimore N.^

Cen- I in 46

ters. I Years.

M. fee. Km. fee.

[.fee. I -J)]

— 1 5

Thus it appears, that the OBSERVATIONS do not quite agree with the THEORY;
the latitude being increafcd by the laft Tranfit about ^ of a minute more north, than the
Theory would give, and the time of the middle falling about 4' too foon. Whether
this can be accounted for from a re-examination of the obfervations themfelves, or by
any correcStion in the motion of ^ 's nodes, may be worthy of further enquiry.

The Sun's Parallax deduced from a comparifon of the Norri-
TON and fome other American Obfervations of the Tranfit of
Venus., iy6^ •, with the Greenwich and ether European
Obfervations of the fame. By William Smith, D. D.
Provofl Coll. Philad.

ON E can fcarcely enter upon this fubjeft, without ad-
miring the Sagacity of the great Dr. Halley, who
firlt conceived the method of afcertaining the Sun's parallax
(that is, the angle which the Earth's femidiameter fubtends at
the Sun,) and confequently the dimenfions of the whole f )lar
fyftem, either from the total duration of a tranfit of Venus,
duly obferved in one fingle place of the Earth properly fuu-
ated, or from the difference of abfoluce time that elapfes be-
tween the obfervations of the Contacts of the Sun and
Venus in different places.

The latter of thefe methods is what Aftronomers in general
prefer; yet, even in that, a concurrence offo many circum-
IJlances is requifite, that neither the former tranfit of 1761,
nor, it is feared, this of 1769, will enable Aftronomers ro do
juflice to the Doctor's noble problem in all its parts. For it
is necelTary

F/Vi?, That the different obfervers fliould have good Te-
lefcopes, Time-pieces well adjuftcd, and the latitude and lon-
gitude of their places of obfervation determined with the moft
fcrupulous exadncfs. Seconaly,

Astronomical Papers, &c.

55

Secondly^ That the abfolute difference of time between the
Coniu^s, at tl.e different places to be compared with each other,
be fo great, as to render the unavoidable Imall defe(5ls of inftru-
ments and obfervation infignificant.

Thirdly, That all the obfervers be favored with a clear
fky, and the Sun of a fufficient altitude, not lefs than S?. or
io°. above the horizon.

Granting therefore, what I believe will not be denied, that
all the circum'Unces mentioned under the firft head, concurred
in favor of the American as Vv-ell as European obfervations made
ufe of in the following dedudlion of the Sun's parallax-, yet the
abfolute difference of time, being, on a mean, but about 3'. 4''^,
was fcarce one fourth part of the greateft abfolute difference
that might be obtained from obfervations made at two places
fituated in the moft favourable manner, with refpefl to each
other.

But though this circumffance did not concur in favor of
the European and American obfervers, yet, if the Sun had been
fufficiently high to the former, and as refplendent and well
defined as he was to us, notwirhftanding the fmall difference
of abfolute time between our obfervations, his parallax might
have been deduced from them, perhaps to as great exadnefs
as ever it can be expedled from a tranfit of Venus. For any
two obfervers with us, having eyes and inftruments equally
good, and taking the fame method of judging concerning any
Phenomenon, could fcarcely have differed more than 5'^ or
6'^; and where feveral obfervers were atone place, it is pro-
bable the mean of all, might have brought the time withrn
the limits propofed by Dr. Halley, ilut is v/ithin 2'' of
the truth.

But fcarce any of the European obfervers, in the following
lift, had the Sun above 8" high at the external Contacf; and, at
the internal Conta£f, in France and Sweden, he was fcarce 2°
above the horizon, and even at Greenwich nor quite 5°. This
Circumfiance therefore, and the form Venus put on, hanging
to the Sun's limb by a fort of protuberant ligament, muff have-
rendered

5^

A P P E N D I X to the

rendered it rer^ dilHcuIt to pronounce the moment of the in-
ternal contaft. Moreover, the whole duration of the ingrefs,
or time between thecontadts. given by the European obfervers,
being near i' longer than it* was obierved in America,
when it ought rather to have been fhorter, tends further to
{hew that the true internal contad: muft have been pad, before
they faw the Sun's light compleated, round the dark body of
the Planer.

And here, as Dr. Halley* exprefies it, " Since Venus,
^ like her fex, is exceeding coy, and deigns but in certain jj
" ages, to come before the eyes of men, divefted of her
" borrowed drefs ;" an American, who has the leaft of the
fpiritof an Allronomer in him, cannot help lamenting for his
Brother-Aftronomers in Europe men of fame and great abi-
lities— that they were condemned, amid horizontal vapors,
only to a tranfient glimpfe of this rire Phenomenon ( fpetacu-
liim inter Jftronomica longe nohiliffimum) •, and that they could
not have Ihared with us fome part, at leail, oi x}i\2X luxury of
gaztNgi which we enjoyed here.

However, notwithftanding thefe unfavorable circumftances,
tlie parallax of the Sun, as deduced from the beft obfervatlons
of the tranfit 1761, will be greatly confirm'd by the following
comparifons of the American and European obfervations of
1769-, efpecially thofe of the external contadls, which on this
occalion, perhaps, are only to be relied on. For a difiurbance
or alteration fird arifmg on the Sun's limb, and that at a greater
altitude, was certainly a circumftance that could be more
eafily judged of as to time, than the completion of a fmall
thread of the Sun's light, almoft in the horizon.

But, before I proceed to draw the conclufions, altho' it may-
be unneceffary to perfons verfed in aftronomical fubjedls and
calculations, yet to the generality of thofe who may be readers

of

* Venus, gu^mvis fjderum omnium fpec'ioftfflma, more fexus fui, fine mutuato cultu ac
fphiidore ojatitio in conJ'peBum prodirt veretur : Hoc etcnini fpef^acuhim, inter AJironomicu
longe nobilllfirmnn, injfar ludorum fecularium, integri fcculi mortalibus invident motuum ar^A
leges. Philof. Tranf. Vol. I. No. loo.

II Venus -vvill not be feen on the San again, till the year 1874 ; To that fcarcc even
tlie grand-childreu of the Obfervers of the Jaft Tranlit will feeHhe next.

AsTROtlOMiGAL Papers, &c, 57

of the Tranfaclions of an American Philofophical Society, and
particularly [he yoiuh in our different feminaries of learning, it;
may be acceptable to fhew the whole proceis by which tlic cori-
clufions are obtained, and how to calculate the effefl which the
parallaxes ot Venus from the Sun have, both in latitude and lon-
gitude, with refpe^l to the cohta(5ts here and in Europe.

It need hardly be obferved that the true place of a planet
in the Heavens, Venus for inftance, is that where fhe would
be leen if view'd from the center ot the earth •, and that unlefi
fhc be in the fpedat^r's § zenith, her apparent place will be
lower than ht^r true place 1 his difference of place is called the
planet's parallax in altitude, and is meafured in a vertical cir-
cle ; being greatcjft in the horrizon, and decreadng as the alti-
tudes increafe, till in the zenith it becomes nothing. The me-
thod of determining the quantity of this parallax at different
altitudes, and of reducing it into thofe ot latitude ^d longitude,
fo as to know their effedl on the planet's place, is as follows.

Let V, (Plate III, Fig. 7,) be the place of the SUN and
VENUS i Z V, a vertical circle ', EC, the ecliptic ; PVD,
a circle ot declination ; OVN, part of the orbit of Venus j
and C, the firft point of Aries.

Then the following things are known, viz \
ZP, the co-latitude ; VD, the declination •, VP, its com-
pliment; CV, the Sun's longitude; CD, the right aicenfion j
and ZPV, the hour angle from noon.

From thefe ^^/^, the parallaxes of Venus from the Sun,
namely VL in the vertical, VN in longitude, and LN in
latitude, may be found for any given place and time.

Let the place be NoRRiTON, at 2^. 12'. 50*, the moment
of the firft external conta(5l.

Then, in the fpherical triangle ZVP, we have two fides,
and the included angle, viz.

oh ZP,

§ This matter being very well explained by Mr. Benjamin Wejl, in his account Cf
the Providence ObfervatioQs, p. 104, need not be repeated here.

58 A P P E N D I X to the

ZP, =49 ''.50^•29^ the co-latitude

YP, = 6y. 34. 17, the co-declination.
ZPV = 33. 12. 30 = 2^. 12'. 50''''. the time turned into deg. &c.
Hence we get the angle ZVP =49°-55'' 33^

And the zenith diltance of 0's center ZV =^^. 9- 42^
Subtradt for ? higher than O's center, 15. 18

Remains the zenith dift. of ? 's lower limb, 32. 54. 24^

Compliment of which is the height of ?'s^ _ r o x

lower limb above the horizon, ^—57' 5- 35^

Assuming now any number tor the Sun's horizontal paral-
lax on the Tranfit day, let us fay 8^5212 (the nearer to the
true parallax the better) •, then the horizontal parallax of Venus
will be to that of the Sun, inverfely as their diftances from the
Earth-, that is

28887: lo^5l2::8^52^2 :29''.9444 = the hor. parallax of¥.

Subtraft Sun's parallax = 8. 5212

The Remainder 21. 4232 =horlzontal parallax of
Fenus from the Suit on the tranfit day.

Then, Radius is to the Sine of the zenith dift. of Venus, as
her horizontal parallax from the Sun, is to her parallax at the
altitude aforefaid-, viz.

~) the paial. of ? a 0
Rad:S. 22°. i;4.\2 4.^ 1:121^,4.2 22:1 l'''',62 87=LVfin the vertical, at the
^ '^^ ' ^ ^ ^ ^ ' J / Jalt. S7°•5'•55^^-|•

MOREOVER, in the right-angled fpherical triangle CVD, we
have two fides, viz.

CV ihe Sun's !ongitude = 2^ 13°. 20'. 31''=- 73"^. 20'. 3l'^
DV thedeclination=22''. 25'. 43'^

Whence wegetCD=7i°. 55'. 33^'.

And likewife the meridian angle CVD=82^. 54'. 21''.

The next thing to be found is OVE, or CVN, the angle
of the vifible way, which is got as follows. Let ? 2S 0
(Plate III. Fig. 9,) be the inclination of the orbit of ? with th
ecliptlc=3°. 23'/2o". Let 9 2S be O's horary motion, with
the menllrual equation, as from Mayer's tables = 143^,53 j

and

Astronomical Papers,' &c.

59

and ? 83 the horary motion of ? as (aen fromO, taken fronn Hal-
ley's tables = 238^',334.Then, by trigonometry, the angles 0 ?
will be found =171^. 30'. ^^^^ -, the compliment ot which
? © A, is the angle of the vifib'e way =-8^. 29^. icf'.*

The fide ? 0 is the horary motion of ? a 0 as fcen from the
Sun=95^',4i8 ; which encreafed in the Ratio of ?'s difVance
from 0, to her diftance from 0, gives her horary motion in the
vifible way =2 39'''',89i.

Now, returning to fig. 7 ; we had got
the meridional angle CVD,
But we had before ZVP,"ofDVL=49 0.53^3 3//'
And we have now got the angle") _ „

of the vifible way, CVN, 5" ^' ^9- 25

Subtr. their fum fromCVD, and we have LVN, =24. 29. 23

"Wherefore, in the right-angled triangle LNV (which bet-
ing fmall may be refolved as a plain triangle) having found one
angle LVN and the hypothenufe LV, we get the remaining
fides, viz.

VN the parallax in longitude=io'''. 592.

LN the parallax in latitude^ 4. 8245.

Now the parallax of longitude VN contributes to accelerate
the contad of Venus and the Sun, by its whole Itngth ; but the
parallax of latitude LN contributes to accelerate the fame by a
fjiice different from its whole length.

There are feveral ways of explaining this matter, and of
converting the fpace LN into a proportionable part for acr
ceicration. 1 he following method, given by Mr. Rittenhoufe,
is that which we made ufe of, and is as plain and flridlly ma-
thematical as an) .

" Let S (plate III. fig. 6) be the center of theSun and of the
cicle ABC, whole radius=975" the fum of the femidiameters
of the Sun and Venus. Let D L o be the true tranfit line, and
"D the place cf Venus' s center at the tim- of the external contadl,
asfeenfroin the Earth's center-, and B its place as fecn fjom

o /6 2 any

* This angle, in the Norviton account of tlie Tranfit, page 31, was called 8°. 28'. i?-",
that is near 1/ lefs ; the Iklc 0 ^ being computed from Halley's tables, not having
Mayer's tables at that time.

6o APPENDIX to the

any part on the fiirface of the Earth, fuppofe Greenwich. Make
B E perpendicular to Do-, then will D E be the parallax in
Jbngltude, and EB in latitude; and DL (hall be the whole
fpace by which Venus is brought fooner into contad with the
Sun to a fpedlator at Greenwich, than as Icen from the center,
of the Earth.

" Now if the parallax of longitude only took place, the
center of Venus would be removed thereby only along her true
path from D to E, and fo the tranfit would not yet be begun.
But the parallax of latitude EB makes her center appear to be
removed in another direftion from E to B, and brings her to
touch the Sun's limb by the fpace E L fooner than if only the
parallax of longitude took place. The length of this fpace E L,
(which is here lefs than E B) may be determined as follows.

" Having alTumed the Sun's horizontal parallax as before,
it follows from the Norriton obfervations, that the leaft dif-
tanceofthe centers of the Sun and Venus, as feen from the
Earth's center, was 6io'A Make, therefore, oS=6io^/,
perpendicular to D o r ; and o m = half the paralhx of lati-
tude BE, calculated as above foFthe given place. Draw ml,
parallel to o L -, join S I, which fliall be perpendicular to B L.
Make S p, perpendicular to S I, or parallel to BL. Then the
triangles BEL, I m S, are fimilar •, for ihey are both fimilar
to S m p •, whence I m : m S : : B E : E L. Bur mS^
;r6io— mo, half the parallax of latitude already found; and

<S 1 !_m S,=m I. Thus, the three firft terms of the proportion
beinfT known, the fourth E L is known alfo.

" In like manner let F be the geocentric place of Venus's
• center, and H its place as feen at Norriton at the time of the
external contaft. Drav/ HG perpendicular to DLo. Then
FG will be the parallax of longitude, and GH of latitude.
Make o n= half the parallax of latitude found above. Draw
q n K parallel to DLo. Join SK which Pnall be perpendicu-
iar to H L. Then the triangles FHG, KSn are fmiilar; and
Kn I n S :: HG : G L. Thus GL may be found. %et us, for
in Example, take Norriton.

HG,

Astronomical Papers, &c. 6i

. HG the parallax of latitude (under the denomination of LN)
was already found =4',8245-, whence— =2'^,4iy.2 =on.,
And oS— on=nS; thdt is 610^''— 2''^4i 22 = 607^,58 7 8=nS.j

Moreover ''SK^nS^ Kn; That is lj9 75 — 607,587b' =:1
762^536 = K n. Wherefore fince Kn:nS::HG:GL;
we have 762^536:607^5878 :: 4^S245 : 3",8432=GI.^

Thus the parallax of latitude HG=4'^8245^ feconds.

accelerates the contsft only by GL \ =3)^432

To which add the parallax of longitude £G,5

found above for Norriton \ —'^'^•>S9'^

And we have the whole fpace FL by which the")

conta6t is hailened at Norr-ton, by the parallaxes > =14,4352

both of longitude and latitude 3 "

Now as the motion of ? in an hour is 2^g'\Sgi j fhe will
require 2I^",624 of time, to pafs over the above paralladlic
fpace of i4'''',4352. And by lb much will the external contact
be accelerated at Norritonin time; viz. 2i6''',624.

By the like procefs for Greenwich, (ufing fig. 8, where

we had fig. 7 before), we fhall find the whole paralladic

fpace, DL =2 7 ",044 1

1 • 1 • • • II o ir Cfor the acceleration of ext

which gives in time=405'%846 ] ^ ^ v-.^liuh ui cal.,.

to T ;? » T- ^ contadl at Greenwich.

But, 2 1 6,624 was the acceleration at Norrito*. .

The difference 1 89^'',2Z2, is the abfolute time, by which,;
the exiernal contact fhould have been feen fooner at Green-
wich than at Norriton, if the Sun's horizontal parallax .were ■
truly affumed =8^^,5212 on the tranfitday.

But at Norriton the ext. contaft was obferved, at 2^. 12^. c,q'^
Addfor the diff. of merid. of Greenw. & Norriton, 5* i. 29

The Sum gives the time for Greenwich, if there")

were no parallax, y' '4- ^9

But the conta6b was obferved at Greenwich, at 7. 11. 2

The difference is the obferved effefl of parallax, - =3. 17=197//

But

62

APPENDIX to the

But this ohferved effedl 197'''' is greater than the calculated
effecc i89''',2 2 2 ; and therefore the Sun's true parallax on the-
tranfic day is (by this comparifon) greater than the parallax
sITumed for the calculation, and will be found 8'*',8 7 15.

For I89^222: 197^::8^52I2:8'^87I5.

In like manner, for the internal conta6ls, after computing'
the parallaxes of ? a O in long, and lat, tor the refpedtive
places and times of obfervation, agreeable to the foregoing,
rules, the parallaxes in latirude were reduced to their proporti-
onable fpaces for acceleration, by taking the difference of the.
femidiameters of 0 and $=918^ for the rad-us of the circle
(Plate 111, Fig. 6) inftead ot their fum =97 /. In all other
refpedts the operation is the fame as for the external conta6ls. >

So far concerning the neceffary preparations. The follow-
ing Table contains the names of places, their latitudes and
longitudes, and fuch other requifires as enter into the compa-r
rifons ior deduceing the Sun's parallax from the obfervations. —

'

Ex TERN A I Contact.

1

0 ^ Calculated

Names of

Latitude

Longitude in Time .

ift.ext.cont.

^ >

accelerati-

Places.

North

from , from

app. time

S<^

on, m time,

Greenwich Norriton.

Z, 0

by Par.

Greenwich

^ital Square
i MiddleTcmple
1 Kew

A Wind for CaAte
'A Shirburn Caftlc
M Oxford

Glafgow

Upfal

Stockholm

51°. i8'. 37"
51- 31- 15
SI. 30- SO

xS. IS

39- 21

45. 15

51. 3z

51. 50

h. m. fee.

h.m.fec.

0. 00. 00

5.1. ap E

0. 00. 17 ^v .

J.I. ra

0. 00. 15 w.

S.i. 4

0. I. 14 w.

S-o. 15

0. a. 241 W

4-S9-4 i

0. 3. 57 W.

4-57-31

0. 5. 4W.

4.56.15

0. 17. 11 W.

4 44. 1 8

1. 10. 46 E.

(5.ii.i5

I. 11. z6 E.

6.13.55

h. m. fee.

II. z

10. 44^
[I. sf
9-

S9

30

4

58

54. 19
21. 9y

14. I

405'
405.
405,
405.
405
405
40 s

4 CO

846
851
841

75S
664
451 j
236 .
867 j

358. 631 J
399-

«i

Mean
Norriton

40. p. 31

1. 29W.

5,12.44

^.00.00

■"(I :: ":

30.-5
50

4C'3 853
ii6. 614

DifF. 5. 9-40,15 I — I 187,119

Thus fubtraAing the t-me of the external contn.<5l at A'ornVow, from the rne.^n of the
ten external contacts in the above table, we have sh. 9'.4o''',i5 for the mean difi'. of lon-
^i ade by the obfervations. But the true mem difl'. of long, is yh. iiA 44^^95- The
diJertnce of thefe two =3', 4''',7 = i84''/,7 is the mean obferved cfFcift of parallax. But
the mean calculated tfl'edl =18 7",ii9. •

Whence i87",ii9 : i84'^,7 : : S'',?!!! : 8",4o6. Thus, by one fingle comparifon
of the I^hivi of the above tea obfervations with the Norriton obfervation, we get the

Sun's

Astronomical Papers, &c, 6^

Sun's paralkx on the tranfit day =8",40<j, agieeing to the lafl decimal p'acc with what is
got by making all the companions feparately, and taking the mean of the refuits, as in
the following tabic It would theretbre have been needlefs to enter down thei'e fepai-ate
comparisons, if it were not to fee how they diiier from e^ich other, and which (ii any)
ought to be rcje(5led.

3ES=

Aorrito/i and Greor.ticb.
H. m. fee. feconds.

i. iz- so KorrUon. 405,84.6 Greentv.

Vs. I. ap=ditF. of merid. ai6,f^'i4 Norriton.

7. 14. 19

7. II. ^ Greenivkh.

1,iii

+ 7'A7 78

3. 17 = 197/'

Sun's Parallax=S-''',87ij

Acrnl.n and ^Middle 'letnplc.
z. 11.. io K^,rntoii. 405,841 A7.Tt'OT/i/f.

[15. I. 4=diff. merid. 116,614. Noriiton.

Norr'it:n and Spital Square.
H. m. fee. feconds.

*. iz. so Norrlton. 405,851 Sphal Si^

S- X. ti=dtff. merid. a 1 6,614 A[orrit:n

7- 14- a 189. zi8

7. 10 44-1 Spital Square. -\-^"s:

3. i7i=iP7 ,7i

Sun's Parallax=8"".9csj.

7. 13-54

7. 11. 5^- Mid. Temple.

1,-iij

10", 96-j

1. 48^=i(58'',is

Sun's Parallax=7'',5 776.

I Is'orritou aud irindf.r Cajile.

|j. Ji. so Nonit^n. 405,6(54 lf''i>idf,r.

14. sp. 4-§^dIfF. merid. 216,624 Norritcii.

7. 11. C4A

7. 8. 3c V/indfcr.

189,04

+ IS'^4<S

3. 24i-=i04/-',S

Sun's Parallax=9",2i8i.

NorritOH and Oxford,
i. Ii. 50 Nerriton. 405,236 Oxford.

+. 56. 25=diir. merid. 216,624 Norriton.

Narriton and Kt-w.
1, 12. 50 Nurnton. 405,755 Kct'.

S. o. is=ditr. merid. 116,614. Norriton.

7- 13- S

7. 9- S9 Kc-w.

189,131

-3'^i3i

6=186".
Sun's ParalIax=8'^,38o4.

N'.rriton and Shirburn Cajile,
1. 12. 50 Norriijn. 405,451 Sbirh.Caft.

4. 57. 32=diff. merid. 216,6-24 N.orriton.

7. 10. 22

7. 7-4 Shirh. Caft.

188,828

-j-9",i72

3. 18=198

Sun's Parallax=:8",95Si.

7. 9.1$

7. 5- S8 Oxford.

J, 612

4-8'^,338

17 = 197

Sun's Parallax=8'',9002.

Kcrriton and Vtfal.
i. 14. Jo NorritOH. 398,632 Upful.

5. 12. is=diiF. merid. 216,624 Aorriton.

3.2s. S

3. 12. 9 Upfal

— 6'/,oo8

I. $6=176'

Sun's Parallax=8'^,2 399.

NorritOH and Glajgov:.
2. 12. 50. Norriton. 400,867 Glafgo-w.

4. 44. i8=diff. merid, 116,61^ Norriton.

6. 57- 8

&. 54. 29 Glafgow.

184,143

— i5''',i43

1- i9=i^9'

Sun's ParalIaT==7^'',3J37.

Korr.tcn and StC'ckbot'r:.
2. 12. so N:rrilci:. 339,388 Stockholm

^•13-5 5 =<iifF. merid. 116,624 Norritoni

8. 26.45

8. 24. I Stockhjlm.

182,764

-i8",764

2. 44=164"

Sun's Parallax I'l^i^e^.

Mean of the Whole 8",403.

APPENDIX to the

■ wailm,M I i.i II. ggg»iegfc««^-

Internal

Names 0
Places

i- o « Long. JXi
Ileg. cir- t. ^ time, fron.
jCumf. in ^ Jj Norriton.
concadl 6 ^

c'arallax.

Thread jo u. [Long, in Cal. ac-|
of liffht u JJ ! time, from ceiera-
com- ij2 S3 Nornton. ition iH:
pleat. 1 1 ^ J jtime byj

jpavall. }

Greenwich
Spitaf Square
MiddleTemple
Kew

Windfor Caftle
Shirburn Caftle
Oxford
. .Glafgow
Upfal
Stockholm

h.m. fee.

7-18-3I

9. 39-54
8. 41. 17

li.m.fec.
5. i.zpE

6.I3-5S

feconds
4X5, 8zi

— — ^i7-i

h.m. fee.

7.29.18

7-19-isi

61 7 "

•491
•17

418,147
416,769

f|1 7-16.37
Jl 7-i5-i4
3( 7-14-10
I' 7-ii-iS
i 8.40.16

! 8.41.47

h.m. fee. fecondst
^. 1.J9 £,414,7861
j-. i.ii 414,741;

1. 4

0.15

4 59- 4a

4'57-3i

4.56.15

4.44.18

6.11. IS

6-I3-55

414,7011
414>4J4,
;4i4,iii|

.414.133'
413,956

11,01
418 947
417,175

Mean,
Norricon,

1 8.16.34
ji.30. 6

5,49.13

419,6113^

; 138 - - ;

Diff.

\% 46.18 J - j

Thus the true mean diff, of "^ H.
meridians of A (/rn^M and |
the three pl.ices where
the reg. circumfevcnces
are noted in ccntadl, is

Cut the mea?;i diff. of meri-
dians, by the obfei-vati-
ons, is — — —

|i8i,6ia3

fee.

S- 49- 13

5. 46. 18

I?. 40.37, h - -15.11.44,9^411,317
[1.30.16 1 I 138,975

5,io.ii,8| - - I 1183,841

In like manner, for the ten
places, which noted the comple-
tion of the thread of lighl, for the
Internal Contadk ; we have —

The difF. of tKefe two, is
the mean obfcrved efleCl
of parallax, — —

But the' mesm calculated effedt of
parallax, is — — — —

=1. 45=165'

i8i/>',6ii^

H. m. fee.
M.dif.merU. s. 11. 44,95
But, by the")
obfervati- |
ons, the ^ 5< 10. 11,8
mean diff. ]
merid. is J

And,

i8i'/,6ii3 : 165'': : S'/.siii : 7",74i.
V» hence, 7//,74i = i^'s parallax.

a- 33,iS=iS3''.rS

And,
i83V,84:i5 3/'',i5::8'/,5aii:7-'/,oB:
ij Whence, 7",o8=0's parallax.

Roth thefe Refults are the fame as the Mean Refults of their refpeiftive ClafTes,
cot by the feparatc Comp.irifons in the following Table.

But the mean calcu-"^

. lated effedlof par. >

is — — — J

i83'^,84i

Internal

ASTRO'NOMIC AL pAPERS, ^C,

65

TsTERNAL Contact.
Comparifons fvom ihe regular CTCum^'ercnces in Contadl,

N'orrhon and Greenvkh.
H. m. fee. feconds.

X. 30. 6. Norr'tten. 413,811 Creeni.vich.
j. I. a9.=diiF.mcrid. 138. horritcn.

7. 31. 3j. 185,8*1

7. 18. 31. Green-wich. — i'',8ii

3. 4=-»84".

■^r \'s Pnrall^T=8".4.<i.

Norriton and UffJ.
H. m. fee. fcconds.
X. 33. 6. Norriton. 418 Z47 Vffal.
6. II. i5.=ditr. merid. 238, Norritot:.

8. 41. XI.

8. 39- 54- Upfil

180,147

— 33''.a47

a. 17=147

Sun's Parallax=(S",9S.

^> jiru ^n and ..i.r'..:Aiii. | The Mean of thefe three comparifons,

|x. 30. <S. Norriton. 416,76^ StGckhnli?!. gives the Sun's Parallax 7 ''',74.

6. 13. ss =di£r. merid. 138, Norriton.

£. 44. I.

8. 41. 17. Stockhdm.

178,769

— i4^',(Soj.

». 44.= 1 64 'A

Sun's Parallax=7",8i.

Comparifons froTn t^e Completion of the Thread of Light.

Norriton and Grtcnu'ii,;.
H. m. fee. feconds.

2. 30. 2tf. Norriton. 414,768 Greenivich.
S. I. 29=diff. merid. 138,975 Norriton,

7. 31. 55. 185,793

7. 19. 18. Green-wich. — a8'-',793.

1- 37 = 157 •

Sun's Parallax=7'',ioo7.

Norriton and Aliddle Temple.
1. 30. 26. Norriton. 414,701 AI/V.Tcw^/f.
5. 1. 4. =difr.mer!d. 138,975 ZvcrnVo/7.

7. 3:. 30. 185,716

h. iS. 49lMid.TernpIe. — i5'",47'S

2. 4oJ=i6o'/,i5.

slm's P;rJ!ay=-7",;5i4.

JS'j.iiiO,. and ll*'ii:c'J':r.
1. 30. i5 Norriton. 414,121 Windf'.r.

4. 59. 4%-=dlfl". merid. 138,975 Ncrnton.

7. 19- 3^4 185,146

7. 26 37i Wind/or. — ii'''i46

A orriton and Spital Square.
H. m. {cc. feconds.

1. 30. 16. Norriton 424,741 Spital Sq

5. I. ii.=difF. merid. 238,975 Norriton

7. 31. 38. 185,766

7. 19. 15^ Spital Sq. '-4s'\oi6

1. iii= i4i",75.

Sun's Parallax=6'",548i.

Norriton and Ke'a'.
1. 30. 16 Norriton. 414,454 Keiv.

5. o. i5=diff. wcrid. 238,975 Norriton.

7. 30. 41

7. 28. 17 Kevj.

185,479

-41 .479

2. 14=144^''

Sun's parallax 6^',6is6.

A jrritou and cihirii-.rn Caj'le.
1. 30. 16 Ncrritsn. 414,103 ^ikirl.Caft.

4. 57. 32=diit. merid. 138,975 Norriton.

7. 27- 58 185,118

7. 15. 14 Slirb.Caft. —ji/y^i^g

0 i

Norr'tion

66

APPENDIX to the

Norriton and Oxford.
H. in. fee. feconds.

a. 30. 1(5 Norriton, 4»3j9J Oxford.

4, s(5. ij=diiF. merid. 138,975 Norriton.

7. i5. SI

7. 14. ao Oxford.

184,975

-33 .975

a. 31 = 151-

Sun's Parallax=6'';Sr4oi.

Norriton and Vpjal.
1. 30. a6 Norriton. 418,947 Vffal.

6. II. i5=dliF. merid. 238,975 Korriton.

8. 4a. 41

8. 40. 1(5 l^^/f/a/.

»79,P7i

— 34",9T»

a. a5=i4J •

Sun's Parallai=6",8fi54.

Norriton and GJaJgoiv.
H. m. fee. fecoiids.

a. 30. a6 Norriton. 411,01 Glafgoiu.

4. 44. i8=difF. merid. a 38,975 Norriton.

7. 14. 44

7. I a. IS Glafgov/.

i8a,<J3$

a. 19=149 .

Sun's Parallai=fi",9748.

Norrlion and Mi^ckhdm.
a. 30. 1(5. Norriton. 4i7,a7S Stockholm.

<5- 13- 55 =^diff. merid. 138,975 Norriton.

8 . 44, a I .

8. 41. 47. Stockholm.

178,3

-»4'

Mean of the above Ten', 7''',o9.

a. 34=154'-

Sun's Parallax=7''',359^.

Let us next fee what parallax of the Sun will be got from
the Philadelphia obfervations, compared with thole made at
the ten places above fpecified ; wherein a fingle compirifon
will be fufiicient, Hnce the refult v/ili be thcrfame, as from a
mean of the ten comparilbns made fcparaiely.

P H IL A D EL PU IJ, a.n6 Ten Places In EUROPE.
External Contact.
H. m. fee. "feconds.

%. 13. 46,6 Philadelphia mean of 5 obferv. 403,853 mean parallax for the 10 places.
5. II. 5a, 95=mean difF. merid. a i s.n parallax for Philadelphia.

7. as- 39,5S=time for the 10 places'? DifF. 1 88,7 3 3=calculated efFedl of parallax,
allax. )

witlioUt par
7, aa. 3o,as=mean of the obferved times.

4- o",S<57.

DifF.^. 9, 3=i89",:;i=niean obferved effei^t of Parallax.

SV'hencc, j88",733 : i89",3 : : 8",siJi : 8 'S4i58=f^'5 Parallax on Tranfit Day.

Internal Contact.
H. m. fee. feconds.

a. 31. i8 Philadelphia mean of 5 Gi)ferv. 411.8 17 mean parallax for the 10 plac«$.
5. IT. 5a,95=mean diiT. merid. i;v 94 parallax for Philadelphia.

7. 43. ao,9S=time for the lo places') DifF. 1 84,87 7=calculated efTcta of parallii.

without ]>jTallax.^
7. 40. 3 7, 8=mean of the obferved times. • — ai",7i7.

APilF.a. 43,i5=i<53",i?— -mean obfevvcd efFe£l of paral'ir.

Vhcace, 1S4 ',877 : 163', 15 : : 8",S»ii : 7",Si98=0's Parallax

Ihui

Astronomical Papers, &c. 6y

Thus, by the External ContaB, we have the Sun's Parallax —

feconds.
From the Philadelphia Obfervations 8,J468
And from the Norriton Obfervations 8,4060

i6,9ji8
The Mean of both is, . . . . .■ • =8*^4764.

In like manner, by the Internal CcntaB, we have the Sun's Parallax —

feconds.
From the Norriton obfer-") 7,74 comparifon, reg. circumf. in contacc.
vatisns, J 7,08 comparifon, thread of light compleat.

From PWladelphia obfer--r ^ ^^ comparifon, thread of light compleat.

**.34
The Mean of thcfeis =*7/',447

3

Now the mean parallax thus got by the comparifon of all the
ten external contads in the above table, with chofe of Philadel-
phia and Norriton, being 8'''',4764 on the tranfit day, is
nearly the fame that was got by the bed obfervations in 1761,
and gives S'\6o^^ for the Sun's horizontal parallax at the mean
diftance. And there is reafon to think, that this is as large as
perhaps any good obfervations will give it.

But the Aftronomer Royalwritcs me, that he has under-
taken the final fettlement of this matter •, and, no doubt, he
has feveral obfervations (whereon to found comparilbns) that
liave not come to our hand," and v;ill likewife confider every
nicety that can enter into this truly delicate calculation, making
the proper allowances for the diiierence of lelefcopes, &c.
I therefore thought it needlefs to be' very particular in my
comparifons, and contented myfeif with thofe places whole
Jatiiude and longitude could be well depended on, and v;herc
the (ky was clear, and the Sun any tolerable height above the
horizon. Indeed, fome of the ten places in the above table
ought, perhap-;, to be rejected. The longitude ofGlaJgow,
for inTlance, docs not feem fully determined. For the cclipfes
of Jupicer's Satellites,, obferved there by Dr. Wilfon, would
give the longitude different from what the Doclor calls it ia
his account of the tranfit. If tliat obfervation were left cut,
the mean parallax would come out a fmall fraction, lar^^er by
the cxie.r-nal conta<5t.

As to the parallax deduced from the internal eontad-^
viz. 7^^447 on the day of the tranfir, I think no dependence
can be placed upon it, for the reafons givai above, . Por,

0/2 unlefs

* In the coyiiparu'ns 'vlfh the Grcenr.'ch internal c.-tiiFs, the oJ-ferratisn cf Mr. Dunn, as

6^ A P P E N D I X to the

unlefs OUT internal contaSis had all been noted about 22" later,
they would not give the fame quantity of parallax as the ex-
ternal conta6ls. And the truth of obfervation would by no
means permit us to lengthen out our internal contadts fo much ;
for, in 22" after the times noted by us, Venus appeared not-
only furrounded wholly by the Sun's light, but a confiderable
way within his difc. And indeed the Aftronomers in Europe,
feem fenfible of the little dependence that can be placed on
obfervations made fo near the horizon,'as thofe of the int. cont.

Monsieur Ferner v/rites from Stockholm, that he is more
furprized that " the times of the contacts fhouid agree fo well
*' together than he is at their difference. For the nearnefs of
'* the Sun to the horizon, and the extraordinary quantity -of
*' vapors with which the atmofphere was loaded, not only
" caufed the limb of the Sun to tremble and undulate, but
" gave it, as it were, the form of a large faw, the eminences
*' being luminous, and the cavities black, which fhifted m.
" places like a tempeiluous ocean." Theie things made it
difficult to fix even the umQ of iht external cental to greater
certainty than 5 or 6 feconds ; but, at the internal contacft, he
found difficulties of another kind. For *' when he thought
" Venus ought to be entirely within the Sun, the luminous
" culps did not join immediately behind her ; but on the con-
*' trary, ffiefeemedio carry the limb of the Sun along with
" her, which appeared to bend towards her, leaving a black
" cavity in his limb; and the body of the planet, though he
" thought he faw it all within the Sun, ilill fhot out a black
*' column or ligament towards his limb."

It was intended to have compared all the other Ame-
: rican Obfervations (as well as thofe of Norriton and Philadel-
phia J with the European Obfervations, for deducing the
Sun's parallax-, but I could only find leif>jre to make the cal-
culations for two places more, viz. the Capes of Delaware,
and Bafkenridge, New-Jeifey. Mr. Biddle*^ external conr:i6l
at the Capes, compared with the ten places above, gives
,^".254 for the Sun's parallax on the tranfit day -, and deduft-
Jiig 8", by which he thinks he noted his iniernal contact too
late, on account of the treir.ulous motion on the Sui.'s liiiib,
cccafioned b> the denfc vapors from the fea, that contaft gives
:,3",862. 1 he external contaft <ob{'rrved at I'afkenridge, by
J. ore! Stirlin^O pivcs, on a like cotr.pariiun ']"•>'] qS^ and his
inteinaicoiitad 8 ' i668. His

Astronomical Paperjs, ^c. 6g

His Lordfhip has not yet had an opportunity to afcertain the
longitude of Bafl^enridge with the necelTary precifion ; and the
contacts by Mr. Biddle being about i6" later, than they ought
to be from his difference of longitude (allowing for parallax)
compared with Philadelphia and Norriton ; he apprehends that
the time of his clock could not be depended on nearer than
to about one quarter ot a minute, having only a very fmali
equal Altitude Inftrument mounted on a Theodolite, to regu-
late by, and the wind very high on June 2d. In other
reipefts, there cannot be the leaft doubt of the accuracy
of his obfervations, having an excellent Telefcope, and
acknowledged abilities for the ufe of it ; nor can there bean
uncertainty of fo much as 3^-^ of time in the longitude of his
Obfervatory, in refpeft to the places abovementioned.

Nevertheless, it the parallax of the Sun deduced from
thtfe two obfervations of the external contadt, be joined with
thofe of Norriton and Philadelphia, and the mean of all the
four be taken, it will give 8", 4907 for the Sun's parallax on
the tranfit day, agreeing exceedingly near with what was got
before by the comparifon from the Philadelphia and Norritori
external contadls, viz. S'',.\.y64..

There is one fmall nicety, which the extreme ftriiflnefs of
the modern Aftronomy might have required to betaken in the
foregoing calculations -, and which was not thought of in time.
In the hypothefis of the Earths being an oblate fpheroid, the
true latitude of places is more fouth than the apparent lati-
tude, or that deduced from obfervations.

Thus, the calcul. were made with lat. 40^. 9A3 1^^ for Norriton.
But, onaccount of the fpheroidall o

figure of the Earth, fubtrad, J • 4* 3

Remains the true latitude, that"^

-fhould have been ufcd inr = s^. S4' 53

the calculation, •)

In like manne*- the latitude for Greenwich fiiould be
5i«'. 14'. 19/^, inltead of 51°. 28'. 37/^.

Moreover the horizontal parallax afFumed in the calcula-
tions, being to be confiJered as the cquatoreal parallax, fiiould
bear a fmall reduction for diilerent latitudes.

With

70

A P P E N D I X to the

Wjth this redudlion, therefore, both of latitude and paral-
lax, the calculations for Greenwich and Norriton were re-
peated, and the Sun's parallax came out, for the external
contaft 8^805, inftead of 8^8715. The difference is fo fmall,
that ic was not thought worth while to repeat any more of the
calculations on that account -, efpecially as the final deterniinar
tion of the Sun's parallax, from the late trandt, as was hinted
already, will not be left to depend on our calculations in,
America. Ifliould have been glad, if time had permitted^
r.o have gone, over the work a fecond time, to be fure of its
corre6tneis. Some of the calculations were made by Mr. Rit-
tenhoufe and myfclf jointly, and of the refidue, made by myfelf
fino^ly, which were the gredteft part, we have, here, and there
leledled out fome for re-examination. And though, among fuch
a multitude of figures, as neceffarily entered into thefe calcula-
tions, it is difficult to avoid miftakes wholly, either in Writmg
or Printing, yet Ithink, there can be none of any fignificancy.

MeleorologicAL ObskrvAtions Wtf^f af Philadelphia, in December, 1770; and in
January, and part of February, 1771. By Thomas Coombe, £/jr. Communicated
bv Dk Smith.

THOUGH part of the following Obfervations ought not, in the order of time, to
come iuto this Volume, yet the fmgular moderation of the weather, for more than
ten weeks of what is ufually the le\'creft part of our North- American winters, makes it
nroper not to feparate obfervations which many people will willi to preferve entire,
for a comparifon with'future winters, when we llrall be favored with any of the like
itiildnefs.

«3

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Days.
f A Jljarp fro/} in tht ni^ht.

Astronomical Papers, &c, 71-
Continued^ far December^ i770» ^^ Philadelphia.

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FEB.

\ Rs'm in the nighi. • ^crp-fkcjl In the ti'i^ht-. f JpJ f\H-jlnrie. ^ Ard -wind. (j And
ywind. t StiG'Jii i/t tbe_n''g^'^ \\ A,iJ wind;— /i.a-iv h the r.i^bt, and ^arlj this mimhrg.

'^b APPEl\fDIXtoxheAsTKONOMicAi.?ArzRs,&c.
F E B RU-ART, 1771.

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fair and windy;

iair,
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clouds, aAdSua-iluneattimQs;
" fair
i cloudy.
i fair
I do.

. fair and windy — Smart froft in the night,
do.

fair ; intenftly cold- thismornlng.

cloudy.
f rain ; fnow in the night.
I do.
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cloudy & ftormy ; — a r<marltablc high tide,

cloudy and windy.

fair and windy.
! do.

overcafl;.

■ f^ggy ' — inuch rain in the night,
wind and Sun-fliine.

1 cloudy and very \vindy — Delaware-fiiU of Ice.

■ wind and Sun-lliine. .#
overcaft,

fun-fliine.
fair.
do.

The Thermometer marked Open Air, is fufpended in a North
window, about thirteen feet trom the ground, the caicment of
which (lands on a jar.That marked [indoors, ' hangs in an open
entry of a ground fioor, the door of which fronts the f;?{l.
The former Thermometer was made by the late ingenious Mr.
Ayscough, and compared v/ith one made by the accurate Mr,.
Bird; the latter was ma ie by Mr. Nairne, and compared
with that of Ayfcough, with v.'hich it agrees^

From the accounts of the weather at Plymouth, in Eng-
land, in January, 1768, as publilhed in the 50th vol. of Phi-
lofophical tranfaflions, it appear.?, the greatelt Cold there, was
on the third and fourth days of that month, when the mercu-
ry in the Thermomeiier fell to 20 degrees. The greateft heighth
was on the 14th, v/hen the mercury itood at 49 degrees; wmd
atS. W.

V*

T R A N S A C TI O N S

OF THE

American Philosophical Society.

Sect. II.
ESSAYS ON AGRICULTURE.

in ESSAY on the cultivation of the Vine, and the making
and preferving of Wine, fuited to the differ; nt Climates in
'North -America. By the Hon. Edward Antill, Efq;
oi Nexv-Jerfey. 'Communicated to the Society

By Charles Thomson, with the following
Excradt of a Letter to him.

Dear Sir,

HAVE at lajl^ after many ha-d firugghs^ and many a
painful hour^ Ichonring under a tedious diforder^ finijhed the
ejfny on the cultivaiion of the Vine, ^c, ijohich I now fmd
ycu.

Nothing but the love of my country and the good of mankind
could have tempted me to apper.r and expofe myfelf to public view.
I i-ave^ to the utmcfl of my Jkill and knowledge, endeavoured to lay
open and explain every part of this undertaking, yet new to Amrica-,
though an un er taking as antient at leaft s the days of Noah ; and
yet what feems firange to telU it is an art that has not yet arrived
at .perfeStion, but is fiill vifibly capable of fome effential improve-
ments : Ibat America fljould give Jje fnfhing ftroke at lofi to a

L "8 ]

*Work^ that has been in hand above four thoufand years ; andwhai'
is fiill mere fir ange^ a work every fart of which ^ is an txperiment^
if attended to \ I fay that the compleating of fich a work fhould be
left to the genius of America^ no doubt would give the -people of
America a good deal of pleafure. That thif^ will be the ccfe^ I
cannot yet take upon me to fay •, but I think there are jome hints
now offered^ whiih if fieadily purfued^ and improved by eafy expe-
riments. the making of wines and the preferving them^ will foon
arrive at greater perfeiiion^ than yet it has been done,

The Succefs and perfe5fion of every undertaking depends upon
felting out right : Indeed the people of America have greatly the
advantage of the people of Europe^ in things of this nature, becaufe
Wf be,, in when they leave off, and we are fee from the force of
all their prejudices and erroneous cufioms •, but ih'n we mu/l deter-
mnately act like men, and judge for our f elves, and not implicitly
follow them, without the ufe of our own reafon : Let us then fup-
pcfe that every art is capable of improvement, and let the people of
America try the firength of their own genius. They may hit on
things, that have not been thought of before -, for we ye-rly fee^ that
the arts and fciences too meef' with conftant additional imp-j ove-
ments; and '^vhy fhould the people of America be fecluded from the
honour and pie a fur e of being fervic cable to fnankind in their turn.
We mufl expeEl to meet with all the difcow agments, that the t;rti-
fice of France, Spain and Portugal can give us ; we fijall be told,
that cur country is too new, our joilis not fit, and our climate is the
reverfe of that of aine countries •, befides that zvithout the help of
experienced i igneronf i1 will be impcjfihle for us to make any hand
of it \ that as to books, they are jo erroneous^ that there is no de-
pendence upon ihem^ and abunda?ice of fuch fiiff. But let not the
people of America be dupes to France, or any fet of dsfign ng men.

Why the people of America, that trade in Wines, fhould give
of pi ft ion to the undertaking, I ca not conceive. They and their
children will be dead and gone, be: ore it: can arrive to fuch a pit h^
as to interrupt their trade \ befides it miifi, when brought to per-
feblion^ be a dcubk advantage to fuch men \ for it is well known,
thit the wine merchants, in all wine countries, gain more by Wine,
than the people that make it ; and their gain will fiill be encreafedy
when they come to fend it home to the nwthef country.

. The

t J'9 ]

The papers 1 fend you are only a rough draughty as you will
eaftly difcover •, / hive not firength to go over it again^ to range
all the parts under differ et heads ^ in order to reduce them to proper
chapters for the eafe of the reader \ I muji leave that to the
^rinter^ and to thoje that dire£i the prefs,

I aMy t^c.
Monmoiitth, NevV- jerfey, - E. A.

Shrewfbury, May lo, 1769.

jfn Effay on the Cultivation of the VINE, ^c.

TH E V I N E, if confidtred in its full extent of plea- Introduco
fure, px-ofit and ufefulnefs to Man, challenges, next to "'*"'
what affords ns Bread, rhe, chiet- place among the vcgerable
creation ; its fruir, when rfioroughly ripe, is pleafing to the
eye, grateful to the tafte, comforting to the ftomach, refrefh-
ing to the body w; en eact-n with caution and moderation, and
greatly contributes to health. Its juicer, when exprefs'd and
rightly fermented and purified according to art, p-rtakeofa
noble fpirit truly homogeneous and fit for the ufe of Man.
1 hey gladden his heart, remove to a diftance his troubles and
cares, cauie him to forget his poverty and low eftate, and
raife him to % level with the rich and great : They enliven his
thoughts, exhilerate his fpirits, cheer his foul, and for a time
make him as happy as his preient condition is capable of.
Wife and happy is the man, that (huns excefs, that prudently
avoids turning this cordial into a cup of poifon, and moderate-
ly enjoys the biefling with a thankful heart.

Wine is a very confiderable branch of trade. The many
advantaores that muft arife to the Colonies from the making it,
as well as to the Mother Country, arefo great and fo very well
known, that I ne-d not go about to defcribe them at large j
to touch upon them is fufficient.

The planting of Vineyards, tnt cultivation of Vines, the
making of Wine, and Calks to prefcrve it, muft employ and
give bread to a great number of people j the freight and a pro-

0^2 fitabie

[ 120 3

Stable remittance, mufl" enrich the merchant v and the being
fuppHed from the colonies with wine, in exchange for her
iTaanufa6tures, muft be a confiderable faving to Great-Britain.

r KNOW full well, that this undertaking being new to my
countrymen, the people of America, will meet with many'
difcouraging fears and apprehenfions, left it may not fucceed.
1 he, fear of being pointed at or ridiculed, will hinder many :
The apprehenfion of being at a certain expence, without the
experience of a certain return, will hinder more from making
the attempt ; but let not thefe thoughts trouble you, nor
make you afraid. You have a friend for your guide, who will
not deceive you, nor miflead you : One, who by experience,
knows, that the thing is prafticable here, where the country is
open and clear •, one who looks upon you all as his children,
and with the fondnefs of an affedionare father will take you
by the hand, and lead you with pkirinels and honeft fimplicity,
through all the different operations, till you become matters of
the whole, and then with pleafure and delight will look on and
fee you reap the profits, to your tuli fatistadion, of all your;
expence and labour.

Whoever confiders the general climate of North-America,
the foil, the feafons, the ferenity and drynefs of the air, the
length and intenfenefs of the heat, the fair and moderate wea-
ther, that generally prevails in the fail, when Grapes are
coming to maturity, and arrive at their greateft perfeflion •, .
whoever compares the prefent ftate of the air, with what is was
formerly, before the country was opened, cleared and drained,
will find that, we are every year faft advancing to that pure
and perfect temperament of air, fit for making the beft and.
richeft Wines of every kind.

Such has been the bounty and goodnefs of Heaven, that
there are Vines adapted to every country, to every region,
from fifty degrees both north and fouth latitude dov/n to the-
Equator •, and the countrie^beyond thefe may eafily be fup-
plyed by traffic, fo that all tfie fons of men may partake of rnis
g-eneral, this univerfal blelTing,.

It

[ ^21 ]

It is not every Vine, that is fit for every country : Some
sre earlier. Tome are later ripe •, fome are tender and delicate,
and will not Hand the feverity of winter, others are hardy and
robiill, and will {land any weather : Hereafter I fliall range
them in proper and dillincl clalTes, and adapt the different
forts by name to the different climates in America, where they
may be propagated with iatety and to the bell advantage.

A Vine, ^rom a flick or cutting, begins to bear fruit the
third year, the fourth year it bears more, and the fifth year
you may make Wine ; qpd for your greater encouragement,
from that time until it attains the full age of man, it increafes
in value and yields a richer Wine ; and if from the beginning,
it be carefully pruned, duly manured and properly cultivated,
it ^vili generoufly reward you for all your labour, expence and
care, and will hold good above an hundred years, as mofl
writers aiBrm. But then it mud be tended by a careful and
fleady hand. I will not bear to be flighted, or negledled.
If you do not manure the ground and keep it in
good heart, your Vine will bear no fruit i if you neglefl to
cultivate the foil and keep it clean, your fruit will be knotty,
and ftarved, and will not come to maturity j if you fuffer the
ftakes or props to fall, and your Vine to fprawl on the ground,
the fruir will not ripen, but remain auftere, and will not make-
good Wine. Wine is too rich a juice to be made from a bar-
ren foil, or by lazy idle flovens. Such men fhould never
undertake a Vineyard. They not only hurt themfelves, and
bring the thing into difcredit, but hinder others, who are fic"
for the undertaking, from making the attempt. If a Vine-
yard does not fucceed, the fault is in the man, not in the Vine,
it will flounfli and profper under a careful diligent hand -, but'
it will degenerate and run wild under the Ti and of floth and
idlenefs. A gentleman of Rome, who took great delight in*
Vineyards, fome of v/hich he had raifed with his own hands,,
wrote a very elegant piece upon the culture of Vines, andvin'
the mofi: pathetic terms recommends it to the people of Italy,
as the moft profitable, as well as agreeable amufing under-
taking. Among many other encouragements, he tells them
ih-is ftory : 'S Favidius. Veterenfis, a neighbour of my uncle,-

had...

[ 122 ]

had a Vineyard and two daughters. Upon the marriage of one

of them, he gave with her as her dowry, one third of his Vine-
yard ; and then doubled his diligence, and cultivated the re-
mainder fo well, that it yielded him as much as the whole had
done before : Upon the man i age of the other daughter, he
gave with her one other third of his Vineyard -, and now having
but one third part of the whole left, he fo manured and culti-
vated it, that it yielded him full as much as the whole had
done at firit."

This ingenious author accufcs man)^ of his countrymen of
having begun this work with feeming rtfoluiion, and of having
carried it on for fome time with alTicuity, but before they had
brought it to perfection, they flagged, and fv>r want of fteadi-
nefs and a little longer perfeverance, loft their money, their
labour, and all their profpeds. At the fame time he proves to
ademonftration, from exad and minute calculations, the great
advantages ofV'neyards, notwithftanding the great expence
the Romans were at in buildings, inc'olures, workmrn and
magnificent works, and brings his ov/n Vineyards, which \ver€
well known, as proofs of all he had faid,

I SHALL take the liberty to conclude this introduftion with a
fhort but pretty defcription of the Vme, which Cicero, in his
beautiful tra6t upon old age, puts into the mouth of Cato.

The Vine that naturally runs low, and cannot rear itfelf
without a fupport, is for this end provided with tendrils, by
which, like io many hands, it lays hold on every thing it meets
with, that may raife it, and by thefe aids it expan.is, and be-
comes fo luxuriant, that to prevent its running out into ufelefs
wood, the dreRer is oblieed to prune off its fupcrfluous wan-
dring branches ; after which from the Itanding joints, in ihe
enfuing fpring, the little bud called the gem, pufhes out the
new Ihoot, whereon the tender young Grape is formed •, which,
gradually fwelling by nourifhment from the earth, is at firft
auftere to the tafte, but guarded with leaves around, that it
may neither want due warmth, nor fuffer by too fcorchingrays,
it ripens by the Sun's enlivening beams, and acquires that de-
licious

C 123 ]

licious fweetnefs and beautiful form, that equally plcafe both the
tafte and eye i and then enriches the world with that noble liquor,
the advantages of which I need not name. Yet it is not the fenfe
of thefe, nor of all the advantages of hufbandry, that fo nearly
affedt us, as the pleafure 1 find m their culture alont; ; fuch as
ranging the Vines and their fupporting perches in exift'and
even rows, in arching and binding their tops, lopping off the
woody and barren, and training the fruitful branches to fupply
every vacancy, and then contemplating the beauty and order
with the procefs of nature in the whole.

Of the ■planting and management of the Vine* ■

The ffrft thing neceflary to a good Vineyard is a proper plot'^^® P*"?-
or piece of ground. Its fituation fhould be high and dry, free ^^^ ^''^^
from fprings and a wet fpewy foil. Its afpedl or front fhould be vineyard,
toward the fouth and Ibuth-eaft. Though the ground be not a
hill, yet if be high, open and airy, and gradually afcends to-
wards the fou-ih or fouth-eaft, it will do very Well. If it be a
fruitful hill, it will do better. But if it be a mountain, with a
rich foil, it will be beft of all ; for the higher the Vineyard,
the richer the VV^ine.

The foil moft natural to a Vineyard, and fuch as produces
the fweeieft Grapes, and the richeft ftrongeft Wine, is a rich
mould mixed with iand. ! he newer and frelher the ground,
the better •, fuch a foil may be found on a rifing ground and on
fome hills, but very feldom on the fides of mountains ; tor here
the foil is generally flifFand clayey, fo ordered by Providence,
as being lels fubjett to be wafhed away by hard rains ; but this
ftifffoilon the tide of mountains, diflFers greatly from clay
grounds below ; the winds and air, and the Sun's heat fo dry-
and warm it, that it becomes a proper bed for Vines, and reri^
ders them both prolific and produdlive of the richeil Wines.

A RICH warm foil mixed with gravel, or a fandy mould in-
terfpened with large ftones, or with fmall loofe rocks, are alfo
very proper for a Vineyard. Rocks and {tones, if the foil be'
good, wai-nianddfy, are no difadvantage to Vines. On the

contrary.

I 124 ]

contrary they refieft great heat to the fruit, and thereby con-
tribute towards perteding the Wine, efpecialiy if they are on.
ri fin o- ground, on the decHvJty of a hill, or on the fide of a
mountain. It is true, they aie attended with fome inconveni-
ences. It is more difficult to keep iuch a Vineyard clean, to
{lake it well, to range the Vines in proper order, and regular
form, to dung the ground, and to gather in the Vintage. But,
then, thefe rocks and ftones will m^ke a good, dole, ftrong
and lalling fence. On the fides ot hills and mountains they
are abfolure neceffary to make low rough walls along the lower
fide of the Vines, to preferve the good foil trom wafhing away.
They lervealfo to keep the ground moift in hot dry times,
when, but for them, the foil would be parch'd up along fuch
llcep grounds. In ihort, there would be no fuch thing as rai-
fing Vmeyards on fuch grounds, were it not for rocks and
ftones. For as it is neceflary to keep the foil loofe and mel-
low, it would all walh av;ay with hard rains, if nor prevented
by forming a kind of rough wall of ftones along the lower, fide
of each row of Vines. Again, fuch lands are cheap, being un-
fit for other purpofes and generally yielding little timber or
grafs. They may therefore be purchafed by poor people, who
could not afford to go to the price of good land. Laftly, thefe
ifeep hills and mountains always yield the richeft Wines, the
value and price of which will compenfate for any extraordinary
labour.

The If the ground be worn and out of heart, it muft be renew-

groundto^^ and helped with dung, with frefli m.ould, with creek mud,
niued." with the rich foil, that lodges along the fides of brooks or ri-
vers, or that fettles in low places at the toot of hills or moun-
tains, or by foddering cattle and fheep upon it with good
ftore of ftraw, fait hay, or corn-ftalks, &c. or by penning
fuch cattle upon it and ploughing all under as deep as may be,
till all be made fufiiciently rich, or by any other method, that
Ihall beft fuit the owner.

If your ground be IVifF, it may be mended by good
ftore of land, aihes, foot, the rubbifh and morter ot old
buildings, well pounded, efpecially it luch morter be mac'e of

lime

[ 125 ]

Hme and fand, by the dull and fmall coil of coal kilns, ar^d
the carrh, that they are covered with when they are burnt, fea
fand or fine gravel, and good ftore of fowi's dung and fhcep's
dung, or the old dung of neat cattle.

After vour ground is brought into good heart, and has-Andweii
been deep ploughed or dug and well harrowed, fo as to be *«^*^'==°'
quite mellow, it muft be well fecured with a good clofe fence,
fu( h as is fit to turn rambling boys, as well as cattle and hogs,
for on this depends the fuccefs ot the whole.

The next ftep to be taken, is to provide a fufficient flock of Method of
Vine Cuttings, not only enough to plant the Vineyard, but a P'^'^""g^
fmall nurfery too. If thefe cannot be had all at once,, begin to
lay up a year or two beforehand, and plant them in your nur-
fery in even rows, at four inches diftance, and the rows three
feet afunder, that they may be howed and kept clean •, and
fcatter fome fhort ftraw and chaff along between the rows to
keep the ground moift and the weeds down. Let the ground
of your nurfery be in good heart, but by no means fo rich, as
the foil of your Vineyard •, if it is, when the plants are re-
moved into the Vineyard, they will pine and dwindle, and
feldom flouriOi and become fruitful. The reafon of planting
the cuttings fo clofe in the nurfery is, to prevent their (hooting
their roots too far into the ground, which would render them
very difficult to take up without damaging the root, and more
tedious to plant out.

Be not over fond of planting various forts of Vines in your AVineyard
Vineyard, if you mean to make good Wine. The moft ex- Jio^ldnot
perienced Vignerons fay, that Grapes of one fort make the maru- forts
beft Wine •, that if they are mixed, they hurt the Wine, by of Vines,
keeping it conftantly upon the fret, by means of their different
fermentations. Be that as it may, I fliould recommend this
practice for reafons, that operate more ftrongly with me, which
are, that the more fim.ple and pure Wine is, the more pcrfedt
it is in kind. Three different Wines may be all good in kind
and very agreeable, whilfl: di{tin<ft, but when mixed together
become quite the reverfc, and the whole is fpoiled. If my

R Vineyard

[ 126 ]

Vineyard contained one acre of ground, I (hould choofe to have
but two forts of Grapes in it, if I meant to make a profit of it
by felling the Wine ; if it contained two acres, I would have
four forts in it ; and if it contained three or four acres, I fhould
not choofe more. But if it contained fix, eight or ten acres,
perhaps I might incline to have a greater variety ; but then I
fhould prefer thofe kinds that make the beft Wines and fuch as
do not come in at the fame time, from whence 1 fhould reap
many advantages. Firft I fhould not be overhurried in the
time of Vintage, nor run the rifque of having fome fpoil upon
my hands, whilfl 1 was making up the reft ; again, if a feafon
proved unfavourable, and fome were cut off by the inclemen-
cy of the weather, others, that were later ripe, might efcape
the injury. It is certainly befl to plant each Ibrt in a diftinft
quarter by itfelf^ if we mean to avoid confufion, and to reap
every advantage.

The Vines T^^ next thing to be confidered is the quality of the Vines
the^dlffe- to be made choke of. This muft be limited, and adapted to
rent c!i- the climate, where the Vineyard is planted. The mofl hardy
iiiates in and earliefl ripe, will befl fuit the moil northern colonies, I
Norths mean thofe of New-Hampfnire, Boflon, Rhode-Ifland and
America. Conne<5l:icut. As to thofe countries, that lie ftill farther north,

they are not yet fufficiently cleared and open for the purpofe.

The Vines proper for thele countries are.

1. The black Auvernat,

2. The black Orleans,

3. The blue Clufter,

4. The Miller Grape,
The black Hamburgh,
The red Hamburgh,

The white Mufcadine,
The Mufcadella,
The Mclie Blanc,
The white Moriilon,
The white Auvernat,
1 he grey Auvernat.

All thefe are ripe early in September,

All the foregoing forts will do very well for the three bread
colonies, viz. "New- York, Nev/ Jerfey, Pennfylvania, and
the three lower Counties •, I mean lor the clear and open parts
of thefe countries , to which may be added the following forts,

which

C "7 3

which I recommend by way of tryal, they being more tender,
but ripen in September j they fhould have the warmell birth
in the Vineyard.
The Chaflelas Blanc, called The red Fronriniac,

the Royal Mufcadine, The black Liibon,

The Malvois or Malmfey, The v/hite Liibon,

The grey Frontiniac, The Chaffclas Noir.

All the foregoing forts will do very well for the colonies of
Maryland, Virginia, and North-Carolina, to which I fhall
add the following forts, and recommend them tor tryal, but
then they muft have a warm place.

The white Frontiniac, The black Damalk,

The malmfey Mufcat, The Chicanti of Italy, which

The claret Grape of Burdeaux, makes a rich Wine much

The white Oporto, admired in Italy.
The black Oporto,

All the abovementioned forts will do well in South-Caro-
lina, and in the colonies ftill farther Ibuih. To which I fhall
add the following forts, as being ftill more tender and later
ripe.

The raifm Mufcat, The v/hite Mufcat of Alexan-
The Alicant and Malaga dria,

Railin Grape, The gros Noir of Spain,

The red Mufcat of Alexan- The St. Peter's Graf e.
dria,

In many parts of Virginia, North and South-Carolina, and
in Georgia, the foil is chiefly a hot dry fand, and what
ftrength nature afforded has been exhaufted by tobacco, In-
dian corn, rice, &c. However thefe ground , where they lie
near to rivers and creeks, may eafiiy be recruited •, for thefe
rivers abound with rich mud, which is the beft kind of manure
for fuch lands, and it would be no great expence to procure a
fyfficient quantity of it to cover a piece of ground large enough
for a Virteyard, cfpccially if it be confidercd, what a number of

R 2 hands

iiands the gentlemen of thefe countries have, who might be
jemployed at fuch times, when other bufinefs is not very ur-
gent : But then this mud mud licfome time upon the ground,
before it be mixed with the foil, at lead a fummer and a win-
ter -, for at firft it will bake very hard, and be very crude-, but
the winds, dews, raias and frofts, with the help of the Sun,
will fweeten, mellow, and bring it into a proper temper. Th&n
it muft be equally fprcad and well mixed with the foil. Thus
may the land be recruited, and kept in good heart, from time
to time, and from a barren ufelefs piece of ground, it may be-
come profitable both to the owner and his country.

The parts The nature and quality of the vines being confidered and
oi a Vine j^^^jg choice of to fuit the country you live in, the next thing

proper lor . •' . ^

cuttinp-s necefTary to be known is, how to make choice of fuch parts
ro plant, of a Vine, for cuttings to plant, as may be moft likely to^grow
and flourifli, and alfo to produce healthy and fruitful Vines,
on which the fuccefs and profits of a Vineyard very much de-
pend. Know then, that all parts of a Vine are not equally
good and fit for plants. If you have it in your choice, avoid
ail branches, that ha^ve not born fruit, all fuckers, nephews,
lateral and fecondary branches, and efpecially the long run-
ning barren branches. Thefe different forts feldom produce
fruitful Vines. Choofe, therefore, your cuttings from the
teeming part ot the Vine, from among thofe branches that
were fet apart for bearing fruit ; and among thefe, choofe fuch
as are fhort joint-ed, and have been mod fruitful the lail
fummer, lb fhall you be fure to have fruitful and. thrifty Vines.
Let them be cut do\^n clofe to the old wood -, for here the
wood is ripeft and moft firm. The upper part of the fame
branch is lefs ripe, and more loofe and fpui-igy, and more apt
to fail, and very feldom makes fo firm and kiting a Vine.
However, where Vines are fcarce, and men have rot thefe
advantages in their- power, they muft do the beft. they can;
Thefe branches muft be trimmed and cleared from the nephews
and the lateral or fecondary branches ; but in doing this, great
care muft be taken not to wound the buds or eyes, which a
careltfs hand is very apt to do. If the bud be bruifed with
*hc back of the knjfe, fa that tJie cotton, that lies under the

thin

C 129 1

thin bark, that covers the bud, and is wifely intended to pre- _
lerve it from the injuries. of the weather, be rubbed off, the
bud will perifh. Therefore as the buds lie clofe to thefe late-
ral branches, and are in lb much danger ot being wounded,
it is beft and fafeft to cut the branches off, a little above the
height of the bud, that the little flump or ilub left behind
may be above the top of the bud, fo fhall the eye be left fe-
cure, and run no rifque of being blinded.

These branches being thus trimmed remain whole and at '^^^ ^^"^^
full length 'till the next April,, which in the northern colonies, cuttings,^'^
is the beft time for planting. They fhould be feparated
from the mother plant, fometime in September, or as
foon as the Vintage is over, that being the beft time for
the trimming of Vines, becaufe the wounds which the mo-
thers receive ar€ healed up, and fecurely clofed from the
feverity of the winter feafon. If this work be left 'till Fe-
bruary or March, the parent fuffers by her frefli wounds
in long rains, fleets and frofts that follow ; or if the A/ea-
ther be favourable, flie grows faint and exhaufted by excefs
of bleeding,^ and her eyes are drowned in her own blood.

The beft way I have found for preferving the cuttings And me-
through the winter, and which I therefore recommend tor a ^^°'^ . °^
general pra6lice, is as follows. At or near the north weft ^^^^^^^^
corner of your Vineyard or Garden, the fence being good and thewinter..
clofe, let a fm.all trench be dug five or fix inches deep and
wide, and fo long as m^y contain ail your branches. In this
plant them thick and dole with the but ends down, and fill
up the trench, as you go, with the ground, that came out- of
it, and prefs it down well with your hand, all about the bot-
tom of your branches •, let the dirt rife two or three inches
above the furface of the ground, to prevent the water from
fettling about the Vines, which would rot ihem. Between
every fort, drive down two ftakes%and fix a label to one of
them to diftinguifli the Vines from each other by their proper-
names. Bef;re you plant your Vines in this manner, drive
CQVo'n two or more crotches, according to the quantity of Vines,.

at,:

I 130 3

•at about three feet from the trench, and parallel vvkh it, upon
which poles are laid, to fupport the. tipper part of the branches
about twelve or fifteen inches from the ground. Thus they
all lie (loping without touching the ground, which preferves
them from growing mouldy and from rotting. The Vines
then are covered with draw, laid lengthways upon them up
and down a little beyond the trench, lo that the water is car-
ried off beyond the foot of the Vines by this draw roof; and
yet the draw muft not be laid on too thick, lead it continue
moid too long, and occafion mouldinefs. Acrofs the top, a
pole is laid, and acrofs the bottom, and fadened down to pre-
vent the draw from blowing away. Thus they remain 'tiH
fpring.

Time of In the beginning of April when you are ready for planting,
planting. ^^^ weather being moderate and calm, the frod out of the
ground, and nature teeming with trefti vegitation, then cut
your branches for planting. If one cutting from every branch
be fufficient for your purpofe, then cut the lower part about
■ twelve or fourteen inches long. But as it is mod likely, that
you will not be fo lucky, as to have enough of thefe, then do
what necefTity requires, and make tvv^o or three cuttings of
every branch, not lefs than a foot long •, and having a trench
made ready, place them in it clofe together, the but or lower
end down, and cover them up with earth to the upper eye 'till
you are ready to plant, carefully placing every fort by them-
felves, with a label denoting the kind. This diredion is cal-
culated for the three bread colonies. The more northern
colonies will be a month later, and the more fouthtrn colonies
will be at lead a month, fome two months earlier ; they mud
conduct themfelves accordingly. To thefe lad colonies, I
would recommend the cuttings to be longer, that they may be
planted deeper, the better to preferve the Vines from exceflive
heats and droughts.

Manner of Your ground as I faid before being well manured and
preparing brought into good heart if old, or being naturally rich if new,
^^^ and having been, at lead twice, deep ploughed and well

tground, harrowed the fummer before, in the tall of the year it mud be

deep

[ i3» }

deep ploughed the third time, and always acrofs the Hill or
rifing ground, and let it lie rough juft as it is ploughed, ali
winter, which will greatly prevent walhing, and the frofts will
mellow it and prepare it the better for vegetation.

In the fpring of the year, as foon as the ground is dry, let it
be well harrowed both ways, with a fharpiron tooth harrow and
laid down fmooth and even j and take this caution along with
50U, which I now give once for all, never to meddle with the
groundof yourVincyardwhenit iswet,or even moid at top, nay,
I would have you avoid as much as poflible, walking in it at
fuch a time. Your own experience will foon teachyou, the rea-
fon of this caution. For you will find that, the lighter and
more open and loofe the foil of a Vineyard is kept, the more
the Vines will flourifh, and the more fruitful they will prove.

When your ground is in proper order, provide a fmall ftake Andoflay-
of four feet long for every Vine -, and begin to lay out your *"gi^ o"*^-
Vineyard in the mod regular manner the nature and fhape> of
the ground will admit of. If you mean to plough and harrow
your Vineyard, with a fmall fingle horfe plough and a fmall
corn harrow, you muft leave a border of ten or twelve feet on
each fide of every fquare, to turn your horfe upon, leaft he
tramples upon and deltroys the outfide Vines. There will be
no need of fuch borders along the upper or lower fide of the
fquares, uniefs you choole it for regularity's fake ; becaufe
your Vineyard fhouid never be ploughed up and down hill, but
tranfverfely, uniefs you mean to have it gullied, and the rich
foil wafh'd away by hard rains.

The following method of laying out a Vineyard, I think is
as eafy, as regular and as expeditious as any, for a long fquare
or a tour fquare piece of ground. Your fquares being laid
out, and having concluded how far your Vines fliall fland
every way from one another, in which every man is to pleafe
himfelf •, you ftretch a line of a proper length, and flitch fmall
pieces of red, blue, green or any other coloured cloth at fuch
diflance from each other as you mean to plant your Vines. I
will fuppofe eight feet, becaufe upon the moft mature delibe-
ration, -I think that the belt diflance for Vines to Hand at in.
this country, as I fhail afterwards ihevv more fully. Tii£.

C *32 ]■

The line being ready, ftretch it along the head or upper pare
6f your fquare, fo that a rag appears at each corner. Then
drive down a flake at every rag : This done, move your line
down to the lov/er fide of the Iquare, which is oppofite to the
firft, and ftretch your line along that, having a rag at each
corner, and drive down a ftake at every rag : Then turn your
line the other way up and down, and fatten your line to the
upper and to the lower outfide ftakes, fo that a rag be at each,
ftake, and drive down a ftake at every rag, and fo go on from
ftake to ftake, till the whole be compleated. If you have
been careful not to difturb or move the line, w4ien you drove
dov/n the ftakes, and have driven them all on the fame fide of
the line, your fquare will be uniform, and the ftakes, near the
ground, will range exadlly every way.

If your Vineyard be large enough to divide into four, fix,
eight fquares, or more, according to the differe-nt forts of
Grapes you defign to have in it, and you are not pinched for
room, you will find it very convenient on many accounts to
have crofs walks of twelve feet, between the fquares, not only
to turn upon when ploughing, but for carting in of dung, and
placing it handily for dunging the Vines, which will be a great
laving of labour, bcfidcs being attended with many other
advantages.

Method of Having ftaked your ground, which ought to he done when
planting it is dry, becaufe it will fave you a great deal of labour, in
tines" ' i^^^ing it loofe and mellow again ; and having as many Vine
cuttings as you can plant in half a day, foaking in rich dung
water, in a pail, which ferves beft to keep the plants upright,
the but ends being down, dig holes at every ftake larger or
fmaller, according to your own fantafie and judgment : For it
matters not, fo they are deep enough to contain the plant.
But here I muft clear up a point, which has led many people
into miftakes and rendered this work more tedious, and that is
the throwing into the holes, in which the Vines are planted,
rich mould mixed with old dung, thinking that this muft be
a great advantage to the Vine. This is a great miftake. For
as foon as the Vine ftioots it roots, beyond this ricli mixture,

into

L 133 ]

into the common foil,- which is many degrees poorer and cold-
er, the roots, at it were-, recoil and fhrink back at a coldnef**
and poverty, they had not been ufed to, and the vegitation is
{topped, and the plant dwindles into poverty -and barrenefs -,
and if you examine the plant at bott:om, you will find that in-
ftead of extending its roots to their ufual length, it has (hot
out a great number of fmaii fibres like threads, which ex-
tend no farther than the good mould, and thefe being quite
infuiiicient to anfwer the demands of nature, the plant perilhes,
or remains in an ina6live and barren flate. Whereas, had theVine
been planted in the common foil at firft, it would have met
with no alteration, no fudden change to check its growth.
This fhews that the foil fhould be well mixed ; and let me tell
you once for all, that the Vine delights in a warm, comforta-
ble, fruitful foil ; but proves unfruitful and perifhes in a foil
cold and barren. Yet a foil may be too rich, or made too
rank by dung, and this extreme is alfo to be avoided. But to
return to planting our Vines, the holes being dug according
to your mind, plant your Vine, fetting the foot forward from
the ftake, and bend it a little, without cracking the bark, and
bring it gently up againft the ftake, fo that one eye only re-
mains above the furface of the ground. 1 >et not the eye touch
the ftake, but look from it. Then mixing the ground well
together, throw it in and prefs it gently about the Vine, till
the hole is almoft full, and throw the reft in lightly, without
preftingr, fo that it may rife up to the eye of the Vine, which
ought to be about two inches above the common furface. By
this means, the Vine will be preferved from drying winds and
the hot Sun, till it begins to grow. Some place tour or five
paving ftones about the foot of the Vine, not fo clofe but that
the roots may ftioot out between them, and thefe they lay, and
I think with reafon, condenfe the air in hot dry fealbns, and
nourifti the Vine with moi lure, and cool and refrcfti it when
parched with excefiive heats. In the northern colon'cs, the
Vines ftiould be planted on the fouth fide or the ftakes, for the
fake of the Sun : In the fouthern colonies, they fhould be
planted on the north fide to avoid too great heat. The upper
eye only fhould fnootout branches, trom which the head of
the Vine is formed. If any fhcots fhould rife from below,

S which

r 134 ]

which fometimes is the cafe, the fooner they are removed the
better, thefe are called fuckers, and very much exhauft the
Vine. And thus you proceed till all be finifhed.

When your Vines are all planted, if you have any cuttings
remaining, plant them in a nurfery or along the north fide of
your {lakes, for you will have occafion tor them, as many
of your Vines will mifcarry, and the fooner their places are
fupplyed the better. If fome of your Vines do not fhoot till
July, do not give them up, they may grow notwithftanding.
I have had many, that have not fhot till Augufl, and yet have
done well. And here let me tell you that, the filling up all the
vacancies, where the Vines have failed or mifcarried, is abfo-
lutely neceHary to be done as foon as poflible, either the fall
after the Vines were planted, with plants, if you have any
growing in your nurfery, which are bed planted as foon as the
ieafisfalkn; or the next fpring, with cuttings, which is the
beft ftafon for planting them ; forthe latter having no root fufFer
greatly in the winter feafon, and if planted in the fall, mod of
them perifh. If the vacancies fhould by any means be neglec-
ted for three or four years, you will find it very difficult to raife
thrifty and flourifhing Vines in fuch places afterward •, becaufe
by this time, the neighbouring Vines have fhot their roots all
round the fpot, where the young Vine is to be planted, and
will fo dravv away the nourifliment, and entangle the fmall ten-
der roots, that firft fhoot from ir, that it will not be able to
flioot forward and flourifh. Some, for this reafon, plant two
cuttings in a hole, leaft one Ihould mifcarry. To this the chief
obje6lion is, that hereby the regularity and uniformity of your
Vineyard is hurt, many ot the Vines ftanding out of rank and
file. For a well regulated Vineyard refembles a fine regiment
under proper and txa^fi: difcipline. If fome of your Vines prove
weak the firft fummer, and do not recover ftrength the fecond
Rimmer, though manured and cultivated well, root them out,
for they very feldom are worth raifing; and plant healthy Vines
in their ftead, out of your nurfery •, fo fnall you have a healthy,
flourifliing and well confxituted Vineyard.

C 135 ]

By this time you fee the neceflity of having a fupply of
young Vines from a nurfery, a circumftance that h by no
means to be negledled.

In digging up the plants from your nurfery, be careful to '^^^ ^^'
take them up without wounding or bruifmg the roots, and ^^^".°"
having a pail or fmall tub, half full of rich dung water, put young
the plants, with the roots down, into that, fo fhall they be vines out
preferved from the Sun and drying winds, which would foon °^^^^-
parch and dry up thefe young tender roots and kill the Vine. '^^"*^^>''
When you have dug up about a dozen or twenty plants, then
proceed to planting, which muft be done in the following man-
ner. Your holes being dug deep enough and fufficiently wide,.
for the roots to be fpread in at full length, throw in fome loofe
earth, and fpread it over the bottom of the hole, and fix in
your plant near the flake, fo high that the little branches rife
an inch or two above the fur face of the ground. The roots,
you will perceive, for the mofl part grow in rows, one above
another. The upper roots of all, which are called the day
roots, muft be cut away, the under roots of all muft then be
fpread at full length, and cover'd with earth, then the next
muft be ferved in the fame manner, and fo on till all be regu-
larly extended and covered. This is purfuing of nature, which
in thefe cafes, is generally the beft director. So fhall the earth
be well fettled about the roots, and the Vines in the fpring
will grow and flourifti, as if they had not been moved or tranf-
planted. If a fervant, or even a gardener be left to manage
this work, they will be apt, as I have often feen, to fet the
plant in the hole, in a carelefs manner, with all the roots
huddled together, and fo cover it with earth. This is fo con-
trary to the order of nature, and to common fenfe, that the dif-
ference is plainly feen without farther explanation •, and indeed
moft of the mifcarriages in life are owing to inattention and
carelefs nefs. • >

Your Vines being all planted as above dlrefted, and the
Vine cuttings, v/ith one eye only above ground, and that al-
moft covered with light earch, to preferve them from fufferino-
with heat and from drying winds till they begin to grow •, this

S 2 upper

f 136 3

upper bud only will flioot out branches, and the lower ones
will throw out roots : And this is much better than to have
two or three buds above ground, and branches growing from
them all, which only ferve to weaken the Vine, and to hinder
the forming of a good head, which is the firfl and chief point
to be gained and well lecured.

The cul- We now proceed to the management of the Vine in its in-
ture of fjjj^j. ftate, upon which will very much depend the luccefs of
when your Vmeyard.

young.

There are but two ways of forming and managing of Vines
to advantage for Vineyards, by ftakes, or efpaliers. In ancient
times, it was common for Vines to be wedded to trees, and
they had the poplar, the afh, or the elm for their companions
and fupports, but men foon difcovered the great inconveniency
ot following nature in this refpedl. They found, that thefe
trees were difficult to raife in high dry grounds, where Vines
were proper to be planted i that when they did grow, their
roots were very much in the way of the Vines, and of working
the land, and alfo drew away too much of the ftrength of the
ground ; and they mounted the fruit fo high, that it became
very difficult and took up a great deal of time to gather it,
for which reafons this method has long been laid afide. As for
wall fruit, the Vines that are fixed to walls muft be managed
in the fame manner, as thofe which are defigned for efpaliers,
that is, the head of the Vine is at firft formed about three feet
from the ground. But this T (hall particularly explain, when
I treat of the management of Vines for efpaliers. I fliall begin
then with the proper culture of Vines that are defigned for
flakes.

In this,cafe the head of the Vine is formed near the furface
of the ground, as I have already more than once obfcrved ;
and this method is now generally pracftifed throughout Wine
countries, and indeed it is the only method proper for coun-
tric , where the frofls in winter are fo hard as to hurt Vines,
by which means the next year's crop is deflroyed. There is
no way to prevent this, but by covering the Vines in winter,

svhich

C 137 ]

which cannot well be done, when Vines arc fixed upon frames
or efpaliers, without great difnculty and labour, as well as
danger to the Vine.

The firft fummer after the Vine is planted, you have no- Summer
thing to do, but to tie up the little branches to the flakes with ^JJg^ "jJ^J^
a foft band, as foon as they are grown about a foot or fifteen year,
inches long, which will fave them from being torn off by hard
winds, which would endanger the Vine. Befides they grow
the (trongerand the better for it, and are out of the way of the
hoe, the plough and the harrow. You are alfoto keep the ground
clean and free from weeds and grafs •, for they are great ene-
mies to Vines. If the ground be kept mellow and loofe, your
Vines will grow and fiouriih the better. If you have any litter,
fhort draw and chaff, the fhives of broken hemp or flax, the
chaff of fiax feed, the dufl and chaff of buckwheat, and the
ftraw trod fine with horfes when it is dry, any or all of thefe
fpread over your Vineyard after it is hoed or ploughed and har-
rowed, will keep down the grafs and weeds, keep the ground
moift and light, and will greatly preferve the good foil from
wafhingaway. If this be done the firfl three or four years, it
will greatly forward the Vines, bring the ground into good
heart, and finely prepare it to produce good crops, by keep-
ing it loofe, airy and light, in which Vines greatly delight.

In the month of September, when the leaf begins to wither Fail culture
and fall oft, which is the beft time for trimming of Vines, as '^® ^'■^■
I have already obferved, cut down all the branches, to one ^^^^'
good bud each, and always remember that the lowermoft bud
next the old wood, is called the dead eye, and is never reckoned
among the good buds. When your Vines are thus trimmed,
let a careful hand take away the dirt from the foot of the Vine,
about four inches down, and cut away all che upper roots that
appear above that depth. Thefe are called day roots, and
mufl" be taken away every fall, the firfl three years. The beft
wav is, not to cut them off clofe to the body of the Vine, but
about a flraw's breadth from it, fo fhail they not be fo apt
to grow again, Thefe upper or day roots greatly weaken the
Vine, and hinder the lower roots from extending themfelves,

and.

C 13S ]

ftnd from firmly fixing themfelves below, on which greatly
depend the ftrength, firmnefs and durablenefs of the Vine,
and alfo its fruitfulnefs. Befides by thcfe roots running deep,
the Vine is preferved from periihing in long tedious droughts.
Let the foot of the Vine be left open^ after the day roots arc
cut av/ay, that it may dry and harden, till the hard frofts come.
Then tiie holes are to be filled again, and the head of the Vine
covered with chaff and fhort ftraw mixed, or with bog hay, or
fait hay, or with horfe litter, that is free from dung and grafs
leeds •, for theie fliould be carefully kept out of a Vineyard,
which will fave the labour of rooting out the grafs that would'
i'pring from them. Some cover the head of the Vine with the
p-round v;hen they fill up the holes ; but this is wrong,
it greatly endangers the Vine, as I have found by expe-
rience, for I have loft many of them by this management,
before I difcovered the danger. The ground, in warm rains,
moulds and jots the Vine. For the fame reafon, fuffer no
dung to be among the ftraw, hay, or horfe litter, with which
you cover your Vines. The heat ot the dung, in warm rains
or muggy warm weather, will mould and rot them ; the cool-
er and dryer they are kept, the better. I have told you be-
fore, and I now repeat it, (becaufe it is a work that muft by no
means be negleded,) v/hen you trim your Vines, if you find
that any of them have mifcarried, which is very common, plant
others in their room immediately, if you have any plants of
the fame fort growing in your nurfery ; if not, then do not
-delay to provide cuttings of the fame kind, and preferve them
rill fpring, as you were before direded, and plant them in the
-vacant places, that your Vineyard may be full and compleat
as foon as pofiible, lb fhall it gro\v and fiourifh the better.

Summer The fecond fummer you will find more branches ftiooting

culture from the heads of your Vines, than did the firft fummer ; and

theCecond \^^xc the fiiiU of a Vigneron is neceffary for forming the head of

year. ^ Vine- in the beft manner. Let the Ihoots grow, till they are

ten or tv/elve inches long, then choole eight, that are fhort

jointed and much of a fize, that grow on all fides of the Vine,

xind with your finger ftrike off all the reft. If any one branch

among the whole number, appears much more thrifty than

the

[ 139 3 •

the reft, you may perhaps be tempted to fave it ; but let not
your eye Ipare it. It will only prove a thief and a robber.
It will draw to itfelf the chief nouri(hment of the Vine, and
ftarve the reft of the branches, and after all will bear but little
fruit. The ftiort jointed branches, prove the beft bearers, and
thefe ftanding on all fides of the head, preferve the Vine in full
ftrength and vigor. For this reafon the rounder the head of
the Vine is formed, the better. If the branches be fuffered to
grow from one fide of the head, the other fide fuffers greatly,
and is apt to perifti.

This year there ftiould be two ftakes to a Vine, one on each
fide, to faften the branches to, by this means they are fpread
at a diftance from each other, and grow the ftronger and bet-
ter ; the Sun, air, and winds come to ever} part ; the wood
ripens well, and the buds fill, and they are the better prepared
to becckme fruitful in due time. Whereas, when they are
huddled altogether, and faftened up to one ftake, they fuffer
greatly for want of the Sun and air to dry them after rains,
mifts and heavy dews ; and in clofe muggy weather, they will
mildew and rot. Let therefore the branches be tied up
fingly to the ftakes on each fide, with a foft band, as foon as
they are long enough, leaft they be torn off by hard winds,
which would ruin the Vine. I need not tell you again, that
your Vineyard is alv/ays to be kept clean and free from weeds
and grafs -, and the dryer the ground is, and the hotter the
"Weather, the more effeftually they are deftroyed, by hoeing,
ploughing and harrowing. But remember never to meddle
v/ith your ground when it is wet, you do more hurt than good.

This fecond fummer your main branches fnould be fuffered
to grow about five feet long, and then the ends of them muft
be nipped off, in order to curb them, to keep them within
proper bounds, and to hinder them from growing wild. The
lateral or fecondary branches fhould be nipped off at the end,
when they are about a foot long, the nephews alfo ftiould be nip-
ped off when they are about fix inches long. This is much bet-
ter, than the taking all thefe fmaller branches clean away,
which is the praftice of fome, who are more nice than wife»

For

» C MO ]

!For I have found, by experience, that, when thefe fecondary
branches are clean taken away, the main branches fufFer ; they
grow flat, and appear diftorted •, which plainly fhews, that na:-
tiire is deprived of Ibmething, that is effentially neceffary to her
v;ell being. It is quite neceffary to nip off the ends of the
main branches, when they are grown about five feet long.
They grow the larger and flronger, the wood ripens the better,
the lower buds are well filled, and better prepared for the
bearing of fruit. Befides it teaches the Vines to become recon-
ciled to a low and humble flate, it curbs their pride and am-
bition, which is always to climb and mount up above every
thing that is near them, and educates them to bear fruit with-
in your reach. Some time after the tops of the main branches
are nipped off, they will fhoot out a fecond titne, and then
•they generally throvv^ out, from near the end, two branches in-
l^ead of one •, fo prone is the Vine to fhoot and extend itfelf,
thefe alio muil be nipped offj at the fame time the lateral or
fecondary branches muft be looked to and nipped off, if any of
them arefhooting out anew.

The fall In the fall of the year, as foon as the leaf begins to wither
culture and fall off, which happens earlier or later, according to the
the fecond ^g^jj^^j-^ cut the branches down again to one good bud each,
^^^'^' and take away the earth round the heads of the Vines, as be-
fore dire6led, and cut away the day roots, and manage them
juftin the lame manner as you did the fall before. Now as
fome of your forward Vines will bear fruit the third year from
the planting, which is the next year, and as it is natural for
you to defire fruit, and efpecially to know what fort of fruit,
and how good, your different Vines will bear •, to fatisfy your
curiofity, 1 v/ould advife you to iet afide two or three at mofl:,
of each fort of your moll thriving Vines for that purpofe, and
inftead of cutting down all their branches to one bud each,
like the reft, leave tv;o branches on each of thefe Vines, with
two or three cood buds each, which will fliew lome fruit to
your fitisfa.5tion. But be perfuaded to prevent the reft from
bearing fruit till the fourth year, and the weaker Vines till the
fifth year, and your Vineyard will make you ample fansfaccion,
for this piece of felf denial. For it greatly weakens a V^ne to

bear

r Hi 1

bear fruit when fo young 5 and however fond moft men may
be of their Vines bearing much fruit, the overbearing of Vines,
is allowed on all hands to hurt them greatly. To prevent
which, in Wine countries, where it is common to Icaie out
Vineyards to hufbandmen, whom they call Vignerons, they
have very Ilrift laws, obliging them ro leave four, fix, or eight
bearing branches on a Vine, according to the a-e of the Vine-
yard, the ftrength ot the Vines, and the goodnefs of the foil,
and according to the cuftom of different countries where good
Vvines are held in repute, to prevent their hurting the Vines,
and the reputation ot their Wines. Thefe Vignerons are like-
wife f.bliged, after three fruitful years, if fo many happen fuc-
ceffivelv, to let their Vineyard*? reil one year without bearing
fruir, that they may hav^e time to recruit and gather frefh
flrtngth.

The third fummer you are to manage your Vines in the Summer
fame manner you did the fccond, tying up all the branches to *v^ Y-^ -i
the {lakes, one above another ; only of thofe Vines that are to
bear fruir, the fruit bearing branches fhould be tied up above
the rett, chat the fruit may have the benefit ot the Sun, the
air and winds, all which are neccfi^ary, and confpire to bring
the fruit to maturity •, and this fhould always be the pracflice.
This year a third ftake is provided, which in the fpriog is drove
downjuft: on the north fi.ie of :he Vine, upon a line with the
reft, tor order fake. To this flake the branches that bear fruit,
there being but few of them, will be heft faftened, becaufe
there will be the more room for the branches of referve, which
are to brar fruit the next year, to be dulinftly fattened to the
fide ilakes. Thefe branches of referve are now of great im-
portance to the owner, as the next crop will depend upon the
right management of them. They are, therefore, to be care-
fully tied up at proper diftances, to the fi Je fi:akes, that they
may grow well, that the wood may ripefi, and that the buds
may be well filled. When they are grown about five feet long,
the ends muft be nipped off, the lateral branches kept Qiort,
and the nephews reftrained, if thej grow too long, fo fhall the
main branches appear full and round, and in a natural, healthy
and fiouriihing ftate ; whereas, if they are all tied up to one

T ftake,

year,

c 142 -3

flake, as is the pradlice with fome people, the wood remains
green and fpungy, and does not ripen, the buds do not fiU
well ; and where the band is, all the branches mill dew and
rot i which plainly fliews the badnefs of fuch management.
As to the few Vines that bear fruit this fummer, let the fruit
bearing branches be nipped off five joints above the fruit, and
let the fide branches and nephews be kept fhort as above dir
reded j fo fhall the fruit come to perfedion.

?all culture In the fall of this third fummer, preferve two of the bed fhort
the third JQ-j^ted branches of referve, one on each fide of the head of the
^^^^' Vine, for bearing fruit the next year : The reft cut down to
one good bud each. If fome of your Vines be very flrong and
flourilhing, you may preferve four branches for bearing fruit,
but by no means more, one on each quarter of the Vine, fo
fhall they bear fruit the better. As to the branches on the
few Vines, that bore fruit this year, they muH be cut down to
one good bud each •, for the fame branch muft never be fuffered
to bear fruit two years running, unlefs you fall fhort of
branches of referve, in that cafe you muft do what necefiity
requires, and let the old branch bear a fecond time, but they
feldom or never bear fo large clutters, nor fo fair fruit. Or^
•thefe Vines, that bore fruit this year, not above two branches
on each, fhould be kept for bearing fruit the next year, fo
fliall you preferve their ftrengch from being exhaufted whei\
young •, they will laft the longer, and bear fruit the more
plentifully hereafter. The reft of the management is the fame
with that'of the laft year i only feme time in the latter end of
November or Ibmewhat later, if the hard v^eather keeps off, a
fmall long trench on each fide of the Vine, is dug with a hoe,
and the branches that are kept for bearing fruit, are la'd down
gently into them, without forcing them, fo as to crack them,
or fplit the bark, or ftrain the wood too hard, and muft be co-
vered over with the. earth. If any part appears above ground,,
it muft be well covered \\i:h ftraw, bog or fait hay, and indeed
if the whole that are buried were alfo covered in the fame man-
ner, with ftraw, &c. it v/ould be beft •, for the branches being;
ot an elnftic nature, they are very apt, upon the thawing ot the
ground, to rile with their backs above the grgund, and remain:

expofed.

C 143 ]

«xpofed to the weather, fo that your crop may be loft notwith-
Handing your trouble, which a fmall covering of ftraw or hay
will prevent. If any of them fhould be fo ftiff and ftubborn as
not to bend down, then bind ilraw round them and the flake.

In the fpring of the fourth year, the branches that have Culture of
been preferved for bearing fruit, mufl be carefully trained up ^,^^^(^^"*
to the fide Itakes, the higher the better ; and the branches bearing
that fhoot out from the head this fpring, which are caikd lUte.
branches ot referve, and are defigned to bear fruit the next
fucceedinj; year, muft be tied up to the ftakes below the fruit
bearing branches, and one or two to the middle ftake, if there
is room, for often times the fruit bearing branches, occupy
the middle as well as the fide (takes, and elpecially in a plen-
tiful year. The management of the V^ine in its bearing ftate,
call' for a clofe and particu'ar attention. Some gentlemen,
and thofe who have written beft upon this fubje^t, recommend
the taking away ail the lateral or fecondary branches and the
nephews, clofe to the body of the fruit bearing branch, and to
leave only the main leaves of that branch, thinking, by this
method, that all the nourifhment of the Vine is thrown into
the fruit. They alio order the top of the branch to be taken
off, within three joints of the uppermoft duller of Grapes.
Others again are for following nature, and fuffer all the
branches to extend themfelves as they will. 1 hele I look up-
on CO be, two extremes, and think that 3 middle way, is every
way bell, moft rational and fafeft. The lateral branches, the
leaves and nephews arefuppofed by naturaliils to draw off and
perfpire the crude and thin juices and to hinder them from en-
tering and fpoiling the fruit, and alfo ferve as lungs for refpi-
ration ; the circulation of the air through all the parts being
neceffary to vegetation, and for bringing the fruit to perfesSt
maturity. That this is fo, or how it is, I am not fo well ac-
quainted with the operations of nature, as to determine; but
this I know, that when thefe fmaller branches are taken clean
away, the main branches inftead of growing round, full and
plump, which is their natural ftate, become broad, fiat and
diftorced, and have an unnatural appearance. Befides thefe
branches, when kept within proper bounds, ferve to fhade the

T 2 fruit

[ M4 ]

fruit from the fcorching rays of the Sun, and to fcreen then:\
from violent winds, from hail and beating rains, from damps
and foo-s and cold nights dews, which are all injurious to the
fruit, as well as the cold dry north-eaft winds, and the cold
driving north-eaft ftorms. But let not this lead us into the
other extreme, tor if the Vine be left to herfelf, and all be fuf-
fered to grow, fhe will run wild, and ruin all by her own ex-
cefs. This is the method of managing Vines when the head
is formed near the ground, which is now pradifed in moft Vine
countries in Vineyards, (except fome parts ot France, where
they are ftill fond of efpaliers,) and this method mull be con-
tinued as long as the Vines laft, which moll writers do affirm,,
will be above a hundred years. As to the management of Vines
in gardens, againft walls, and for forming of fhady places, and
many other ways to pleafe the humour and phantafy of the
owner, that is not to be regarded, it has no relation to Vine-
yards.

A new me- Here I would propofe a new method of managing Vines,,
thod of ^1^^ heads of which are formed near the ground, by way of
!"Tr"?„ trial-, 1 have not yet made the experiment, if it fliould anfwer,.
ing the it would fave a good deal of trouble, and be more lecure
headspro- ao-ainft the feverities of the weather; I have been told that it
pofedfor J3 ^[^g pradice of fome to cut all the branches down, and to
^'^ ■ truft to new Ihoots for bearing of fruit •, and I have read the
lame account in a treatife publifhed by James Mortimer, £fq-.
Fellow of the Royal Society, in the year 1707, but thefe ac-
counts are fo vague, fo general and fuperficial, without
entering minutely into any particulars, that I could have ho
dependence upon them ; nor could any man form a judgement
of the manner of doing it. However from thence I have
taken the hint, and fhall now propole a method which may be
worthy of trial. In the fall of the third year of the Vine's
age, inftead of faving two or four branches for bearing fruit,
cut down thefe to two buds each, and the reft cut down to
> one bud each •, the upper buds of thefe branches that have
two buds, are defigned to bear fruit, this next year, the lower
buds apd the buds of all the reft are defigned for fruit the
year after, and therefore if any fruit fliould appear upon them,.

they

L H5 ]

they mnft be taken away as foon as the crullers appear •, in the
fall of the fourth year, cut all the branches that have born fruit
clean away, and leave thofe that did not bear fruit ; and then
according to the fVrength of the Vine, cut as many ot thefe
down to two buds, as you think your Vine ought to bear,
and cut the reft down to one bud, always remembring that
the branches that have but one bud, and the under bud of
thofe that have two, are to bear no fruit. When your Vines
come to be ftrong and able to bear it, cut down all the
branches to two buds, and then you will have eight bearing
branches in one year, which are quite enough for the ftrongeft
Vines •, however if you have a mind to ftrain your Vines, and
to try how much they will bear, you may then cut as many-
branches as you think fit down to three buds, two of which
may bear fruit, while the under buds are kept for branches of
relerve. In the fall, all the fruit bearing branches are cut
clean away. If this method (hould fucceed to your mind, and
you think it preferable to the method firft laid down, I mean
that of prefcrving branches of referve to be laid down and-
covered in winter, which is the German method, and the ge-
neral pra6lice of the Rhine, &c. then in order to bring your
okler Vines into this method, cut down the fruit bearing
branches to one bud the firft year, and the branches of referve
you may cut down to two or three buds each, as you think
your Vines are able to bear it. In this you form your judg-
ment, from the ftrength of your Vine, the goodnefs of your
foil, the diftance of your Vines from one another, and the
quantity of fruit they have born the three preceeding years :■
for Vines, as well as men, muft have time to reft and recruit,
if you mean them to laft, and to return to their work with

Now for the covering of thefe Vines in the winter feafon, I
would advife a handful of foft hay, that is free from grafs-
feeds, to be laid on the head of the Vine, and a flight box
made of rough cedar boards, or of pine, (which any fervant
may make, only let the top piece cover the whole,) be put
over the head, which vvrill be a fafe and fufficient covering,
Oiherwife a fmall ftieaf of ftraw, bound well round the ftake,

and

C 14S 1

a^d the bottom brought handfomely all round the head of the
Vine, and lecured by a band from blowing open, will do very
well. The Vines {hould not be covered till hard weather is rea-
dy to fet in, and they Ihould be dry when covered.

General Before I proceed to the management of Vines for the

diredions frame or efpalier, it will be necefiary to acquaint you with
fome things of a general nature, which you will find worthy
of notice.

vines.

When Vines are trimed in the fall, which they ought to
be as foon as the Vintage is over, or as foon as the leaf withers
and falls off, they feldom bleed, and never io as to hurt them.
If Vines have been ncglcfted and not trimea in the fall, and
this work muft be done in the fpring, let it be done in Fe-
bruary, if good weather happens, or early in March. It it be
done later, they will bleed too much, and endanger the crop.
Searing the wound, as foon as it is made, with a hot iron, it
is faid, and 1 think with realbn, will prevent the bleeding.
In triming, keep about tvo inches from the bud, or'h-flf way
between bud and bud : fo Ihall the upper bud ihar is left be
free from danger. 1 he rule is, to cut (loping upv/ard, on the
oppofite fide to the bud, that the dope may tarry off the rears
from the eye, but 1 never found this any kind of fecurity to
the eyes below. It therefore fearing every wound with a hot
iron be thought too much trouble, the only remedy, befides
that, whicli 1 have yet been able to difcover, is, to wafli the
branches that are wounded and bleed, and elpecially the buds,
with a rag dipped in warm water, without touching the wound,
which in 8 or 10 days will (top of itfelf -, the liquor forming a
lliffjeiiey upon the wound, like coagulated blood, and drying
by degrees, heals up the wound. Ihe wajQiing muft be de-
ferred till they have done bleeding. Uniefs this is done, the
eyes below will be in danger of being blinded. For fo gluti-
nous is the lap, that it binds up the bud it reaches, fo that the
leaves cannot open and unfold at the time of vegetation. In
cutting off large limbs from old Vines, it fometimes happens
that ants fall upon the pith, eat their way in, and make a hol-

•lowj

I 147

branches
that

(hould be
fuffered to '
grow.

low, where the water fettles and rots it. In this cafe the reme-
dy is, to cut fuch branches clofe down to where it is folid and
green, and it will bark over and heal.

It is common for large buds to Ihoot out two or three The num-
branches each. One only on each fhould be fuffered to grow ; ^^^ of
if you expedl fruit on them, be not in a hurry to ftrike them
off, till you know which is moft fruitful, and fave that. Vines
that are clofe planted in a Vineyard, cannot be expefled to
bear fo much fruit, as fingle Vines,, or as thofe that are plant-
ed at a diftance. Their roots are too much confined, fo that
they cannot gather nourifhment In fo fmall a compafs of
ground, to fupport and bring to perfection a large quantity of
fruit i and this is a fufficient reafon for reflraining them, and
for limiting the number of bearing branches, if you mean to
make good Wine, to keep your Vines in full vigour and to
preferve them for many years. Befides the deficiency is fully
made up, by a greater number of Vines •, and the planting
them clofe, enables you the better to keep them low and with-
in proper bounds.

Vines that bear black or red Grapes generally fhoot forth a
greater number of branches, and more vigorous than rhofe that
bear white Grapes, and therefore the latter require more cau-
tion in triming, and more care in the cultivation and ma-
nagement of the foil, that it be kept clean and in good heart.

When Vines have been covered with earth during the win- Time of
terfeafon, let them not be uncovered in the fpring, till the .""<^°v."'

in? vines
hard frofbs are over, and then let it be done in a fair, warm, in the

drying day, that they may dry before night, for if they fhould fpring.

freeze before they are dry, it would greatly hurt, if not ruin

the crop.

The head of the Vine, properly fpeaking, when it is form- ■P°J"'"i"g^'
ed near the ground, is compofed of the but ends of the |'^°j^^
branches, that are cut down to one good bud each, which
o.ught to be eight at leaft in number. Thefe branches, the
fecond year of the Vine's growth, Ihoot from the folid wood

chieflyj

£ 148 3

-chieBy, and then is the critical time to prepare for forming a
proper head to a Vine •, therefore preferve eight of the bell
flio re jointed branches, that grow on all fides of the (lock, and
much of a fize, and thefe mud be caiefuliy tied up fingly to
the ftakes, that the buds may fill well, and that the wood may
ripen, on which greatly depends the future fuccefs of your
Vineyard, as this is the foundation ot the whole. It more
than eight branches have grown from the head, the reft muit
be flruck off with the finger. Iione of ihe branches outgrows
the reft and appeais more flourifhing, ihat in particular niuH
be ftruck off. For if fufFcred to grow, it will rob the Tifl of
their due proportion ot nouriflimciu, > nJ lum the V»ne. Eight
branches are iufricient for a thri+'iy young Vire, four of whjch
are intended for bearing fiuit, W!?cn that timiC con\es, and the
other four ar:; dcfigned for branc'-es of referve. The third
year, which is the firft yeur of ihcVme's bearing, the lowermoft
good bud on rhe bearing br;-n(.ht , v.iil "produce one or two
ciufters of Grapes each. The iouith year, two or ihvee of the
iowermoft buds will bear fruit, and after that fi'/e cr fix of the
lower buds will bear fruit, but leMom more-, fo fhall you have
five or fix branches, growing from eacl: hearing branch, pro-
ducing fruit, which makes twenty or four and twenty bearing
branches upon one Vine, and each of thcfe branches yleldmg
two three or more ciufters, according to the f: uitfulnefs of the
year, and the due cultivation of your Vineyard.

Nay if your Vines are well chofen, as I have direcl:ed, and
properly cultivated, and your foil kept clean and well improv-
ed, you fhall, in a fruitful year, fee fome of the fecondary
branches and even the tendrils bearing fruit. This happened
to fome of my Vines in the year 1767. I had four luccefTive
crops hanging on feveral of my Vines at one and the fame time,
one under another, which I fhewed to feveral gentlemen, who
admired, and were furprized at fuch a produdlion : But 1 took
away all but the firfl crop, leaft my Vines might be too much
weakened by over bearing. 1 mentir,n this to fliew what na-
ture will do in a favourable year, under proper management.
And here I muft remark, that the greater the Vintage, the
better the Wine, but a meagre thin crop produces thin weak

Wines,

r H9 3

Wines7 which require dexterity and art to make them fit for
ufe •, but this I ihall inftrudt you in, when I come to the
making of Wine.

In tranfplanting Vines or trees of any kind, I have by long Tranf-
experience found, that removing them in the fall, after the Pja'^"'JS
leaf is fallen, is much furer and fafer, than doing it in the ^^'^^®' ^^
fpring. For if trees are well flaked, fo as to fland firm againft
hard winds, the ground will be fo well packed about the roots,
that they will grow in the fpring, as if they had not been re-
moved, and are in no danger, if a dry feafon fliould happen,
efpccially if fome horfe litter or old hay be thrown round them
in the fpring, fo as not to touch the ftem. Whereas if they
are removed in the fpring, and a drought fucceeds, before the
ground be well fettled about the roots, many of them will
mifcarry.

As Vines are beft planted upon rifing grounds to prevent To prevent
too much wet, and as it is neceffary to keep the foil loole and the foil oa
mellow, it thereby becomes the more liable to wafhing away o/if-n^*
by hard rains, which muft be a great injury to a Vineyard j from be-
now if by any means fo great an inconveniency might be avoid- ing
ed, it would be a great point gained, and therefore it very wafhed
well deferves our attention : For it is no fmall cofl and labour ^^^^^
to renew the foil, that is fometimes carried off by fudden floods
of rain. I have tried feveral ways to prevent this evil, {o as
neither to injure the Vines, nor hurt the crop. The following
method, where a perfon has the conveniency, I find to be the
mofl effeclual. Lay broad flat flones, not exceeding two
inches in thicknefs, clofe along the lower fide of the Vines,
after the ground has been made loofe and mellow. Thefe
flones being broad, and not very heavy, do not prefs hard
upon the roots of the Vines, nor pack the ground too clofe.
They refledl great heat up to the Vine and fruit, which helps
to bring it to full maturity •, they preferve the foil from wafh-
ing away, they keep the ground moifl in the driefl times, and
hinder too much wet from penetrating down to the roots near
the head of the Vine, which chiefly occafions the burfling of
the Grapes, when they are near ripe, after a fhower of rain. To

U prevent

r ^50 1

prevent this evil, is one reafon for cutting away the day roots,'
which extend themfelves along ntar the furface of the ground.
But where fu^h flat ilcnes are not eafy to be had, 1 would re-
commend ftiort ilraw mixed with chaff, the ftiives of flax and
hemp, the chaflFof flax feed, which is alfo an excellent manure,
old half rotted fall hay, or bog hay, free from grafs feeds,
fpreadthin betw.en the rows j if it be fpread thick, it keeps
tlic gi-ound too long wet and cold in tue fpring, which retards
or keeps back the growth of the Vines. Thefc I have expe-
rienced to be profitable; and very much to hinder the foil from
wafning away. On the fide of fteep grounds, of hills and
mountains, ftones in proportion to the defcent, or logs of
wood, where ftones are not to be had, muft be laid along the
lower fide of the Vines, to keep the foil from walhing away,
which otherwile it will do, to the great damage, if not the ruin^
of your Vineyard, and therefore when you begin a Vineyard,
remember that this is one, and an elTential part cl the coft.

The fite of A ViNEYARD will thrive the better, and the crops will be
^ ^'"^' more fure, if it be well fcreened, by fome good fence, bull-.
^^^ ' dings, mountain, or thick cops of wood at a fmall diftance,.
from thofe points that lie to the north of the eaft, and to the-
north of the north-weft •, the winds from thofe quarters, in'
the fpring of the year, being very unfriendly to Vines. But
then a Vineyard fhould be quite open to all the other points of:
the compafs. For Vines delight much in an open, clear, pure-
warm air, free from cold damps, fogs, mifts, and from con->
denfed air, arifing from bogs, fwamps, and wet clay grounds, .
and from large tracts oi neighbouring woods. The north-welt'
. winds, indeed are rather advantageous to a Vineyard : For:
although in America, they are extremely cold in winter, and;
occafion fevere frofts, yet as the Vines are then covered, they
do them no hnrm. Befides thofe winds are generally drying
and fcldom bring wet ; in the fpring and fummer they are al-
ways cool, and I find by long experience that they are quite-
necefifary, to brace up, harden and confirm tlie leaves and ten-
der new {hot branches of all trees and vegetables, which other-
wile remain languid and weak.

■ There.

V.

C 151 ]

There are three feafons when careful and experienced Vlg-
nerons 'deny accefs to their Vineyards, firft when the ground
is wet, becaufe then the weight of a man preffes down and
packs the earth too clofe and hard upon the roots of theVines,
Secondly, when the Vines are in blolTom, becaufe if they arc
then dillurbed by handling, fhaking or rubbing againft them,
the farina or fine dull that is formed on the bloffom, which
impregnates or gives life to the fruit, is fliaken .off and the
fruit mifcarries. Thirdly, when the fruit grows ripe, becaufe
the temptation is too 0rong ^to withftand, and people will
pluck off the fairefl ripefl Grapes, which Vignerons do fay is
an injury to the whole bunch ; be that as it may, it certainly
is a great injury to the owner, for the faireftripefl Grapes make
the richeft and fineft flavoured Wines.

I NOW pafs on to the management of Vines upon efpaliers : Method of
But then you are to remember that, the training up of Vines ™a"^g'"g
to thefe frames, is only fit for the fouthern or warmer climates, efpaliers,
where the winter frofts are not fo fevere, as in our more nor-
thern regions \ for as they are to (land expofed to all wea-
thers, the <^erm or bud, from which the Grapes do fpring, are
apt to be chilled and deftroyed by the feverity of a fharp fea-,
fon, and efpecially by moiit flicking fnows freezing hard on
the branches.

The firft year the young Vines are trimmed and managed in Firft year^
the fame manner you have been before direded.

The fecond year, when they always (hoot forth a greater Second
number of branches, is the time for making choice of the beft y^"*
branches for ftandards. Set apart, therefore, two of the befl
Ihorr jointed branches, on each Vine, for that purpofe, that
you may be fecure ot one, in cafe the other fhould fail, as
thefe branches when young, are fubjcft to many accidents :
So fhall you fland a fair chance of having fruitful Vines •, for all
Vignerons well know, that Vines fhoot forth more barren and
unfruitful branches, than fruitful ones, therefore, as expe-
r.ienci' hath taught them, they always fet apart fhort jointed
hraaches for bearers, becaufe thefe ieldom fail yielding much

U 2 fruit ;

E 152 I

fruit; all the reft of the branches you ftrike off with your fin-
crer : Again, would you ftill more effedlually avoid barren
Vines, if you have it in your power, choofe your Vine cuttings
for planting, from fruitful Vines •, not only fo, but choofe
fruit bearing branches, that grow from the teeming part of
the Vine, that is as near the head and fboulders as pofTible, and
then if you cultivate them well, you fliall be fure of having
fruitful Vines ; and this> let me tell you, is gaining a very
grand and elTential point : I have here repeated this inftruftion,
that you may not negledt it, nor mifs ol: fo great an advantage.

Having thus chofen two branches for ftandards, train them
upas ftrait as you can, one on each fide of the ftake : When
they are grown about fifteen inches long, bind them gently
with a foft band to the ftake ; for they are then yet very
tender: And as they grow longer bind them a fecond and
a third time •, and when they are grown up to the top of the
ftake, which muft be five feet high, nip off the ends, and they,
will grow the thicker and ftrongcr.When you have taken away
the tops of the Vine ftie v^ill try to recover herfelf, and will
.fhoot out two branches at the top Inftead of one; but thefe you
ITiL'ft aifo nip off, and keep fhort, but take away none of the
lateral branches or nephews till you come to trim them in the
fall, only nip them off to keep them within proper bounds. In
the fall when the Vine leaves begin to wither and fall, cut
away one of thei©. ftandards from each Vine, clofe to the ftock,
leaving fuch as you beft like, which is now out of danger, and
trim away from her all the branches and nephews, and cut off
her top within three feet and a half of the ground ; leave four
buds at the top, and cut off all the ends of the buds below
ihcm ; all thefe wounds will be healed before the hard wea-
ther comes on, which fhould not be over fevere where efpaliers
are ufed ; the two upper buds will be the arms of the Vine,
the two lower buds will be the ftioulders, and juft under thefe
the Vine is faftened to the efpaliers, and is called the head of
the Vine. Now it requires the greateft fkill of the moft ex-
perienced Vigneron to manage and cultivate Vines thus eclu-
cated and trained up to efpaliers ; and therefore they are more
fit for gentlemen's gardens and theVmeyards of rich men, who

can

r ^53 ]

can afford the expence of thefe frames, and to employ Vigne-
rons to manage Vines in this manner, in order to obtain the
richeft Wines, than for common men and men of fmall for-
tunes, who mull chiefly manage thefe affairs with their own
hands, and for whofe fakes 1 have taken the pains to write
this treatife ; but that I may do honor to the rich and great,
and fhew them that refpe6l, which I think due to their diftinc- .
tion and high ftations, I will proceed and give fuch inftru(5lions
as fliall anfwer their expedlations •, but then I mull beg leave to
guard them againll pretenders to this art, for there are pe-
dants, and not a few, among Vine dreflers, as well as among
men of letters. The greateft difficulty, as experienced Vig-
nerons know, is fo to manage a Vine, as to keep her within '
the height and compafs of a frame, and yet to caufe her to bear
fruit plentifully.

The third fummer the efpallers being regularly fet up fix Thirdyeari.
feet high, in a line with the Vines, the pofts being of fome
lafting wood as ot red cedar, locuft or of mulberry, which are
cheapeft in the end, or for want of thefe, of good thrifty chef-
nut, that is not worm eaten-, and being firmly fixed in the
ground, in the middle fpace between Vine and Vine, and the
rails, being four in height, well nailed to the pofts, and placed
on the north fide of the Vines, the lowermoft about three feet
from the ground, or jufl below the lowermoft bud on the Vine,
the Vme mufl be fattened with a foft yet ftrong- band to a flake
firmly fixed'down near the foot of the Vine, and faflened to
the frame, near the lower rail, the four buds rifing above it.
When thefe buds fhoot forth their branches, thev muft be reo-u-
iariy trained up to the raik above, and fattened to them with
a loft band ; as foon as they are long enough to reach the firft
above them, they mutt be fattened to that, and fo to the next,
&c. as they grow ; and this mutt be done by a careful hand,
bccaufe thefe branches, at firtt, are very tenJer ; if they
fliouldbe neglefled, till they are grown longer before they are
tied, they will be in great danger of being torn off by hard
winds, to the great damage of the Vine. When the branches
are grown up to the top of the frame, the encls muft be nipped
oft even with it, and when from the topb they fhoot forth again,

they

t ^54 I

•theymufl; again be nipped off and kept down even with the
frame, and this not fo much for beauty and order fake, but
that they may be properly educated and tau^^ht to be humble
and keep within the limits affigned them. The lateral branches
and nephews alfo mud be kept within proper bounds and not
fuffcred.to grow too long, tor fomeofthefe fide branches will
ileal away to a great length, and rob the Vine of her ftrength.
If anv fruit Ihould appear this third year, which may happen,
let it be taken away, as foon as it appears, and your felt-de-
nial fhall be amply rewarded the fucceeding year ♦, For it
greatly weakens a Vine to bear fruit fo young. Befides not
only the durablenefs, but th^ fruitfulnefs of Vines, very much
depends upon the proper culture ot them when young.

In the fall of this third year, the lateral branches and ne-
phews mult be carefully cut away from the main branches, fo
as not to hurt, or rub againll the lower buds, with the back
-cf the knife, which is frequently done, by cutting off the
branches too near the germ or bud. For if the thin bark, that
covers the bud, be rubbed off, under which is a foft warm gar-
ment ot cotton, to prelerve it from violent colds, the wet gets
in, freezes and deftroys the germ. The four main branches,
that fprung from the four buds, muft now be cut down to two
good buds each ; the lower bud, next the old wood is never
looked upon as a good bud, it is called a dead eve, or barren
bud •, becaufe it|lpears no truit, at lead not the firfl: year of its
growth : And yet notwithftanding you will be obliged fome-
times to make ufe ot it, as I fhall prefently fliew. In cutting
off the main branches, cut flanting upward, fo that the wound
appears in the fhape of the nail of a man's finger, and let the
flope be on the oppofite fide of the bud, that if it Ihould
v/eep, the tears may drop free of the bud-, this is the rule,
but I have given my opinion on this precept before, to which
1 refer you. In cuttinfr, approach not too near the bud, that
is left, but keep at two inches diftance from it, leafl you en-
danger it, by letting in the cold air and wet upon it, before
the wound can heal.

The

t ^55 ]

The chief point, in managing thefe Vines, is, the providing
branches of rel'erve for recruiting the arms in fuch man. er, as
to confine the Vine within th*" compafs of your frame •, for if
you raife new arms from the old ones, your Vine will ibon out-
llioot the frame. You muft, therefore, leek for new arms
trom the fhoulders : If a branch grows in a proper place, any
where between the arms and the head, and happens to be
broken, chp it into a thumb, that is, cut it down to two or
three good buds, as foon as you diicover it, and this is called
a keeper, and very well fupplies the place of a branch of re-
ferve. Sometimes you will be glad to make ufe of the half
flarved branch, thatfprings from the dead eye beforemention-
ed ; nay lometimes you are drove to the neceflity of nurfing-
up a fmall bud of two leaves, or a knob or wart for that pur-
pofe ; and when none of thefe are to be found, you mufl;
wound the Vine in a proper place, fomewhere about the fhoul-
ders, with a bodkin or fliarp pointed inflrument, in two or
three places, from whence it is ufual for a branch to fhoot, if
it be donefometime in the fpring : But if all fhould fail, you
then will be obliged to raife your frame higher, and make ufe
of fome of the branches, that grow out of the arms, the
nearer to the fhoulders, the better : But if you have been
drove to this neceflity before, and your frame has been already
raifed to a lufRcient height, there then remains no remedy but
a defpcrate one, fince the difeafe is become dcfperate, that is, .
to cut fuch Vines do\\'n even with the ground,^ and from thefe
flumps frefh fhoots will fpring and bear fome fruit, the fecond
year after, if a proper choice be made : They muft be cut
when you trim your Vines-.

If any fruit fliould appear on any of the branches, tint grow
from the fhoulders, which is often the cafe, let them be taken
away as foon as they appear, for thefe being branches of re-
ferve, they are defigned to bear fruit the fucceeding year, the
arms only are to bear fruit the prcfent year : Thele direcStions ,
will ferve for the fourth, the fifth, and the fucceeding years.

In the fall of this third year, I have above direfted you to
cut the four main branches, that grew from the four buds,

down .

t 156 3

=down to two good buds each, but this is defigrfed for the
flrong Vines only ; thole that are weak, muft be cut down to
one good bud, each branch, fo (hall ihey flourilh and gather
strength the better, and if any fruit (hould appear on the weak
Vines the fourth or even the fifth year, ftrike them oflf as
foon as they appear, and they will afterwards make you
ample facistadlion for this prudent management of them when
young and weak ; and once for all be perfuaded not to over-
load young Vines with fruit ; if from a fondnefs to outdo your
neighbour, you run into this error, your Vines will pine and
be at a ftand, and will not recover for feme years ; and then
your neighbour, who has cultivated his Vines with more pru-
dence and caution, will triumph in his turn, with greater
reafon, and with much greater advantages.

The fourth year when you trim your Vines in the fall, you
may cut the arms down to one good bud each, inftead of
taking them clean away, for the Vines being yet young and
low, theie two buds will in a manner become part of the
fhoulders, being fo near them ; thefe will bear fruit the next,
which is the fifth year -, and then you can fave the two lower
buds, that grew on the branches that fprung from the fhouider,
for branches of referve, by taking away the fruit as foon as
they appear, and thefe will bear fruit the year after ; fo Ihali
you have four branches bearing fruit the fifth year, which is
quite fufficient. ^

The fixth year you may have three good buds on each
branch for bearing ftuit, and the fevenih year you may have
four buds on each branch, which will make eight bearing
branches, which are thought by the beft judges to be quite
fufficient for the ftrongeft Vines, if you mean to make good
Wine ; and to this number Vignerons are generally confined.

Vines that are defigned for efpaliers, mufi: be planted fur-
ther afunder than thole, that are intended for (lakes ; for as
they rife much higher with the flem, they require more nou-
rifliment, and more room to extend their roots ; ten feet is by
no means too much : twelve would be better : Suetonius, a

learned

t 157 ]

learned man, well known to men of letters, made this remark
as he travelled through the Wine countries, that the farther
Vines were planted from each other, the better he found the
Wine.

One general rule is necefiary to be laid down, in order td
give young Vine-dreflcrs, a clear idea of the nature and
manner of triming Vines, which is very apt to puzzle young
beginners ; know then, that the young wood, that grew this
year, muft be preferved for bearing fruit the next year, and
thofe branches, that did not bear fruit, are better for the
purpofe, than thofe that did bear fruit ; and for this reafon,
you are above directed to ftrilce off, wirh your finger, tJie
young clufters, as foon as they appear, from thofe branches,
which you referve for bearing fruit the fucceeding year. When
I mention a branch, I mean a main branch of young wood,
not a fide or lateral branch, that grows upon thefe young main
branches.

When the arms have born fruit, they are cut clean away in
the fall of the year, as foon as the Vintage is over, provided
you have branches of referve, growing on the fhoivlders, to
fupply their places : But if you have been fo unlucky, as to
have failed in thefe, notwithftanding all your attempts to pro-
cure them i you muft then do what neceftity requires, and cut
the arms down to two, three, or four good buds each, accord-
ing to the ftrength of the Vine ; but then remember, not to
fuffer any fruit to grow on the branches, that fpring from the
lower bud on each old arm, thefe being now abfolutely necef-
fary for branches of referve, in order to recruit the arms the
next year. According to thefe rules you conftantly proceed
v/ith Vines on efpaliers.

As feme of our fouthern colonies have a hot fandy Ibil, and Direaions
are fubjeft to great heats and parching droughts, and thereby ^!^^ ^"^^
find it very difficult to raife and preferve Vines, fo as to be- colonies,
come fruitful •, I Ihall here offer fome thoughts and diredlions,
which I imagine moft likely to fucceed in thefe parching hot
-countries J as 1 moft fincerely wifh comfort and happinefs to

X every

C 158 ]

every colony on the continent, and that the whole may become
as beneficial as poffible to the nnother country.

First then, I think it neceflary to fhade the young Vines
the firft two or three years, during the hot dry feafons, by
driving down firmly in the ground, branches of trees thick fet
■with leaves, on the fouth fide of the Vines -, thele are better
than matts, or pieces of thatch work, as the air and winds can
pafs more treely through them ; it will alfo be neceffary to
water thefe young Vines twice a week, during the hot dry
feafons, in the evening, that the water may have the whole
night to foak down to the roots of the Vines to cool and refrefh
them •, the branches, in thefe hot countries, fhould not be
tied up to flakes, but fhould be fuffered to run on the ground
to fhade and keep it moift and cool. Thefe Vines mufl be
trimed in the fame manner, asthofe which are defigned for
flakes, as foon as the leaf falls, or the vintage is over. The
third year inftead of driving flakes down to fallen up the
branches to them, let fhort crotches be drove down about fix
foot afunder, and pretty ftrong poles laid acrofs upon them,
fo that they may lie about fourteen inches from the ground,
and fo near to each other, that the branches of the Vines may
conveniently run upon the poles without dipping down and
running upon the ground •, if the ends of the Vines fliould run
beyond the fides of this bed of poles, they mufl be turned in
and confined to their proper bed -, becaufe it will be ncceiTary
to have a v/alk or path of two feet wide between bed and bed
to regulate the Vines, to cut away the luxuriant fuckers, that
fob the Vine and the bearing branches of their due nourifli-
ment, to gather in the Vintage and to trim the Vines.

This bed of poles fliouId be fo placed, as to extend three
feet on each fide of the row of Vines, fo that the rows of Vines
Handing eight feet afunder, there will be a path of two feet
between row and row for the neceffary purpofes before-men-
tioned. Particular care muH be taken, not to take away too
many branches from thefe Vines, unjefs there fliould happen
an uncommon wet feafon, nor to keep them too fnort, becaufe
they are defigned to flvade the ground as much as poflibk% "\\\

order

[ ^59 1

order to keep it cool and moift, which is neceHfary for the
growth of the Vine, and for bringing the fruit to perfedion ;
but then in the beginning of Auguft, or about a month before
the different forts of fruits begin to grow ripe, each in their
proper time, you fhould take away the lateral branches and cut
off the tops of the main branches, but this mull be done, not
all at once, but by degrees, fome now, fome then, and that
according to the drynefs or wetnefs of the fealbn, for this muit
be done to let in the Sun and the air, which, at this feafon of
the year, become necelTary to bring the fruit to perfe6b matu-
rity ^ the wetter the feafon, at this latter part ot the fummer,
the more branches muft be takrn away and the fhorter the
main branches mufl be cut, and if neceffary moll of the leaves
muft alfo be plucked off-, the fruit will ripen the better, and
make the richer Wine, and all this may be done without any
injury to the Vines.

Here I would obferve that the fame management with
regard to the thining the branches and the leaves at this feafon
of the year, is neceffary for Vines that are fattened to ftakes or
efpaliers, in order to meliorate and haften on the full ripenefs
of the fruit; and remember that the longer white Grapes hang
on the Vines, even after they are ripe, if the feafon be dry,
the richer Wine they make. But it is otherwife with the black
Grapes •, when they are full ripe, they muft be gathered and
made up into Wine, if nor, they rot and dry away fuddenly,
and perilh in lefs than a week.

The Portuguefe form the head of the Vine near the ground^ ThePortu
but whether through careleffnef--, the love of eafe, or the want gueie me-
of proper materials, I cannot determine, but they have a me
thod peculiar to themielves of managing their Vines ; they vTne
drive crotches into the ground, upon which they fix ftrong
poles, which lie about three feet from the ground, fome more
fome lefs, according to the fteepnefs of the hill, for their Vine^
yards generally grow upon the fides of hills and mountains.
T he branches ot the Vines, when grov/n long enough, they
throw over the poles and faften them •, they trim them and nip
off the ends of the branches according to art, and in the be-

X 2 gining

thod of
cultivating

t i6o- ]

ginning of autumn, they cut away the lateral branches and
nephews at different times and by degrees pluck away all fu-
perfiuous leaves, lb that the fruit becomes much expofed to
the fun, the air and winds, that they may arrive at full maturity.
They then gather them, take away ail the rotten and unripe
fruir, throw them into the vat and tread them luftily, fing'ng
all the while fome Bachanalian fongs, according to the Por-
tuguefe dulnefs ; and when they are fufficiently trod, they take
them out and prefs them as dry as they can , they then turn
the hull<:s into the vat a fecond time, and although they appear
quite dry, yet they trample them over fo long that the very
hufl<s feem to diffolve intoWine, this they prefs a fecond time,
and this is laid by for the richeft Madeira Wine ; which in
other countries is dafhed with water and made into a thinWine
for common ufe.

Of dung- jp you mean to have plenty of Grapes, your Vineyard mufi:
^f"^,^''^^' be well dunged every three years, but hot dung muil not be
thrown near the ftock of the Vine ; poor people who cannot
come at fo great a quantity of dung at a time, may dung one
third of their Vineyard every year •, I fliail now take notice of
the different foils and dungs that are bed and fit forVineyards ;■
a Vineyard planted on a piece of good flirong new ground
needs no dung the firft leven years. The beft manure for a
Vineyard is fuch as is Wi rm and free from grafs feeds, for grafs
is a great enemy to Vines : Fowl's dung ot every kind, ex-
cept water fowl i ioap aflies, or other afhes fprinkled thinly
between the rows ot Vines but not too near them, for this
manure is very hot and fharp, and is beft fpread on the ground
in the fall, that it may mix wiiii the foil and be properly tem-
pered before the heat of the next fummer comes on, otherwife
it would burn up the plants the rich foil that is waflied down
and fettles along the fides of brooks and rivers ~ and in many
low places along roads and iiighways, which poor and induf-
trious people may eafily come at ^ feafand, mixed with com-
mon jbil that might be taken up along the higluvays, would-
make an excellent manure , in fhort, land of every kind mixed
- in large proportions with good foil, is very comfcjrting to
Vines, for thofe Vines produce thefweeteft and richeft Grapes,.

and

C 161 ]

and the ftrongeft and beft flavoured Wines, thaf grow in rich
fandy foils : The morter of old buildings, that has been made
of lime and fand, pounded fine \ the dull of charcoal, the fm all
coal and the earth that the coal kilns are covered with when
burnt ; the foot of chimneys •, the fmall cinders and black dirt
found about fmith's (hops, all thefe are excellent manure for
loomy or clay grounds to warm, to open and to dry them, and
efpecially if a large quantity of fand be mixed with it ; creelc
mud, or the mud along the fides of rivers thrown on in the
fall, or thrown up and fvveetened all winter and laid on in the
fpring, is a rich manure for fandy lands, or for clay and loomy
lands if mixed with a good quantity of fand. All warm rich
untried earth is excellent, fo is ftreet dirt of cities. Come we
now to what may be for the moft part in every farmer's power
to procure : And firft it will be proper at certain feafons of
the year, when the grafs is free from feeds to pen his cattle
and flieep in fome convenient place, where the dung will not
wafh away, and as near to his Vineyard or houfe as may be i
into this pen let him throw his flraw of all kinds, that is free
from grafs feeds, his buckwheat flraw, chaff and duft, his old
fait hay or bog hay •, if he lives near to marfhes or fait mea-
dows, let him cut good ftore of reed, when it is near ripe,
thatch, courfe three fquare and fedge, let it be dried and
brought into the pen •, then let him get rich black foil, that
fettles in low places and the bottom of ponds, that are dry or
partly dry in fummer, and what fettles along the fides of brooks
and rivers, and throw thefe in, let him get good ftore of leaves
of every kind, and throw all the foap fuds, chamberlye, the
blood of beafts, pork and beef pickle, cyder and beer empty-
ings, and greefy difh-water, the water that fait meat has
been boiled in, ail thefe contribute greatly to make very rich
manure.

The next bed: method for makincr crood fcore of manure is
to throw moft or all of the above materials into a pretty large
hoo- pen i (if the hogs are fed with red clover, cut green,
when it is about two thirds grown, and fo on till the feed be
grown but not ripe, this mowed twice or three times a day,
and given to the hogs is an eafy and cheap way of feeding them^

and

[ 1^2 2

.-and will make a rich manure,) hogs will champ with their
.months and trample with their fharp pointed hoofs' thefe ma-
.terials, and make them fine in a fliort time, and by rooting,
will fo tumble and mix them together, that they will f jon rot
and make good (lore of manure. Then again, if corn (talks,
hufl^s and cobs, fuch as the cattle do not eat, be thrown into
a hollow place, where they may be wet, alfo the chjff of flax-
feed, the (liives and hurls of flax and hemp, where they will
rot in a year's tim.e, thefe make a good manure. Here let
jiie remark, without giving offence to my dear coun-
trymen, whofe good I have always fludied, and whofe intereffc
I would willingly promote, that with a little more induftry and
application, and fome eafy and proper contrivances, take the
whole country in general, I am pretty certain, th^t ten times
the manurqtmight be made and faved, that is made at prefent,
and how much our old lands (land in need of it ; every farmer
very well knows ; and give me leave farther to aOert, that
where a man has it in his power, and can employ a hand and
teem altogether in cutting and bringing together as many of
the above materials, as can conveniently be had, at the year's
end, he would find him by much the moft profitable employed
of any man and teem upon his plantiiion : For I am clearly
of opinion that, ten acres of land well manured, will produce
a much greater profit to the ovvner than forty acres of common
old lands as they are now managed ; the whole charge of ma-
nuring, tilling, and of the feed for fowing, together with the
fencing, reaping, threfhing, &c, being f\iirly calculated. For
the ten acres will produce four good crops fucceffively, one of
barley, then one of v/heat, the next of oats, and the laft of
rye 5 and with a fprinkling of dug, it may be laid down with
red clover : The charge of ploughing for thefe four crops,
amounts to no more than the charge for ploughing the forty
acres for one crop, theexpenceof fencing the latter is much
greater : The forty acres in the common way of working, lies
fallow for three fummcrs, and generally yields but very little
grafs, the fourth iunnner it is ploughed again and yields no
grafs at all \ whereas on the plan propofcd, the ten acres in
the fall after the wheat and the rye will yield plenty of grafs.
Pardon this digreffion, I hope it v/ill not be altogether un-
profitable. Grapes

Grapes. are a delicious fruit and very tempting to people of Of gua,rcl-
every age and fex, the rude and unthinking fort will take all '^^g a
advantao;es of vour abfence or neglect at the time of the fruit's Y"'^)'^'''^

. . ^ . • from

beginning to grow ripe, to rob and pilfer-, fuch therefore boys.
muft be carefully guarded againfl, by a good clofe high fence
without, and a fmart watchful dog within, and efpecially by
the Vigneron's appearing now and then with a gun in his
hand walking about his Vineyard in an evening, particularly
when there are idle people without -, this will effedually pre-
vent any attempts, when they fee what they appreiiend to be
fo very dangerous,

But thefe are not the only enemies we have to fear and Frombirds,
guard againft, there are others which appear lefs formidable,
and yet are full as deftrudtive, namely birds : The Robins are
very numerous, and devour abundance of Grapes -, the bell
and mod effeftual method I ever difcovered to get rid of thefe,
was to deftroy their food, that ripens about the time that
the Grapes do, which confifts of wild cherries and poke- berries
chiefly ; there are other fmall berries which Robins feed upon,
but they chiefly grow in fwamp and wet places, which are now
generally cleared and deftroyed. One year I cut down all the
wild cherry trees on my plantation, and rooted up all the poke
buihes, and not a robin appeared near my Vineyard till all mjy
Grapes were ripe and gathered •, more than that, in order to
fave my Englifli cherries, I made m.y boys go through my or-
chard twice when the robins had laid their eggs, and pull down
their nefls, by this means they hatched their youngfo late, ac
which time they take away the fruit, that I faved my crop of
cherries. The Cat-bird and theThrufli are not fo numicrous, and
therefore the)' are apt to be overlooked, and efpecially as they
give you a fine fong for your fruit ; but they are both fir,
canning and ve-y artful thieves, and devour Grapes in gieac
abundance, nothing that I have yet difcovered, but a good
gunner, will get the better of thefe : But then again Vvafps are From
great enemies to Grape?, they pierce them in feveral places, wafps,
v/ith their lliarp pointed bills, and that the faireft, ripeft and
moft forward Grapes, v/hich make the beft Wine, thel'e rotor
dry away, which is a great lofs to the owner ; the bell way I

have.

r 164 ]

have yet met v/ith, to deftroy thefe pernicious vermin, is to
hancr up phials here and there, along the outward rows of
Vines, lilied half full of water well fweecened with honey, mo-
lalTes, or coarfe black fugar, the mouth of the phial muft be fo
wide as eafily to receive a v/aip into it, and not much wider,
the wafps foon find out the molalTes by its fcent, and getting
into the phial, are drowned in the fweetened water ; another
way I have difcovered, which comes very near to the former,
if it does not exceed it, v/hich is to cover flat wide earthen
pans, all over the bottom with honey or molalTes without wa-
ter, if there be three or four of thefe pans placed at a good
diftance, the whole length ot the Vineyard every wafp to
leeward, that is within fmellof them, will come to the feaft,
they v/ili foon fo entangle themfelves in the molaffes that, if
you attend them, you may make it a deadly feaft to almoft all
that come ; when the wind comes from, another quarter, place
your pans along another part or fide of your Vineyard, that
lb the wind may blow from the Vineyard to the place, from
"whence you would drav/ the wafps, and fo go round till you
have dellroyed them all.

One circumftance ! have omitted with regard to birds, and
that is, if poles be ftuck up here and there, near that quarter
where the birds harbour and have their haunt, and fmall
branches with three or four twigs on them, be faftened to the
top of the pole, and the twigs well daubed over with bird-
lime, the birds will readily perch upon them, and will be fo
entangled by the bird-lime that if they are fufFcred to continue
upon them fome time, if they then get away, they will hardly
return again that feafon : and as if they could communicate to
each otlier th.eir grievances and their dangers, lev/ or none ot
the fame fpecies will come into the Vineyard that feafon.

The fame grub, which is a fhort fmooth earth worm, that
cuts off the Englifh beans, &c. is very hurtful to young
Vines, often cuts off the choicell branches-, iftheeartli were
taken away round the fool of ihe Vine, about two inches
down, and fome tar and hog's lard, mixed in equal quantities,

were

t 165 ]

were daubed round that part of the Vine, I think, though I
never have made the experiment, it would prevent the mif-
chief.

Vine Fretters alfo are often injurious to Vines ; they are
' very fmall animalculse, or infe6ts, of what fpecies, I have
nc^ver examined, but they appear in great numbers, in mere
cluders, upon the young tender branches, upon the juice of
which they feed ; the only remedy I know, is to take away
the branch with them upon it, and fo deftroy them bodily ;
but if the branch cannot be fpared, they muft be mafhed and
rubbed off by a careful tender hand ; if they are chiefly de-
flroyed the firft two or three years, they are not fo numerous

nor fo troublefome afterward.

i»

It is common with Gardeners and Vignerons, who cannot Nothing
bear to fee a good piece of ground lie idle, to raife a crop of fhould be
cabbages, colliflowers or brocoli, between Vines when young, planted
This is very wrong and very injurious to Vineyards -, for it not y-^g"^
only cramps the growth of the Vines, but robs the foil of thofe
rich falts and fulphureous oils, which are neceflary to bring
the fruit to perfediion when the Vines begin to bear. The
foil cannot be too frefli for a Vineyard, provided it be not too
rank, and therefore a frefh new foil, that has never been
ploughed, at lead not in many years, is always recommended
as moil proper for a Vineyard. A clean, light, warm, rich
foil, that has a great mixture of fand is bed ; a rank, heavy,
ftubborn foil is not good, it is apt to rot the Vines, unlefs it
lies high along the fouth and louth-eaft fides of hills and
mountains, the drynefs of the fituation and the intenfe heat of
the fun greatly alter fuch a foil, and meliorate it, they open,
warm and fweeten ir, by drawing out its cold four bitter na-
ture, and render it fit for the richeft produ£l:ions, fo that here
the ftrongeft and higheft flavoured Wines are made. _^

1 HAVE already mentioned the planting of Vines at a proper Reafons
didance, and in this I have exceeded the common dittance (or plant-
pradifed in mod Wine countries ; and that for reafons which ^"g ^''^\"
1 fhall prefently afTign. t^p^-e '^^f

Y When 8 feet.

t 166 J

When T firft undertook a Vineyard, I can without the leafb
fpark of vanity fay, I did it for the good of my country, and
from a principle of love to mankind j 1 confidered that too
many of the people of America were unhappily drawn into
great exceffes in the ufe of diltilled fpirituous liquors, which
rum their conftitutions, and loon render them unfit for the
fervice of God and their country, as well as for that of their
own family and friends. Wine on the contrary is a more
homogeneous liquor, more wl olefome and much better adapt-
ed to ihe fpirit and conilitution of man •, and although men
will run into exceffes in the ufe of it, yet it works itfelf off
better, and does not deftroy the natural vital heat and animal
fpirits, in fo great a degree and in fo fudden a manner, as fiery
.diftilled liquors do-, for thefe reafons I went on, and endea-
voured to make myfelf mafter of the fubjeft, and by many
cxperim.ents to latisfy myfelf of the truth of things. T was
detei mined not to take up with things upon trufl •, for thefe
things are generally conduced according to the ufage and
cuflom of our forefathers, whofe method we follow with the
fame implicit faith, that too many do the religious tenets,
cuftoms and worfliip of their church, without examining into
the nature, realbnablenefs and foundnefs of them : But as
reafonable creatures and free agents, I think, we have a right
to examine things, to fearch into the nature and reafon of-
them, 'and to judge and aft for ourfelves •, and ought not
to be tied down to arbitrary rules and rigid cuftoms which
have been laid down and eftablifhed in times of ignorance and
fuperftition. To aflume then a pertedt liberty in planting of
Vineyards and making of Wines, as well as in all other parts
of husbandry, 1 fhall now proceed to give fuch reafons for
planting Vines at a diftance, as are obvious and clear to me
from feveral experiments which I have made. If a Vineyard
lies on a Hoping ground and is not too fleep to plough, the
Vines fliould be planted eight feet from each other every wayj
Advan- ^^^ advantages of this manner of planting I think are many ;
tages of with a fmgle horfe plough, having a foot fixed in the fore
ploughing, part of the beam, by way of gage, to prevent the plough from
going lb deep as to cut the roots of the Vines ; a man with
the help of a carefulboy to ride and guide the hoife, the horfe

. ' ahvays

C 167 ]

always fuppofed to be tame and under good government, may-
plough a full acre or more in a day, which is as much as fix
men will generally dig up with hoes, and is every way much
better done, the furrows lying acrofs the defcending ground,
will very much prevent wafhing away by hard rains ; the
ground lies light, hollow and loofe, by which means ic readily
receives all the benefit of the atmofphere, the dew&, the winds
and night air, the mills and fofc defcending rains, which meli-
orate and impregnate it with nitre, volatile and fixed falts, and
with oily and fulphureous matter, fit for vegetation and- the
richeft productions, and the fun more efteftually draws out
the four and bitter nature of the foil, and by its genial heat
prepares it for a plentiful produ6tion. After this it requires
no more culture for twelve or fourteen days time, or more,
according to the weather. If a drought fucceeds the ploughing,
it will need no other ftirring till rain comes, provided the
ground turned up mellow and crumbly, which it will do if it
was not wet when it was ploughed, which a judicious farmer
will at all times carefully avoid, for nothing hurts a crop of
any kind more than ploughing or harrowmg ground when it is
wet ; Columella fays, that it renders the ground carious, and
that it will not recover a proper temper again tliat feafon, and
this I once found by woful experience, which effedlually cured
me of ftirring ground when wet, for any culture whatever.
I fay, that the ground will not want ftirring again till rain
comes, unlefs by the help of great dews the weeds fhould ap-
pear, it muft then be harrowed with a fharp iron tooth harrow ;
which the fame man, boy and horfe can manage ; the man it
careful and diligent, can with eafe harrow three acres a day,
and if this be repeated three, four or five days, after every
rain, or upon the firft appearance of weeds, they may with
great eafe be kept down : All then that is to be done with the
hoe is, to keep the rows between the ploughings free from
grafs and weeds, which are foon run over and the ground kept
loofe and light, lb as to let in the air, which is of great fervice
to Vines •, and the more mellow your ground the better it
ftands a drought ; when the Vines ftand too near, the work
muft be done altogether by hand •, this requires many moie
hands, which is very expenfive, the work is tedious and al-

Y 2 moft

[ i68 ]

moft endlefs ; the carelefs hard working man often ft r ikes too
deep and wounds or cuts off the roots, the lazy and indolent will
not ftrike deep enough, befides, they all muft trample' down
good p^ of what, they dig, fo that the ground cannot be left
io looie and light as by ploughing. Again, when the rows are
at a o-ood diftance, the Vines will not interlock nor ftiade one
another, which is very pernicious, the wind and air will pafs
freely through them, which are very refrefhing, and greatly
help forward the growth, ripenefs, and fweetnefs of the fruit j
then the morning Sun, which is comforting and vivifying, will
have free accefs to every plant, will warm the ground, which
grows cold by the abfence of the Sun, and by the night air ;
all will lie fairly open to the more exalted meridian Sun, which
by its heat brings forward the fruit to full maturity. Again,
when the rows are at a proper diftance each way, the roots of
the Vines will not fo greatly interfere with each other j, they
, will have more room to fpread and extend themfelves, and colledb
more nourifliment and food for themfelves and their offspring.
Vines of four and five years old extend their roots fix and eight
feet from their ftocks ; as for the root that flioots downward,
nature, for the prefervation of the plant from exceffive
droughts, darts them down fo far as to reach a moifture below
fufficient to fecure them trom periHiing. If then in four or
five years they extend their roots lb far, how' muft they inter-
fere and rob each other, when they are planted near, and
efpeciaily when they grow old, their roots then are fo inter-
woven that they appear like a piece of net work ; this, I think,
(hews, and plainly proves, that Vines planted three, four,
five, or even fix feet apart, are quite too near, fo that they
greatly hurt each other and cannot produce fo good Wine.
Again, when Vines are planted at a proper difiance, a w|?cel
or a hand barrow may pafs freely through them, which will
greatly facilitate the dunging of the ground and the gathering
in of the Vintage j or a horfe with panniers on each fide, made
flat on the fide next his body, or a long fquart^ bafl<et fixed on
a hand-barrow and fiung acrofs two hardy boys fiioulders, would
give difpatch to either work. But farther, men of learning
and obfervation fay, that Vines planted at a diftance produce
ihe beft andricheft Wines, and to crown all, it is tlie opinion

ot

C 1G9 ]

of men knowing and experienced in thefe things, that a Vine-
yard planted ac eight or ten feet diftance each way, will pro-
duce as many Grapes, as one planted within half that diftance,
though there be twice as many Vines -, that it will produce
larger and finer Grapes ; will bring its fruit to greater perfec-
tion, and make better Wine.

If a man be poor and cannot procure a horfe
and a plough, or if his Vineyard be fmall and he
choofes to cultivate it with his own hands, or if
his Vineyard lies along the fide of a fteep hill
or mountain and cannot be ploughed, in either
cafe the German double pick, or farkling iron, is
the beft inftrument for digging a Vineyard ;
the (hape you have in the margin : This inftru-
ment digs the ground with more eafe than the
hoe, and neither cuts nor wounds the roots. It
is fixed on the handle like a hoe, and bends
downward as that does.

As ftakes are a neceflary article, and as on the choice of ^'"^P^f r ^.
them depends very much their durablenefs, I fhall mention ftakes, &
feme forts that are moft likely to laft and do the greateft fervice. the me-
Red cedar, locuft, mulberry, thrifty chefnut, that is free from ^^'°^ °^
worm holes, faflafras, or the heart of oak, the heart of yellow ^^^'^S
pine, fuch as grow in New-Jerfey in dry fandy grounds, I '

am told will laft long in fome grounds. The ftakes muft be
about an inch and a quarter fquare, and not lefs, the biggeft end
muft be lliarpened, they ftand the firmer in the ground ; if
both ends were dipped in boiling tar, the head not above
two inches, the lower end fo deep as that the tar may
appear above ground when the ftake is drove down firm,
this will greatly help to preferve the ftakes from rotting ; the
beft way to fave your ftakes from being battered to pieces by
driving is, to have a fpike, with a long tapering focket, an
inch and an half bore at top, with a long taper point, well,
fteeled ; the whole about fourteen inches long, with a ftaff
fixed in the focket four feet long, the whole ftiaped as in the

marein :.

*M

m

I 170 3

margin : With this the holes for the ftakes are made a foot
deep, and with a ftroke or two of a mallet, the ftakes are firm-
ly fixed, without being fplit or battered. The ftakes Ihould
be fix feet long, fo as to ftand five feet out of the ground,
a.nd ftiould be drove by a line and ftand ftrait.

The Roman frame, which ferved inftead of efpaliers in an-
tient times was plain, cheap and frugal, fit for farmers, and
fuch as every farmer can find, on his own plantation, without
any oiher expence befidcs his own labour : This ftiews the
oeconomy and prudence of that great and wife nation, whilft
they were a common wealth. It confifted of ftrong ftakes or
fmall pcfts fixed well in the ground in a ftrait line fix feet high,
and three rows of poles tied faft to them one above another,
and fifteen inches apart, the upper pole being four, five, or
fix feet from the ground, according to the age of the Vine,
^ over the upper pole the bearing branches were laid, looking
toward the f:)uth, and were faftened to the pole, and this they
called precipitating a Vine, when the branches were grown
long enough, they were faftened to the middle pole, and then
to the lowermoft, and when they came near the ground they
were cut off". The branches were regularly difpofed fo as
each might have the benefit of the Sun and air, by being
faftened to ftakes drove down here and there, along the frame ;
they were trimed and managed in other refpefts, juft in the
fame manner as thof^ direded for efpaliers ; and indeed from
thefe frames the efpalier was taken.

.Material The materials proper to make bands of, to bind the Vines
'^°'"^^"^^' to the ftakes are, the fweet flag, otherwile called the Calamus
Aromaticus. I'hefe long flat leaves cut in June and dried in
the fhade, and then bundled up and kept in a dry place for ufe
do very well, but then they muft be made wet when you bind
with them. The long flat leaves of reed, the rufhes and
three fquare that grow in marfhy or meadow ground preferved
and ufed in the fame manner do as well.

Of gather- Having now gone through the neceflary direftions for
ing the planting and managing Vines for Vineyards, I proceed to the
^'inta^e- - making

C 171 1

making of Wine, a fubjeft though fliort and eafy, yet calls for
great nicety and exadnefs. 1 he making, fermenting and
preferving of Wine is a myftery to the people of America, but
when the methods of managing thefe things are brought to
light and explained nothing appears more fimple and eafy ; but
before I proceed to this work, it will be necelTary to give fome
diredions about gathering the Grapes, fmce that work muft be
done before we can make Wine. As my countrymen are ge-
nerally ftrangers to all thefe things, I hope they will bear with
me, if fometimes I am more particular than to fome it may
feem necefTary ; fmce I would willingly remove every obftacle
out of the way, and communicate every the moft minute cir-
cumftance to thofe, who are altogether ftrangers to this new
undertaking in America, fo that any man ot common {'^n{'2'^
that can read, may fafely undertake and go through with the
whole affair fuccefsfuUy.

I HAVE already obferved, that the black Grapes differ from
the white in the manner of ripening, but whether your Grapes
be black or white, they muft be fully ripe before they are ga-
thered, otherwife they will not make good Wine •, gather
them in a fair day, when they are perfectly dry •, take away
all the rotten and unripe Grapes from every clufter, for they
fpcii the Wine : If your Vintage be large and you gather more
Grapes than you can maih and prefs out in one day, let them
be gathered without bruifmg, tor bruifed Grapes foon con-
tradl an unfavory tafte and hurt the Vvine in proportion; if
they are maftied the fame day they are gathered, the bruifing
will do no hurt •, neverthelefs 1 would advife the gathering of
them to be directed by fome grave difcreet perfon, for as this
work is done generally by fervants and children, it is made
matter of paftime and frolic, rather than prudent labour, and
fo many Grapes are torn off, and either bruifed or fcattered on
the ground, to the no fmall damage of the owner, both in the
lofs of fruit, and in hurting the Wine, and thefe things fliould
be impreffedon the minds of the gatherers before they begin,
that every thing may be done regularly and in order, by which
means more work will be done, and to much better purpofe.

The

r 172 1

The black Grapes are beft known to be ripe, when her«
and there one of the for wardclt Grapes begins to Ihrivel and
dry •, then fet to and gather and make ihem up into Wine as
fail as you can.

If white frofts happen before fome of your Grapes are fully-
ripe though very near it, fo as 10 want no farther feeding,
you need be under no apprehenfions about them, let them
iliil hang on the Vines, they will grow ripe, rich and high
tiavoured notwithftanding •, but then they muft be- gathered
before the weather be fo hard as to freeze the Grapes, for that
will fpoil them •, the light frofts that only kill the le -ves do
not hurt the fruit, unlefs it be fuch as are late ripe, thefe
fnould be carefully covered from all frofts, they fhould grow
af^ainft walls or board fences fronting the fouth or fouth-eaft,
and at nicrht be covered with mats or frames thatched with
' ftraw, which ftiould be fo contrived as to be fet up to cover
the fruit or let down at pleafure.

A PRETTY crood judgement may be formed of the goodnefs

or badnefs of your Wine, and of a plentiful or thin Vintage,

by the feafons ot the year •, if the fpring and former part of the

fum.mer prove generally dry, with now and then moderate re-

freftii no- rains, if the feafon in Auguft and September be hot

and dry, if in the month of June the weather becalm, ferene

and dry, when the Vine is in blofibm, and the fruit is forming,

vour crop or Vintage will be' plentiful, and your Wine rich

and o-ood : But it at the time of bloflbming, the feafon be wet

andftormy, the winds high and bluftering, if the fpring be

cold with mucii wet, and backward, if ihe latter part of fum-

merand fall be ftorrny, raw and wet -, your crop will be thin,

and the Wine fmall and bad -, when this happens it will be

neceffjry and for your advantage, to bcil one half of the muft,

and to manage it as I fhall hereafter dired you.

Me'hod of As the Wine made from black Grapes has a different ma-
niaki. s nacrement from that made of white Grapes, I fliall begin with
whuf ^''^ the white •, thefe then muft be gathered as I mentioned before
gratis. in a fair day, when the Grapes are perfeflly dry j and both

the

C 173 1

rotten and unripe Grapes being carefully plucked off from
every bunch, the clullers are then thrown into the mafh vat,
and two or three men, according to the quantity, having
wafhed their feet and legs very clean in bran and water, gee
into the vat and trample and mafli the Grapes thoroughly fo
that none efcape, the more they are trampled and mafhed the
better 5 about Paris they let the murk, that is the fkins,
ftalks, muft and all {land together in the vat eight and forty
hours and then prefs it off, but in other parts of France they
prefs off as foon as the Grapes are mafhed : The laft method I
fhould prefer, provided the hufl<:s be trod over again in the
Portuguefe manner, otherwife I fhould prefer the firft method
pradiled by the people about Paris, for this reafon, becaufe
there is a rich pulp that adheres to the Hun of the Grape,
which is not feparated by the firfl treading ; but by lying
eight and forty hours in the murk, and the vat covered with
fheets or blankets, which is the pra6lice, a pretty ffrong fer-
mentation has begun and continued fome time, which partly
d.ffolvcs and partly loofens this rich pulp, that ftuck to the
Ikin, which then chiefly comes away by preffing -, however I
am of opinion that, the treading of thefe huflcs after the fer-
mentation, the muff having firft run off into the receiver,
would do the work more ejffe6tually if they were well preffed
after ic. But then we mufb take tnis caution along with us,
that if Vines are young, which always afford a thin weak Wine,
or if the feafons have been wet and bad, fo that the juices are
not rich, in thofe cafes the muft ffiould be boiled before any
fermentation, in order to preferve the Wine (as I fhall farther
diredl you when v/e come to the boiling of Wines) in that
cafe the Portuguefe method muft be purfued, becaufe the
boiling of Wine after the fermentation has begun, would en-
tirely fpoil it; the fweet muft only, as it runs from the treading
into the receiver, muft be boiled. The firft and fecond preffmg
being mixed together is put into hogfheads, which muft be
filled within four inches of the bung, that it may have room
to work and ferment, the cafks being placed in fome warm
room or dry cellar. Then having a fmall fpile fixed in the
middle of the head of the cafk, the third or fourth day, draw
a little of the Wine in a glafs, and if it be pretty fine, drav/

Z k

C 3.74 ]

it off immediately into a clean dry well fcented calk, the
larger the better, fo you have Wine enough to fill it, which
you muft do within two inches of the bung, and flop it clofe,
leaving only the vent hole open for a fecond fermentation ;
after a few days it will work a fecond time, but not fo much
as at the firfl •, if your Wine be flrong and good, which you
may know by the age of your Vineyard, and by the goodnefs
of the feafons. It will be befl to leave the bung hole open for
this fecond working, the Wine will be the better : for flrong
Wines require a greater fermentation than weak Wines, and
the flopping of the bung hole, is a check upon the working,
and prevents weak Vines from fpending themfelves too much,
which mull greatly hurt them y on the contrary if flrong Wines
have not a thorough working, they are apt to grow thick and
ropy, which hurts them as much the otherway ; b) this you
may form a proper judgment what degree of fermentation is
proper for the Wine that is under working and govern your-
felf accordingly. Three or four days after the fecond fer-
mentation begins, which you mud carefully vatch by vifiting
your Wines every day, again try your Wine in a glals, and if
it be pretty fine, prepare a cafk fweet and good, burn a good
large brimflone match in it, and as foon as the match is burnt
out, whilfl the cafk is full of fmoke, draw off the Wine into
it ; now fill up your cafk to the' brim, and bung it up tight
and ftop the vent hole •, the fmoke of the brimflone will hinder
any further termentation ; and this is called flumming : then
make a mortar of clay and horfe dung mixed up with flrong
fiaxfeed tea, and cover the bung and vent hole dole with it>
and fo let it (land till ic is fit to fell or to ufe.

W'hin you firfl rack off your Wine, if you have any old
Wine that is rich and good, of the fame kind or colour, put
four or fix gallons of it, and two gallons ot good brandy into
your cafk (this quantity is fufficient for an Englifh hogfhead)
and then rack off your Vv^ine into ir for the firfl time, this will
greatly ftrengthen and preferve your Wine, and it your Wine
be weak, it will hinder too great a fermentation the fecond.
time, and fb preferve the purer fpirits from flying off.

When.

I 175 ]

When Wine is in fermentation, all the grofs parts arc
thrown up to the top of the cafk, or veflel that it ferments in,
and jhere meeting the air, they undergo a very great change
for the worfe, they contrail a harfhnefs and become rancid.
If then they are fuffcred to pafs down through the body of the
Wine, which they certainly will do, as foon as the fermentation
is over, they will communicate thofe evil qualities to the Wine,
and it mufl. be a ftrong Wine indeed that will (land fuch a
fhock. If the Wine be weak it will foon turn four ; if the
Wine be ilrong and has a fufficient flock of native fpirits to
defend ic from thofe bad imprelTions, yet it will contract an
unfavoury harfhaefs, which will not be removed for fome time,
nor will it be fit for drinking till age has fmoothed and made
it mellow. For this reafcn it is that you are to draw off your '
Wine both times before the fermentation be quite over, and as
to weak Wincs, they fhould b} no means work too much,
either time, three dijys are quite fufficient for each working;
flrong Wines fhould work longer for the reufon above affigned,
they are better able to (land it, befides it prevents ropinefs
and they fine the fooner and better for it.

I NOW pafs on to the making of red Wines from the black Method o!*
Grapes. Red Wints ha/e a different management from the "taking
White; the whole of one or even two days treading or mafhino-, ^^'^ wme^
(where the Vintage is great) is thrown into a large vat, the
mufb, italks, fkins and all, and (lands in fome warm dry-
place or cellar. The vat is covered clofe with flieets or blan-
kets, or both, and thus it remains, according to cudom from
four to feven or even ten days, according to the coldnefs or
heat of the weather. This is done to obtain a (Irong fer-
mentation, in order to give a deeper colour to the Wine, and
this is the only end propofed by it ; the manager of this work,
vifits the vat twice a day, and in a glafs views the colour of
the Wine, and tades it-, if the tindlure be not deep enough to
his mind, he knows by the tafte of the Wine, whether it will
Hand a longer fermentation : if it will not, he contents himfelf
with the colour it has, and draws and prefTes it o(F, and fills ic
into cafks, leaving about two inches from the bung, for a
fecond fermentation. When the fecond fermentation is overj

Z 2 which

C 176 J

which generally happens in four or five days, he then draws
it off into clean well fcented calks, and adds to it fix gallons of
good old Wine and two gallons of brandy to an Englidi
hoafhead, which contains from 60 to 63 gallons. Where the
farne kind of Wine is not to be had, he makes ufe of Port
Wine. He then fills the cask quite full and bungs it up
ticyht, leaving only the vent hole open to let out the generated
air. Note, when 1 fay, where the fame kind of Wine is not
to be had he makes ufe of Portugal Wines, this is mentioned
for our praftice, not that the French make ufe of fuch Wines,
for they always have Wines enough of their own of the fame
kind.

This management of red Wines, which perhaps with little
variation,, is almoft as antient as the making of Wine in France,
defervcs fome attention and a clofe examination, in as much
as I am fully perfuaded that it is capable of an effential im--
provement.

To underftand the nature of this affair rightly, we mufl:
know that, befides the main pulp or core of the Grape, which
is white in black Grapes as well as others, there fticks to the
infide of the skin, a confiderable body of rich pulp, which is
perfedlly red, of a deeper die in fome than in others. This
pulp gives the colour to the Grape, according to the lightnefs
or deepnefs of its tindlure : thus we fee fome Grapes of a light
red, ibme ot a full red and fome of a deep red, fome again are
almoft black, fome quite black and fome of a fhining jetc-,
this fame pulp alio o;ives the tinfture or colour to the Wine,
for the fame Grape is capable of making white Wine as well
as red Wine •, if the m.ain core which is firft trod out, be only
nfed, the Wine will be white •, thus they make white Burgun-
dv, &c. but if the red pulp be mixed with it, it makes it of
a'rich purple colour ; as this is a cle^ir cafe and lies expoled to
every difcerning eye, the great point of improvement to be
chained, is, to diffolve or extrad this rich pulp, without in-
jurino- the Wine. That the prefent method is the beft and
mod effedual to that purpofe, 1 can by no means think ; the
violent fermentation through which tiie Wine is made to pais.

la

in order to procure the tinflure, mud exhauft the fpirits in a
very great degree, and leave the body in a weak and languid
ftate, and fubjeft it to harfhnefs, to turn eager or vapid in a
Ihort time; thefe Wines grow worle not better by age; many
inftances of this kind we meet with in the French Clarets,
among which, where one hogflie'ad proves good, found and
wholeibme, ten, not to fay twenty, prove harfh, eager and
difagreeable : Thefe confiderations lead me to think, that the
prei'ent management calls loudly for a reformation ; one expe-
riment I have made, and but one, which I fhall offer with
fome farther thoughts to confideration for farther improvement j
but I moft heartily recommend this affair to fome public
fpirited and worthy philofophers of the age, "who by repeated
experiments might bring to light this important fecret, which
when known would be very beneficial to the nation. The
experiment I made was this, in a clean ftone pot, wide and
open, containing two gallons, 1 fqueezed as many Burgundy
Grapes as nearly filled it, with the liquor and skins ; the
ftaiks I, left out. It ftood in a dry room covered with a courfe
dry towel four double, four days and nights fermenting, I
then ftrained it off^ and with my hands mafhed the skins very
well, by this means I obtained a full deep tinfture of that
kind of purple that is peculiar to the Burgundy Wine ; I then
left it to lerment, -in a large cafe bottle, after the firft and
Iccond fermentations were over, 1 found about a quart of rich
fediment at the bottom and a pretty thick skin formed on the
top, the imell was very pleafant and truely Vinous, the jufl
indications of a found healthy Wine. By this experiment I
found that, three days fermentation, allowing the firff day for
heating, which is preparatory to fermentation, (the degrees of
heat are mentioned by Boerhaave, Hoffhian and others) was
iufficient to obtain a tindlure, with the help of fqueezing the
skins a fecond time, without injuring the V/ine, and I found
what red pulp remained adhering to the skins, feparated from ,
them very eafily, and by the colour oC the Wine, before the
fecond fqueezing, that the fermentation had diffolved mod of
this pulp, or extracted a great psrt of its tindure ; from the
whole then, I think I have reafon to conclude, that if the
husk.a, or skins, after four days lying in the murk, "were taken

out.

r »78 J

-out and thrown into the rnalh vat, and heartily trod over agaid^
and efpecially if fome of the muft, or rather Wine, for it is
Wine after fermentation, be now and then thrown over the
husks, as they are trampling it in order to wafli away the pialp,
that a full tinflure may be obtained, without torturing the
Wine, as the prefent manner is, and without running fo great
a rifque of fpoiling it.

As this is a very important point, upon the right manage-
ment of which depends the goodnefs of the Vvine, and as a
farther improvement is hereby defigned, I have dwelt the longer
upon the fubjeft, and theretore hope it will not be looked
upon, as a ulelefs digreflion.

Method of Wine made from young Vineyards is always thin and weak,
improving q^^^ (q ^re Wines from old Vineyards, when the feafons have
^^ been cold, fxormy '.ind wet, and without ibmc affilhince, they

Wines.

will not hold found long -, now this is given two ways, either
by the help of fome old ftrong Wine, one fourth part at leatl,
and four gallons of brandy to ?.n Englilh hogfhead, or if that
'k not in your power, then half of the muft is to be boiVd
away to one half of its quantity, that is, if one half of your
niuil contains forty gallons, that muft be boiled away to twen-
ty, this greatly enriches it, and makes it ot the confiftence of
liquid honey. As foon as it is cool, mix it with the reft cf the
muft, and let it ferment together, and then manage it as be-
fore directed of other Wines -, when your Vmeyard comes to
be ten or twelve years old, it will yield much ftronger Wines.

Manner of The boiling ofyour muft is managed in the following man-
boiling ner, which muft be carefully attended to •, your copper or
™"^^' kettle being well cleaned, rub the infide all over with a wool-
len rag dipped in fweet oil, which preferves the Wine from
contrafting a naufeous, copper or brafs tafte -. then throw in
your muft, and kindle a gentle fire under the copper with
brufti or fmall fplit wood, your copper ftanding fo high, that
the wood need not touch the bottom of it, when you put large
wood under it to make it boil faft ; for if ^^t any time your
wood touches the bottom of your kettle or copper, the Wine

will

E 179 J

will be burned, which will fpoil it -, as the fcum rifes (kim it
off, and gently raife your fire by flow degrees, ftirring your.
muft often from the bottom, and take off the fcum as it rifes,
till all be clear, then raife your fire by larger wood, and make
it boil faller and fafter, as it fettles down or bolls away, till-
one half be confumed, being always careful and upon the
watch that none of the wood touches the bottom of the copper ;,
the muft thus boiled away is called defrutum, or the rob of
Grapes. If you negleft to raife the lediment from the bottom
of the copper, it will burn and fpoil the Wine, for it turns •
bitter.

And now once tor all I muft caution every one, who at-
tempts to make Wine, to be flriiflly careful to have all the
veffels and inftruments made ufe of in this work, perfedlly
clean and fweet j for if they have any four, unfavoury or offcn-
five fmell, they will communicate it to the mult and fpoil the.
"Wine ; and everything that has an offenfive or difagreeable.
fmell, mult be removed from the place where Wine is made,,
and from the cellars v/ here it is kept •,. the cellar ought to be-
dry and warm, for damps or wet hurt Wines exceedmgly. It,
muft alfo be tree from muftincfs, and in good weather, the.
windows next the fouth and weft muft be openj^rd, to admit the.
warm dry air, which will prevent muftinefs and dangerous .
damps.

Hogsheads well bound with iron are the only fafe caflcs for ■
"Wine, ifyoutruft to old wine pipes, or to hogfheads with-
wooden hoops, it is ten to one but they deceive you ; they,
conftantly v/ant repairing every year, but iron bound caflcs
will hold many years without any expence at all, fo that in
three years time they become by much the cheapeft calks •, L
mean for ftanding caPKS, out of which the Wine is racked into •
other cafks for faie ; but then as foon as they are empty, the
lees muft be taken out and faved for diftiiling into brandy, and
the fame day the cafk muft be filled with water, or elfe they'
will be deftroyed by a fmall worm, which will pierce it . like a .
five.

EVZRY-

%

X i8o I

"Every man that has a Vineyard fhould have a dill and good
•worm, that he may diftill all the lees, the husks and the icum
into good brandy, which he will want for the prefervation of
his Wines, the lame flill will do to make peach brandy and
thefpiritsof cyder, which will loon pay for it. A Hill that
holds a barrel is quite large enough, unlefs your Vineyard and
orchards be very large indeed.

I NOV/ pafs on to the different manasement of Wine after
fermentation ; one method I. have alreaciy mentioned •, fome
after the fecond fermentation, leave the Wine in the fame
cask upon the Les, and adding the old Wine and brandy to
it (for which they make room) they i'top up the bung hole,
and leave only the vent hole open to let out the generatea air,
till the month of March, filling up the ca^^k from time to
to time as the Wine fubfides or v/ailes, and then draw it off
into a clean, well fcented and well fcummed cask, and flop all
' clofe with mortar.

Others again in the month of March, before they rack it
off and ftum it, roil the cask backward and forward in vhe
cellar to mix the lees thoroughly wuh the Wine, thinking
thereby to communicate the ftrengih of the Ites to the W^ine,
and then let it ftand and fettle till it is fine, and rack it off
into clean well flummed casks, and flop and plaidci all up clofe.

Here I think it proper to take notice, that the lees of
flrong Wines may be of advantage, and communicate fome
ftrength to weak Wines, that are racked off upon them, but
it does not therefore follow, that all lees are beneficial to the
Wines that produce them •, for, as I have already obfervcd,
the lees, in the time of fermentation, being thrown up to the
top of the veffel, there meet with the air, and being expofed
to It for four or five days, contrail a hardi and rancid nature,
if they do not grow quite four, and then fiibfiding, as foon as
the fermentation is over, and fettling to the bottom of the cask,
where they are left for the Wine to feed upon, I leave it to any
man to judge what kind of food this mull be, and what man-
ner of good it can communicate to the Wine. But what fhall.

wc

C i80

we fay, fo rigid and arbitrary is cuilom, that we even look
upon it next to rebellion, to deviate or depart from the cuftoms
of our fathers. The cyder that has been made in America for
above one hundred years palt, has till very lately, b?en con-
ftantly fpoiled by this fame miftake. Every man that makes
cyder very well knows, how loon the pumice corrupts and
grows four by being expofed to the air, and yet no man in all
that time ever prevented the pumice, after fermentation, from
fettling down through the whole body of cyder, but there left
it to remain for his cyder to feed upon all winter, and indeed
all the next fummer too, if it lafted fo long ; with this addi-
tional advantage, that in the fpring upon a frefh fermentation,
the fame body of pumice rifes again to the top of the cask
and there concra6ts a ftill greater acidity or rancid nature, and
by fink'ngdown again through the body of liquor, communi-
cates a dill higher degree of thefe rare qualities to it, and then
the owner complains of the hardnefs of his cyder, and fo does
every body elle that drinks of it ; and yet this has fo long
remained without a remedy, becaufe our fathers did fo.

From what experiments I have made, I am clearly of opi-
nion that the faeces or lees which are left in wine or cyder is
the true caufe of their frequent fermentation; nature appears
to be loaded with, and fick of them, and like a man with a foul
flomach, often ftrainshard for adifcharge, and the negleding
to eafe and clear nature of this pernicious, this deltruflive
load, is the chief caufe of all the ill effects it produces. In this,
the juice of the Grape refembles the blood, the vital juice of
man, if by a foul ftomach any quantity of crude, indigefted
or vitiated matter be thrown into the blood, it is prefently fee
into a ferment, which rifes and increafes till either the matter
be fully difcharged, or the vital union be diflblved -, if the
man recovers the fhock, and gets the better of the mighty
Itruggle, yet how weak, how low and faint does he appear !
Thus it fares with Wines, the ftrong bodied Wines that are
replete with fpirits, often get the better of thefe ftruggles, but
I believe not without confiderable lofs and damage ; but the
weaker Wines generally fink under them. Jt is from this idea
of the thing, that I have all along fo ftrongly infilled upon the

A a removal

<^.

I 1S2 1

removal of the lees in the beginning, upon the firft as well as
the fecond fermentation. I fhould be greatly plealed if the in-
genious and Reverend Dr. Hales, of Teddington in Great-
Britain, would, by -experiments, bring this matter into a
clearer light •, the world would be obliged by him, as they
have already been, by a difcovery which he was fo good as ta
make not long fmce in a cafe that bears Ibme relation to the
prefent one •, I (hall tranfcribe it as it is related by the ingenious
Mr. Phihp Miller, in his Gardener's Didlionary : viz. " A
great complaint I received from a curious gentlemen in Italy,
of the fpoiling of their beft and fineft Wines there •, who fays,
fuch is the nature of this country Wines in general, (nor are
the choiceft Chianti's excepted) that at two feafons of the year,
viz. the beginning of June and September, the firft, when the.
Grapes are in bloSbm, and the other when they begin to ripen,
fome of the beft Wines are apt to change, cfpecially at the
latter feafon •, not that they turn eager, but take a moft unplea-
fant tafte, like that of a rotten Vine leaf, which renders them-
not only not fit for drinking, but alio unfit for vinegar, this is-
calledthe Septembrine, and what is moft ftrange, one cafk
drawn out of the fame vat, fhall be infe6ted, and another
remain perteftly good, and yet both have been kept in
the fame cellar. As this change happens not to Wine i'n bot-
tles, though that will turn eager, I am apt to attribute it to
fome fault in filling the cafl<:s, which muft always be kept full;
which either by letting alone too long, till the decreafc be too
arear, and the fcum thereby being too much dilated, is fuhgeft
to break, or eli'e being broken by filling up the cafk, and
being mixed with the Wine, gives it that vile tafte : But then
againft this there is a ftrong objedion, i.e. that this defeft^
only feizes the Wine at a particular feafon, v^z. September,
over which, if it gets, it will keep good 'many years : fo that
the cafe is worthy the inquiry of naturalifts, fince it is evident
that moft Wines are more or lels affeded with this diftemper,
during the firft year after making.

" Upon receiving this information from Italy, I confulted the
Reverend Do6tor Hales of Teddington, who was then making
feyeral experiments on fermenting liquors, and received from

him

him the curious folution of the canfe of this change in Wine,
which 1 lent over to my friend in Italy, who has tried the
experiment, and it has accordingly anlwered his expectation,
in preferving the Wine, he thus managed, perfeftly good.
He has alfo communicated the experiment to fcveral Vignerons
in Italy, who are repeating the fame j which take in Dodtor
Hales'b own words, viz.

" From many experiments which I made the laft fummer,
I find that all termented liquors do generate air in large quan-
tities, durmg the tim.e ot their fermentation ; for from an
experiment made on twelve cubic inches of Malaga raifins,
put into eighteen cubic inches of water the beginning of
March, there were four hundred and eleven cubic inches of
air generated by the middle of April •, but afterward, when
the fermentation was over, it reforbed a great quantity of this
air; and from forty two cubic inches of ale from the ton
(v'hich had fermented forty tour hours before it was put Into the
bolt head) there were generated fix hundred and thirty nine
cubic inches of air from the beginning of March to the middle
of June, after which it reforbed thirty two cubic inches of the
fame air; from whence it is pla^n that fermented liquors do
generate air during the time of their fermentation, "but after-
wards they are in an imbibing flate, which may perhaps account
for the alteration in the nice Italian Wines,* for Wine during

A a 2 the

* Had Doflor Hales been afked what he thought was the true caufe of thofe
frequent fermentations, and was defired to apply a remedy ; I think he would
have fought for the caufe, where it was to be found, and upon removing
that, the efFefts would naturally have ceafed ; but being put upon the fearch of
fecondary caufes, caufes far removed from the original, in order to prevent or
cure the evil effefts of them, he refolved that difficulty, I do fuppofe in the beft
manner it could have been done, and wiih great ingenuity applied a remedy.
And now, fhould thefe pages fall within his ken, or feme frieudlv letter com-
prehending my full meaning, the Doftor, as a true Philofopher, from a pub-
lic benevolent fpirit, would foon find out the true caufe ot thefe mifchiefs, and
apply a remedy, truly fpecific.

The gentleman in Italy, ^who makes the reprefentation to Mr. Miller fays,
*' And what is moft ftrange, one caflc drawn out of the fame vat, ihall be in-
fefted, and another remain perteftly good ;" in this cafe it is certain, that the
lirft and fecond calk drawn out of the vat, and the third and fourth, if the vat

be

^

[J i»4 J

the firft year after making, continues fermenting more or lefs,
during which time a great quantity of air is generated, uniih
the cold in September puts a ftop to it, after whit h it is in an
imbibing ftate, that is,^ it draws or fucks in air -, the air thus
generated is of a rancid nature (as the Grotto del Cano) and
will kill a living animal it put into it, fo that if there be,
during the termentation, two quarts of this air, fo rancid,
pent up in the upper part of the cafk, \vheri the cold ftops the

fermen-

be large, were drawn ofFfine and clear, being perfeftly free from the faeces or
lees below, but when the laft cafk comes to be drawn, a good deal of the lees
comes with it, and this is not much regarded, as the lees were fuppofed to
nourifh the Wine ; fuppofe the gentleman complaining had the firft and the
laft cafk drawn out of the vat, and one of them fpoiied, the other remained
perfeftly good, which ftiall we fuppofe to have been the cafk ? That which
was perfetlly fine, or that which has the lees ? Whoever will tafte the firft
and the laft drawings, will find fo fenfible a difference in the Wine, that I
think he cannot be at a lofs to determine the queftion.

Secluding the air from Wine or cyder, is a great means of preferving them
long found and good ; nature itfelf points this out to us ; Wine forms a fcum
upon the top to fecure itfelf from the bad imprefrions of it, and we daily find
that thefe liquors put into bottles, keep much better than when left in cafks ;
fome think that ftrong old Madeira is an exception to this rule, but I think it
has not had a fair and impartial trial. That cyder drawn out of a barrel grows
worfc and worfe as the air gets to it, every one is fenfible of, whereas fome of
the fame cyder bottled, remains good a long tinie, if well corked
and rofined, as every body knows ; and that this is the cafe
with common Wines, no man will difpute. For this reafon the
lining of the infide of cafks with rofin, as the Romans did with
pitch, prepared as hereafter direfted, would be a great means of
preferving Wine, not only from the air but from gieat wafte ; and
the bung and venthole fhould be well fecured with clay and horfe
dung: if you are under apprehenfions that the rofin will commu-
X nicate a bad tafve to the Wine j melt it, and wafh it with lye,
and that will prevent it. The Dodlor's method of keeping the
cafks full is very ingenious and of great fervice.

The'Tubes, repiefented in the margin, perhaps may be a fmall
improvement upon his, this double Tube is fuppofed to be made of
pewter or tin well folaered together ; the fmail Tube enters the
B large one at bottom, below the Wine, and does not br'.as the
fcum that is on the top of the Wine in the large Tube ; the large
Tube fliould be well flopped with a good cloie fcrew head, and
this muft be opened when Wine is poured in through the Iniall
Tube, and prefently ftopped again, that the cafk may always be.
Itegt full, and to keep out the air.

»

C 185 J

fermentation, the Wine by abforbing this air becomes foul^
and acquires this rancid tafte-, to prevent which 1 would pro-
pofe the following experiment : Suppofe the
vefiel A filled with Wine, in the bung-hole
B of this veffel I would have a glafs tube of
two feet long and about two inches bo-e fixed
with a pewter focket clofcly cemented, fo
that there may be no vacuities on the fides ;
and in this tube fhould be another of about
half an inch bore, clofely fixed ; the lower tube fhould be al-
ways kept about half full of Wine, up toX, which will fupply
the veffel, as the Wine therein fhall wafte or fubfide, fo that
there will be no room left in the upper part of the veffel to
contain generated air, which will pafs off through the upper
fmall tube, which muff always be left open for that purpole ;
and the tube being fmall, there will be no danger of letting in
too much air to the Vv ine : As the Vv^ine in the large tube ftiall
fubfide, it may be replenifhed, by introducing a flender fun-
nel through the fmall tube down to the fcum upon the furface
of the Wine in the large tube, fo as to prevent its being broken
by the Wines falling too violently upon it •, this will be pre-
vented by the Wines being poured in gently with a fmall ftream.
1 his experiment being tried with glafs tubes will give an op-
portunity to obferve. what impreffion the different ftates of
the air have upon the Wine, by its rifing or falling in the tubes j,
and if it fuccecds it may be aftervv?ard done by wooden or metal
tubes, which will not be fo fubjed to break.

This curious experiment having fucceeded, where ever it
has been tried, will be of great fervice in the management of
Wines •, there being many ufeful hints to be taken from it ^
particularly with regard to fermentingWines; for fince we find
that Wines too long fermented (efpecially thofe which are made
in cold countries) do feldom keep well ; fo by letting them
ftand in a cool place, the fermentation will be checked, which
will render the Wines foul, and fubjeft to turn eager; there-
fore great care fhould be taken to ktep the Wine in an equal
temperature of air, which may be known by hanging a ther-
mometer in the vault. But after the Wme has paffed its fer-

mencatioa

tnentation in the vat, and is drawn off into cafks, it will re-
quire fomething to teed upon : And when the Wine has re-
mained one year upon the lees it is commonly drawn off into
other veflels, it will then aifo be proper for it to have fome-
thing to feed upon ; about four pounds of: the beft Malaga
raifms picked clean and iioned, and thrown into each hogfhead,
will be fufficient and beO: for that purpofe, more would be
dans;erous, by railing a new fermentation, which always hurts
the^Vine more or lei's according to the greatnefs of it. As the
Wine will lubfide by wafte as long as it continues in casks, it
is the ufual method to fill them up from time to time with
fome Wine, as nearly like the fame fort as may be -, for if it be
of a different nature or much newer, luch as has not thorougly
fermented, it will often raife a new fermentation, which will
endanger the Wine: Therefore, if you have no fuch proper
Wine, it will be beft to throw in as many clean waflied
pebbles and well dried, as will raile up the Wine to tl e bung :
This I have known pradifcd with fuccefs." Thus far
Mr. M.Uer.

Here I mufl. beg leave to make fome obfervations, wTiich
may either ferve to throw a light upon this affair, or lay a
foundation for farther experiments, in order to come at the
truth, which in all cafes is worth purluing, and efpecially in
this, v/here it has lain dormant for fo many ages, and the dif-
covery would be of great importance to the prefent dtfign.

The principles of Wine are an inflamable fpirit, a phlegm
or watery liquor, an acid fait or tartar, and a fulphureous oily
fubftance •, Wines therefore greatly differ in their tafte, fmell
and virtue, according to the various proportions and manner
in which thefc principles are combined. Perhaps the diffe-
rence of flavour, taffe, colour, and body in Wines may be
owing as much to the time of gathering, manner of preffing,
thedffferent degrees of fermentation, &c. as to any difference
in the Grapes themfelves ; in Hungary, whence Tockay and
fome of the richeft and higheft flavoured Wines do come, they
are extremely curious in thefe refpedls •, for their prime and
moft delicate'Wines, the Grapes are fuffered to continue on

the

^^|yi.

TinR It, according
to their aifferent aiiponnons,~-rramars'ana conftitutions.

By/

PiATE 6'

are extremciy luhu

ITlOil delicate W J neS J me vjia^ta ai\, luiiv^ivu \.\j vuiiiiiiuc vjii

the

I >87 1

tHe Vines till they are half dried by the heat of the Sun, and if
the Sun's heat (hould not prove fufficient, they are dried by the
gentle heat of a furnace. Wines that are thin may be im-
proved by freezing, by this means the watery parts adhere to
the cask, and the (trong fpirituous parts arc left in a body, in
the middle of the cask, and being drawn off by themfelves,
prove ftrong and good, and will keep well. See Hoffman,
and the celebrated Dodor Sthal on the fubjefb ; fee alfo Doc-
tor Shaw's Comment on Sthal.

If thefe be the real principles, and fome of the eifential
conftituent parts of the Grape, or if a proportionable quantity
of nitre be allowed to come into the compofition, which might
perhaps be difcovered by an accurate analyfis, it will not be
hard to account for the fermentation ; heat and air both are-
neceffary to it •, now thefe principles whilft confined to the
Grape, are fo difpofed by the wife Author of Nature as to be
confined diftindtly in their proper cells or tubical ramufculi,
and they are fo clofely fecured by the covering of a skin, of-
fuch a compa6l texture, like that of bladders of feveral kinds,
that the air cannot come at them, but they are effedlually fe-
cured again it the imprefTions of it -, if this, or fomething like,
this be the cafe, then thefe principles remain in a neutral or
inadivc llate, whilll thus confined to the fruit, but when the
fruit comes to be mafhed, and thefe principles come in contadt"
of each other, and are expofed to the warm air, which is of a
very aftive and tlaftic nature, the whole body, by degrees, is
put into motion, the motion begets heat, and the heat in-
creafes the motion, (this heat and the increafe of it is plainly
difcernable by the touch,) till it increafes to fuch a degree, as
according to Boerhaave, is neceffary to a full fermentation.
The heat then increafing to a farther height, the fermentation,
gradually abates, and thus ends the firft fermentation : By
this operation, a fpirit is generated, and the mild, foft, luf-
cious juice of the Grape, which is called mull, is changed"
into a brifk, lively, inflammable fpirit, which is then called'
Wine ; which has, if clofely and attentively confidered, a
ftrange and wonderful effeft upon thofe that drink it, according
to their diiferent difpoiicions, humors and conftitutions,

By.

PLATE 6

ifC^an^tiir^n^ujt,

t 187 J

the Vines till they are half dried by the heat of the Sun, and if
the Sun's heat fhould not prove fufficient, they are dried by the
gentle heat of a furnace. Wines chat are thin may be im-
proved by freezing, by this means the watery parts adhere to
the cask, and the (trong fpirituous parts are left in a body, in
the middle of the cask, and being drawn off by themfelves,
prove ftrong and good, and will keep well. See Hoffman,
and the celebrated Dodtor Sthal on the fubjed j fee alfo Doc-
tor Shaw's Comment on Sthal.

If thefe be the real principles, and fome of the eflential
conftituent parts of the Grape, or if a proportionable quantity
of nitre be allowed to come into the compofition, which might
perhaps be difcovered by an accurate analyfis, it will not be
hard to account for the fermentation ; heat and air both are
necefTary to it •, now thefe principles whilfl confined to the
Grape, are fodifpofed by the wife Author of Nature as to be
confined diftindly in their proper cells or tubical ramufculi,
and they are fo clofely fecured by the covering of a skin, of-
fuch a compaft texture, like that of bladders of feveral kinds,
that the air cannot come at them, but they are effedlually fe-
cured again it the impreflions of it ■, if this, or fomething like,
this be the cafe, then thele principles remain in a neutral or
inadive llate, whilll thus confined to the fruit, but when the
fruit comes to be mafbed, and thefe principles come in conta(5t
of each other, and are expofed to the warm air, which is of a
very adive and tlaftic nature, the whole body, by degrees, is
put into motion, the motion begets heat, and the heat in-
creales the motion, (this heat and the increafe of it is plainly
difcernable by the touch,) till it increafes to fuch a degree, as
according to Boerhaave, is neceflary to a full fermentation.
The heat then increafing to a farther height, the fermentation,
gradually abates, and thus ends the firft fermentation : By
this operation, a fpirit is generated, and the mild, foft, luf-
cious juice of the Grape, which is called mud, is changed-
into a brifk, lively, inflammable fpirit, which is then called'
Wine ; which has, if clofely and attentively confidered, a
ftrange and wonderful effed upon thofe that drink it, accordincr
to their different difpoiicions, humors and conftitutions.

By/

By the violent motion of this firll fermentation, all the
ffaeces or grofs parts are thrown up to the top of the veffel, and
this is a proper time, at the end ot three, four or five days,
according to the ftrength of the Wine, which is then pretty
clear, to draw it off from thofe groffer parts -, which will be
done without lofs, and rhe lees niuft be preferved for diftilling
into brandy. If this be negledled, this grofs body having
been fo long expoied to the air, contradls a rancid nature, or
turns four, and as foon as the fermentation is over, it gradu-
ally fmks down to the bottom, and palTing flowly through the
body of the liquor, communicates thofe evil qualities to it :
This is fo clearly difcernable in cyder, which alfo is a tolerable
good Wine, when properly managed, that no man can be
miftaken in the cafe. Since I have taken this method with cy-
der, it has proved more like Wine than common drink, but
then I racked it off a fecond and a third time, as foon as it ap-
peared fine, and then flummed the cafk that received it the
lalt time : This cyder will keep found all fummer in a caflc,
and grows ftronger, and may be boalcd at any time, it will
foon ripen, and be very brifk when poured into a glafs, and
that without endangering the bottles fo much, its brifknefs
proceeding from fpirit and not from fermentiition.

Weak Wines will by no means bear fo great a fermenta-
tion as ftrong Wines, let them therefore be drawn off after
three day's fermentation the firft time, and adding two or
three gallons of brandy, and five or fix gallons of good old
Wine ; ftop 'up the bung, and leave only the vent-hole
open, and when the fecond fei mentation is juft over, and when
the Wine is pretty fine, draw it off a fecond time into a well
Hummed cafk, fill it up to the biim, and ftop all dole, and
keep it fo till you fell or ufe it, and then bottle it.

AnoldRo- Some cuftoms among the antients, I think, are worthy of
man me- notice, and fit to be revived and retained by us ; how many
tbod ol- of them came to be laid afide, when they appear fo ufeful and
wine. beneficial, 1 cannot fay, perhaps for reafons which I am not
able to difcovtr : I Ihall here mention one, which I think per-
tinent to our prefcnt purpofe, which was for the prefcrvation

of

of their Wines ; they took a firkin, or eight gallons of pure
•clear car, of the firft cool running trom the kiln ; to this they
added half as much good clean pitch pounded fine, and put it
all into an iron pot, and melted it by a gentle fire ; v/hen hot
they put to it four gallons of ftrong lye (that is a lixivium of
aihes,) this they ftirred altogether, at leaft for half an hour
very well, it was then left eight and forty hours for the tar
and pitch to fubfide, the lye was then poured off j the tar and
pitch was heated till it melted a fecond time, and four gallons
of frefh lye were poured on, and ftirred and managed as be-
fore •, this was done a third time ; they then took four gallons
of fea water, as fait as could be got, (for people who cannot
cafily come at the fea water, a good clean brine, made of falc
and water, qiay do as well) the tar and pitch being juft melt-
ed, but not made too hot, they put the fait water to it, and
ftirred it very well, this was put in the Sun, and ftood open
all day, buc covered at nij,ht to keep off the dews, and when
it rained-, this ftood expolcd to the Sun till all the water was
exhaled, and then it was put up for ufe. With this they
payed or daubed over the c; fk, into which they put the Wine,
in thi-. manner : They took out one head of the cafk, and in
the fame manner as our coopers do, they heated the cafk rho-
roLia;hly, and having fome of the pitch and tar, (now more
reiembiing pitch alone) melted, they threw in as much as they
thought would daub the cafk all over, and alfo the head thac
was taken out, they then cook a broom and rubbed the pitch
well over every part of the in fide of the cafk, fo that no fpot
efcaped, turning and winding the caflc about very brifkly ;
for this work muft be don;;- in a hurry, leaft the caflc and pitch
cool, in which ca e the pitch grows fo thick and hard as to re-
fuie to be fpread : By this management of the cafl<, it was
made perfedllv tight, all the pores of the wood were ftopped,
the Wine was preft^rved from wafte, which Wine Merchants
very well know is a great laving, and well deferves the trou-.le
and expence, and the fpirits of the Wine, which are always
active, and ftriving to fly off through every pore, are
greatly preferved, and the air without, which prefixes hard to
infinuate itfelf through every pore, is efi^cdually prevented.
If men that fell rum, or any other Ipirituous liquors, could

B b at

at firft afford to have good iron bound cafks, for conftant
ftanding cafks to keep their liquors in, and draw it off as they
fell it, they would foon find themielves great gainers by this
praftice. I think rofin and turpentine well waflied with lye in
the fame manner, would be fweeter, and better anfwer all the
purpofes ; or indeed rofm alone would do as well.

I SHALL now propofe the management of fome fmall quan-
tities, in different manners, by way of experiments, in order,
if poffible, to arrive at fome tolerable perfedlion in this new
undertaking.

iff. Let a keg of four gallons be filled three-fourths with
murk, that is, with the muft and fkins of black Grapes, for
making of red Wine, (the fl-iins having been well iqueezed)
before any fermentation •, let the bung hole be Hopped clofe,
and leave the vent-hole open, to let out the generated air, and
after the iecond fermentation fill up the keg with old Wine,
and let the vent-hole remain open, and let it Hand fo till Fe-
bruary, then draw it off, and manage it as occafion ffiall re-
quire •, if it be clear, fweet and good, bottle it, fo fhail you
have a pure genuine Wine with its own peculiar flavour, if
you find it thin and v/eak, you muil help it as in other cafes.

2d. Let a keg of four gallons be filled with the Wine that
is drawn off, after the firft fermentation is over, the keg having
firft been well ftummed, Hop all clofe, and let it (land till Fe^
bruary, if it then be fine bottle it, if not, ftum a fecond keg
well, and draw it off, and flop all clofe, and let it (land till
the next winter, if it then be fine, bottle it; if not, fine -it
down, and then bottle it for ufe ; If, at the fecond racking,
you find it thin and weak, add fome brandy and old Wine
to it.

3d. Let white Grapes hang on the Vine a month after the
Vintage is over, let others hang till they fhrivel, make trial of
thefe at different times ; let them be mafiied as much as pof-
iible vviihout breaking the Grape ftones, let them ftand in the
^urk two, three, or four days, well covered with a blanket

three.

C ^91 ]

cKree or four double, then drain off the Wine^ ^nd mafli the

fl'iins very well over a cullender the fccond time ; then ilrairL
out the ftones, vvafhing the fkins very well with the Wine, till
all the pulp, that flicks to the infideof the ll<ins, be got off,
fill your keg with this Wine three-fourths, and fill up the reft
with good old Wine, ftop up the bung, leaving the vent-hole
open till the fecond fermentation is over, then Hop the vent-
hole, and let it ftand till February •, 1 think this Wine vrill be
good : but then in all thefe cafes the vent-hole muft now and
then be juft opened, to let out any generated air, leaft the keg
be in danger of burfting, as foon as the air puffs out ftop it
again, that as little air as poffible, may get in.

By varying thefe experiments, you may at laft come at thf
moft perfed: way of making, fermenting, and preferving of
Wines ; it is now faid, that Wines cannot be preferved with-
out brandy, how then did the antients preferve them ? I think
they may be preferved pure and perfedl by their own ftrength,
when a Vineyard comes to a proper age (which I will fuppofe
to begin at twenty, and fo laft till feventy or eighty •,) if the
Grapes are fuffered to hang on the Vines till they are perfedtly
ripe •, but people partly from a fondnefs of getting done be-
fore their neighbours, and partly from a defire of making a
little more Wine, and fome from the apprehenfions of a rainy
feafon, hurry on this Work before its time, and often, very
often, become great fuffcrers by it.

The reafonfor my being filent about Vines that are natives
of America, is, that I k.iow but little of them, having butjuft
entered upon a trial of them, when my very ill ftate of health
forbad me to proceed : From what little obfervation 1 have
been able to make, I look upon them to be much more un-
traftable than thofe of Europe, they will undergo a hard
ftruggle indeed, before they will fubmit to a low and humble
ftate, a ftace of abjeft flavery : They are very hardy and will
ftand a frame, for they brave the fevereft ftorms and winter
blafts, they fhrink not at fnow, ice, hail or rain •, the Wine
they will make, I imagine from the aufterity of their tafte,
will be ftrong and malculine.

B b 2 The '

C ^92 I

' ^HE Fox-Grape, whofe berries are large and round, is
divided into three ibrts, the white, the dark, red and the black;;
the berries grow but thin upon the bunches, which are plain
without fhoulders. They delight molt in a rich fandy lome,
here they grow very large and the berries are fweeteft, but
they will grow in any grounds, wet or dry ; thofe that grow
on high dry grounds generally become white, and the colour
alters to a dark red or black, according to the lownefs and
wetnefs of the ground •, the fituation 1 think muft greatly
affedl the Wine, in flrength, goodnefs and colour ; the berries
are generally ripe the beginning of September, and when fully
ripe they foQn fall away ; thus much I have obferved as they
grow wild. What alteration they may undergo, or how much
they may be improved by proper foils and due cultivation I
cannot fay.

Ther£ is a fmall black Grape, a fize bigger than the winter
Grape, that is ripe in September ; it is pleafant to eat, and
makes a very pretty Wine, which Ihave drank of, it was four
years old, and feemed to be the better for its age ; the colour
was amber, owing to the want of knowing how to extract the
tinfture •, this Grape is feldom to be found ; there is a Vine of
them near John Taylor, Efq-, at Middletown, Monmouth,
and there are fome of them in Mr. Livingfton's Vineyard at
Pifcataqua in New-Jerfey. I think they are well worth pro-
pagating.

The frofl or winter Grape is known to every body, both
the bunches and berries are fmall, and yield but little juice,
but the richnefs of the Wine may make up for the fmallnefs
of the quantity •, the tafte of the Grape is auftere till pretty
hard frcfts come, and then it takes a favourable turn and
becomes very fwcet v.nd agreeable ; this Vine fhoots forth great
numbers of flender branches, and might do very well for the
fouth and foutheaft fides of a fummer-houfe or clofe walk, if
all the ufelefs and barren branches were cut away.

'The Vines of America are fit for flrong high cfpalicrs, but
if ! miftake not, he muft watch them narrowly, muft take

away

r 193 J

away every unnecefTary and unprofitable branch, and trim them'
jQiarp and clofe, that means to keep them within bounds.

We fee that the Vines of this country have a covering of
bark of fo clofe and firm a texture, that they (land all weathers
without injury, they fear nothing but a froft after they put
forth the tender bud : We fee that cold wiads and winter
blafts have a great effed: upon the human body, they brace up
and confirm all the folids, harden and ftrengthen the whole
frame, and renders a man aftive, brifk and lively in all his
motions: They have likewife a wonderful effect upon the brute
creation •, the covering of fheep, cattle and horfes, in hot
countries, is very thin and. cool, remove them into a cold
region, fheep foon acquire a covering of wool, horfes and
cattle a thick coat of hair. Why then fliould not Vines by
being tranfplarited from a warm into a cold region, acquire a
firmnefs and covering fuitable to their new fituation ? I believe
by a proper management they may by degrees be enured to
colder countries, but fuch a hardinefs muft not be fuppoied to
be acquired all at once, but by being winter after winter, a
little more and more expofed to the fe verities of the weather,
they may in a few years, in a great meafure, be reconciled to
fuch a climate as ours : But then I would have it remembered
that, late ripe fruit will not do as yet to the northward of the
capes of Virginia-, it is the early ripe fruits that the bread:
colonies mufl propagate, till the climate becomes more 'tem-
perate, by the country's being cleared further back; none-
that ripen after Oftober will fait us at prefent, and the latefl..
we raife, fliould arrive at full maturity by the end of that,
month. In twenty years I make no doubt November will be:
as favourable a month as O6tober is now.

The Method of curing GRAPES for RAISINS.

Jarr Raifms or Raifms of the fun cured in the moft perfedl-
manner, fo as to retain their full flavour and keep loner with--
out candying is done in the following manner.

BUJLD)

C 194 1

Build a hurdle or ftage two feet from the ground, or two
feet hio-h, and fo long as to hold all the bunches you intend to
cure at a time, fo as to lie fingle without touching each other,
the bed of the ftagc is made of fplit reeds, of willows or any-
other Hirub, that will lie level and fmooth, and for want of
fuch it may be made of long rye draw, the ends of which only
has been threlTied. Then thatch two fides a little longer than
the ftao-e, with fmooth ftraw, fo clofe as eafily to turn off a
fliower of rain and yet fo light as to be fixed up upon the ftage,
and to be taken down at pleafure, the ground under the flage
mud be covered with ftraw to keep the damps from rifing and
to refled heat : this being done prepare a lixivium of aihes,
that is, a lye, about half as ftrong as that you make foap of
which bears an egg •, this you put into a broad lliallow iron
kettle, the quantity according to the number ot Grapes you
intend to cure. Set it a boiling, and throw into it a handful
or two of clean fait to four gallons of lye, and one pint of
fweer oil, or a pound and half of good fweet butter -, then
havino- tyed three or tour bunches of the faireft and full ripe
Grapes together, taking away the rotten and all the unripe
ones, and ftirring firft the oil or butter very well into the lye,
the lye now boilmg, you put as many bunches in as v/ill near
cover the furface and let them fcald pretty wt 11, but not too
much fo as to be boiled •, take them out gently into a wide flat
cullender, without brulfing, and lav them gently upon the
ftacre, unbind them and lay every bunch fingle by iifelf, io as
not' to touch each other •, if your ftage be large fo that you
fcald a oreat many bunches to fill it, and before you have
done, or near done, you have realon to believe that your oil
or butter is expended, you throw in as much more as you
think will finifh your quantity, for this adds richnefs to the
Raifins, and preferves them long without candying ; if you
have hands to hold the bunches by the ftrings whilft they fcald,
it would be heft, becaufe they would be handled without
bruifmg, and indeed this is the defign of tying fo many
bunches together, but it you are alone or have but one hand
-with you, and cannot well hold bunches enough to cover the
(urface of the kettle, the beft way would be to caft the bunches
in fingle and to take them out with a flice or a fkimmer.

When

I 195 1

When your ftage is full, about three hours after you have done,',
turn the bunches into a dry place on the flage, lb that no wet
may touch them, and that they may dry as foon as polTible ;
before fun fet, at leaft half an hour, fet up your roof and cover
them from dews and rain -, the next morning as foon as the
dews and damps are exhaled, uncover them, and turn them
twice that day, and fo on till they are pretty moderately dry,
fo as to be fit for keeping •, then put them into jars with covers
and plafter them over with clay and horfe dung, and fet them
away in a dry cool place till you ufe or difpofe of them ; but
beware of damps : andobferve that you are to begin this work
in the wain of the moon, your Grapes mufl be fully ripe and
taken from the Vines when quite dry. All fruits gathered in
the wain of the moon will keep longer found and good, than
thofe gathered in the increafe. Note aifo that thefe Raifms
thus cured, are fit for princes, for the rich and great, and
ought to fetch a good price, fmce no Raifins can be more
delicious. The common Raifins mud be fcalded the fame
way, and about the fame time, and may be fpread upon hurdles
laid on ftraw on the ground, and hailed in under fome fhed or
covering at night, before fun fet, and brought out in the
morning, and when dryed put into fmall caflcs, fuch as Raifins
come in. The Malaga Grape is efteemed the fineft for Raifins,
but as the northern colonies, 1 mean the bread colonies, will
not as yet produce them, tliey being too tender and too late
ripe, we may however be fupplied among ourfelvcs from the
Red Frontiniac, which is a very rich fweet Grape, is early
ripe and makes very good Raifins.

And now to conclude the whole, as my countrymen are un-
acquainted with the urenfils that are necefifary for making of
Wine, it is necefiTary that I fay fomething on that head.

First then according to the fize of your Vineyard,''you
muft have a number of cheap crooked knives, the fiiapcr of
pruning knives, but a little more bending, to cut olf the
clutters from the Vines •, for pulling them off, is very difficult,
it is attended with great waftc of fruit, and is very deftrudive
to the Vines y you muil alfo have a number of handy bafkets,

■ / ' to.:

r 196 1

to put the Grapes into, as you cut them, and alfo a large
wicker baPKet or pannier, which is of a long fquare form, fie
to place on a good light hand-barrow^ with leather ftrops at
each end to hang on the flioulders of two hardy boys, who
may trot away with it to the mafh vat, as foon as it is full j
or clfe it may be earned in a wheel-barrow, if hands are fcarce-,
or you may have two panniers made lit to hang acrofs a horfes
back, being made flat on one fide for that purpofe. Then you
v/ill want a mafh vat big in proportion to your Vineyard and
the age of ir, this muft have a falle bottom full of holes made
with a twenty-penny gimblet, but not larger, lead the Grapes
get into them, it muft lie upon a curve firmly fixed, about fix
inches above the true bottom •, you will alfo want a receiver,
which is a pretty large tub, placed partly under the mafli vat,
to receive the muft as it runs from it •, if your Vineyard be
large you v.'ili alio want a kcdlar, which is a larve vat or ton,
for fermenting the niurk that you make red "Wines of, and
perhaps for that of white Wines, if you choofe to make Wine
of them after the manner of Paris. If your Vineyard be not
large the mafh vat may anfwer the purpofe. You will alfo
want pails and dippers and a large funnel to ton with : A fmart
clofe Icrew prefs, to go with one or two fcrews as you like beft,
with a wicker frame and hair bag to fit it, and proper follow-
ers to prefs cledn and dry, muft be had without tail -, and lafl
of all good found ftrong iron bouiid butts or hogfneads, v. hich
are really cheapeft and the only cafks you can depend upon,
what makes them far preferable to others, is, they are always
tight, they want no triming, only a little driving once a year,
if they ftand empty any time, and they laft gO( d for many-
years, if they are well painted and dryed till the fmell of the
paint goes off, otherwife they would communicate that ill
fmell to the Wine. And here my dear countrymen I muft
repeat to you what I have already endeavoured to inculcate,
which is, that every thing muft be kept fweet and clean ; if
by careleflfnefs, inattention or hurry of bufinefs, you fuffer
your prefs or any of your vefiels, your tubs or cafks to grow
lour or mufty, they will certainly ruin your Vv'^ine, for nothing
in nature is fooner tainted than muft or new made Wine. And
let me perluade you to avoid one great error, which moft

farmers

C 197 ]

farmers run into, about their cyder, leaft that cutlom be^uc
in pradtice alfo With Wines j they put their cyder into frefh
rum hogfheads, under the notion of prei'erving the cyder
ilrong and good, but they deilroy the fine flavour of the
apple, and inftead ot an agreeable vinous liquor, your nofe is
offended with a ftrong hogo, and you tafte nothing but the
fumes of a rum hogfhead, fo that no gentleman, no man of
tafte or delicacy, will buy it -, now fhould you make the fame
miflake with your Wines, you would certainly fpoil them, were
they otherwife never fo good, fo that no man would buy them.

It has been the general opinion of mankind that Wines
ought to have fomething to feed upon, but this notion is very
wrong, for mod things that are put into Wine raife a fer-
mentacion in a higher or lower degree ; and it is agreed thac
every after fermentation hurts Wine more or lefs •, if Wipe be
weak put in brandy and old ftrong Wine, thefe are the proper
ftrengtheners and prefervers of Wine-, ftrong Wine wants no-
thing but clean racking, and all Wines ftiould be racked tili
they are fine. A double handful of clean coarfe fait may do
good.

Perhaps I have not faid enough upon taking away day
roots from Vines the firft three or four years of their age, but
let me now tell you that, it is of great confequence, and it is
the chief means of preventing the Grapes from burfting.

And now my dear children, countrymen and fellow-citizens,
I have faithfully led you by the hand throughout this new
undertaking -, take my blefTing and cordial advice along with
it, be not drunken with Wine wherein there is excefs, but be
ye rather filled with the fpirit of wifdom, for too much Wine,
like treacherous fin, ruins and deftroys the true happinefs of
the foul. And may the God of wifdom crown all your honeft -
labours with fuccefs, and give you a right underftanding in
all things.

C c ^bi

t »98 J

^h Method of curing FIGS; by the fame Gentleman.

GATHER the fulleft and plumpeft Figs when ripe and
fit to eat, in a dry day, when the dew is off, and in the
wain of the moon, fpread them on the fame hurdle you cure
your Ralfins upon, turn them twice a day and an hour before
fun fet cover them from the dew, and from rain : When the
Figs are dry, they muft be taken from the ftage in the middle
of a dry clear day, when they are yet warm with the heat of the
fun, and put them into earthen jars and prefs them down flat
clofe, putting a little dried fennel at the bottom and on the
top, the cover of the jar muft be daubed all round with clay
and horfe dung and put away in a dry cool place where they
will keep the year round found and good, or may be tranfport-
cd to any place abroad.

OBSERVATIONS on the rnijing and dreffing of H E M P i.
communicated to the American Fhilosophical Society,
hy Edward Antil, Efquire.

HEMP is one of the moft profitable produ6lions the earth
furniihes in northern climates •, as it employs a great
number of poor people in a very advantageous manner, if its
manufacSlure be carried on properly : It may alfo furnifh a
ready remittance to the mother country, and become a reci-
procal advantage to both ; and therefore it becomes worthy of
the ferious attention of the different legiflatures of the northern
colonies, of every trading man, and of every man, who truly
loves his country.

But as the people of America do not appear, from their
prefent management, to be acquainted with the beft and moft
profitable method of cultivating and managing this valuable
plant, I beg leave to inform them of feme things that may be
of advantage to them.

Whoever

^

C »99 3

Whoever would raife Hemp properly and to advantage,
Ihould fet afide two pieces of ground, ot fuch dimenfions each,
as he Ihall be able to cultivate every year, and fow the one
whilll he is manuring and preparing the other for the fucceed-
ing j^ar's crop ; the higher and dryer the ground the better,
provided it be well dunged and made ftrong and mellow ; the
ground fhould not be too (loping, leaft the good foil be wafh-
ed away with hard rains; if it droops toward the fouth, fo that
it may have the full influence of the fun, it will be an advan-
tage i low, rich, warm, dry grounds will alfo produce good
hemp ; but wet land, though never fo rich will by no means
do. The ground being prepared and made very mellow, I now
come to that part which mu(V be particularly and exadjy at-
tended to, fince the fuccefs of the crop greatly depends upon
it. Sometime in May, the ground being moift and in a
vegetating Hate, but by no means wet, it mull be well
ploughed, the furrows clofe and even, the foil lieing light and
mellow it muft be fowed very even with two bulhels of (eed
upon ore acre ; a man with an iron tooth harrow follows the
fower, and harrows in the feed with two horfes without any
balks, for the lefs the ground be trampled the better -, if har-
rowing one way be not fuiticient to cover the feed, though it
would be beft if that could be done, it muft be crofs harrowed.
The ground being moift as I faid before, but by no means
wet fo as to clod, which would ruin the crop, the feed will all
ftart and come up together, which is a fure fign of a good
crop, and nothing ufter that, but too much wet, will hurt it;
for Hemp thus come up, bids defiance to weeds and grafs of
every kind ; its growth is fo quick and it fo effedually fhades
the ground, that nothing below can rife or fhew its head, and
It fo prefcrves all the moifture below, that the hotter and dryer
the weather the faftcr it grows. Whereas if the feed be fown,
when the ground is dry, the feed that lies deepeft where the
moifture is, will come uy firft, and thefe will ftiade and ftarve
thofe that come after, by wh ch means the firft comers will be
too large, and the hft will be much too fmall, fo that the crop
will be greatly damaged every way : So much depends upon
this one circumftance, of fowing the feed when the ground is
moift and fit to receive it : The crop thus rightly managed

C c 2 will

C 200 ]

will ftand as thick as very good wheat, and be from four to
fix feet high, according to the ftrength of the ground; and
the ftems will not be thicker than a good wheat ftraw •, by this
means the Hemp will be the finer, it will yield the g^ter
quantity, and it may be plucked from the ground like^ax,
which will be a very great faving : But if it be fowed thin,
that is one bufhel to an acre, which is the common pradice,
it o-rows large, the Hemp is harfh and coarfe, and then it
muft be cut with hooks, which occafions great wafte,^ for four
or five inches juft above ground is leit, by way of flubble,
which contams the beft and heavieft part of the Hemp.

When the Hemp has got its growth, and is fit to be pluck-
ed, which you will know by the under leaves of the carle, or
he Hemp, turning yellow and falling off, the fooner it is
pulled the better : it muft then be bound up with ftraw bands,
in fingle band (heaves, rather fmall than large, and each ftieaf
muft be bound in two places •, and the fjoner it is carried to
the water to rot the better : Water rotted Hemp, if it be
ricyhtly managed, is every way better than that which is rotted
on the crround : there is lefs wafte in it, when it comes to lie
dreffed; it looks brighter and fairer to the eye; it is efteemed
to be ftronger and more durable, and it always fetches a better
price ; befides it is much fooner done, and it is rotted more
even and alike, and with greater certainty and exaftnefs:
Many people in America are acquainted with the method of
rottincr Hemp in water, but as many more are not yet ac-
quainted with it, 1 ftiall, for their information, fet down the
method of doing it. Hemp may be rotted in ftagnated or
ftanding water, fuch as ponds, pools, or broad deep ditches,
and in fuch water it is generally four or five days and nights a
rotting, and fometimes longer, according to the heat or cool-
nefs of the weather-, it may alio be rotted in running water
as in a brook or river-, and in fuch water three or four days
and nights are lufficient, according to the weather -, to know
whether the Hemp be rotted enough in cither cafe, take a
middling handful, out of the middle row, and try with both
your hands to fnap it afunder, if it breaks eafy, it is rotted
enough, but if it yet appears pretty ftrong, it is not, and muft

t 201 ]

He longer, till it breaks with eafe, and then' it muft be taken
out and dried as foon as poflible^; in handling the fheaves,
take hold of the bands, and let them up an end againft a fence,
if^pp bfe near, or lay them down upon the grafs, for the
yn^ to drain off, and then unbind them carefully, open and
iprcad them to dry thoroughly ; then bind them up again and
houfe them in. a dry tight place : the reafon of handiino- the
Hemp in this careful manner is, that when it is -well rotted,
whilfl: it is wet the lint comes off with the leaft touch, therefore
if it be handled roughly, or if while it is wet it be thrown into
a cart and carried to a diftance to be unbound and dryed, it
would be greatly hurt, and the owner would receive great
damage by it, but when it is dry, it is handled with fafety. .

If the Hemp be rotted in a brook or running water, the
fheaves muft be laid acrofs the ftream, for if they be laid down
lengthways with the ftream, the current of the water will wafh
away the lint and ruin the Hemp : it muft be laid down heads
and points, two, four, or fix thick, according to the depth of
the water and the quantity of Hemp ; if the bottom of the
river be land, gravel, or mud, three good ftrong ftakes muft
be driven down at each end, above and below, and three loner
ftrong poles muft be laid on the Hemp and faftened well to
the ftakes, in iuch manner as to force down the Hemp under
water, where it remains till it be rotted enough : though if a
muddy ftream could be avoided it would be bell, becaufe it is
apt to foul and ftain the Hemp. If the bottom of the ftream
be rocky or ftony, fo that ftakes cannot be drove down to
fecure the H-emp under water and from floating away, then a
rough wall muft be made at the lower end of the Hemp, and
along the fide, to keep it in, and ftrong poles or rails muft be
laid upon the top of the Hemp and pretty heavy ftones upon
them 4b as to fink the Hemp under water, where it muft .lie
till it be rotted enough.

What Hemp is intended for feed, Ihould be fowed on a
piece of ground by itfelf, which muft be made very rich and
ftrong; it muft be lowed in ridges fix feet wide, and the feed
muft be of the iargeft and beft fort and fown very thin, at the

rate

I 202 ]

rate ot a peck upon an acre, or rather fix quarts ; for the
thinner it is fown, the more it branches, and the more feed it
bears ; it fhouid be fown fometime the middle of April, and
then the feed will not be ripe, till fometime after the other
Hemp is done with. If you have no convenient place t^fcw
your feed Hemp by itfelf ; then fow a border of fix feet wide
along the north and weft fides of your Hemp field •, the reafon
of fowing your Seed Hemp in fuch narrow ridges or borders is
that, when the carle or he Hemp is ripe, and has fhed its
farina on the fimble or female Hemp, by which the feed is
impregnated, and the leaves of the carle Hemp fail off and the
ftem grows yellow, you may eafily ftep in along the fides and
pull up the carle Hemp without hurting the female, which
now begins to branch out, and looks of a deep green colour
and very flourilhing, and when the feeds begin to ripen, vNhich
is known by their falling out of their fockets, you may all
along both fides bend down the plants and fhake out the feed
upon a cloth laid on the ground, for as they ripen they fcatter
upon being fiiaken by a hard wind, or otherwife j then it muft
be watched,, and the fowls and yellow birds kept from it, for
they are immoderately ford of the feed.; as the firft ripe feeds
are the fulleft and beft, they are wor.hy of fome pains to fave
them i and the beft way to do that is, to bend down the plants
all along, on each fide of the border or ridge, as is faid above,
and ftiake them over a cloth fpread on the ground to receive
the feed ; it one fide of the plant be rooted our of the gnaind
by forcing it down to fliake out the leed, there will be no
damage, for the feed that remains will ripen norwithftanding -,
and the plant muft thus be fliaken every two or three days, till
all the feed be ripe and thus favcd -, and this is m.uch better
than pulling up the plants by the roof, and fiiakingthem on
a barn floor, and then fetting them up againft a fejice or the
fide of the barn, for the feed to ripen, and fliaking.them
morning and evening on the barn floor -, for by this method,
which is the common pradlice, one third of the feed at leaft
-never comes to maturity.

It is well known to every farmer, that in the three bread
colonics at leaft, the fpring and fummer feafons are of late years

become

t 203 ]:

become very dry; fo that a crop of flax is become very pre-
carious, fcarcely one year in feven producing a good one :
This is aconftant complaint In the mouth of every hufband-
man : Now hemp does not require half the rain that flax does ;
thisis a circumftance that is well worth the notice and atten»
tion of every farmer-, and therefore by his raifing hemp in the
manner before diredled, and by preparing it in the bell man-
ner for fpinning and weaving into good cloth, he can with
greater certainty fupply all the ncceflarv ufes of his family ;
and by felling the overplus, he can purchafe fuch things as
his wife and daughters may think convenient on extraordinary
occafions. This however need not hinder him from raifing
fome flax every year : But I think that it is more for his intc-
refl: to fix his chief dependence upon his crop of hemp, as that
is more fure, and every way more profitable, the general run
of feafons confidered. And let him not be difgufted and think
that I am about to perfuadc him, his wife and daughters to
■wear ozcnbrigs, for I can aflTure him that I have fecn dowlafs,
which is made of hemp, worth five and fix fhillings the yard^
^vhich no farmer need be afllamed to wear,

I SHALL now endeavour to inftru6l the honeft hufbandman
in a few cafy rules, for preparing his hemp, which he has raifcd
and managed in the manner before directed.

Know then that the beft preparation of hemp for the manu-
fa6luring of cloth is to render it as foft and as fine as pofTible,
without lefTening its ftrength, and the eafieft and cheapeft way
of doing that, is certainly the beft. This is to be found out
by a variety of trials and experiments ; but till a better way be
difcovered, which T hope will not be long firft, and with
which I fliould be greatly pleafed ; take the following method^
which is the beft I have yet been able to difcover.

If you have a large wide kettle, that will take in your hemp-
at full length, it will be the better •, but if your kettle be fmall,,
then you mud double your hemp, but without twifting, only
the fmall ends of every hand muft be twifted a little, to keep
them whole and from tangling-, then firft of all lay fome

fmooth.

[ 204 1

■frrjooth fticks down in the bottom of the kettle, fo as to lie
acrofs one another, three or four layers, according to the big-
nefs and deepnefs ot your kettle-, this is to keep the hemp
from touching the liquor •, then pour ibme lye of middling
ftrcngth, half as ftrong as what you make foapof, gently into
the kettle, fo much as not to rife up to the top ot the flicks,
they being kept down to the bottom-, then lay in the hemp
each layer croffing the other, fo that the .lleem may rife up
through the whole body of the hemp, which done, covtr your
kettle as clofe as you can, and hang it over a very gentle fire,
and keep it fimmering or flewing, but not boiling, fo as to
Taife a good fteem for fix or eight hours ; then take it off, ^nd
let it ftand covered till it be cool enough to handle ; then take
out the hemp, and wring it very carefully as dry as you well
can, and hang it up out of the way of the wind, either in your
garret or -in your barn, (hutting the doors, and there let it
remain, turning it now and then till it be perfedly dry ; then
pack it up in fome clofe dry place, till you want to ufe it ; but
you will do well to vifit it now and then, ieaft any part of it
might be damp and rot. You muft know, that wind and air
weaken and rot hemp, flax and thread very much. Then at
yourleifure, twift up fome of the hands, as many as you in-
tend for prefent uie as hard as you can, and with a fmart round
fmooth hand beetle, on afmooth flone beat and pound each
hand by itfelfall over very well, turning it round from fide to
fide, till every part be very well bruifed -, you then untwift it,
and hatchel it, firfl through a coarfe, and then through a fine
hatchel : And remember that hatcheling muft be performed in
the fame manner, as a man would comb a fine head of hair, he
begins at the ends below, and as that untangles, he rifes high-
er, till at laft he reaches up to the crown of his head. The firft
tow makes good ropes for the ul'e of the plantation, thefecond
tow will make very good oznabrigs or coarfe fheeting ; and
the hemp itfelf will make excellent linen. The fame method
of ftecming foftens flax very much.

C 205 ] s.

OBSERVATIONS concerning //^^ Fly-Weevil,
that dejlroys the wheats with fome tifeful difcoveries and cgu"
cliifwns^ concerning the -propagation andprogrefs of that pernici-
ous infeSl^ and the methods to be ufed to prevent the dejiruMion-
of the grain by it.

By Colonel LANDON CARTER, of Sabine- flail, Virginia ;
tranfmitted by Colont I LEE. Read^ and ordered to be pub-
lifhedy November i^^th^ 1768.

T is not in my power to oWige you with the paper that I
fome years ago publifhed in our Gazettes, upon this
little deftrudive infe6l, called the Moth or Fly-Weevil.
However, as you are very earned in your enquiries as to
its particular nature, in order, if poffible, to fave lb beneficial
a commodity as wheat to America, which perhaps in a few-
years (unlefs fuch dcltrudive inledls do infeft it) might become
a kind of granary to mod parts of Europe ; I will from my
diaries, puj: together thofe difcoveries that led me to write
that paper ; and alfo what has fince occurred to me in the
attacks that our country has lately met with from thofe infedls;
for it is a certainty they continue amongft us, juft as the fea-
fon favours or not their propagation ; although fome will
fancy they have their periods for coming and going away.

It is but fomething more than twenty-five years ago, that
I heard any thing of fuch an infed that injured our wheat;
but fince then I have had frequent occafions to take great
notice of it •, and have had great reafon to be very anxious to
examine into the nature of that fly. It is with much propriety
called a Weevil, as it deftroys the v/heat even in our granaries,
though it is not of the kind termed by naturalifts the Curculio,
of which they have given a very long lift ; for it is not like a
bug, it carries no cafes for its wings ; -neither has it any feel-
ers, with which the Curculio is always diftinguifiied ; and
perhaps (as I fancy it will turn out in the courfe of this letter

p d that

•% [ 2o6 ]

that they never attack grain when hard) they really have no
occafion for fuch feelers. For from the make of it, to my
judgment it appears an impoffibiliry that it fhould ever perfo-
rate into a hard grain, being furnifhed with nothmg in nature,
from the moil minute examination by glaffes, that could make
fuch a perforation j and feems indeed a fly itfelf, confiding of
nothing fenfible to the flighteit touch with the finger, nor to
the eye, afiifted with glaffes, leaving only a little dry pale
brown gloffy dull, on being fqueezed.

Having obferved the wheat from my Northumberland
quarters, never affefted by it -, but conftantly found and per-
fect, through many years that I have been obliged to keep it
for my own ufe, even in the fame granary with Weevil-eaten
wheat ; I was, and am ftill, inclined to conclude, the enemy
is fome how lodged in the grain before it grows hard. It might
not have been then too late to have had that better proof of
this, which I have fince been able to get, by difcovering little
eggs and maggots half formed into flies in the grain. But as
I had nothing particular at firtl to lead me to fuch an examin-
ation, I waited till the next crop •, and at all times, between
day and dark in calm v/eather, during the feveral days of
growth from the blooming time, till the livery or hardening
Jl:ate of the grain, I vifited a field, if poffible, to difcover
whether any of thefe iVies appeared amongft the heads of the
wheat during the foft ftate of the grain. Accordingly, in a
pleafant evening, after the fun was down, and every thing
ferenely calm, I found the rafcals extremely bufy amongft my
ears, and really very numerous. I immediately inclofed fome
of them in a light loofe handkerchief-, and by the magnifiers
of my telefcope, I took occafion minutely to examine them.

They are a pale brownifli moth, with little trunks or bodies,
fome trifle fliorcer than their wings •, and as fome of their little
bodies appeared bulging as if loaded, I applied the preffure of
a fine firaw upon thent, and faw them fquirt out, one after
another, a number of little things which I took to be eggs,
fome more, fome lefs -, fome emitted fifteen or. twenty of them,
andothers appeared extremely lac^ m their little trunks, which

.1 ;

n 207 3

I could notlnake cUfcharge any thing like an egg. Whether
they had done this in the field before, or were of the male
kind, I could not tell, but from this difcovery I find in my
diary, many years ago, this conclufion, " that there need noc
be above two or three flies to an ear of corn, to lay eggs
enough to deftroy the greateft crop."

I MUST obferve, at that time, that the bloom or farina of the
ears had for fome days difappeared, and the grain was nearly
filling, though in a kind of milky ftate ; and at fuch a
time the hufks or capfules are generally fufficiently open to
admit the entrance of fuch flies ; for I imagine, that as nature
certainly intends that farina to impregnate the grain, and as
that could only be done by its falling into the capfule, Ihe
mufl: necefllarily favour fuch a procefs by opening the mouths
of thofe veifels.

Some agree with me, that the "fly does not perforate the
grain, but they fay it lays its eggs upon the top ot the hufli,
and when they are hatched into maggots, thofc eat through
the huflc into the grain ; but I mutt think luch a fuggeftion
certainly liable to many obje<5lions, even in the pea, from
whence fuch gentlemen have drawn their arguments : The
egg of thit bug, they tell us, is laid upon the back ot the
pod, next the pea •, and from thence it hatches, and eats
through the pod into the pea. The fettling of fuch a point
feems to be of little confequence, but to jultify nature or pro-
vidence in the wifdom as well as perfection of its modes. Can
it then be prefumed that an infeft fhould, by particular in-
ftin6t:, be direfted, to depofice its eggs for its fpecies into a
proper nidus, which fhould be alfo a pabulum for the yoUng
as that egg hatches, and yet that they fhould only be permit-
ted to do this upon the outfide of the coat of the nidus, from
whence it may be liable to be removed by numberlefs accidents?
For where one egg only is laid, the vifcus matter that might
furround it, cannot reasonably be thought a cement fufficient
for a grain or hufk in actual growth, as it mignt be with a num-
ber of eggs fludded together on a leaf, or round a twio-, ac-
cording to the nature of fome flies. Again, fhould even fo

D d 2 fmall

[ 208 ]

fmall a vifcons matter confine the egg to the outfide of the pod
or hufl<:, againft many accidents, yet what can we fuppofe will
preferve the maggot, juft hatched, from thofe accidents, when
it lies on the outfide, on the back of the pod, or hnfk ? Be-
fides, I muft think I have difcovered an egg as well as a maggot
under the fkin of the pea, v/ithout any vifible lead to it, which
muft be a conviftion it is not a maggot till it is hatched in the
pea •, therefore it feems reafonable that the parent of that b
perforates the pod^ and then into the pea, in its tender an
foft flate.

I WISH then fuch afuggeftion may not have arifen from the

callous fpeck that may be obferved, with which nature clofes

tip the wound made in the pod, by the parent of that bug.

But how is this bufinefs of the worms eating through the huik

of the wheat, and then the grain, till they come out in a

fly, a little above the germ, at the other end of the grain, to

be thus conftantly performed*, if the egg is only laid upon the

end of tiie hafk ? For we clearly fee thofe eggs do not all

hatch at once •, and after the wheat is thrafhed out, in which

operation, to be fure, it muft endure a pretty rough ufage

(efiedt that bufinefs as you will) how can it run fo many

chances, without being diflodged or deftroyed ? I may further

iiflc, what fhould fupport the maggot from its hatching, till it

gets through the hufk into the grain ? We fee in moft other

f])ecies of infefts, the worm, maggot or caterpillar, begins to

eat as foon as it can twift about, and certainly the huflv cannot

he the firft pabulum intended by nature for this maggot. Be-

fides, from the obferved tfendernefs of fuch maggots, if they

are r>ot well preferved from fcorching fun beams, wind or

rain, they muft" be fubie<5ted to various deftruftions, if the egg

can be fuppo fed to be hatched but in the grain ; and it could

not in any wife be the intention of nature, that they fliould be

deftroyed by their own mifcondu6l •, for we difcover, in other

inftances, that her tendernefs to flies, which propagate by

eggs, directs them to depofit thqir eggs on the under fid^ of

leaves, that are a good fecurity againft the force of fun beams

and weather ; and as foon as they hatch, thofe leaves become

the immediate food for thofe maggots, v.'orms or caterpillars.

The

[ 209 ]

The fame arguments mufl: hold good againft the eggs being
laid on the end of the grain ; and it is no new thing to advance
that hu ndreds of bufhels have been carried very fair to every eye,
from the barn or treading floor, into the granary ; where, if
thrown into a heap, the collefted warmth vivifies the egg, and,
in proportion to the growth of the maggot within the grain,
the warmth is increafed ; and even whilft the middle or lower
parts of the heap fhall be alive, and ready to fly away, the
upper parts fhall be quite fair, and yet neverthelefs hatch even
at fome diftnnt day, with a proper warriith, if not perijfhed by
any coldnefs or other excefs in weather, or by art : I fay then,
in llich a length ot time before hatching, the odds are greatly
againft the egg or worm's fticking to the grain till it hatches
or eats in.

These things being confidered, I thought that I had ad-
vanced far enough in inveftigating this point, to be con-
vinced the evil was effeded by laying the egg in the grain,
and in the fofc ftate of it -, and that thofe obfervations, faid
to be made of the egg being laid on the huflc, or on the out-
fide of the grain, were inaccurate, and efpoufed without a due
confideration. But, in order to make it as clear to others as
myfelf, I muft here beg leave to aflert, that I have diftindly
leen withmy glaffes the egg in the grain of wheat, at the up-
per end of it, beneath the fkin, and round it a fmall yellow
ftain, as if the milky fubftance had received a tinfture from
the egg •, and as a further confirming circumftance that thefe
eggs are laid in the foft ftate of the grain, I find in my diary,
that many years ago I vifited a field of one of my neighbours,
who having been extremely late in his harveft, in very warm and
temperate weather, had his wheat all eaten out ; the flies were
crawling out of the ears, and this whilft the wheat was
ftandinr

iD*

Again, that the convifbion may be as full as polTible, k is
an indifputable certainty, that this maggot eats from the up-
per end of the grain, as it ftands in its hufk, down to the low-
er end, and comes out in a fly a little above the germ. Now
to fuppofe that thefe eggs are laid conftantly upon that end ot.

the

f 210 ]

the- grain, is to believe this fly capable of didiinguiiliing fuch
particular end, in every confuied diredion that the grain may
be thrown into after it h thradied out -, and therefoie the no-
tion of the fly's laying its egg upon the outfide ot the grain,
and that egg's never being diflodged, and the maggot's hatch-
ing upon that end, and eating into the grain, without being
removed from that particular end, muft be an abfurdity of the
firft magnitude. In the hufk indeed the fly might find that
certain end of the grain, becaufe in that it always lies in its
proper direflion, and it is realonable to conclude that infl:in6t
would ferve a fly for fuch a purpofe ; but then this cannot re-
move the abfurdity before taken notice of, that of laying its
egg upon that end of the grain confl:antly, as well beiore as
after it is thralhed.

'Nature, I may fay, from the minatenefs of her ways in
eifeding her intended purpofes, is frequently out of the com-
prehenfion of man, and although his microfcopical improve-
ments upon vifion have helped him to many difcoveries, nu-
merous arethethings thatfeem ftill to remain asa lecr.et to him.
"We -can fee in fome flies their immediate changes from che
firll procefs of propagation, quite through then- periods of
life ; and from thence we are inclined to pronounce a rational
hiftory of their continuance, brood alter brood : Yet in fome
■ flies, though we can carry ihcm through all ihefe fe/eral
changes, there are certain phenomena noi to be accounted
for •, particularly, how the length ot time between their
changes into flies, and their laying their tggs for the continu-
ance of their fpecies, is employed by them. This defecSt we ge-
nerally fupply by conjecture, that the time is fpent in fome tor-
pid fl:ate: But there are fome difcoveries as to certain infe<5ls,
that make it extremely difficult to fuppofe fuch a ft ate ; and if
we regard what naturalifks tell us of fome of the moth flies, and
indeed our own obfervations upon them, *' that after they
becopie a fly, they never attempt any kind of fuftcnance, but
are feemingly folely employed in the bufineis of fecundation,
and the females in particular, in depofiting their eggs for a
new brood," we fliall be puzzled to account how infeds, that
never eat after their change into a fly, can exifl: through fo

long

t 211 1

long a period as a great part of the fall, and generally of a
long winter, till the period of the loft ftate of the new grain ;
and to what fhelter they can retire from fuch a feries of weather,
generally too fevere for fuch tender forms. We may imagine
fome intermediate brood, but what fhall we fancy to be the
nidus or food to bring them to this fly weevil again, ready for
that new period of foftnefs in the fucceeding crop of grain ?
From hence, perhaps, it is that fome gentlemen have grown
.fond of the opinion, of their eating out of one grain, and then
flying to another grain, and laying their eggs upon the ends
of them, for a new brood ; but as even weevil eaten wheat is
generally confumed one way or another, long before the kern-
ing of the new crop, the difficulty (by fuch a fuppofition) will
have many long months to contend with. Therefore others
tell us, they lie about in barns, &c. However, the flianding
crop eaten up, before taken notice of, is with me fufficient to
confute fuch a folution of that difficulty: And I might add
my own fl:rong fumigations of my barn and granary (though
enough to defl:roy a world of infefts) have been uniuccefsful>
with refped; to this fly weevil, in.the new crop.

I MUST here ftep afide to inform you, that though my wheat
would, when weevil eaten, pretty generally come up in the
field, yet when I was obliged to fow it, if I did not double the
ufual quantity (which the leafon always governed me in) the
ground v^ould be fcanty, and extremely beggared for want
of feed. I readily concluded the caufe of this to be, that the
grain was too much eaten (that is) the maggot was too far ad-
vanced in it, and therefore fuch grains perilhed j and indeed
for ratisfa6lion in this point, 1 twice tried, after wafhing the
grain, and drying the light chaffy ftuff that fwam at top, to
low thofe grains, and conftantly found all that I could fqueeze
fiat wiih my fingers, never fprouted, fow them how I would.
This, I hope, will be looked upon as a very good anfwer to"
both of thole hafty afl^ertions, that fuch v/heat will nevertheiefs
grow when fov/n, and likewife make a tolerable- flour ; for
grind it how you will, I mull be bold to fay, it can produce
no flour at all •, and the flour imagined to be got from weevil
eaten wheat, is only from fuch grains of it that have efcaped

the

C 212 ]

the weevil, or are but halt eaten, perhaps by the maggot's not
having run its courfe in nature before it was deft royed j which
is the prefumed caufe of that prodigious clamminefs in bread,
from wheat that has the weevil in it, as the moifture of the
maggots continues in the flour-, but in bifcuits that clamminefs
may be dried up, by the heat of the oven, as thofe cakes are
generally very thin.

The author of the Complete Body of Hufbandry, vol. IV,
page 347, of the otlavo edition, fpeaks of a fly in England,
that fometimes attacks the wheat in its fofc fliate •, and calls it
a fmall black fly, not bigger than a large pin's head. He fays
they fallen on the ear in numbers, eat into the corn, and lay
their eggs, which hatch into maggots, and devour part, and
fpoil the refl: of the grain. He further fays, the fly may be
diflodged whilfl: it crawls on the ear, for they are lb tendej%
that a very little force will deftroy them, and that they only
appear in dry years, for rains in any quantity defl:roy them ;
and from thence recommends the Irifli method of rope hauling
the wheat in dewy morning, to brufli the fly off, which will
then be defl:royed..

I CANNOT readily agree with him here ; for certainly as the
fly got to the ear before, it is reafonable to think it could,
after falling oflf, crawl up again, unlefs the fall could be fup-
pofed to rruih fo fmall an animal as a pin head. 1 herefore I
was perfuaded, nnlefs the difturbance of rope-hauling was
confl:antly given, the fly would return again fo often, as to
make it a tedious work of many days, at leafl every morning
and evening, from the calling of the bloom, to the hardening
of the grain. 1 have fince fancied, that by the lame author's
method of fumigating turnips, jufl: come up, in his third vol.
page 348, v/ith orpiment, every here and there, thrown about
on live coals, to windward of a wheat field, in a gently moving
air, the prodigious thick foggy fm.oak railed by that drug,
might kill the m.oth-fly, as he fays it will do the turnip-fly,
without injuring the turnips, even in vegetation. I fay, I
imagined the doing this pretty often in the wheat field might
be of fervice •, for though orpiment is of an arfenical nature,

as

C 213 ]

as I found it fo ftrongly recommended, and have alfo read,
that chough poifonous, it had been iuccefstully prefcribed 10
be worn round childrens necks, as a dcdroyer of worms ; I ac
firft thought that might do : Yet as fire often renders things
(really fafe and innocent when crude) very noxious, there
might be a polTibility of danger in it j and reading of many
bad fymptoms occafioned by it to the fhot callers, who ufe it
to increale the fluidity of their lead, that it may run quicker
or more certamly into globules, I could not think (upon better
reafoning; to make ufe of fuch an experiment.

My end in all this enquiry, was to prevent the defrruftion
made in wheat, by deftroying this inleft in its egg j and 1
imagined 1 had foundation enough to condufl me to that point,
from the accounts given of hatching in Egypt, and what v/e
may coUedt with certainty from Du Reaumer's elaborate treatife
upon raifing fowls •, befides many little family obfervations,
that correlponded with the common fenfe of things. Experi-
ence lliews, that a fowl greafed (as they Ibmetimes are under
the wings to kill the lice) can never hatch an egg. I alfo
remember a lady, curious in turkeys, in order to produce a
forward brood, fet her hens in her fmoak-houfe, whilft her
meat was hanging, but the eggs did not produce one pout i
and it was d; (covered that the hens had been greafed by the
acciUentaldrippings of the meat.

As thele difcoveries fquared with the French method of pre-
fer vmg eggs, by tallowing them over, founded certainly upon
the principle of keeping out the air, which would otherwifc
give them, in long vovages, a noxious and difagreeablc talie
of (lalenefs ; I thoug'u I might conclude, that befides warmth,
air was effential to tiie vivifying or hatching an egg -, and the
hen-houfe wives confirm me in it, by their conftant obferva-
tion, that hens, 6ic. not only turn their eggs, but leave theii:
nefts, at proper periods •, and thofe that hatch well, cool them-
felves frequently with water, v/hilft others perpetually brooding
(if they do not die themfelves) addle their eggs.

Upon thefe two principles then of heat and air, I thought
myfelf pretty certain of effefling the deftrudion of thefe eggs

E e in

r 214 ]

in the grain •, and therefore I endeavoured to hit upon fucH a,
method for their deftruftion, which fliould be attended with
the lead labour and expence. Too much warmth, or too
little, or an entire exclufion of the air, muft do the bufinefs —
Could it be confident with the prudence of a farmer to thrafh
out his grain as foon as reaped, to be fure a drying kiln might,
be fo conftrudted as to deftroy thcfe eggs, by communicating
too much warmth; but as there are many reafons for a farmer
(befic?es his other necelTary bufinefs) not to thrafli out his grain.
fo foon, left he introduce the other inconveniency 10 his crop,
of muftinefs and bad fcent, I was obliged to bend my thoughts
wholly to the exclufion of the air; for wheat, 1 know, will
contrail a degree of warmth in the mow, which is oftentimes
of great fervice to plump out the grain, by fomething like an
after ciiculation .in the ftraw ; and to incrcafe that degree of
warmth, fo as to deftroy the eggs of the Weavil, might be a
means to mould the ftraw, and funk the grain •, therefore I fay,
I fell folely upon the exclufion of the air as much as pofTible;
and this I was happy enough in effecting with great fuccefs to.
my crop for many years, till my old age and infirmity prevent-
ed my attending my lervants whllft ihcy were pursuing my
<iire6tions •, and not till then had I ihe leaft reafon to complain,
whilft others were eaten up in their crops ; but villainy and
negligence are fuch concomitants in fervitude, that 1 have
been again deftroyed, plainly to be accounted for trom the
vifible abufe of my conftant diredions. The method 1 have
taken is-this,»

I REAP as early as I poflibly can, refpevScing the drynefsof
the srain, as well as the ftraw, whch would otherwife funk it.
At leaft two fe^-t quite round the mow I leave- a vacancy,,
vv'hich is to be .'well trod with foft hay, or beaten ftraw ; there-
fore I keep perfons conftanrly treading down thofe. margins as
the mow rifes -, and when I reach the eves of my barn, I. lay-
on and tread down a. very thick covering of the fame ftraw or
hay, and weighd it v;eU down at top. Hm\ I not- tound this-
efteftua!, I would have gone to the expence ot filling in and
plaiftering my barn, being convinced that the exclufion of
:^ir, as much as ppflible, could be tlie only eftlftual method
of killing thofe eggs, v/hich as they are fo very fmallbefore

haiching,

t 215 ]

hatching, could not give the lead difagreeablenefs in either
look, taile or qualicy, in the flour. This method I pubhlhed
many years ago j and many gentlemen have affured me, they
have pradifed it ever fince, and continue to do fo nov/ with
the greaieft fuccefs. The farmer that chufes to try it, if he
fufFers nothing to prevent an early harvest, will, I am per-
fuaded, confefs the juftice of v/hat I have fuggefted ; but if,
by any means, he Ihould be late in his harvett, and the tem-
perature of the weather fhould be fuited to the principles of
hatching •, or if he Ihould be too early in beating out his grain,
it cannot then ce of any real fervice, but by accident, as the
milchief may be done in the field, and an egg not deftroyed in
the mow, may hatch in the granary.

You muft here permit me to tell you, I- have conftantly
laughed at all thofe ridiculous noftrums of brining, &c. to
prevent this injury of the weavil, as well as that other de-
ftrudtive evil called the ruft. They may be of fervice to
quicken the vegetation of the grain -, and it is reafonable to
conclude they will dellroy all vermin that lie in the ground
when it is fown •, but that this brine, or any other folution,
can remain and pafs through the courfe of circulation, in a
very long feries of winter months, and preferve its virtue to
the kerning time of the grain, lb as to prevent thefe flies from
invading it, or indeed to check or correct the corrofive moifture
of particular airs, which produce ruft, is an abfurdity below
the dignity of a rational man •, notwithftanding many writers
have given into it. I always looked upon thole gentlemen, as
forgetful of the philofophy upon which they fet out within the
firft parts of their works •, and I fuppofe to make a book of
bulk, they ftuff^ in the errors ot old and obftinate farmers,
from one century almoft to another. I remember I had an afs
of that kind, and for the fake of convidion, I indulged his
proje^ft of fteeping and brining •, and went fo iar as to leave
him a parcel of wheat which he might put up or mov/ as he
pleafed-, and though his obftinacy would not fuffer him to be
convinced, I was, to my coft, whilil the reft of my grain,
condu6led by my direction, was good and ufefui. Quicklilver,
we are lately told, v.'ill circulate with the juices of a plant in
vegetation, without injury to it, and it has been fuccel'sfully

E e 2 applied

[■ 2l6 1

api lied that way to kill the flugs and fnails on wall fruit ; yet
if the difficulty of inserting it, or impregnating wheat wich it,
before fowing, co\ild be got over, I cannot fuffer myfelf to
embrace any periuafion, that the virtue or fubtilty of the
qui'-kfilver could continue fo many months in the wheat, by
any kind of innate quahty, in fuch a long ftage of growth,
through a very bad winter. Therefore even that difcovery, in
my opinion, has not removed the abfurdity hinted at. I have
mentioned the ruft, as prefumptively occafioned by fome cor-
rofive quality in the air -, and though it is out of my prefent
fubjeft, I will juft hint that Du Pratz, in his hiltory ot Loui-
fiana, takes notice of fuch a deftructive obftruction to the
raifing of wheat in that country, though he does not call it by.
any name that conveys an idea of ruft. He fpeaks of it as a
brown red pearly drop, found at the lov/er joint of the ftalk,
which, in a fhort time, pervades the whole ftalk upwards, and
periihes the grain: As this is pretty finnlar to what we difcover
here, it may not be amifs to look upon it as a corrofive fub-
ftance, communicated by the air •, - and 1 do beheve it will be
found to be the befer opinion, upon a more accurate invefti-
gation ; for I have long been fatisfied, that the afcenfion of
the juices are thereby prevented -, and the rufty duft feems to
be nothing more than thofe juices oozing out of thofe corroded
parts, or wounded pores, that turn to that colour on drying j
however I muft declare, I never yet difcovered Du Pratz's
brown red drop on any wheat of mine, notwithftanding it has
fometimes been deftroyed with the ruft. This rubigo was a
diforder obferved in wheat of very ancient date, and the
vv^riters, from one to the other, recommend prever^ting it by
brining, &c. as before •, fome indeed juft hint at the truth, by
calhng it by the general term a bH<i;ht ; but why they fhould
think of curing blights by an application befoie lowing, is a
curious myftery , it fhould feem as if fuch men fancied, that
the pofiible conftitutions of air can as eafily be prevented by
their brine, as it can be kept out, or exhaufted by an air
• pump. Some, indeed, impute both wcavil and ruft to certain
ipils •, but as wifer men than 1,. have fecn caufe to com.plain of
ihe abiurdities that have been adopted by writers that were
good philofophers in other matters, 1 ftiall not give mylelf any
trouble to endeavour at'sn explofion of fuch an opinion, well

knowing

[ 217 ]

knowing that all lands, where air and moth can come, may
be, and are iubjedl to thole evils, when they are about.; and
indeed every fort of wheat that 1 have tried, has been attacked
by them both i but from barley and rye's conftanily efcaping
the weavil, 1 am at prefent perfwaded their protedion happens
only from their beards or av/ns ; therefore a long bearded
wheat would be worth propagating for a trial, as I never heard
the bread made from luch ever objedted to, nor indeed its
increafe complained of. This I fay, believing that thofe gen-
tlemen who tell us that bearded wheat has been deftroyed by
the fly weavil, are fom.c how miftaken, from the improbability
of the fly's getting into the capfulcs through thofe awns. They
give for a reafon, that the awn in wheat never flicks to the
grain, as it does in barley ; but as I never faw rye the leafh
afi^efted by the fly, which is of a fimilar growth with a grain of
wheat, and has no awn growing to it, though the hufk has -, I
muft conclude it may be dill fome mift3ke in the ailerter •, for
certainly thofe awns, even on the hufk, if any thing long,
muft embarrafs the fly, and prevent his mifchicvous purpofe.

Having thus, my good friend, endeavoured to comply
with your requeft, it remains that I fhould make fome apoloory
for the length of it ; but if we confider enquiries into nature
muft be more or lefs prolix, according to the helps that can be
go*:, you poffibly will thmk any endeavour to be fhorter,
might have left my own conclufion lefs clear and intelligible.
I know not how convincing my arguments may be, but you
have my free leave to make uie of them as you pleafe •, and I
Ihail be glad, through your means, to read any thing that may
ihew wherein I am miftaken.

I am, dear Sir,

Your very refpeflful humble fervant,

LANDON CARTE Rv.

Sahine-Hall,
July 2. z^ ^7^8.

I 218 ]

Same Suhje5fy hy the Committee of Husbandry.

AN enquiry into the means whereby the injury of wheat
in America from flics, may be lefTened or prevented, is
attended with difficulties and uncertainty heie ; bccaufc the
members of the committee are at « diftancc from the imme-
diate feats of obfervation, and cannot obtain that accurate
knowledge of fafts, which is requifitc to infure the principles
they adopt from errors. However, this is not thought a fuf-
ficient objcdion to their doing all in their power towards put-
ting fo interei'.ing a refearch on a plan of inveftigation, and
furni(hing gentlemen, of learning and Icifure, in the places
where the mifchief prevails, with hints that may ferve as a
balls tofuch a feries ot obfervations and experiments, as may
probably be productive of the defired difcovery.

It is faid the injury of wheat from flies began in North-
Carolina, about 40 years paft, where it has been difficult to
preferve it ever fince, unlcfs in fpring-houfes, or other cool
places; and that the Indian corn of that country being of a
foft and tender quality, is alfo liable to be injured by the fame
infefts, but may l>c prefcrved from them, by keeping the cob
covered with the under leaves of the hufli.

That thefe mifchievous flies have extended gradually from
Carolina into Virginia, Maryland, and the L.ower Counties,
on Delaware ; to the laft of which places they did not arrive
till ieven years ago, and had not yet penetrated mto Pennfyl-
vania, or pafled the Delaware. That in the tranfit they have
been principally confined to low level moifl: lands ; and when
they have bten found in high dry lands, they have been but
few in number, xnd did not remain longer than one feafon.
From whence we may rationally infer, that the high dry lands
donotaflbrd them equal conveniencies for fubfiftance and
propagation, that the low level moift lands do, where many
things confpire to make all grain raifed in them, of a foft
fpungy quality, and peculiarly adapted to become the food and

nidu/Ies

C 2>9 J

nefts of tender infctfls •, and therefore thofe arc the places ia
■which fuch infeds will abound, and the wheat raifed in thenn,
is the only kind which they can pierce and injure. The
truih or t'alfhood of this inference may readily be afcertained,
by experiments with different kinds of grain, put into a fly-
infedted granary. The following pertinent experiment is faid
to have been often tried.- Puc three parcels of Indian corn
into a place with fly-bitten wheat ; let one parcel be of the
firft kind on the cob, and covered with the hufk ; a fecond of
the hard flinty grams ; and the third of the foft tender grains,
both the latter fliclled ; the fiift and fecond will be injured,
whilft the third is worm eaten in the fame manner as wheat.

The accounts we have -of thefe flies are various ; but the
mofl: probable is, that they are whitifh butterflies or mothsj
which reft in the day, and are aJ'ive in the night. They ap-
pear to be of the fame kind with thofe that do the like mifchief
in E^urope, which a gentleman of Angumois dcfcribes to Mr.
Duhamei inthe following manner.

" The great lofs, fays he, we have fuff'ered in our cornj
" and efpecially in ourvv'heat, for 17 or i 8 years pail, has put
*' us on making itri6f enquirv into the caufes of a corruption
" with which our grain is inte(5tcd. The comm.on opinion is,
*' that when the corn is in the bloom, that is :o fay, in the
" month of June, fmall white butterflies lay their eggs in the
" flowers. Whenthe grain is ripe, jhc eggs are incloled in it,
" and a3 foon as the corn is laid up to be kept, it is found to
*' ferment, i his fermentation raifcs an heat, which hatches
** the effgs, whence little worms proceed, which, arc trans~
" formed into chryfalides, and thefe are afterwards metamor-
*' phofed into grey butterflies or moths."

■ This procefs of the flies in Europe, conforms with the ob-
fervations ol many gentlemen in America, fome of whom af-
fert they h^^^'c leen the perforations in the milky grains in the
field, and in the dry grains of wheat, into which the fiits^ had
put their tggs. This is the lefs to be queftioned, fince it is
the well known mr«nner by which plumbs, cheriies and frmt
trees, are injured by other infeds.

It

i; 220 ]

:It is Taid the moft confiderable injury done to the wheat i)jr
files in America, is atter it is reaped and laid up, which the
gentleman in Angumois does not mention to happen in Eu-
rope. For a few days after the chryfalides are- metamorphofed
into liies, thefe flies copulate, and impregnate more found
grains of wheat with their cgg?^, which again produce worms,
chryfalides, and new parent flies ; whereby the number of
worms is fucceffively multiplied, and the mifchief increafcd
during the warm weather, but ceafes in cold, and returns
again in the fpring. The fpring flies are fuppoled to proceed
from worms, hatched at that time in eggs, ^efervcd in the
grain through the winter •, becaufe ihey arc preceded by
worms, are fhort lived, and never fcen till the fealbn is become
warm; and becaufe very cold winters have been obfcrved to
leflen the number of flies the enfumg fummer, which is fup-
pofed to be from thee ;gs being frozen, and deftroyed in the
grain. The gardlners in Europe preferve their fruit trees, and
fruit, by carefully deftroying the nefl:s of thofe infers which
injure them, and when the eggs of infed:s are depofited in any
known place, or thing, it certainly would not be impracticable
to prevent any mifchief arifm^ from them. Therefore in this
enquiry it may be uleful to know, how and where the wheat
fly is prcferved •, if in the wheat, it may be dlfcovered by the
following experiments. Expofe to ievere frofl: a quantity of
wheat, that had been fly injured in the fall-, afterwards put
this wheat, and an equal quantity of the fame parcel, that
hdd not been frofl;ed, into difi?erent veffels, and keep them a
due time in the degree of warmth requifite to hatch the eggs.
If the fads are as above fuppofed, living worms will be found
in the latter, but not in the former.

The eggs of thefe flies have fometimes hatched, when the
feafons have been extreme hot and moid, in the corn (landing
in the field. Bui this rarely happens till- after it is ftacked or
houled, and a fermentation enfues.

The common method of preferving 'wheat from harvefl: till
it is threihtd, efpccially in places moll fubje6l to the flies, is in
liacks in the field. Thefe (lacks afford a remarkable phajno-

menon i

i 221 ]

menon •, for the fouth fide of them, which is more immediate-
ly expofed to the rays of the fun, become foon heated, and
hatch the eggs contained in the grains of wheat from the lur-
face to about eighteen inches in depth, whillt no worms or
flies are found deeper, or on the north fide. If the degree of
heat which hatches the eggs in the fouth fide of the flack, and
the degree in the north fide, which preferves them without
hatching, were afcertained by a thermometer, it would lead us
to a means of preferving the grain, either by keeping it cool,
and thereby preventing the hatching of the eggs, or heating
it, fo as to corrupt them, wirhout injuring the corn , for the
difference of warmth in which eggs may be preferved, hatched,
or corrupted, is but fmall j " 93 degrees of heat in 21 days
gives growth to the chick in an hen's egg, from a little fpeck
into a perfed: animal body •, but the fame egg would be ren-
dered unfit for producing a chick by a greater degree of heat,
fcarcely enduring 100 degrees without prejudice, and a much
lefs degree than 93, would not fuffice for hatching it." The
degrees requifite to hatch the eo^gs of thefe flies, to prevent
their hatching, or to corrupt them, might readily be known,
by putting the fame kind of fly-injured wheat in difi'erent open
veflels, and keeping them in difftrrent degrees of warmth,
making 93, or the warmth of the prolific part of a flock, the
medium itandard.

Another experiment, of great importance in this enquiry^
fhould be made at the fame time, to difcover whether the eggs
of th-fe flies can be hatched, or the worms exift, without the
frequent acceflion of frefh air : This may be made, by trying
a bladder clofe over a vefifel, containing the above kind of
wheat, and keeping it in the degree ot warmth that will hatch
the eggs ; and if the eggs in the open veflrl hatch, whllft: thofe
in the covered one do not (which, philofophy teaches us,
will probably be the cafe) it proves that fecuring the fheaves
of corn from the accefs of frelh air, by covering them clofe in
flacks or barns, with hay or ftraw, &;c. and keeping the
threftied grain in tight cafks or granaries, will be an effectual
prefervative of the wheat from the injury of flies. It likewife
proves, what is very ufeful to be known, that fly-injured

F f wheat

[ 222 ]

wheat in the holds of large veflels, or in deep bulk in granarles^^
will not receive further damage from infe<5ts, but on thofe
furfaces which are cxpofed to the acceflion of frefh air.

The following experiment on peafe, is an encouragement to
attempt the prefervation of wheat, by excludmg air from it.
Take any quantity of Englifli peafe intended for feed, divide
them into two parts, put one in an open vefTel, keep the other
in a veffel well corked ; that parcel to which the air has had
admiffion, will be worm-eaten in the fpring, whilft the other
retnains Ibund, and untouched by infedts.

It would be a great point gained, to deftroy alJ thefe flies
in granaries and mills, by poifon vapour, if it could be eafily
done. But Mr. Duhamel fays, no other vapour, but that from
burning fulphur, which is injurious tothe grain, willdoit. This
■alTertion is extraordinary, and the truth of it is to be doubted,
fince all other infefts are readily killed by vapours of various
kinds. " If bones ol animals, or hartfhorn, are laid on an open
vfire, in a room where the fmoke is confined, it will kill all the
♦bugs, fleas and flies in that room : But the leafl naufeous,
fiand yet the raoft deadly vapours, are from the fufibcation of
■fire-, thus the fpirits of charcoal, confined in a clofe room,
kills the ftrcngeft animals in a fliort tim.e ;'• and therefore it
may rationally be expeded, that a pot of thefe coals fired, in a
clofe granary, could not fail of deftroying the flies in it in one
night : However^ there is no determining this matter a priori^
becaufe of the difference in refpirarion between animals and in-
fers; the former taking in air by the nofl:rils, and the latter
by a perforation in the abdomen. BUt-if the fumes of burning
charcoal be inoffenfive to the flies, it is probable that filling
the room with a thick, pungent, oleaginoiis fmoke, fuch as
arifes from burning the items of tobacco, would foon deftroy
them, by clogging the airpaflages in the fame manner as oil,
which applied to the fides of inledls, kills them immediately.
Both thefe experimen IS may be eafily tried, and if tliey fail.
Oithers fuggefted.

Wheat

I 223 3

Whe/t being now in bloom, and the flies probably very
btify in impregnating the tender grains with their eggs, aii
that can be done this ieafon is, to prevent the hatching ot rhofr
eggs, by threfhing out the corn as loon as poflible, and dry-
ing it in kilns or the hot fun, and keeping it afterwards in
tight velfels, or deep bulk in clofe granaries : If it fhould heat
in the veffels, it might be readily cooled, and kept fo, by ven^-
tilating it an hour once a week, with a pair of common houfe
bellows, according to Dr. Hale's dire<5tion.

It fhould not be ftlrred in bulk, if it can be avoided, that
it may quickly encruft upon the top, and exclude the air.

If it is not convenient to threlli it out early, the Iheaves
fhould be defended from the accefTion of air, as before pro-
pofed, till late in winter, and afterwards kept in bulk, or
tight vefTels, to attempt the prevention of fpring flies ; for which
purpofe the wheat fhould be threfhed out before fpring.

If the flacks of wheat have not "been preferved from the in-
jury of the fiies, the injured part fhould be threfhed feparateiy,
and the wheat ufed immediately, or dcflroyed, or the eggs in
it prevented from hatching : When flies appear in granaries,
they fnould be killed immediately, to prevent their doing fur-
ther mifchief. --^^

•»

But as all thefe things require additional labour and ex-
pence, it is much to be wiflied the injury could be totally pre-
vented ; and which, it is reafonable to expeft, may be attained
folely by a proper change of feed-grain annually; that is, to
fov/ the low moift lands with hard, dry, flinty wheat, of high
mouncainous lands, inftead of their own product. For it is
well known to naturalifls, that the quality of fruit, grain and
vegetables, depends on the climate and foil : The apples of a
Newtown pippin- tree, grov/ing in Nev/-York and Virginia,
have fcarcely a refemblance in tafle. The vine from which Bur-
gundy v/ine is made in Burgundy, when tranfpianted into
Ghampaigne, produces Champaigne wine, and the Champaigne
vine, tranfpianted into Burgundy, makes Burgundy .winej

F 1 2 Beans

C 224 ]

Beans and peafe from England, planted in America, foon dwin-
dle much from the originals ; and the alteration that foils and
climates produce on wheat is fo well known, that all careful
farmers in Europe change their feed -grain often •, this is fo re-
markable in America, it is obferved, that the red flinty wheat
which grows in the ftrong mountainous lands, when fowed in
low moift places, undergoes a gradual change for four years,
and then becomes light coloured, thin fkinned, and ofafofc
texture ; and that this wheat fowed in the high lands, takes the
fame time to recover its natural colour and quality. Therefore
if the injury of wheat from flies depends on the foft quality it
contr^fts by its growth in moift low lands, a proper annual
change of feed-grain, will alone prove an eafy and cer-
tain remedy againfl the prefent deftrudtive and alarming evil
amongft us.

Ohfervations on the native SILK WORMS of North- America^
by Mr. Moses Bartram..

Read before the Society^ March 11, 1768.

HAD, for a long time, a defire to know, if fome of the
_ wild filk v/orms of North- America could, with proper
care, be propagated to advantage ; accordingly, in March,
1766, 1 made an excurfion along the banks or Schuylkill,, in
fearch of fome pods or cocoons, in which the v/orms fpin
themfelves up and lie concealed all the winter,, in the nymph
ftate, preparing for a change in the fpring, namely, from an,
aureliato a fly.

I WAS fo. lucky as to find five cocoons that had live found
nymph^e inthem, Thefe five I placed in my garret oppofite
to a window, that fronted the fun rifing. I did this, that the
warmth of the fun might forward their coming out.

May 10. One of the flies came out •, but the window hap-
pening to be leit open it made its efcape.

May

C 225 J

May 1^. Ok'e of my pods produced a large brown fly,
beautifully fpotted, nexc day two more of them produced
each a fly.

May 17. One of the flies, which came out of a large loofe
pod, began to lay eggs. On the 22d, the other two, which
were males, grew very weak and feeble and unable to fly.
Next day one ot them died, and the day following the other
died i the female fly all this time continuing to lay eggs •, on
the 24th at night fhe alfo died, having laid near three hundred
eggs. May 21-, my laft pod produced a large female fly, of
the brown kind like the reft. But there being no male I could
expedl no increafe from it. June 3d, (he began to lay eggs
and continued fome days : On the 8th fhe died, having laid
upwards of two hundred eggs. Thefe which my laft fly laid
looked at firft large and full, but in a few days they began to
flirivel and be indented in the middle, as did all the reft. How-
ever, I folded them all up in feparate papers and laid them by,
to fee if any would hatch the fpring following. •

The male fly is lefs than the female, but his colours are
brighter and more beautiful.

In the fpring of the year 1767, I examined the eggs, and
found them all dry, and not likely to produce worms -, from
whence 1 concluded they had not been impregnated by the
males. This was a difappointment to me. But being ftill of
opinion, that they might be propagated, I determined to
make another trial with more caution and circumfpedion.
Accordingly, I fet out in fcarch ot cocoons, and gathered
feveral of them both from the fwamps and upland. Thofe
from the fwamps I got chiefly off the alder ; thofe from
the upland, off the wild crab-tree, and the viburnum or black,
haw bufhes.

These pods I placed as I had the others, before my garret
window, where the fun might fliine on them, as fbon as it
arofc, and a great part of the forenoon. When f expected the
flies were near coming out, I tacked coarfecldchs iip againft
the windows on the infide, not only to darken the room, but

alib

[ 226 ]

alfo for the flies to fettle on, and to prevent them, in attemtp-=
ing to make their efcape, from beating their legs and wings
to pieces againft the glafs, which 1 found to be the cafe laft
year, and which it is probable, prevented their copulating.

May i6. Three of my cocoons produced each a fine large
fly of the brown kind, the fame as thofe ot lad year. The two
following days two more flies made their appearance, and one
of the eldeft began to lay eggs, which not being impregnated,
dried up and yielded no increafe.

May \^. OisTE of the males that came out on the i6th, co-
pulated with the female that was produced on the 1 8ih. They
continued together about twenty-four hours ; a common cafe
with moft of the infe6l tribe, which lay a great number of eggs
at once. And fomething fuiiilar may be obierved in fome
other animals.

May 11. This female fly begrn to lay eggs which looked
plump and fine. Though I had now fevtral flies, yet this was
tlie only one from which 1 had any increafe.

June 2. The lail of my flies died, all expiring regularly as
they came out. The period of their extflence is fl^iort, feldom
exceeding nine or ten days, though fome ol the females lived
to the age of fourteen or fifteen, as I found by one 1 had laft
year.

June 3. The eggs that were impregnated began to hatch
and produce worms, to which I prefcnced for food tlie leaves
of our common mulberry \ but they did not fcem fond of them.
I laid before them feveral other kinds of vegetables, and ob-
ierved that they feemed bed pL-afed with the alder.

June 4th, 5th, and 6th. The eggs continued hatching and
producing young worms,

June 8. Those firft hatched left off" feeding, flirunk up
fhort, and feemed motionlefs. I imagined they were fick and
sdianged their food, trying almoil every kind of vegetable,

in

[ 227 1

in hopes of finding fomething that would agree with them bet-
ter-, but all to no purpofe. Having killed feveral in fhifting
them from one kind of food to another, while the reft ftill con-
tinued in the fame torpid ftate, notwithftanding all I could do,
1 thought all my hopes of railing them weie fruftrated and
concluded they would perifh.

June g. 1 WAS agreeably furprized to fee the little animals,
that I had given over as dead, creeping out of their old fkins,
and appearing much larger and more beautiful than before.
Finding themfelves difengaged, in a little time, they turned
about and fell to devouring their old coat, which feemed a de-
licious repall to them j after which they refted about twelve
hours, and then began to feed on leaves as formerly with great
eagernefs.

June i^. The eldeft worms again left off feeding, fhrunk
up very fhort, and appeared fixed on the leaves almoft mo-
tionlefs. In this fituation they continued until the 17th, on
which day, after appearing to be very violently convulfed for
near half an hour, they threw off another fkin, which they eat
as before, and then refling about twelve hours, fell to their
ufual food.

June 7.0. One of my worms, that had juft difengaged itfelf
from its old covering, whilll it yet remained .weak, was de-
ftroyed by a kind of bug armed with a long bill, with which it
pierced the fide of the worm, and fucked out its vitals. 7 his
bug, which I fancy, T muft have brought in with the leaves,
I take to be a common enemy to the lilk worm in its rende;r
ftate. Its bill is fo long, that it can ftand at fome dift^nce from
the worm, and with its weapon wound it, notv/itftanding the
bunches of hair or briftles, in form of a pencil, with which,
the worm is covered, and which are its principal defence.

June 23. My oldeft worms left off feeding, ftirunk up, and
on the 25ch, threw off their third covering, which they de-
voured, and, after refting the ufual time, returned to-feed as
berore,

July

[ 228 ]

July 1. Tmey left off feeding the fourth time, and on the
•5th parted with their fourth covering, after eating which, and
reiling as ufual, they continued to feed on the leaves.

It is remarkable ev^ry change they undergo adds frefh
beauty to the worms, and in every new drefs, they appear with
more gaudy colours and lively ftreaks.

July 22 Two of my oldeft worms left off feeding and be-
;gan to wander about in fearch of a proper place to fpin. There-
upon I got flicks, in which I fixed a number of pegs for the
■greater conveniency of the worms •, though they can fpin in
any place, where they have or can form an angle for their
-webs. After wandering about fome time, they fixed at laft
and began to fpin in a curious manner.

July 23. Two left off feeding-, thefe I placed on the racks
I had made, which 1 fixed in glafs bottles to prevent the
Avorms from getting off : For I found they were apt to ram-
ble greatly before they could fix on a place to their liking, if
they were not fuffered to fpin among the- leaves they feed on j
in which cafe they begin to fpin ibon after they leave of feed-
ing. But I did not like tofufferthis, as they feemed fond of
drawing bits of twigs and leaves into their nefts, which mud
obftruft the unwinding the filk. One of them fpun on the
rack, the other got to the window and fpun in the angle
of that.

July 24. Five left offfeeding •, and having wandered about
all night began, early next morning, to fpin. In like manner
the reft of my worms, as faft as they arrived at a ftate of ma-
turity, daily applied themlelves to fpinning or wrapping
themfelves up in cocoons. Auguft 10. The laft worm left off
lecding, and like the reft wrapped itfelf up, in which ftate I
expect they will all remain, until May next, when each of
them, I hope, will .produce a beautiful tty.

It feems ftrange there ftiould be an interval of no lefs than
nineteen days between the time the firft and !aft worm begao
to fpin, though they were all hatched within three or four days

of

r 229 3

t)f one another, which was nearly the fpace of time the parent
JBy was laying the egg. Whether this was ov/ing to the weaknell-
or ftrength of the vital principle in fome more than in otherSj
or whether to the fliiftino- their food, or to their bcinsifrighten-
ed, and thereby prevented from feeding, I cannot tell. Farr
ther experiments may poflibiy explain the matter.

The method I took to raife thefe worms, with the leaft trou-
ble to myfeif, as I live in town, and confequently had to bring
food for them out of the country, was as follows : I filled
feveral bottles with water •, in thefe bottles I placed branches
of fuch vegetables as the worms feed on. I placed the bottles
fo near each other, that when any of their food withered, the
worms might crawl to what wasfreili. By this means I kept
their food frcfh for near a week. I always kept the bottles full
of water, whereby the worms were fupplied v/ich drink, which
feems neceifary ior them. Without it they v/ill not feed
"kindly. They commonly crawled down ttvo or three times a
day, drank heartily, and then returned to feeding. The
leaves of the apple tree feemed as agreeable to the worms as any
i tried ; and they anfwered beft, as they kept frefh in the
water longer than any other.

From fundry experiments, I found the worms averfe to
changing their food. On whatever they firft begin to feed^
they keep to it.

If any (hould Incline to propagate thefe worms, I would
propofe the following method. Let long narrow troughs be
made, with a number of notches along the edges. In the
bottom of the troughs, on the cutfide, let pieces of ftra'ght
wood be fixed, lb that the branches, on which the worms are
to feed, may lie in the notche.-, and their ends be fixed under
the piece of vvood at the bottom. This would keep them
Heady, and lying thus inclined, they would more freely im-
bibe the water ior the refrelhment of the leaves. The dune:

CD

•of the worms would tall clear of the trough?, and the water
thereby be clean for their drink. The troughs fiiould be al-
ways kept full of" water, and placed in a fhade, fecure from
^he violence of wind, which might iliake down the worms ^

G g but

C 230 ]

but not too much confined, becaufc a little air is agreeable to-
them. Through a hole in the bottom of the trough, the water
micrht be let out every two or three days, and the troughs fiU
led°again with freih water, which by this means would con-
tinue fweet and clean.

By this method, I am perfuadcd, they might be raifed to
advantage, and perhaps, in time, become no contemptible
branch of commerce. They appear to me much cafier railed
than the Italian or foreign filk worms. I did not loie one by
ficknefs. 1 hey hatch fo late in the fpring that they are not fub-
jeft to be hurt by the froll. Neither lightnings nor thunder
difturb them, as they ar^ faid to do foreign worms. And as
they lie fo long in their chryfalis ftate, the cocoons may be un-
winded at leifure hours in the eniuing winter. One thing more
in their favour is, that one of their cocoons will weigh more
than four of the foreign worms ; and, of confequence, it may
be prefumed, will yield a proportionable greater quantity of
filk.~ Thefe properties, not to mention their being natives,
and therefore accuftomed to our climate, and the variety of
ve^etableSj on which they feed, miiR render them much more
promiGng than theeaftern or foreign worms, and, it is to be
hoped, will induce fome who have leiiure to make further tri-
als of them. Any time before the middle oi May will do to
colledl them. Now is the time to- coHeft the cocoons, and
with a little pains a fufficient number of them may be found in
almoft any fwamp or level piece of land, to make a beginning.

I WOULD advife them to prepare boxes, in the following
manner : They may be of any convenient length, about fix
inches deep, and four or five wide -, without a bottom, and
inftead ot a dole cover for the top, let there be ftrips of wood
nailed on, fo cloie to each other as not to admit the worms
crawlincr through. Let tliere, alfo, be fevcrai holes in one,
or both fides, big enough for the worms to be put in at, as
they want to fpin, and then flopped up. 1 he infide Ihouid
be vvafhed with a fokition of gum .Arabic, or cherry tree gum.
The boxes may ftand on any flat place to prevent the worms
getting out -, and when the filk is to be unwound, by imnur-
fingthe boxes in warm water, the cocoons may be taken out
■VuitliGUt breaking the threads ofXilk.

C 231 J

A Memoir on the DISTILLAriON of PERSTMOM,

By Mr. Isaac Bartram.

THIS Society having propofed at one of their tneet-
ings in November laft, that a trial Ihould be made
for drawing a fpirit from the fermented juice of the PerfimoH^
I was appomted to make the experiment.

The feafon being then (o far advanced, I apprehended it
was too late •, but being Hill urged by the Society to make the
efiiiy, 1 purchafed about halt a bufhel of the/r«/Vin the month
of December, which was fo much damaged by the froft
and rain, that I almaft defpaired of fuccefs ; the proper time
for gathering it bemg in the month of October.

I HOWEVER proceeded in the following manner.

I caused the Perjimons to be well mafhed, and put them in
a five gallon keg, to which I add( d two gallons of water, and
about two penny worth of jy<f/?, in order to promote a ferment-
ation. This bemg compleuted, I committed the whole to the
ftill^ and drawed there from near half a gallon of proof fpiriff
of an agreeable flavor.

From the fuccefs of this experiment, 1 think it may be
concluded, that the Perjimon may be rendered very beneficial
to thofe who have many of them growing on their plantations,
and that they are worthy of the public attention, as many ad-
vantages may be reaped from the cultivation of the trees 5
fome of which 1 (hall hint at in the courie of this paper.

To thofe who would undertake to collecft large quantities
of this fruit iox diftillation, I would recommend the following
procefs.

Let a number of empty hogfiieads, in proportion to the
quantity of fruit, be provided ; take out one of the heads of
each, and in the other let a hole be bored, at about four inches

G g 2 from

C 232 ]

from the chimb, into which fix a plug, which may be occa-
fionally taken out from the lower end, when the cafks are
fixed upon trufTels, at a fmall diflance trom the ground. In
thefe cafks, over the holes, lay a number of fmali flicks,
covered wich itraw, about two or three inches thickj to pre-
vent the pulp from choaking them.

Your hogfheads bein? thus prepared, fill one of them half
full with. Perfimons^ which have been v/ell mafiied -, add water
until it arife within one th^rd of the top ; then cover the calk
with the head that had been taken out, and let it ftand about
nine days ; by this time the pulpy or feculent part of the fruit
will be feparated by the ad: of fermention \ you are then to
draw off the liquor, by the hole in the bottom of the hoaf-
head, and put it in a tight cafk, clofely. bunged up, to pre-
vent a fecond fermentation, whereby your liquor would be-
come acid, and be rendered unfit for the §iill.

Having thus extracfled the more vinous parts from the firft
ho(j,fiiead, let as much water be added as before, which muft
be well fbirred, and mixed with the pulp, thereby to procure
the v,!hole firength of thc/m/. .

A SECOND hogfliead is then to be charged half full o{ fruity
well mafhed as the firft, and inftead of pure water, fill it two
thirds full with the fecond extract of the firft hogfliead, leaving
It to ferment, as before directed. This fermentation being
perfe6led, drav/ oft"" the liquor, and let it be banged up clofe.
The third hogfliead is to be treated as the fecond, and in like
manner every I'ucceeding caflv. After you have in this man ■
ner converted all your fruit into a fermented liquor, let it be
kept at Icaft one month before it is diftilled, if it can be pre-
served without danger of its becoming four; fori have ob-
ferved that vinous fpirits, drawn fron:^, new fermented liquors,
nre not equal in flavor to thofe which have been meliorated by

aq;c,

TuY. Peyfimon Tree h of a quick growth, and yields great
quantities of fruit in a fev/ years after it is planted. The

wood

C 233 3

wood is hard, has a fine clofe grain, and may be applied tx)
many mechanical purpofes -, it burns well, and its aflies con-
tain a very large proportion of falts.

These trees grow fpontaneoufly near all our tide water
rivers, and fucceed in almolt any kind of foil. They thrive
belt when planted in an open place. I would therefore recom-
mend, that they fhould be fixed at about ten feet apart, round
the fields, by which means they would be no incumbrance,
but contribute to the fupport of the fences, as they would
ferve for live pofts. The leaves foon rot, and become good
manure, infomuch that it is remarkable that grafs grows bet-
ter under thefe trees, than any other.

Every farmer who has fifty acres of land, might plant
three hundred trees round his fields -, which being difpofed as
before direfted, would be a great addition to the beauty of his
farm.

Let us fuppofe each full grown tree will produce two lujhels-
of fruit upon an average (fome I have feen bear thrice that
quantity.) From a farm then oi fifty acres, fix hundred bulliels
of fruit might be gathered •, and as irom the foregoing experi-
ment a bulhel is found to yield a gallon of wholeiome and very
agreeable fpirit, every farmer having that number of trees,
might make_/?x hundred gallons of liquor as good as rum.

The expences attending the procefs, we will fuppofe to
amount to one half of the value of the liquor when diftilled,
which admitting to be worth but Two Shillings per gallon, will
leave a profit oi Thirty Pounds per annum i a fum equal t?o the
interefi of a farm that would coft Five Hundred Pounds.

Were we to extend this calculation to what every fifty
acres of cultivated land in this province only would produce,
we fhould find that we might foon become independent of the
Weft. Indies, for the expenfive article of rum, and thereby
yearly fave many Thoufand Pounds to this colony.

A

t 234 I

A VALUABLE gum cxudcs from this tree ; for the colleftin^
of which, the Society eftablifhed in London for promoiing
Arts and Manufadures, offertd a premium of Twnty Pounds
Sterl. tor the greateft quantity, not lefs t\vin fifty pounds weighty
that (hould be colle6lcd trom the Perftmon Tree^ m any of the
Britifh colonies in America, and imported from thence into
the port of London, b tween the firft of April, 1762, and the
fii-ft of April, 1763. And for the next greateft quantity, not
le!s thin twenty five ^oyxnd^ weight, a premium ot Ten Pounds
Sterling ,

I HAVE alfo been informed, that an excellent heer is made
oi Per/imons in fomeof the iouthern provinces.

Hence it will appear, thai the cultivation of the Pcrjimon
^ree is an ob)e(5V worthy the attention of our farmers, as it pro-
miles great profit to thcmrelves, and .a Hill greater aavanta^e
to the comniwniiy in general.

A letter ^rcm Do^crOrrn to Do5icr Bond, gives the following
account of an Oil, made from the feeds of the common large
Sun- Flower, viz.

l\ E oil is made much in the fame manner as the
linfeed oil with fire, only that the hufk is taken ofif"
' before it is pounded and preifed •, tho' I think it would be
' much better if it had been drawn cold. One bol"hel of the
' fctd, in the manner this was made, yields abour three
< quarts of oil : What quantity of oil one acre of land Will
' produce, I cannot aflert at prefent ; however, there is a
' fpot of land planted, and the feed now npening, the con-
' tents whereof we will meafiire, and alfo the produce, and I
"■ will inform you of the refult. It is frequently uicd by our
* brethren, inifead of Iweet oil, for fallad, and, with a fmall
' addition of the fweet oil, ferves very well for that purpofe."

Upon examining fome of the oil which was fent by Dr.
jOtto, it was found thin, clear, and agreeable to the tade.

And

T 235 ]

And the committee are of opinion, that this oilwill fupply
the place of olive oil tor the above, and many other purpo.es,
and may therctore be looked upon as a valuable difcovery to
America.

Doctor Bond, at the fame time, produced a fample of
oil, made from the cotton feeds, and fent by the fame gentle-
man, of which he gives this account : This is the ol. bombac,
or oil of cotton feed, made in the fame manner as the above,
one bufhel and a half of which yield nine pints of oil, and I
have been informed it is fuccefsfuliy ufcd in the Weft-Indies
for the cholic.

Jn EJfay on the expreffing of OIL, from SUN-FLOPFER
SEED, ^c. By Dr. J. Morgan..

THE grindingof thefun flower feeds, and exprelTing of oil
from ihefanr>e, is a manufadlure, which, as far as can be
yet learned, was firil begun among the Moravian brethren at
Bethlehem, and reflects honour upon them, whilft it affords
the public a new fubftance,,- very beneficial in a variety of pur-
pofes, but more efpeciaily, as it may ferve for a fallad oil, and
for other ufes ot diet and medicine, in the place of olive oil.

From experiments already made at Bethlehem, it is found
tliat a bulhel ot the lun-flower feed will yield, on expref-
fion, near a gallon ot mild oil. The gentleman, who is ap-
pointed by the community there to fuperintend their mills,
defigns, as we are intormed, to purfue a further courfe of ex-
periments on this fubjed, the refult of which, we hope, will
be communicated to this Society.

Our correfpondent at Lancaller informs the Society, that
fome perfons in the neighbourhood ot that place, have alfo ex-
prcffcd a quantity of oil from the feeds ot the fun-flower,
_HiS account is as follows.

" Tub

C 236 3

^* TMEpef fort, who has faifed the greateft quantity of the
v" fun-flowers with us, informs me, that one hundred plants.,
** fet about three feet diftance from each other, in the fame
*' manner Indian corn is commonly planted, will produce one
" bufhel of feed, without any other trouble, than that of
" putting the feed into the ground, from which he thinks
** one gallon of oil may be made. I obferved the land, on
" which he planted the fun- flowers, to be of the middling
" fort, aftd that he took no pains to hill them, or even to
'* loofen the ground about them, which from my own obfer-
" vation on fbrne planted in a neighbour's garden, I take to
*' be of confiderable ufe,

" As the fun-flower is a plant of great increafe, and re-

^' quires much nourifnment, hilling does not feem lb g:od a

" itiethod as that of fetting the feed or plant in a hole, and

" when the plant is about a yard high, to throw in the mould

^' round the fl:alk, fo that the furtace of the ground may be

" even about it. By an eftimate made it appears, that one

" acre of land will yield to the planter between torty and fifty

" bufhels of feed, which will produce as many gallons of oil,

" The procefs for making or extrafting the oil, is the fame as

" that of making linfeed oil, which 1 make no doubt the So-

" ciety is acquainted with, and therefore fhall not trouble you

" with it."

The fuccefs attending the trials already made, give the
greateft encouragement to profecute this ufeful difcovery. And
as the feeds of the fun-flower are at this time nearly ripe, and
in a proper (late for extracting the oil from them, it may be
of fervice to lay thelefatfts before the public. Such as may
have an inclination to make trials on this fubjed, and are not
3t prefcnt furniflied with a fuflicient quantity oi" fted for pref-
fing out an oil, may now fuppiy themf Ives with enough to
plant for making experiments the cnluing year.

For the information of thofe, who have both opportunity
and inclination to extend the enquiry, and render this a vaiu-
. able branch of bufmefs, but are not acquainted with the gene-
ral

C 237 ]

fal principles, upon which oil is obtained by expreflion from
vegetable fubftances, it may be proper to oblerve, that the
kernels of fruits, fuch as walnuts, iiickory nuts, filberts, al-
mond«, peaches, &c. and the feeds of many plants, as muf-
tard, rape, poppy, flax, fun-flower, &c. contain a large por-
tion of mild oil. In order to obtain the oil, the kernels, or
feeds are commonly rubbed to powder, or ground in mills.
1 hey are then put into a ftrong bag, made of canvas, or
woollen cloth, and committed to a prefs between iron plates,
by which the oil is fqueezed out, and is received or conduced
into a proper veflel to colledt it. The plates of the prefs are
often heated, either in boiling water, or before the fire. Many
heat the mafh itfelf in a large iron pot, flirring it about with a
flick or piece of wood, to prevent its burning, which, when
it happens, greatly injures the oil, and gives it a burnt fmell
and tafte, or difpofes it to become rancid in a fhort time.
When the oil is drawn without the alTiflrance of heat, it is
known by the name of cold drawn oil, and is more valuable,
than when heat is ufed, but it is not obtained in the fame
quantity. It is milder, and may be kept longer without
fpoiling.

In a cold feafon of the year, a certain degree of heat is ab-
folutely neceflary. But if the oil is defigned for aliment or
medicine, the plates of the prefs fliould be heated in boiling
v/ater only. When the oil is intended for other ufes, the
plates may be made hotter, as heat expedites the feparation of
the oil, and gives a greater produce, but then care (hould be
taken not to injure the fubjedl by burning.

Sometimes the fubjedl, when ground, appears cilmioft like
a dry powder. It is then faid to be meagre, and requires to
be expofed to the vapours of boiling water, which is done ei-
ther by tying it up in a bag, or putting it into a fieve, and
placing it over the fteam. By this impregnation, it will yield
its oil more readily, and in greater quantity. The oil may be
eafily freed from any water that may happen to be prefled out
with it, as a foontaneous feparation between them will take
place on ftanding for fome time.

H h Fob.

C 238 ■}

For the encouragement of thofe, who may choofe to improve
this fubject, it may be proper toobferve, that all the oils, fromr
whatever vegetable fubftances they are drawn, when obtained
by expreflionwith due caution, agree in their general qualities^
and are conftantly mild, even tho* they are obtained from very-
acrid fubftances. Thus the expreffed oil of muftard feed is„
when tre(h, as mild as that of olives, and the bitter almond, or
peach kernel, affords an oil, by expreflion, as mild as that of
fweet almonds. It is upon this principle, that the fun flower
oil may prove equally valuable with the bed Florence oil, foe
diet or medicine. For every expreffed oil, when pure and frefh,
is void of acrimony, and free from any particular tafte or fmeli..

Besides the mild oil jufl mentioned, fome fubflances contain
another kind of oil, called its efTential oil, a part of which
may be drawn off with the mild exprefled oil, fo called, and im-
part its fmell or tafte to that oil. It is called efTential oil, from
its yielding the particular odour of the vegetable, or part of
the plant, from which it was obtained -, ' it is pungent to the
tafbe, and foluble in fpiritsof wine,, which the other is not»
They may therefore be cafily diftinguifned from each other.

The oil of fweet almonds, and the oil of olives, being pure
unctuous expreffed oils, not foluble in fpirits of wine, but
mild to the tafte, and void ot odour, very foft, emollient and
.lenitive, are chiefly ufed in medicine and diet. And the rear
Ion why the oil of olives, in particular, is preferred, is be-
caufc it Is lefs expenfive, and will keep a much longer time
widiout becoming lancjdo

Perhaps, on trial, the fon-fiower feeds may be found to
contain an oil that v/ill anfy/er riie like prood purpoles with th€
fallad and medicinal oil, now in ufe. If lb, it will have thi^
advantage over that of almonds or olives, that it is a native of
the country, may be always had frefh, and at a final 1 expence.
"Whereas the others are the produce of diltant countries, bear
a high price, and are often ndiilterateJ on that account ; or
being kept a long time, they lofe their mild quality, and bcr-
come rancid and acrimoni6us.

The

C 239 ]

The pradicablenefs of getting oil among ourfelves ar a mo-
derate expence, and the importance of ufing it frefli, together
with the probable ufes of fun- flower oil for varniflies, for the
bafis of ointments, and for mixing of paints, as well as other
purpofes to be anfwered by oils in general, claim our atten-
tion to this fubjedl, and encourage further trials of -the like
kind.

Before we quit this fubjedl, it may not be amifs to men-
tion, thatcaftor oil is juftly celebraied for ics mcvlicinai quali-
ties : The plant, from the feeds of which it is got, may be
cafily cultivated in this country, and the encreafe ot it is very
great in a fhort time j might it not then be worth the attention
of our farmers to propage this plant, for the fake ot its oii ?
We would juft fuggeil, that perhaps it might be worth while
to try whether the feeds of fumach, with which this country
abounds, or of the mullen, which grows in old fields, and
bears a great quantity ot feed, would not yield, by expreflion
a valuable oil for medicine, or other purpofes.

Mr. John Morel's LeUer, wi:h a Keg of BENE SEED.
Kead before the Society^ May 20, 1769.

Savannah, 5th May, 1769.

^0 Mr. Charles Thomson, Secretary of the American
Philofophical Society^ at Philadelphia.

SIR,

IS E N D you a fmall keg of Bene or Bene Seed, which
you will pleafe to prefent to your Society for tlieir infpec-
tion. This feed makes oil equal in quality to Florence, and
fome fay preferable. Some fay one hundred weight of feed will
produce ninety pounds of oil, others fay lcfs,"be that as it
will, it certainly makes very fine oil, and produces amazingly.
If it is put to the trial, care fhould be taken to have the prefs
well cleaned, fo as leave no tindure from what may have been

H h 2 slreadv

L 240 J

already prefled •, in my opinion, this is an article of confe-
quence, and I believe it will grow in Philadelphia. The way
to fow it is in holes about three feet afunder, dropping in each
hole about ten grains •, -when it comes up, thin it to three or
four of the molt promifing, the feeds will appear in pods about
September, and fhould, when full grown, and before dry, be
gathered in. The method is as follows : As loon as you per-
ceive about three- fourj:hs or four fifths of the pods rife on the
flalk, and the lower pods begin to lofe their feeds, it is then
time to take it in ; for after that, as much as ripens one day a
top, fo much falls out of the pod at bottom, you take a fharp
hatchet bill or fome fuch weapon, an-d witn it cutoff the Hock,
twelve to eighteen inches below any of the feed, holding the
flock with the left hand ; and when cut, a fecond perfon re-
ceives it, keeping it upright, till he has his load, lor if you
turn it downwards the ripe feed will fall out of the pods, you
may immediately carry it into a barn, and fet it upright on a

clofe floor till you perceive all the pods fully dry and open.

(You may, if you chufe, leave it In the field, which mutt be

the cafe if a large quantity is planted,) then threfh it, and run

it through a proper fieve, and it is fit for ufe.

I AM quite unacquainted with the method of expreffing the
oil, but I believe if it is defigned for table ufe, nothing fliould
be done to the feed, as it might give it an ill talfe. The lighter
apd dryer the foil is in which it is planted, the better.

I am,

Dear S I R,

lour moil humble Servant, ,

JOHN M O R E L=

A Let.

[ Ml 3

A Letter from Mr. Henry Hollingsworth, to the American
Philofofhical Society^ held at Philadelphia, ^c.

Read before the Society , ijth of February, ^7^9'

Gentlemen,

TH E laudable defign with which you feem a6tuated to
promote the good of your country, and the earned de-
fire you have exprcfled in the public papers, to be informed
of whatever may tend to that purpofe, induce me to lay before
you fuch experiments as I have made and found efFcftual to
deltroy the wild garlic, with which the country is in many
places infefted, and which is very pernicious to the grain.
If what I offer, fhall meet with your approbation, and be
judged worthy the attention of the public, you are at liberty to
communicate it in fuch a way as you fliall think moll proper.
For my-own part I fhall think myfelf happy if my experience
may, by your means, be made ufeful to my country.

In ^753^ 1 fallowed and fowed with wheat, a field of about
50 acres, the greateft part of which was very full of garlic ;
I fallowed in May, flirred in Auguft, and fowed in Septem-
ber. In April 1754, I perceived the wheat much choaked
with garlic, and at harveft found in many parts of the field
almoft every tenth head was garlic, which rendered the wheat
unfit for ufe, until by immerling it in tubs of water the garlic
(which floats) was feparated from it. But though the wheat,
if carefully dried, receives little injury from this immerfion,
yet the trouble attending it is fo great, as to difcoura2;e farm-
ers from raifing large crops. In April 1755, I planted the fame
field with Indian-corn, and had a good crop. In April 1756,
I fowed the fape field with oats, in Auguft I ploughed down
the oat Hubble •, and in September fowed a c-rop of wheat.
In April 1757, I was agreeably furprized at feeing but very
little garlic, and that I'm all and dwindling; and at harveft
there was fcarce a head to be found, except along the fide of
the fences. The fuccefs of this culture, which was merely
accidenia", and done without any view of deftroying the garlic^
induced me to try the following experiment.

t 242 1

'Tn April 1758, having fixed on a field for my next tall
crop, which had produced Indian-corn the year liefore, and
was equally full of garlic with that I mentioned before; "I fowed
part of it with oats, the other part I fallowed in June, and
llirred in Auguft, at which time I- plowed in the out ftubble,
as before, and fowed the whole in September, caufing the fame
ridge to pafs through part of the ftubble and part of the fallow-
ed land. .In April- 1759, there was a very perceivable differ-
ence. The ftubble part was green with wheat, but the fallow-
ed part was of a bluifh colour, occafioned by the quantity of
garlic, and at harvcft was full of large heads, while in the
ftubble part there was not one to be found.

Since that I have continued to Tow oats in the garlicky
lands defigned for wheat, and find I have fucceeded fo well in
deftroying the garlic, that after three years culture in that
way, the lands may be fallowed and Town with wheat in the
ulual manner, without any danger from that noxious plant.

Several of my neighbours have purfued the fame method
;and find it anfwers. As the advantage of a crop of oars is
more than equal to the difference between fallow and ftubble
orround wheat (where the land is tolerably good) I would re-
commend it to all who are troubled with garlic to make a trial.
The only difadvancage will be the impoverifhing their lands,
which, if they have manure, may be eafily remedied. At the
fame time, I would obferve, that the ftubble which is plough-
ed down ferves for a manure, and nearly repairs the wafte oc-
cafioned by the crop of oats.

If it be afked why oats deftroy garlic, T muft confefs I am
unable to refolve the queftion. Perhaps ploughing the
land in the month of April, when the greateft part of
the oil of the root or clove is in the fhoot, and turning it un-
der at that time, deftroys the roots more effeflually than at
any other feafon, and the mowing the oats, which is the me-
thod purfued by us, deftroys the heads that would otherwife
come to feed later in the year. PolTibly the fame tillage in the

fame

C H3 ]

fime feafon without fowing oats, might anfwcr the end pro-
pofcd. But having never made the experiment I can fay no^
thing.certain on that head.

I am, &c.

• H. HOLLINGSWORTH*

Head of Elky Nov. 30,. 1768.

ExtraSf of a Letter from Mr. Peter Miller, of Ephratah,
to Mr. Charles Thomson, on the time of [owing PEASE,
Jo as to freferve the Crop from being worm-eaten.

** Z' I A H E peafe I fend you the fample of are. the produce of
" Y^ lad fummer. Their feed was very much worm-eaten,
*' but as the crop produced from them was no way infected,
*' it IS evident that their fafety depended entirely on the time
'♦of fowing; which is about the loth of June, new ftyle.
'^ This hath been confirmed to me by a farmer here of a. long
*' experience.

" The beft method would be to begin fowing towards the
*V latter end ot May, and continue for a few weeks, lowing"
" fome each week, or at the diftance of 3 or 4 days, in order
" to diicover whether the worm does not come from fowing in
*' an imj-roper feafon. Some Albany peafe might likewife be
" tried as feed ; all which I recommend to the prudent con-
" fideration of your lociety. For, if you could make any fure
" difcovery for the ufe of the country, the public would be
" greatly indebted to you.

" Pease were heretofore very plenty in Pennfylvania. I

*' knew one farmer in Oley who raifed fixty bufhels at a crop,.

*' and I did not hear that they were damaged at that time by

" the worm. I muft not forget to tell you, that, as the peafe

" I have lent you are of an excellent kind, and very fcarce

** here, you will be careful to propagate their fpecies. As

" to the lentiUs which are fent, the time of fowing them is-

^* early in the fpring, and moft commonly with oats,"

t 244 T

■ f'-:'JV. Bt It is recommended to fuch as (ball make experiments
--♦f lowing peafe late, in order to have a crop free from the
worm, that they would keep an account of the times of fowing,
and the effed thereof, in regard to their crops,

Aneajy Method of preferving SUBJECTS in SPIRITS.

By Mr. Lev^is Nigola.

PERSONS curious in preferving Specimens for Natural
Hiftory are often difappointed by the evaporation of the
fpirits, which occafiohs the lofs of the fubjed intended to be
preferved, or they muft be very careful in often examining
their bottles, or putting fpirits in fuch as they find have occa-
fion for a frelh fupply, which, in a large collection requires
much time, trouble, and expence. This induced Mr. de
Reaumur 10 try many experiments, in order to obviate this
inconvenience -, which he gave to the public in a long difler-
tation, inferred in the Memoirs ot the Royal Academy of Sci-
ences, for the year 1746, after mentioning his different trials,
he recommends tv/o methods.

The firft is, to get bottles with glafs ftoppers of a conic
form in the part that enters the neck of the bottle, and broad
and flat at the other end. Vv hen the fpirits and fpccimen, fup-
ported by a piece of wire, are put in, a little Mercury muft be
thrown into the bottle, and the ilopper fixed in its place, and
fecured by a piece of bladder or leather tied round it and the
neck of the bottle; the whole mu it be reveried and placed on
the broad end of the ftopper, which occafions the Mercury to
fettle between the neck of the botile and ilopper, and oblh-udls
the evaporation of the fpirits by the only palTage through which
the fine parts could IH' oflF. He fays, nut oil, thickened to
theconfiftenceof hon-y, bv a long expofure to the air which
will give it weight fufficlent to fmk in a weak fpirit, may lup-
ply the place otji^lercury.

The fecond method is, for bottles that have not glafs ftop-
pers for which he recommends a layer, of about two lines

thicknels

[ 245 1

thicknefs ob the infide of the bladder, which is to cover the
mouth of the bottle, of nut oil prepared as before direxfled,
and when the bladder is well tied on, the bottle may be re-
verfed without any hazard, but great care muft be had to
wipe the edge of the bottle very dry, that the oil may ad-
here to it in every part. As many bottles will not ftand on
their mouths, Mr. de Reaumur directs their being placed in
wooden cups, turned with a broad bottom and a hollow, fuf-
ficient to receive the neck of the bottle.

These two methods, though well calculated to anfwer the
end propofed, have fome inconveniencies. In the firft the
bottles mull be defignedly made for this ufe and of flint, that
the ftoppers may be ground into them, wkich, with the coll
of the Mercury, is a confiderable expence, befides the diffi-
culty perfons at a diftance from a glafs houfe will find, in pro-
curing them. In the fecond, the preparmg oil, fo that it may-
thicken to confiftence of honey, is a work of years, the opera-
tions may be much (hortened, by putting the oil about two
lines thicknefs in leaden vefTcls, as that metal has a confidera-
ble effecl on the oil, which may by this means be fufficiently
prepared in three or four months.

After feveral experirhents, I found two methods free from
the above inconveniencies, and which I have great reafon to
think v/ill anfwer the purpofe fully from four or five years
experience.

The firft method has fome affinity with Mr. de Reaumur's
and is as follows. When the fubjedl and fpirits are put into
the bottle, carefully wipe the infide of the neck and edge till
quite dry, prepare fome thin putty, of the confiftence of a foft
ointment, and put a coat of it about a line or two thick on the
fide of the bladder or leather, which is to be next to the bottle,
and tie if tightly about the neck, place the bottle with the
mouth downward in afmall v/ooden cup, and fill it with melted
tallow, or tallow mixed with wax, until all the bladder or lea-
ther cover is buried in it, and the tallosi' adheres to the fides of
the neck ; this will effe(fLually prevent the fine parts of the
fpirits from fiying.off*. Great care mufc be taken to have the

I i edge

C 246 ]

edge of the bottle very dry, and if rubbed with a feather,
dipped in oil, it will be better, and in filling the cup, to have
the tallow no hotter than is barely neceffary to make it fluid.

The fecond method is, after the fpecimen and fpirits are
put into the bottle, dry the infide of the neck and edge
thoroughly, and anoint them with a feather dipped in oil, flop
the bottle with a cork well fitted and flceped in oil, till it has
imbibed as much as it can contain, cover che cork and edge of
the botde with a layer ot putty prepared as dircded above and
tie a piece of foft leather or bladder over the whole.

Olive, or any other fa^t oil, is to be preferred to fuch as
dry eafily •, I would alfo recommend the ufe of fpirits of a mo-
derate ftrength, as thofe that are very flrong burn up and dif-
colour the Tpecimens,^ particularly fuch as have fine colours.
Thefe two methods have the advantage of Mr. de Reamur's,
in thefmallnefs of theexpence and eafinefs to procure the ma-
terials. For fpecimens that it will not be neceflary at times to
take out of the bottles I would recommend the firft method, as
more obflacles are oppofed to the evaporation than in the fe-
cond, befides the cup, the coft of which is very trifling, puts
the bottle in lefs danger of being overfet and broken, than
mofl bottles are when ftandingon their bottoms..

A Letter from Bethlehem^ dated 23 J July, ^7^9- ^ith a
Receipt far making CU RR ANT fV I N E.

Read before the Society,

Dear Sir,

ESTEEMING it a duty incumbent on the Members of
civil Society, to communicate every ufeful difcovery they
conceive the Public may be benefited by, 1 take the libertv of
fending you the incloled Receipt for making Qurrant-Wine^
which, for a good number of years, has been fuccefsfuUy car-
ried on in this place.

From

r 247 ]

' l^ROM its cheapnefs, (which I imagine cannot (land the
maker in more than Six-Pence a quart -,) from the eaiy culture
of the fhrub, and the confideiation of their never tailing to
bear *, it is thought the inhabitants of this province may be
generally induced to fall into the way of making ic, whereby,
perhaps in time to come, the great importation of the interior
lorts, and 1 fear, before they come into the hands of the re-
tailer, bad wines may be greatly lefTened, if not wholly pre-
vented, and a wholelbme liquor as the Currant Wine, if well
made, and of proper age, really is, introduced in their (lead,
which I need not add would be a great faving to the Province.

The Currant bufli, though a fhrub that grov/s almofl: fpon-
taneoufly, requires neverthelefs fome drcffing ; in regard to
which the following directions may beof fervice.

Plant them round the quarters in your garden, that they
may have the benefit of the dung and culture annually be-
llowed thereon, which will confequently make the berries large
and the juice rich.

The Red Currant is preferable to the White, as yielding
richer juice, and in much greater quantity.

Take the mod luxuriant flips or flioots of a year's growth,
fet them in the ground about eight inches deep, and not lefs
than twenty-four diftant from each other ; thefe never fail of
taking root, and generally begin to bear in two years. For
the rell let them from time to time be treated as efpaliers,
(but not againft a wall) obferving to keep the roots, efpe-
cially in the fpring of the year, free from fuckers and grafs.

This treatment is the more necefiary, in that the goodnefs
of the Wine in a great degree depends on their having the full
benefit of the Sun and air, to maturate and give the berries a
proper balfamic quality, by exhaling a due proportion of their
acid watry particles.

.-^■^i-i- •

[ 248 ]

rhe Receipt for making CURRANT WINE,
. GATHER your Currants when full ripe, which will com-
monly be about the middle of July ; break them well in a tub>
or vat, (we have a mill conllrufted for the purpofe, confiding
of a hopper, fixed upon two lignum vitas rollers,) prefs and
meafure your juice, add two thirds water, and to each gallon
of that mixture (i. e. juice and water) put 3 lb. of Mufcovado
fugar, (the cleaner and dryer, the better, very coarfe fugar
firft clarified will do equally well,) ftir it well, till the fugar is
quite dilTolved, and then tun it up. If you can poflibly pre-
vent it, let not your juice (land over night, as it fhould not
ferment before mixture.

»
Observe, that your cafks be fweet and clean, and fuch that
never have had either beer or cyder in them, and if new, let
them be firft well feafoned.

Do not fill your caflcs too full, otherwife they will work out
at the bung, which is by no means good for the Wine ; rather
make a proportionable quantity over and above, that, after -^
drawing ofi^ the Wine, you may have a fufiiciency to fiJl up
the caftvS.

Lay the bung lightly on the hole, to prevent the flies, &c..
from creeping in. Jn three weeks or a month after making,
the bung-hole may be (topped up, leaving only the vent-hole
(jpen till it has fully done working, which generally is about
the latter end of 06lober. It may then be racked off into
other clean cafks, if you pleafe, but experience feems to favour
the letting the Wine ftand on the lees till fpring, as it thereby
attains a ftronger body, and is by that means in great meafure
diverted of that fweet, lufcious tafte, peculiar to made Wine;
nay, if it is not wanted for prefent confumption, it may, with-
out any damage, ftand two years on the lees.

• When you draw oftthe Wine, bore a hole an inch, at leaft
above the tap hole, a little to the fide of it,- that it may run
clear off the Ices. The lees may either be diftillcd, which will
yield a fine fpirit, or filtered thro* a Ilippocrates's fleeve, and
returned again into the caftc. Some put in the fpirit, but I
think it not advileablc. Do

C 249 J

Do not fufFer yourfelves to be prevailed on to add more than
one third of juice, as above prefcribed, in hopes the Wine may
be richer, for that would render it infallibly hard and unplea-
fant, nor yet a greater proportion of fugar, as it would cer-
tainly deprive it of its pure vinous tafte.

By this management you may have Wine, letting it have a
proper age, equal to Madeira, at lead fuperiour to mofl
Wines commonly imported, and for much lefs money.

In regard to the quantity of Wines intended to be made,
take this example, remembering that 12 lb. of fugar is equal
to a gallon of liquid.

For inflance, fuppofe you intend to make 30 gallons onlyj
then there muft be,
8 gallons of juice, 24 gallons of mixture,

16 of water, 3 multiplied by

24 gallons of mixture 12) 72 pounds of fugar, equal to

6 gallons produced by fugar 6 gallons of liquid.

30 gallons.

And fo proportionably for any quantity you pleafe to make.

The common cyder prefles, if thoroughly cleans v/ill do
well in making large qu?ni.ities, the Imall hand-fcrew prefs, is
moll' convenient for iiich v/ho make lefs.

N. B. An extraordinary good fpirit, for medicinal and
other ufes, may be diftilled from Currant-Juice, by adding a
quart of molallcs to a gallon of juice, to give it a proper
fermentation.

JSxira^s

r 250 j

Extra^s of a LETTER from Br. Lorimer, of Wen-
Florida, to Hugh Williamson, M. D.

Read before the Society, 21ft Jpril, iy6g.

WH E N I read the plan for enlarging your Society, one.
part of it particularly called to my mind an introduc-
tion to the conclufion of the modern part of the Univerfal
Hiftory, wherein the geography of this globe is confidered in a
new light, witha view to difcoveries. In that article it is ob-
ferved, that the lines which meafure the greateft length of the
old and of the new continents are nearly equal, and that they
incline to the equator in the fame angle, but in oppofite di-
redions. It is farther remarked, that each of them divide their
refpeflive continents into two tra6ls of land almoft of the fame
fuperficial contents, and that thefe continents feem fixed by
nature as a counterpoize to one another. Your Society take
notice of the fimilarity between the call fide of the old conti-
nent, and the eaft fide of the new, in vegetable produftions,"
&c. and viceverfa. Now let me contribute one proof of this
propofition amongft many others. The odoriferous Skimmi
of Japan is a native of Weft-Florida. Our agent "is a great
naturalift, and particularly intent on procuring fpecimens of
this plant. I hope in a little tim-e to be able to give you and
him a pretty fatisfadory account of it. We have a variety of
fl-irul>s, with aromatic and odoriferous bark. I am really of,
opinion that the common plants have a more exquifite flavour
in this climate than in other countries. There is a kind of
farfaparilla, which anfwers the intention, but I queftion. whe-
ther it would fell well at firft. We have fnake-root and many
other medicinal plants, and I do not doubt but fonie articles
may be difcovered which are vet unknown in the Materia
Medica. There is a beautiful kind of bean, which fome of
ourfiilors having eat of, were furprized with a vomiting and
purging, jull: as another crew were by eating poke for lailad.
There is likewife a plant ot the pea kind, faid to be ufed by
the. Indians as an univerfal remedy in veneral cafes. I hope
foon to be better acquainted with thefe things : Though I am
ibrry to iiiy that i am no great botanift, nor have we any man

•of

[ 251 ]

of eminence in that way. Here is certainly a great field to
employ naturalifts. Minerals, efpecially iron, we have in
abundance. 1 have a very good natural magnet, found within
fix miles of this town. I'here is an excellent chalybeat water
juft by, itselaftic fpirit has driven the cork out of the bottle
which contained it. The country is full of navigable rivers,
and runs of the fined frerti water. About Mobile and at the
fwampy mouths of fome rivers, it mull be a little unhealthy,
but it is far from being fo bad as has been imagined. In
April 1765, when I was notified as furgeon to the forces here
at the war office, I unluckily prognofticated the fate ot our
troops which were then to be fcnt out. It is now evident
that it was miicondudt entirely that occafioned the lofs of fo
many foldiers and fubjecfts. I am juft making out a ftatc of
the medical conftitution of this climate •, as an introdu6lion to
which I have given afhort general account of the -fituation of
the country and the tempeiature of the air •, for which laft
purpofe 1 have taken the height of the thermometer generally
three times every day for one whole year, and I have noted all
the extraordinary variations for almoft three other years. No-
thing elfe could give an idea of a climate, where the thermo-
meter will rife or fall fometimes 20 degrees in a few hours, and
at other feafbns not 2 in many days, the extremes being at
leaft from 17 to 98 degrees of Farenheit's fcale. Your Society
obferve, that on the Eaft Coaft of North-America and of Chi-
na, the North-Well Winds are cold and piercing, the South
Weft warm and dry, the North-Eaft cold and wet, the South-
Eaft wet but warm ; and that the cafe is different on the Weft
Coaft of Europe and at California. Now on this Coaft, which
is neither the Eaft nor Weft fide of a continent •, in winter the
Southerly Winds are warm and moift, the Northerly cold and
dry : In fummer we have the daily fea breeze from the South,
and in the night or morning a refrefhing gentle land wind from
the North. The (ky in this country is remarkably ferene,
efpecially when the winds are Northerly. A thought juft
ftrikes me, that, according to the foregoing fimilarities, our
coaft ftiould refe'mble that of Perfia from the river Indus to the
gulph of Ormus, but as there is no Mifiifippi on that coaft:,
we may compare the mouths of that river with thofe of the
Ganges, and the country ^bouc Bengal,, to . that of New>

Orleans.

1 252 3 -

'Orleans. The Spanifh Main, as we call it, fkall be Arabia,
and Spirito Sandlo, in Eaft-Florida, may reprefent Madrals.
However, to return to what we knov/ of our own fituation.
The Gulph of Mexico may be confidered as one great whirl-
pool. The genera) courfe of the waters in the Great Oceans,
as well as the current of the Air within and near the Torrid
Zone, being from Eaft to Weif -, rhe force of the Atlantic
comes upon the Weft-India iflands, and the lengths of thefe
iflands are in that direction. When the waters get into the
•Great Gulph, they are obltruded every where, and as it were
turned round by the land, the greattft velocity of this great
body of water will be towards the Kquator, and it muft get
<out where it meets with the ieaft refiftance, that is on the fid«
torvards the Pole, and there it forms the ftrong current or paf-
fage, called the Gulph of Flo.ida. The natural courfe there-
fore of the waters on our coa'il, Ihould be from Weft to Eaft ;
but here there are frequent currents which, are very irregular,
depending moft probab y on the winds, but feldom on that
which blows on thefpot. By the general law of the tides, there
fhould be flood for one fix h >ur.s and ebb for the fix foiiow'-
■ing nearly, but here an ebb-tide will continue tor eighteen or
twenty hours, and the fiood '^nly tour or fix, & viceverfa. A
foutherly wind always raifes and keeps up the waters in our
bays, and the northerly winds almoft empty them, yet it muft
be allowed that thele ebb's and floods are not equable during
this continuance, for upon accurate obfervation there is a ten-
dency to two ebbs and as many floods every twenty four hours,
though ih;::y are overpowered by the winds or currents. The
entrance ot ovir bays and rivers are defended as it were by a fhal-
low or fand bank, which forms a bar farther out towards the
fea, than is ufual in Europe •, the depth on the bars is not at
all proportional to that v;ithin the rivers : All the rife on the
bars is about a foot, while in the bays it is almoft three. The
mouths of our rivers are frequently divided into different chan-
nels by a kind of fwamp covered with reeds, and all this is
Qioft probably bccafioned by a kind of conflid between thefe
currents, and the rifing of our rivers at certain feafons of the
year. There are no dangerous (hoals on this coaft, unlels you
fall too far to the Eaftward about Cape-Blaze, or St. George's
Iftands. 1 he latitude of the Caps being the ir^ft foutherly

land

[ 253 ]

land In Weft -FloTida is about 29°. 4o'. and fronn thence to
the entrance of San6la Rofa bay, v/hlch is in 30°. 30' the Iar,d
gradually declines to the North. From Sandta Roza to thz
entrance of Mobile Bay in lat. 30°. 17'. it falls again to' the
Southward ; and from Mobile- Bay to the entrance of the lakes
it is ncirly ILiil and vVell. There isno fuch thing as recom-
mending any map of this country. Bellin and fuch as have co-
pied from him, give fome refemblance of the coaft, but they
are all erroneous, and that in very material articles. If Mr.
Gaulds's furveys are not foon pubhfhed, he will poffibly fend
a copy of them for your Society, but he is juft now fo cnszaaed
that he cannot fet about fuch a work. 7 hus far I thmk it
n.ctfiary ai prefcnt to inform you f^om his papers •, that the
bay of Spirito >ando is fufiicient for firft rate Ihips, but that
is in Eaft-Florida. Th^ harbour of Penfacola will only admit
fuch as dravv 21 feet water, though that is fuificient for 50 or
60 gun ihips, and there is a road ited lately d-.fcovered behind
the Chandelierj, which is much more conrimodicus than that at
Ship Iflandin its neighbourhood ; it will admit veffels of any
;fize, aiici is Ih^dtereJ from ail winds except the North and
North- Weft, m which cafes they can eafily put to lea, and
make for Penfacola or Spirito San<5lo, if neceflary. I'he bay
of Sc. Jofepli is not unlike that publiflied by Jefifereys, ir has
18 feet water good, fine anchorage, and would be a moft ad-
vantageous fituation for a fifhery, fait pans, &c. The bay of
St. Andrew jull adjacent is as much larger as it is unlike to'any
thing yet publifned, it extends from South Ealt to North-
Weft, and is a moft commodious harbou*^ for veffels of 13 feet
draught. The bay of Sanfla Rofa is ftill more extenfive ; it
lies from South-V/eft to North Eaft, but can eafily anfwer for
the Penlacola pettiaugers, which by the long channel within
the ifland, and the river which falls into the head of the bay,
and extends North Eaft almoft to the Lower Creek Nation,
may trade with the Indians. The land? upon this river at fome
diftance from the bay are good, but all along this coaft there
is little elfe than a fandy beach and pine barren. But for a de-
fcription of the rivers Miftifippi, Pearls, Pafcogoula, the
Tombecby, and Albania, which fall into the bay of Mobile,
'the bay and river of Perdido, juft contiguous to Penfacolaj
.~ . ' K k the

C 254 ]

the Scam by, and fo forth, I refer you entirely to Mr. — ,

who is a much better judge than 1 am of the advantages which
may be made of their produce, &c.

I SHALL fend you a defcription of an Univerfal Magnetic
Needle. It gives the variation and dip at the fame time, the
laft of which 1 prefume with more accuracy than any yet extant.
It anfwers in all parts of the world, without the addition or
alteration of any poife, fuch as our beft compafles now have,
A coUedion of American magnetical obfervations is much
wanted ; with the coufe of the line of no variation in-Iand, and
the dip, which 1 imagine will be found greater than in the
fame latitudes on the European fide. The farther to the North
and Weft, that the obfervations could be made the better.
This was a fubje<5l which I had defpaired of ever feeing re-
duced to any kind of regularity, but I am now well fatisfied
that it may. 1 have great expedations from the plan of
your Society, and Ihall make it my bufmefs to prepare fome-
thing or other, by the time I can expert to have the favour of
a few lines from you. I moft fmcerely wifh you fuccefs, and
am, Sir,

Your moft obedient

Humble Servant,
J. LORIMER,

Penfacola^ Jan. 7^17^9^ >^

rhe

I '^55 1

'A Caialogut of fuch FOREIGN PLANTS, as aye 'ix.'orthy of being tncoitraged
in our American Colonies, for the Purpqfes of Medicine, Agriculture, and
Commerce.

[ From a Pa;w//&/*/ ^y JOHN ELLIS, F.R.S. Prefentedhythe Hanorahk
THOMAS PENN, EJq; to the American Philofophical Society, thra'
the Hands of ^^M\JEh POWEL, Efqr. ]

To avoid confufion in the Botanical names, both the gentrical and fpecific, or trivial
names of the Plants, are fet donxin, nvith the page referred to in the celebrated
Linnaeus' ^ fecond edition of his Specits of Plants, Other Authors of the heft
Authority are mentioned, vohere Linnaeus is Jilent.

Latin Names.

Rubia Peregrina
Rubia Tinftorun

Quercus Saber

Quercus .^gilopi

Quercus Galliferi!

zdEd.L.Sp

p. 158
p. ij8

p. 1413

0. 1 4 1 4

Parkinfon,
1386

Englifh Names.

Turkey Madder
Dyers Madder ♦

Cork-bearing oak

Ave! Ian ea or Va-
lenida oak

rail-bearing oak

Kk

I

Obfervations.

The firfl: is fuppofed to be
• fame that is now culti-
vated in Smyrna for a
crimfon dye.

Grows in the fouthern
parts of France, Spain,
and Portugal.

The cups of the acorns,
which are very large,
ufed here in dying, grow
in Greece and Natolia,
particuiarly in the ifland
of Zia in the Arc'iipe-
lago, where Tournefort
fays they gather in one
year 5000 Cwt.

Galls from Aleppo and
Smyrna. This oak is
not yet known in Eng-
land : The Aeorns may-
be brought over in wax,
and fent to the Floridas,
Georgia, and South-
Carolina.

Carthamus

* This plant is a native of the warmefc parts of Europe, and is better calculated for
the climate of the Floridas than either of Holland or England, where it is cultivated ;
but principally in the former, from whence we are chiefly fupplied with this valuable
dye. The chemifts fiiy, and with reafon,'that the warmth of tlie climate exalts the
colour. If fo, it may be well worth the attention of the public to encourao^e the plant-
ing of fo valuable an article of commerce in a climate and foil that feems fo much bet-
ter adapted to it, where the land is cheap, and where vegetation is fo much qr.icker
and more luxuriant ; and while we encourage the growth of it in our colonies, wc may
have the advantage of manufa^fhiring this valuable commodity at home, for which at
prefent we pay furas fcarcely credible, to the Dutch.

r 255 1

"Latin Names, zd Ed. L. Sp. l Englifh Names.

Carthamus
Tinftorius

Rhamnus cathar

ticus minor
RhamnusSaxatilis

Olea Europea

Sefamum Qri-
entale

GofTypiumher-

baceum
GofTypium

hirfutum

Salfola Soda ^

Salfola Sativa ^

and Chenopo- ■>

dium mari- C

timom N

Ceratonia
qua

Sili-

Lin.Sp. 1 162 ' Safflower

rournft.593 Buckthorns that
produce yellow

Lin.Sp. 167 1 berries of Avig-
non

p. n

p. 883

P- 975

p. 323
p. 321

p. 1 5 13

Olives of feveral
varieties

Oily grain

Two forts t)f an-
nual cotton

Tliefe kinds of
glaflfwort for
Barilla

Locuft-tree or St,
John's Bread

Obfenrations.

Much ufed in dying,
graws in Egypt.

Ufed by painters and dy-
ers ; both thefe plants
produce berries fit for
this purpofe.

For oil; thefe grow in
France, Spain, and
Italy. Young plants
and ripe fruit of the
French and Spanifh
forts, may be brought
from thence.

Propagated in the Le-
vant for oil, which
does not Coon grow
rancid by keeping.

Both thefe kinds of an-
nual cotton are yearly
fown in Turkey, and
would grow well in-
the warm climates of
North America, as the
Floridas, Georgia, Ca-
rolina, and Virginia. .

Thefe are fown yearly in
fields near the fea in
Spain, for making Ba-
rilla, fo: foap, glafs, J
&c.

The po.js are excellent
food for hard-working
cattle, and ufed for
thispurpoleon the fea-
coaft of Spair!, where
they are eafily propa-
gated from feeds . or
cuttings.

Piftachia

C H7 I

Kftachia Tcre-
.binthus

Piftachia I.€ntif-

P- H?5

p. H5S

Chio turpeniine-
tree

Maftidc-tcec

Latin 3JJWW, ;|2dEd.L.Sp.: EngUfti Naiftes. Obfcrvations.

Piftachia Ver» jp. 1454 Piftachia-tree They are propagated about

Aleppo, wheie the fe-
male or fruit- bearing
ones are ingrafted on
flocks raifed from the
nuts.

This kind of turpentine is
ufed in medicine.

Gum Maftick from the
ille of Scio ; as this
tree, commonly called
the Lentifcus, is doubt-
ed to be the genuine
Maflick-tree, feeds of
the true kind may be
procured from the iile
of Scio.

!• Styrax OfH- p. h635 Gum Storax tree -This tree grows in Italy,

cinale Syria, and India ; but

the warmer climates
yield the bell gum.

Convolvulus p. 218 Gum Scammony Seeds of the Plant, frpixi

Sc^mmonia whence this excellent

drug is procured, were
fent into England about
20 years ago, from
Aleppo, by the late
Dr. Aiex. Ruifet : it
bears this climate very
well, and produces feed
in hot fummers ; but
requires the vvaroier cli-
mates of Carolina,
Georgia, and the Fie-
ri das,

* There is a refinofis jui-e, v.hlch, by agCj haidens into a folid brittle refm, of a
pungent, warm, bili-^niic tafte, aud very fr ..grant fmcll, not unlike the Storux calami-
ta, he'gbtcncd Avith a little ambergrife, which is produced from ihe Styrax aceris folio
ofRny, cr LiquldJinb -r ."cyraciilua of Liunaus, Spec, plant. i^rS, which grows in
perftclion in the Floriilas. Th-s, Dr. Lewis, in his Materia Mcdica, p. 353, fays,
might: be appiiecl to valuable r.-eoicina! purpofesl

The French, in Du Pratz' Hiftcry ot Louifiana, fpeak with rapture of its healin?

quilit'cs, ar;d the high efleein it is in among the Indians oT Florida, on "account of its

iatrnite virtues : it is knowa to the EngliO. by the uime of the Sweet Gun>Lree, and to

the French by the n.ime orCop-ilm. This is well worth the attention of the Coiicgt.of

bphyliciaus, as we can have it gti^ine, whereas the istorax. troiu the Eafl is often adjjlteij^t^fj*.

r 25S J

Latin Names;

PapaverSomnife-
rum

CaHia Senna

id Ed.L.Sp

Englilh Names.

p. 726

p. 539

rue opium pop-

py

I'exand rian
purging Senna

Croton Sebife- p, 1425
rum

Rheum Palma-
turn

p. 521

rallow tree of
China

True Rhubarb

Obfervatlotisr

ridas, to make the gum-
refio that flows from it
a beneficial article of
commerce. It is fo
frequently adulterated
in Turkey, that, in
order to have it genuine,
it is well worth propa-
gating in our colonies.

This is recommended t»
be fown in our ibuthern
colonies of North Ame-
rica, for the fake of ob-
taining the opium
pure, f

This grows in Uiper-
Eo'ypt, and is brought
from thence to Alex-
andria ; it would not
be difficult to procure
the feeds of this ufeiul
drug.

This plant grows in moift
places in China, and is
of great ufe in that
country.

The feed of this plant
was brought to Eng-
land about live years
ago, by Dr. Mounfey,
F. R. S. from Mofcow,
and appears by experi-
ment to be the genuine
true Rhubarb of the
fhops, and is a moll va-
luable acquifition to this
country, as it will grow
well in a deep rich foil,
inclining to a fandy
or gravelly loam, but
not in too wet a fitu-

f The feed of this fpecies of poppy is recommended by a phyfician of great emi-
nence as proper for the fame purpofes in medicine as fweet almonds are ufed. It is
obfcrved not to have the kaft degree of a narcotic quality in it;.

[259 ]

Latin Name». 1 2d Ed. L.Sp.

Englifh Names.

Calamus Rotang
Pterocarpus Dra-
co
Dracaena Draco

D cliches Soja

p; 1662

Lin.Syft.Ed.
12. p. Z4.6

Lin. Sp. 1023

Laarus Caffia jp. 52-8;

Three forts of
Gum Dragon,
or Dragon's
blood.

A kind of kid-
bean called
Daidfa

Obfervations.

atlon, and may be cul-
tivated both here and
in North- America. Mr,
inglifh has raifed this
plant with fo muchfuc-
cefs at his country-
houfe at Hampftead, as
to be able not only to
produce feme excellent
good Rhubarb, but a
fufficientquantityof ripe
feed to make a large
plantation ; and at the
fame time has moft ge-
neroufly bellowed a
great deal of feed to be
fent to our American
colonies, where, no
doubt, but it will prove
in a few years a moft
beneficial article of com*
merce^

From a kind of cane
in the Eaft Indies. 2.
From Java and Surinam.
3. From the Canary
and Madeira inlands.

Ufed for making Soye §
or Indian Ketchup,
See Kjemp. Amcenitat.

Caffia Lignea tree Grows in Sumatra.

Laur^

§ The method of preparing Eaft-India Soye, or India Ketchup.
Take a certain meafure, for inftance a gallon, of that fort of kidney-beans, called
Daidfu by the J-aponefe, and Caravances by the Europeans ; let them be boiled till
they are foft; alfo a gallon of bruifed wheat or barley, (but wheat makes the blackeft
Soye) and a gallon of common fait. Let tlie boiled caravances be mixed with the bruifed
\rheat, and be kept covered clofe a day and a night in a warm place, (hat it may fer-
ment. Then put the mixture of the caravances and wheat, together with the gallon of
fait, into an earthen veffel, with two gallons and an half of common water, and cover
it up very clofe. The next day ftir it about well with a battering machine or mill (Ruta-
bulum) for feveral days, twice or thrice a day, in order to blend it more thoroughly to-
gether. This work muft be continued for two or three months, then drain off and prefs
out the liquor, amd keep it for ufe in wooden veflels ; the older it is the clearer it will
be, and of fo much more value. After it is preffed out, you may pour on the remain-
ing mafs moK water, ^e» flir it about violently, and in forae days after you may prefs
•ut more Soye.

Latin Names.

Laurus Cinamo-
mum

Laur. Camphora

2dEd.L.Sp.
p. 528

p. 528

Englifh Names.

Cycas Circinali

Amyris Gilead
enfis

Arundo Bambo

Anacardus Ori-
eutalis

•• 1658

.1(1. Mant.
165

120

Ainoen.
P- 793

Cinnamon-tree

Camphire-tree

Sago Palm-tree

True balm of
Gilead-tree. J

The true Bamboo
cane

Siamvarnili tree,
called Toa-
lack by the
Japonefe

Obfervationft-I

In Ceylon, Guadaloupe,
and in mod of our
newly ceded iflands.

In Japan, and in Suma-
tia, row in England in
the frretn hou es about
London. It will grow
freely where oranges
and Jernons do.

In Java, and the warmeft
pajts ol iheEalt indies.

Lately difcovered in Ara-
bia bv Dr. F-rfkalJ,
and defcnbed by ])r.
Linnseos in a late dif-
fcitation.

Of great
and niifc,

.)^p in China,

he lie alfo in

our American iflands, *

The fruit of this is the
Mai ac a bean, or mark-
ing nut, and the Ori-
ental Anacardium of
the fliops. This is the
common

jl The camphire from Sumatra is greatly preferable to that of Japan ; we are not ce*-
fcain whether it is from a different fpecies of tree, but it feems well worth inqu'ring into,
as the effcdts of proportionable quantities in medicine are iurprizingly diftVreEt. pcr-
jiiaps it may be ov.-:ng to the great difference of heat in the climates.

' ^ We have in the illand of Jamaica, a fpecies of tree of this genus, called by Lin-
nEus Am\ris bahamifera. See Species Plantarum, p. 496. Sir Hans Sloane, in his
hill, of Jaih. vol. II. p. 14, csUs this tree Lignum Rhodium, from the odoriferous fmell
of its wood when burnt, which it dilTufss a great way ; for which re.'.fon be believes it
tO.be the tree that afforded the agreeable fcent which Columbus perceived on the foutli
iliore of dkba, upon the difcovery of that idand, as is mentioned by fevcral hiftoriant.
Dr. Pat. Browne, in his hiftory of Jamaica, p. zc8. calls this tree white candlewood, or
rofcwood, and commends it much ; he fiys it is very refinous, burns freely, and ai-
fords a moft: agreeable fmell ; and that all the parts of tlrs tree are rull of w.'rni and

aromatic particles. Quere, Whether it is not worth while to extra<fl the balfam, as it

agrees fo near in character and genus with that moft valuable drug the balfam of
Mecca ? ■

* The French had brought this moft ufeful plant from the Eaft-Indies to their Wef^-
India iflands : a few roots have been got from thence to Grenada, and 'Vitl perhaps in
lime become familiar in our Iflands. But too much pains cannot be taken in the pro-
'pagaticn of this plr.n^ as its ufes are manifold and extenfive, both in bailding, an<?
all kinds o: domeftic inftruments. ■'

r 26t

Latia Names.

Thea

Gardenia Flori-
da

Magnifera Indica

zdEd. L.Sp.

P- 734

P- 305

Morus papyrifera

p. 290

Engllih Names. I Obfervations,

commo'ti varnifli of the
Eaft-Indies, as de-
fcribed by Ksempfer,
This tree is unI:nowi\
to the Botanifts.

From Japan and China;
See Kaempfer's Amani*
tates, p. 60 ^.

Ufed in dying fcarlet in
China, Thepulp thatfuf-
rounds the feeds, gives
in warm water a molt
excellent yellow colour,
inclining to orange. See
Phil. Tranf. Vol. 52.
p. 654, where there is
an exaii figure of it.

Eaft-India Man- This excellent fruit is

Tea

Umkv of the Chi-
nefe

go- tree

P- »399

Paper Mulberry-
trce

L 1

much efteemed in the
EalV Indies, and it is
faid there is a tree of it
now growing in the
ifland of Madeira. By
the defcription which
Dr. Solander gives of
this fruit, at Rio Ja-
neiro in Brafil, it is
not fo good as the Eaft-
India lort.

Ufed for making paper in
China and Japan. See
Ksmp.Amcenit.p. 467.
This has been lome
time in theEnglifli gar-
dens.

Cinchona

f It is aflerted by fome people, that the green tea and the bohea tea are two differ-'
ent fpecies ; but without foundation : they are one and the fame Ipecies. It is the na-
ture of the foil, the culture, and manner of gathering and drying the leaves, that makes
the ditference ; for take a green-tea tree and plant it in the bchca country, and it will
produce bohea-tea, and fo the contrary. This is a fatEt attefted by gentlemen now in
London, that have refidcd many years in Chin^, and v,ho have had great experience
in this article.

L 262 ]

Latin Names. | 2d Ed. L.Sp.

Cinchona Offi-
cinalis

p. 244

Dorftenia Con-
trayerva

Smilax Sarfapa-
hlla

Copaifera Offi-
cinalis

Tolmfera Bal
famum

Hymeneal Cour-
baril^'

p. -176
p. 1459

P- 557
P- 549

P- 537

falapium
narum

Offici-

Englifh Names.
Jefuits bark-tree

Obfervations.

This grows at loxa In
the province of Peru ;
and could it be obtain-
ed (0 as to be cultivat-
ed in our American
iflands, would be of in-
finite advantage to us.

This grows in New-Spain,
MexicKfe and Peru.

It is brought from the
Bay ot Campeacby, and
the Gulph of Honduras,
where it grows in plen-
ty, and might eafily be
propagated in Florida.

Balfam Copaiva-|!n Brazil, and Martinico,
tree

This tree grows near
Carthagena, in Soutlk-
Ani erica.

Contrayerva-root

Sarfaparilla-root

3alfam Tolu-tree

The Locuft or
Gum Copal-
tree, for the
fineft tranfpar-
ent varnilli.

Dale 183

True Jalap

this
may
and

This tree is known to
yield the true Gum Co-
pal, and that the dif-
ference between
and Gum Anime,
b. owing to foil
heat of climate ; it
grows wild in ourAme-
rican iflands, the Mof-
kito {hore, and in Ter-
ra Firma.

This plant is fuppofed by-
fome to be a kind of
Bindweed or Convol-
vulus, that grows near
Mexico ; by others it
is thought to be a fpe-
cies of Marvel of Peru.
As we are uncertain of
the ^nus, it is well
worth ei q ui. iiig into, as
a nioa ulcfu) ttrug, in
o. (ier to propagate it in
oui cu.oiiies.

Bixa

u

263.

1

Latin Names.
Bixa Orellana

Mimofa Senegal
Mlmofa Nilotica

Ficus Sycomorus

Ficus Carica

Vitis Apyrena

Fraxinus Ornus

AmygHalus Com-
munis

zdEd.L.Sp
Lin, Sp. 730

p, 1506
p. 1506

P- '513

P- ^513

p. 293

p. 677

Englifli Names.
Arnotto, for dying

Gum Senegal tree

Gum Arabick

True Sycamore
of Zaccheus

rky Figs

Durrants, or Co-
rinthian grapes

walabrian Manna
Afh t

Sweet Almonds

LI 2

Obfervations.

This grows in all the
warm climates of Ame-
rica, The French culti-
vate it, but what the
Spaniards fend is much
richer in colour and
more valuable.

This grows in ^gypt,
and in Senegal.

In ^gypt, from whence
the feeds may be pro-
cured.

This is reckoned the moft
durable timber we
know. The repolitories
of the Mummies found
in ^gypt are made of
this timber.

Figs grow in the greateft
perfedlion in Carolina,
and * would become a
valuable trade if they
had the method of cu-
ring them as in Turkey.

The cuttings of this vine
might be procured from
Zant.

This is worth trying in
our fouthern colonies,
where the heats are vio-
lent in the fummer. It
is common in our nur-
fery gardens,

Thefe would grow to great
perfection in our fouth-
ern colonies.

Capparis

•j- There is no drug fo liable to adulteration as this : and therefore, as it is a medi-
cine fo frequently in ufe among peifons of tender conflitutions, efpecially young chil-
dren, great caie fliould be taken to have it genuine.

C 264 3

Latin Names.
Capparis Spinofa

PunicaGranatuml

Lichen Roccella

Ciftus Ladanifera

Bubon Galbanum

Paftinaca Opopo-
nax

Amomum Carda-
momum

Curcuma Longa

Adragalus Tra-
gacantha

Cucumis Coly-
ciiuhis

Gentiana lutea

adEd.L.Sp.

p. 720

p. SyS

1622

P- 737

P- 364
p. 376

3
10:3

P- H35
p. 329

Englilh Names.
Caper tree

Ofervations.

This (hrub requires a
rocky foil to grow in,
as it is. about Marfeille&
and Toulon.

Balauftians, or the This tree would thrive
blofToms of the j extremely well in our
double flower- fouthern provinces, and
ing pomegra- yield a profitable ar-
nate tide in their blolFoms.

Plants of this kind are
to be bought from moft
of our nurfery men.

Argal, Canary-
weed, or Or-
chell

'Tis pofllble this valuable
plant may be found in
our American iflands,
as well as in the Cana-
ries and Cape-Verd
iflands.

Gum Labdanum In Spain and the Archipe-
lago.

Gum Galbanum
Gum Opoponax

Cavdamuras

Tumerick

Gum Tragacanth
or GumDragon

Coloquintida, or
Bitter apple

Gentian

In Ethiopia.
In Sicily.

In the Eaft Indies.

In the Eaft Indies.

In the fouth of France
and in Sicily.

In Africa.

s?

In the Alps, Apennines,
and Pyrenees. To be
had of the nuifery-

men.

Similax

^ Thcfmgk fioAvering or fruit-bearing Pomegranate, w.U afForcUhe moft gratcfu ad-
dition to the fruits of our col jnScs, and a valuable medicmc. The r,pc fru>t full of
feeds is to be met with at our .ru.t-niops in the ^vlntcr feafon : from the feeds ol fuch
fruit this tree may be cafdy propagated.

Latin Names.
Similax China

Pimpinella Anii
um

Gambogia Gutt;

Quercus Coccife
ra

Myrrha Offic.

Benzionum Offic.

Ammoniacum
Offic.

Balfamum Perua
num

Olibanum Thu
Mafculum

Nux Mofchata

Offic.

Caryophyllus
aromaticus

Piper Nigrum

Garcinia Monga
ilona

:dEd.L.Sp

K 1459

^. 379
P. 728

3. 141 3
Dale. 325

Dale. 303
Dale, ug

r 265 ]

EngUfh Names.
Jhina root

Anife feeds

Gamboge
Alkermes oak

Gum Myrrh

Gum Benjamin

Gum Ammoni-
acum

Natural Balfam of
Peru

Dale. 337

Dale. 348 ! Frankincenfe

Dale. 302
Lin. Sp. 735

p. 40

P- 635

Nutmegs with
Mace f

Cloves

Pepper
Mangofteens

Obfervations.

In China and ia New-
Spain.

In ^gypt.

In the Eall-Indies,

About Marfeilles and Tou-
lon.

In Abyffinia. The cha-
rafters of this plant and
the five following are
not yet known to the
botanilts.

In Surafatra and Java.

In Africa.

In Peru.

In the Upper ^gypt and
interior parts of Africa.

In Amboyna.

In the Molucca iflands.

Sumatra.

A moft delicious fruit,
grows in ja\a, and in
feveral parts of ihe Eaft-
Indiea.

Lechee

f Specimens of the Nutmeg-tree in fniu from the ifland of "^obajo hare been lately
received by the Earl of Hillfborough, r.-h'ch his Loidil.ip hj.s lent, with ipccin;ens of
many other curious iilants, for- the infoiniat'on of the publ'c, to the >;TitMli Mufcum.
'1 1'.cv are certainlv of the fame genus with the true ni.tr.seg, and pofliLJy may be m-
prov'ed by cultivation ; the mace evidently covers them, aiid ihcy have all the charac-
ters and the fame leaves with the wild Nutmeg tree dcfcribed by Rumphius, in hit
Herbarium Amboinenfe, publiilied by Biuxiao.

Latin Names.
Lechee

Ipecacuanha

Ferula Afla Fce-
tida

C 266 ]

zdEd.L.Sp. Englifh Names.

Dale, 170
Maigrave 1 7

Lin. Sp.356

Lechcc of China

Ipecacuanha of
the flu-ps, or
Brafiiian root

Afla Foetida, or
Devil's dung,
called Hing ii'
the Malay lan-
guage

Obfervations.

This fruit is highly com-
mended by ail perfons
who have been in Chi-

Very ufeful in medicine,
and worthy of our at-
tention to propagate it
in our Well-India
iflands : at prefent its
genus is unknown to
the botanifls.

The gum of this plant Is
much jfed in medicine.
Kaempf. 535 and 536.

To this catalogue may be added liquorice, fafFron, and
aloes focotorina : of the two firft we do not raile near a fuiii-
ciency at home for our own confumption, but are obliged to
import thofe articles froni Spain.

'The Society having thought proper to give a place to the forego-
ing Cntalcgue ; it may he necejfary to fubjoin yi'w^DiRECiiONS,
(taken alfo from Mr. Ellis s Pamphlet.,) for bringing over
Seeds and Plants from difianS Countries, in a fiate of Ve-
getation.

MANY valuable trees and plants, yet unknown to us, grow
in diftant countries, particularly in the Northern Pro-
vinces of China, about the latitude of 40 degrees, which would
thrive well in North-America, more efpecially in thele middle
Colonies, which lie about the fame latitude. But as the dif-.
tance is great, the manner of prefer ving the Seeds properly,
fo as to keep them in a flate of vegetation, is an affair of
confiderable confequence and fome difficulty. The following
hints are therefore offered for that purpofe.

In

(! The charaiHiers of this fruit are not yet known to the botanifls.

I 267 3

In the firft place it ought to be carefully attended to, that
the Seeds fliould be perfcdlly ripe when they are gathered j
and they fhould be gathered, if pofllble, in dry weather ; af-
terwards they fhould be fpread thin on paper or matts, in a dry
airy room, but not in funfhine. The time neceflary for this
operation will vary according to the heat of the climate, orfea-
fon of the year, from a fortnight to a month, or perhaps two
may be neceflary j the hotter the feafon, the lefs time will fufl
fice. This is to carry off their fuperfluous moifture, which if
confined would immediately turn to mouldinefs, and end in
rottennefs.

As there are two methods that have fucceeded, and put us
in poflfeflion of feveral young plants of the true tea-tree of Chi-
na, I fhall mention them both, in order to aflift the colle6tor in
bringing home the feeds of many valuable plants.

The firfl is by covering theiti with bees-wax in the manner
explained in Phil. Tranfaft. vol. lviii. p. 75.

It principally confifts in rhoofing only fuch feeds as are per-
fedily found and ripe. To prove this, we muft cue open fome
of them to judge what firuation the reft may be in, taking
care to lay afide any that are outwardly defeflive, or marked
with the wounds of infefts. When a proper choice of them is
made, they fhould be wiped extremely ciesn, to prevent any
dirr or moifture being inclof.d v each feed then fhould be roi-
led up carefully in a coat of loft bees wax half an inch thick :
the deep yellow Englilh bees-wax is the beft. When you have
covered the number you intend to indole, pour fome of this
bees-wax melred into a chip-box of fix or feven inches long,
four broad, and three deep, till it is above half full ; and jufl
before it begins to harden, while it is yet fluid, put in the
Seeds you have rolled up in rows till the box 1^ near full ; then
pour over them fome more wax while it is jufb fluid, laking
cdtV^ when it is cold to llop all the crd>ks or chinks that may
have proceeded from the fnrinking of f e wax, with fome ve ry
fott wax j then put on the cov. r of the box, and keep it m ae
Gool and airy a place as you can.

T-H£.

i: 258 :

: The. niediod of inclofing tea-feeds fingly in wa5i, and bring-
Imr them over in that ftate, has been pra6lifed for feme time ;
but few have fucceeded, owing to the thinnefs of the coat of
rvax, or putting paper firft round them, or inclofing them too
.nioill, .

To this I muftadd a method that promifes fuccefs for bring-
ing over plants from the Weft-Indies, and the fouchern parts
ot North-America, particularly Well-Florida, the voyage
from hence being longer than from the Weft-Indies, and more
attention is required to keep the plants in health, than from
any other parts of our North-American fettlements : but as
.there is a good deal of difference in the climates of thefe places,
it will be neceifary to obferve, that plants from the Weft-
Indies iliould be put on board in the latter end of fpring, fo as
to arrive here in warm weaiher, otherwife they will bedeftroy-
cd -by the cold of this latitude; and the ever-greens, which
■are the moft curious from Weft-Florida, muft be lent in the
Vv'inter months, while their juices are inactive, fo as to arrive
here before the heats come on. If the plants fenc from thefe
countries were planted in pots or boxes, and l^ept there a year,
they miorht be brought over with very little hazard ; or even if
they were firft tranlplanted from the woods into a garden, till
they had formed roots, they might be fcnt with much more
fafe ty.

The fize of the boxes that will be moftVonvenient for ftow-
ing them on board merchant-fliips, where there is very litile
room to fpare, fhould be three feet long, fifteen inches broad,
and. from eighteen inches to two leec deep, according to the
fize of the young trees •, but thefmalleft will be moft likely to
fucceed, provided thev are well rooted. There muft be a nar-
row ledge nailed all round the infide of the box, withm fix
inches of the bottom^ to faften larhs or packthread to form a
kind of lattice- work, by which the plants may be the better
fecured in their places. If the plants are packed up juft be-
fore the fliip lails^ it v/iil be fo much the better.

When they are dug up, care muft be taken to preferve as
much earth as can be about their roots j and if it fhould. fjfli

oft;

r *^9 1

off, it muft be fupplied with more earth, fo as to form a hA\
about the roots of each Planr, which muft be furrounded with
wet mofs, and carefully tied about with packthread, to keep
the earth about the roots moift : perhaps it may be neceffary to
inclofe the mofs with fome paper or broad leaves (as the pal-
metto) that the packthread may bind the mofs the clofer<
Loamy earth will continue moift the longeft. There muft be three
inches deep of wet mofs put into the bottom of the box, and
the young trees placed in rows upright clofe to each other,
ftuffing wet mofs in tlie vacancies between them, and on the
furface •, over this palmetto leaves, if to be had, ftiould be
put to keep in the moifture, and over them the laths are to be
faftened crofs andcrofs to the ledges or packthreads to be laced
to and fro, to keep the whole fteady and tight The lid of the
box fhould be either nailed down clofe, or may have hinges
and a padlock to fecure it from being opened, as may be found
neceffary, with proper directions marked on it to keep the lid
uppermoft. There muft be two handles fixed, one at each
end, by which means there will be lefs danger of difturbing
the plants. Near the upper part of the ends of the box, there
muft be feveral holes bored to give air : or in making the box
there may be a narrow vacancy left between the boards of one
third ot- an inch wide, near the top, to let out the foul air;
and perhaps it may be neceffary to nail along the upper edge of
thefe openings lift, or (lips of fail-cloth, to hang over them, to
fecure the plants from any fpray of the fea ; and at the fame
time it will not prevent the air from paffmg through. Boxes
with plants packed in this manner, muft be placed where there
is free air, that is, out of the way of the foul air of the fhip*s
hold.

The following method of preferving feeds from turning ran-
cid from their long confinement, and the great heat of the cli-
mates which they muft neceffarily pafs through from China,
was communicated to me fome years ago by the celebrated
Profeffor Linnseus, of Upfal, in Sweden. He advifes, that
-each fort of Seed fhould be put up in feparate papers, with
fine fand among them, to abforb any moifture (dried, loamy,
Kjr foapy earth may be tried) : thefe papers, he fays, fhould be
packed clofe in cylindrical glafs, or earthen vcffeb, and the

M m mouths

t #0 1'

mouths covered over with a bladder,, or leather tied fafl round
the rims : he then directs that thefe vefTcls, with ihe feeds in
them, fliould be put into other vefiels, which (hould be fo ■
large, that the inner veflel may be covered on all- fides, for the
fpace of two inches, with the following mixture of falts. Half
common culinary fait •, the other half to confift of two parts of
falt-petre, and one part offal-ammoniac, both reduced to a
powder, and all thoroughly mixed together, to be placed
about the inner vefifel, rather moid than dry. T his he calls a
refrigeratory •, and fays it will keep the feeds cool, and hinder
putrefadtion. Perhaps if fmall tight boxes, or cafks or bottles
of feeds were inclofcd in calks full ot fairs, it might be of the
fame ufe, provided the falts do not get at the feeds • and as
fal- ammoniac may not be eafily met with, half common faltj
and the other half falt-petre, or common fait alone, might an*
fwer the fame end. But it would be very neceiTaryto try both
methods, to know whether the latter would anfwer the pur-
pofeofthe former, as it would be attended with much lefs
trouble, and might prove a ufeful method to our feedfmeny in
fending feeds trom hence to thofe warm- climates,,.

The fmalleft feeds being very liable to lofe their vegetative
power by long voyages through warm climates, it may be
worth while to try the following experiment upon fuch kinds
as we know for certainare found. Dip fame Iquare- pieces of
cotton cloth in melted wax, and while it is ioft and almoft
cold, drew the fu-face of each piece over with each fort of
fmali Teed, then roll them up tight, and inclofe each roll in
fome foft bees wax, wrapping up each of them in a piece of-
paper, with the n.ime of the feed on it -, thefe mav be either
furrounded as before with falts, or packed without the falts in
a' box, as is mod convenient.

There are many, feeds,, which we receive both from the
Weft Indies and the fouthern parts of our North-American co-
lonies, as South-Carolim, Georgia, &c. which the gardeners
■liid very difBcult to raife here, unlefs ihe following method is
purfued. Divide a liox, according to your quantity and forts
of feeds, into feveral fquare petitions •, then mix* the- feeds
v/ith loamy earth and cut mofs, and put each fort into its fe-

parate

?I 271 0

parate cell, filling it up to the top : the earth and mofs mufl
fee rather inclining to dry than wet ; then nail the lid down
very clofeon your box, keeping it in an airy fituation. . If :ihc
voyage does not exceed two months, they will arrive in good
order in the fpring •, and, though many of them may bcd\n to
germinate, yet, it they are fown dircftly, they wiil fuccecd
n\uch better than thofe that are brought over in papers, as is
well known to our mod curious gardeners. Seeds of the nut-
.meg tree from Tobago, the cinnamon-tree, thecacoaor cho-
colate-nut, and Avocado pear, muH be brought in this
manner. Seeds of all the forts of magnolias, ftewartias, chio-
nanthus, and many others from South-Carolina, will futceed
better this way, than any other method we yet know.

The feeds of many of the fmall fucculen-t fruits maybe
brought toEngrland from very diltant parts, by prefling them
together, fqucezing out their wacery juices, : nd drying theVn
in fmall cakes gradually, that they may become hard ; they
may be then wrapt up in white writing paper, not fpongy, as
this is apt to attrad: and retain moifture ; but I believe it will
be f ,und, that a covering of wax will bi better than one of
paper.

• The Alpine ftrawberry was firft fent to England in a letter
from Turin to Henry Baker, Elq; F. R, S. by prefTing the
pulp with the feeds thin upon paper, and lei ting it dry before
they were inclofed. The paper mulberry from China was
brought hither about the year 1754, much in the fame
manner.

These hints may prompt us to try the larger fucculerit
fruits -, for inftance, the mangoes, lechees, and others of this
kind : if their flefliy part, when they are very ripe, was
brought to tne confidence of raifins or dried figs, it would
keep their kernels plump, and in this (late they might be bet-
ter preferved in wax, than by any other method yet known.

M m 2 Jfj

1 «72 3

JnJf tempt to accmnt for the CHANGE of CLIMATE^ whkk
has been obferved in the Middle Colonies in North- America,

£^.HuGH Williamson, M. D,

Read before the Society ^ Auguff i ytby 1 7^70,

IT is generally remarked by people who have refided long
in Pennfylvania and the neighbouring Colonies, that with-
in the laft forty or fifty years there has been a very obfervable
Change of Climate, that our wmters are not fo intenfely cold,
nor our fumnr*ers fo difagreeably warm as they have been.

That we may be enabled to account for thefe phoenomena
it will be neceffary to take a tranfient view of the general caufe
of winds, and the remarkable difference of heat and cold, that
is obferved in different countries under the fame parallels.

Tho* the Sun is doubtlefs the general fource of heat, yet we
obferve that countries arc not heated in proportion to their
diflance from the Sun, nor even in proportion to their diftance
from the. Equator. The inhabitants of the Polar Circles are
hardly a perceivable diftance, not a twcnty-thoufandth part
farther from the Sun, than thofe between the Tropics, and
yet the former are chilled with perpetual cold, while the others
are fcorched with conftant beat.

When the rays of the Sun ftrike the Earth in a perp«ndi*
cular diredion, they will be refledled in the fame diredion on
the particles of air through which they have paffed, and thus
increafe their heat •, a greater number of diredl rays will alfo
ftrike the Earth in any given fpace, than when they fall
obliquely •, therefore, the nearer the diredion of the Sun's rays
is to a perpendicular with the furface of the Earth,- the great,
cr caeuris paribus will the heat be. Hence, countries ,:^uld
be colder the nearer they are to the Poles. But,

We oblerve that the air may be heated to a very different
degree la different countries, wiiich are in the fame latitude,

according

C 273 3

gctording as they abound in rough mountains, fertile plains^,
or fandy deiarts •, as thtry are lurroundcd by land or by fea, or
according to the different wind, which prevail in thofe coun-
tries. The temperature of Fcnnfylvania i« very diOferent from
that of Portugal •, and the temperature of England is different
from that of Saxony» on the neighbouring continent, though
they be under the iame parallels. In order then that we may
be enabled to form an eftimate of the heat of any country, we
muft not only confider the latitude of the place, but alfo the
face and fituaiion of the country, and the winds which gene-
rally prevail there, if any of thefe (houM alter, the climate
rnuft alfo be changed. The face of a country may be altered
by cultivation, and a tranfient view of the general caufe of
winds will convince us, that their courfe may alfo be changed.

It is generally believed that moft winds are occafioned by
the heat of the Sun. Were the Sun to (land ftill over any
particular part of the furface of the earth, the wind would
conftantly blow to that place from all diredions. For the air
in that part being rarified by the heat of the Sun, would be
expanded and thus become lighter, whence it would afcend,,
and the heavier air in the neighbouring parts would rufli in,
to occupy its place •, this too being heated both by the Sun*s
rays and by the warm furtace of the Earth, would inftantly
afcend to give place to that whi<:h was colder. But as the
Sun moves, or feems to move, between^ the Tropics, from
Eaft to Weil, there fhould be a conftant current of air feting
towoards the Sun. from the Nwth, South, and Eaftward,
while the current, which would alto come from the Weft, is
prevented or turned back by the Sun, who moves with great
f apidity on ithe oppofite diredlbn. . The ctrrrent coming from
the North and South, falls in with that from the Eaftward,
and is prefently bent in the fan^ djreftion. This co^iftitutes
what feamen c^WmTrade IVind y fucb is foufid in the> Atlantic,
and in. the Great Souths Sejk,

Were the farface- ot the Earth homogeneous, were it all
covered with water, or all fmooth dry land, the eafterly winds
would always prevail quite round the Globe to-fome diftance
btyond the Tropics But the waters ^loog the Equator age

divided

C ^71 1

'ciivided by two or three confiderable portions of kn'd, whic^

retain tlie heat in a different manner from the water, and re-
fied the Sun's rays in very different proportions, io that they
not only flop the eafterly current of air, but often change it to
the oppofite direction. For along the weilerly coaft of Africa,
and South-America, the winds commonly blow from the
Weft. That is to fay, they blow from a cold furface to that
which is warmer, they blow from the lea in upon the land„
For,

In warm countries, or in the warm feifon ofaoy country^
the furface of the land is warmer than the furface of the water*

In cold feafons of temperate countries, the furface of the
Jand is colder than the furface of the water.

The furface of the 'Earth being immovably expofed to the
Sun, receives and retams the heat, and grows warmer by
every adventitious ray ; fo that a hard fmooth furface will
fometimes become intolerable to the touch, but the heat does
not fink, deep, except in a confiderable progrefs of time.

The furface of the Sea is not foon heated, for the particles
which are uppermoft this hour, will prefently be overwhelmed
by thofe which are colder, and they, by others in fuccelTion ;
whence it happens, that though the furface ot the Sea will not
become fo warm by a fummer's heat as the furface of the Earth,
in the fame climate, yet the heat will penetrate deeper, and be
longer retained.

Let us transfer thefe trite and general reafonings to the
fituationof our Middle Colonies, with refped to Land and
Water. Our coaft runs nearly from North Eaft to the South-
Weft, fo that if the land fliould at any time be colder than the
fea, and a current of cold air ftiould let towards the 'fea, it
muft pafs from the North-Weft to the South Eaft : But fuch
winds we find generally take place during our winter feafon.
tFor the Atlantic, to the South-Eaftward, is greatly heated
.during the fummer feafon, and will not foon -loofe that heat
when the .Sun goes to the Southward in the. winter j add .to

this.

[ 275 3-

t'fes, a very notable circumftance, which is, that our coaftr is
conftantly wafhed by a current of warm water, which being
driven to the Weft by the eafterly trade winds Viear the Equa-
tor, is checked in the Gulph of iVlexico, and obliged to efcape
to the North-Eaftward, to give place to the fucceeding cur-
rent. But the furface of thefe colonies foon grows cold in the
abfence of the Sun: Hence violent torrents ot winds pafs to-
wards the Atlantic during the winter feafon •, the colder the
air is over the continent,, the more violent will thofe North-
Wefters be.

Can wedifcover any change of circumftarrces, which might
reduce the violence of thofe Nor th-Weftcrs, or remove them
entirely P- It is very obvious that hard fmooth furfaces refledb
heat better than rhofe which are rough and unequal ; the fur-
face of a looking-glaf, or any poliftied metal, will refljd more
light and heat, than the rough furface of a board. In the fame
manner we obferve, that ro^s and fmooth beds of fand refle6t
more heat, than afoft broken furface of clay. A clear fmooth-^
field alfo refled:s more heat, than the fame fpace would have^
done, . when it was covered with bufbes and trees.

If the furface of this continent were fo clear and fmooth,
that it would refledl fo much heat as might warm the incum-
bent atmofphere, equal to the degree of heat produced by the
neishbouring Antlantic, an equilibriiun would be reftored,
and we fhould have no ftated North- Weft Winds : But we
have already made confiderable approaches to this very period,
feveral Mt^mbers of the Society mull have obferved, .that our
North Weft Winds, during the winter feafon, are lefs frequent,
lefs violent, and of fhorter contmuance, than formerly they
were. Seamen, who are deeply interefted in this lubject in-
•form us, that in the winter feafon they have been beating off
our coaft three, four, or five weeks, not able to put in, by rea-
fon of the Norih-Wefters •, they are now feldom kept off twice
that number of days. It is alio agreed, that the hardnefs of
our froftf:, the quantity and continuance of our fnows, are
very unequal now, to what they have been, fince the fettle-
^ent of this Province.

It-

C 276 3

It has been obie6led, that the fmaU alteration which the
Jfurface of a country undergoes in being cleared and cultivated,
is not equal to producing luch confiderabie changes of climate,
as has been obferved to take place in many parts of the world.
I fiiall not fay, that a change of climate may not arifc from
other caufes than the one 1 have defcribed. It is very certain,
that the fimple folution of water in air will produce cold,
which may be increafed by a folution of nitrous fait. There
are fundry other caufes, from which the heat of the air may be
•increafed or diminilhed, yet I cannot recolleft a (ingle inftance
of any remarkable change of climate, which may not be fairly
deduced from the fole cultivation ot the country. The change
'ivhich has happened in Italy, and fome countries to the eaft-
ward, within the laft feventeen Centuries, is thought to be a
ftrong objeftion to this general rule. It is faid, " that Italy was
'* better cultivated in the Auguftine age than it is now ; but
" the climate is much more temperate now than it was at that
*' time. This feems to contradict the opinion, that the culiiva^
" tion of a country wid render the air more temperate**

I SHALL confider this obfervation the more attentively, be-
caufe 1 find it has been made by an ingenious Writer, of" great
Claffical Erudition *.

It is not to bediffembled that their winters in Itdy were
extremely cold about feventeen hundred years ago. Virgil
has carefully defcribed the manner in which cattle are to be
(heltcred in the winter, left they Ihould be deftroyed by the
froft and fnow ; he alfo fpeaks of wine being frozen in the
cafks, and feveral other proofs ot fuch extreme cold, ^s would
furprize us in this Province. Though it is alfo clear, that the
Italians are now as great ftrangers to cold and froft, as thofe of
Georgia or South-Carolina. To account for this remarkable
change, we muft go beyond the narrow limits of Italy ; we
muft traverfe the face of Hungary, Poland and Germany,
thofe vaft regions to the northward of Rome. The Germans
have certainly made immenfe progrefs in population and agri-
culture, fince Julius Csefar with a few legions overran that
country-, ibr notwithftanding the elegance with which Cas-
par delcribes his viftories, he certainly had to contend with a

fett

• See Philofophical Tranfaftion, vol.58.

r ni ]

iett of barbarians and favages, whofe country was rude and
uncukiv-ated as their minds. The general face of.thofc king-
doms was covered with wild extenfive forrefts, a few of which
remain to this day. Tht- fmall fcattered tribes who occupied
them, had done very little towards the perfe6lion of agricul-
ture. From thefe uncultivated defarts piercing North-Winds
ufed to defcend in torrents on the fhivering Italian, though
his own little common wealth were finely cultivated. No
perlbn need be informed how numerous the >4ations are, who
now inhabit Hungary, Poland, and Germany, or how ge-
nerally thofe regions are now cultivated, even to the very edge
of the Baltic and German Ocean, fo that if the cold is greatly
moderated in Germany, and the adjacent Northern States,
which I believe is. generally allowed, we may eafily perceive
how itfhould be moderated to a much greater degree in Italy,
which being in a low latitude was only annoyed by the cold
winds from the Northern Kingdoms. For the air was at that
time fo cold over thofe uncultivated regions, that it could ef-
feftually deftroy the balance in the warmer atmofphere of Italy,
which at prefent is not the cafe.

As we might have conjedlured from ellabliflied principles of
Philofophy, that clearing and fmoothingthe face of a country,
would promote the heat of the atmolphere, and in many cafes
would prevent or mitigate thofe winter blafts, which are the
general origin of cold, whence- the winters muft become more
temperate, and as fa6ls appear to fupport and confirm our rea-
foning on this fubjed:, we may rationally conclude, that in a
feries of years, when the virtuous induftry of pofterity (hall
have cultivated the interior part of this country, we fhall fel-
dom be vifited by frofls or fnows, but may enjoy fuch a tem-
perature in the midft of winter, as fhall hardly dcftroy the mofl
tender plants.

Perhaps it may be apprehended, that as clearing the coun-
try, will mitigate the cold of our winters, it will alfo increafe
the heat of our fummers i but I apprehend, that on a careful
attention to this fubjed we Ihall find, that the fame caufe will
in thole fcafons appear to produce different eifcds, and that
inftead of more heat, we fhall prefently have lefs in fummer
.than ufual.

N n -It

C 278 J

-' It is well known, that during the greateft fummer heats of
this or any other country, the extraordinary heac of the At-
moiphere does not rife to any confiderable height. In the
upper regions it is perpetually cold, both becaufe the air in
thofe parts is too far from the Earth, ro be warmed by the
heat of its furface, and becaufe the air in thofe regions not
being preffed by fuch a weight of incumbent Atmofphere is too
rare to be fufceptlble of a great degree of heat ; for the heat of
the air, as of every other body,.' that is warmed by the ^'un
depends not only upon the fimple adlion of the particles of
light upon thofe of the air, but alfo upon the mutual action of
the particles of air upon one another, which, by their elaftici-
ty, propagate or continue that motion, called heat, which was
originally excited by the Sun's rays. Therefore,, the rarer
the Atmofphere is, the lefs heat will be produced therein by
the Sun, & vice verfa Hence we obferve^ that in the warmell
countries the tops of mountains are always covered with fnow.
"Whoever Will c?.rry a I hermometer on a very warm day to the
top of an high fleeple, will find that the Mercury immediately
falls feveral degrees, and riles again as he dricends. From
this it js obvious that nothing is wanting in the mictll: of fum-
jr.er to render the country agreeably coo!, but a proper mix-
ture of the cold air which is above, wiih the v/arm air below.
This would be effefted by any caufe that might increafe our
fummer wind^. For though the fimplc morion of the air does
not bv .^ny means produce cold, yet, moderate blafls will na--
turally introduce a colder Atmofphere, efptciallywhen they
pafs over hills or any unequ-al furface, by which the eouilibri-
um of the Atmofphere is deflroyed, the cold air always tenriiRcr
towards the furface. Hence a fummer's f^uft is g(.ncrally at-
tended by a fudden change in the temperature of the air.
Tall timber greatly, impedes the circulation of the air, for it
retards fhe motion of that psrc which is near the Ibrface, and
which, from its denfuy and fituation being mofl heateci, be-
comes the general origin of.fnch agitations as take place in the
upper regions. We ilrall often find it extremely fultry ^nd
warm in a fmall field, furrounded by tafl woods, when no fuch
inconveniency is is perceived on an extenfive ckar plain in the
neighbourhood. From thefe particuiars we may conclude,
tliat.whcn this country,- (l.Tall be diverfitied, as it mufc be in a..

■flrics

•[■279 l1

leries of years, by vaft tra6ls of clear land, interfe(5led here and
there by great ridges Oi uncultivated mounrains, a much
greater degree of heat being rePieifledby the plains than from the
neighbouring mountains, and an eafy circulation of air pro-
duced on the plains. Our land winds in fummer, to fay no-'
thing ofthofe which come from the (e<i, or from the lakes,
mult certainly be much irefher and more frequent than they
now are, and confequently our fummer heats be more tem-
perate.

A CONSIDERABLE changc in the the temperature of our fea-
fons may doubtlefs etfed a change in the produce of our lands.
Temperate feafons muft be friendly to meadows and pafturage,
provided we continue to get regular fupplies of rain ; but of
this, there is fome reafon to doubt, unlefs our mountains, v/ich
which this country happily abounds, fliould befriend us great-
ly. The decreai'e of our trolls and fnows in winter, mult for
many years prove injurious to our wheat and winter's grain.
The viciflitudes of freezing and thawing have already become fb
frequent, that it is high time for the farmer to provide fome
remedy, whereby he may prevent his wheat from being thrown
out in the winter feaion.

A CONSIDERABLE change in the temperature of our feafons,
may one day oblige the 1 obacco Planter to migrate towards
the Caiolinas and Florida, which will be the natural retreat of
that Plant, when the feafons sdmonifli the Virginian to culti-
vate wheat a d Indian corn. The tender Vine, v;hich would
now be deftroyed by our winter's froft, in a fev/ years Ihall fup-
ply the North-American with every fj^ecies of wine. Pofterity
will doubtlefs tranfplant the fev eral odoriferous, aromatic, and
medicinal plants ot the eaflern countries, which mwll flourifh
in one or another part of North- America, where they will find
a climate and foil favourable to their growth, as that of their
native country.

Every friend to humanity muft rejoice more in the pleafing
prolpeft of the advantages we may gain in point ot Health,
from the cultivation of this country, than from all the addi-
tional luxuries we may enjoy, though both the Indies v/ere

N n 2 brought

f 2^0 1

brought m bur ^odrs. Tfie falutary effedls which h^ve te-
fulted from cleanfing and paving the ftreets of Philadelphia, are
obvious to every Inhabitant. For caufes fomewhat fimilar to
thefe, the general improvement of the colonies have ^already
produced very defirable effects. While the face of this coun-
try was clad with woods, and every valley afforded a fwamp or
ftagnaat marOi^ by a copious perfpiration through the leaves of
trees or plants, and a gfenerar exhalation from the furface of
ponds and marfhes, the air was conftantly charged with a grofs
putrefcent fluid. Hence a feries of irregular, nervous, bili-
ous, remitting and intermitting fevers, which tor many years
have maintained a fatal reign through many parts of this toun*
try, but are now evidently on the dechne. Pleuntic and other
inflammatory fevers, with the feveral difeafes of cold feafons,
are alfo obferved to remit their violence, as our winters grow
more temperate.

Since the cultivation of the colonies, and the confequent
change . of climate, has fuch effects on the difeafes of tlijp
human body, and muft continue to produce fuch remarkable
changes in their appearance, it is. certainly the duty of every
Phyfician, to be careful to trace the hiltory of every difeafe,
obferve the feveral changes they undergo, and mark, with a
jealous attention, the rife of every new difeafe, which may ap-
pear on the decline of others, that fo he maybe enabled fo
bring efFedual and feafonable relief to fuchperfons, as may be
committed to his care.

56.

TR A N S A C T IONS

O F T H R
j4/nerica^f' PtiiLoso?HiCAL Society.

Sect. III.
MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS.

^tt Account^ of the Eruption of VESUVIUS, in 1 767,
- communicated in a Letter from an Englijh Gentleman r^Jiding
' at Naples, to John Morgan, M. D. F. /?. S. and ^ rojejfor
of Medicine^ in the College of Philadelphia.

Naples^ November S, iy6y.
SI R,: 'i«5 2J'^

WE have had a mod extraordinary eruption of Vefuvius
lately. As I imagine an account of the difturbance it
has given us will not be difagreeable to yofi, I Ihall therefore
do myfelf the pleafure of communicating to you what I know,
and have fecn myielt,. of this furprizing Phaenomcnon. ^^

The beginning of it is exaftly defcribed in Pliny the
younger's letter to Tacitus *. The firft alarm was taken

from

* As it may give the curious reader pleafure to compare the ahove defcription xvith the
more ftriking paiTages of Pliuy tlK youDger's lettei) on the fame Aibje*^:, we have here
iubjoiaed xhixa,

" N«be»r s

I 282 J

lYom a'column of black fmoke, thrown out with fuch violence
as to appear like an immenle pine, branching out on all fides
after a great height of trunk, when the dimunition ot the force,
that threw it out, allowed the air to operate by fpreading it.
The whole mountain was foon wrapped round with utter
darknefs •, and its place was only to ue dirtinguifhed by the
many ftreams of fire that were darted in different direcStions,
and made this darknefs vifible ^.

It appeared to me very unaccounrable at firfV, but I after-
wards found, by the affillar.ce ot my glaiies, shat thefe dif-
ferent cfiredions were produced by the parcuular rftotion im-
preffed upon ihe fi-«', as ic iflfjed from ihe feveral mouths
which gave vent to Vtfuvius. It was very extraordinary to
obferve lome of thefe itream^; deicending perpendicularly,
whiia others mounted upwards in a llrail line. The former
■fippearance was owing to innun.erable ignited ftones in their
fall, after having been thrown from fome fuperior aperture,
that acquired, fuch velocity irom their weight, and fuch a
blending of light from their proximity, as to ffC!«* one impe-
tuous torrenc of lite ; though on the ui'ual appearance of thrfe
falhng ftones, they are fcattered, and are plainly to be dif-
tinguilhed as feparate bodies.

All this, as a mere objeffe of fight, would rather have
been amufing -, but a frequency of the moil terrible explo-
fion, made it very alarming, efpecialiy to me^, in a houfe
that fhakes with the leaft morion. The noife of the largell
cannon fired from the caflle, not three hundred yards from
me, is a mere whifper to tliefe explofions. My little houiliold
had retreaced to the^ rooms backward, built againfl the hill,

and

/' Nubes, inccrtum procul jntucntibus ex quo monte, VeAivium fui.Tc poftea cognl-
tum tit, oriebatur : cujus fimllituctinem •?< fovmam non alia-magis arbor, quam Pinus
txprelierit. Nam 'longiirnno velut trunco efflata in altum, quiburdam ramis diffimde-
batur. Credo qu'a rcjcnti fpiritu cveiSta, dein fenefceiite eo deftituta, aut etiam pon-
dcre fuo vi<aa, in latitudincm vanefcebat, Candida interdum, interdum fordida & macu-
lo.a, prout terram ciueremvc fiiftuievat." Plinii Ef'ijhl. xvi. lih. vi.

t " Interim e l''ifiivh monte pluribus locis latiflime flammse atque incendla relucebant,
quorum fuller C<. ciaiius tenebr.is noiSbis excipiebat.

"•Jam dies alibr, illic noi omnibus noiStibus nigrior dcnfrorque, qUam taraen faces
jnulta; varUque lumina foivebant." Ibidem.

" Ab liter.) latere nabes a.ra & borrenda'i<:n'ei fpiritus "tortis vibratirtjue difcurfibus
. rupta-, in longns nammarur.i tiguras dehifcebat, fiilgoribus illie £i fimiles, c< juajores
«iraat." Flinii Epijhl. xx. lib. vi.

C 283 ]

and I made mod ot my obfervadons in the door- way of my
neweft and ihickcft wall. One or two, however, the moft
fevere of thcfe (hocks, that raifed my man, who *iill theft
had kept by me, from the ground, caufcd me to hefitate,
and think of making a prudent retreat |1 ; but it occurred to
me on a little refledbon, that the ftreets might have been
equally dangerous from mixing with a tumultuous concourfe
of people, thronging, after the pidures of Madona and of the
faints carried in proceffion, wiih which the whole city was
crouded all night : I thought it moft prudent, therefore, to
keep out of their way* The fliocks afterwards abated, or I
was more uled to them, and a moft comfortable J lava made
its fally, from a feeming opening ot the whole fide of the
mountain at once, and rufhed forward with animpetuofny
that, in tv/o hours, brought it \vithin two miles of Portici f^
which quieted me for that night. The King was then at his
palace there, which Vefuvius feemed to be reclaiming from
his Majefty's encroachments. 'Ihe place was by no means
held tenable againft him j and the King, the courtiers, and
numbers of families, then in thefe environs at their Villegia-
tura §, were put to the rout at midnight : Some of the court
thougnt themfelves not fecure even when they reached Naples,
and, 1 am told, continued their Right to Caferta *.

The next day all v/as quieted by a profufe lava that has
filled up the hollow way between the Hermit's ^- and Veluvius,
of at ieaftan hundred feet in depth.

The

{I " In commune confultant, intra tecbane fubfiftant, an in aperto vagentur ; nam
crebiis vaftirqiie tremoribus tc«5ti nutabant, 6c quaP. emota fedibus fuis, nunc hue, nunc
illuc abire aut referri videbantur." P//;.« EpijJol. xx. fi5. vi.

i The melted fiery matier thrown oui by Vefuvvis, which grows hard as it cools, and
appears to be a lemi-vitriried fubftan-.c. It is here called comiortable, bccaufe the moun-
tain generally be.-omes more quiet upon-its being cad: oat.

f Pcriici ; a fmall town on the bay of Naples, at about fix miles diftance from that
city, built on the ruin^ of, or rather diredily over, the anticnt Hcrculaneum. His Sici-
lian RIajefly has a palace here, uuniil-ed mch many cuiiofities, foimd in Hcrculaneum,
and frequently keeps his court at Portici.

§ This is an Itaban word, wftich fignifies the being in the country, or the time of
being in the country to tike one's pleafore.

'■ A town twelve miles from Naples on the contrary fide from Vefuvius, wliere the
King fomttinv.s iio'ds his court.

\ In the loliuuy place, about half way up Mount Vefuvius, is an hermitage,
where thofe whofe curiofity leads them to e^iamine this wonderful rhanomenon geae-
rally call, and arc provided vith refretliments by thebermit.

r 284 J

• The fecond night, however, was as turbulent at the moun-^
tain, but not fo alarming at Naples as the firft, becaufe the
mountain burlt fooner, and on the other fide of ir, from
whence a lava eq\jally copious was delivered, and after fewer
throes.

The third day the agitation of the earth and air was very
inconfiderable ; but an immenfe quantity of cinders and alhes
filled the whole atmofphere ||, fo as to take our bright Sun
from us, and to leave us no more of him than we have in Lon-
don, when thoufands of lefs alarming volcanoes from good
kitchens, render the air, in winter, often impervious to any
but his ftroogeft rays j and he appeared all day of the fan-
gu'ncous colour in which Pliny defcribes him *.

The fourth day we had for three hours, or more, one con-
tinual thunder, without the terrible explofions havvever of the
firft and fecond nights -, and I took great comfort to myfelf on
feeing the conftant courfe of cinders and aflies thrown up.
For, I looked upon it as the effetfc, if I may ufe the figure, of
a bellows blown by all the winds, that would foon dellroy or
feparate the combuftible enemy : Accordingly thefc afhes were
the only inconvenience that remained.

But on Sunday, the fevcnth day, the quantity of afhes that
filled the air was fo great, that having rode out to take a
nearer view of the volcano, I was obliged to gallop home with
my eyesfhut, as 1 could no longer open them from the pain
thefe afhes put me to -f-.

All is now quiet, and the Lava on this fide is flopped,
after laying wafte the largefl traft of cultivated ground that it

has

II "Jam na^^ibus cinis inciderat : quo proprius accederet calidior & denfior : jam
pumices etiam, nigrique & ambufti & fra<5li igne lapides^ jam vadum fubitura, ruina-
que montis littora obftantia."

* " Tandem ilia caligo tenuata quafi in fumum, nebulamve decellit : mox dies ve-
rus, fol etiam effu lilt, luridustamen, qualis efie, cum deficit, folet. Occurfabant tre-
pidantibus adhuc oculis mutata omnia, altoque cineie, tanquam nive, obducla."
Pli>iii E.pijtol. XX. lib. vi.

f " Paullum reluxit, qxiod non dies nobis, fed ventaritis ignis indicium vidcbatur,
& ignis guidem longius fubftitit : tencbias rurfus, cinis rurfus multus & gravis: hunc
indentidem aflurgentcs excutiebamus, operti alioqui, atquc etiam obliU pondcre cflc-
nius." Plinii Epijtol. xx. lib. vi.

[ 285 ]

has deftroyed at once within this century. The greatcft trup=
tions of it have been in the year 1707, in the ^year 1737, and
this of 1767. I leave your deep naturalifts to account for
this periodical criHs •, and it may not be the iird meer acci-
dental obfervation that has given birth to a profotjnd fyftem § ,

O o

§ Some of the moft remarkatle eruptions of Vefuvius have happened as follow.
Anno Dom. 76 Mount Vefuvius caft forth fuch quantities of Imoke and flame as t%
cbfcure the day, and defbroyed the cities of Pompeium and Herculan«im.

In the year 80, on the z jd of Auguft, the elder Pliny, in order to be better acquaint-
ed with the caufe of the extraordinary eruption of Vefuvius, ventured fo near that
this great naturalift periilied in his enquiry.

Anno 47 X, Vefuvius ejected flames, in fuch abundance, that they were feen even at
CJonftantinople ; they obfcured the fun at noon day, and the fire ravaged and bprnt all
Campania. "

Anno 1007, Vefuvius vomieSJijtout fo great a quantity ef flames, that all the neigh-
bouring country fuffered gready by them.

In the year 1631, Vefuvius threw out flames, in fuch abundance that upwards of
4000 perfons loft their lives, and a large tradl of land was deftroyed.

In the year 1717, DoAor Berkley, afterwards bifliop of Cloyue in Ireland, vifited
Vefuvius, at leaft with as much boldnefs and curiofity as Pliny the Elder. The account
.given, bythebifliop, of that mountain, was communicated to the Royal Society by
Dr. Arbuthnot, and is publiilied in the Philofophical Tranfadlions. It is thjis defcribed
by the bifliop. " The other mouth was lower in the fide of the fame new formed hill :
I could difcern it to be filled with red hot liquid matter, like that in the furnace of
a glafs houfe, which raged and wrought as the waves of the fea, caufing a fhort ab-
rupt noife, like what may be imagined to proceed from a fea of quick-filver dafhing
among uneven rocks. This Ihiff would fometimes fpew over, and run down the
convex fide of the conical hill, and appeared at firft red hot ; it changed colour and
hardened as it cooled, fliewing the firft rudiments of an eruption, or, if I may fo fay,
an eruption in miniature."
The conflagration in 1731 was fo deflrucflive, that it occafioned the folIo<ving curious
infcription, which is placed about three miles diftant iiom Naples, iix the road to
Vefuvius.

Pofteri, pofteri, veftra res agitur.
Dies facem praefert diei ; nudius perendino.

Advortite.
Vicies ab fatu foils, nifabulator hiftoria, arfit Vcfuvus,
Immani femper clade hselitantium :
Ne pofthac incertos occupet, moneo.
XJterum gerit mons hie bitumine, alumine, ferro,
Auro, argento, nitro, aquarum fontibus, gravem.
Serius, ocius ignefcit, pelagoque influeate pariet :
" Sed ante parturit, concutitur, concutit folum,
Fumigat, corrufcat, flammigerat, quatit
Aerem, horrendum immugit, boat, tonat,
Arcct finibus accolas.
Emigradum licit,
Jam Jam enititur, erumpit, mixtum igne
X>acum evomlt, prarcipiti ruit illc lapfut
Seramque fugam pravertit.
Si corripit, adlura eft. periifti.
Anno Salutis 163 1,
Tu, B. fapis, audi cUm^tem lapideni,

-« J . Sperne

■4Jefcnption of a SELF-MOVING or SENTINEL REGtS=-

TER, invented ^j William Henry, of Lane after. ^

THE machine confifts of the following parts.
I. y^, A Door or common reglfter, applied in the
flue of a furnace. The door is fitted in a frame, and made to
Aide eafily up and^ down. Plate VI. Fig. I.

2. 5, A Balance or beam, moving on a center ; the two
arms are of unequal lengths, the longer exceeding the fhorter
in the proportion of two to one-, the extremity of each arm is
formed into a fegment of a circle,, whofe radius is equal in
length to each refpeftive arm. Thefe fegments muft be equal
to the greateft- rife or- fall of each eiffS of the balance when
jn ufe.

■ The length of the whole beam or balance mnft be regulated
by the firuationof the regifter A, and the copper C, hereaftev
iiientioned. ^ 3- C

Sperne larem, fpcrne farcinulas ;
Mora nulla, fuge.

In ENGLISH thus :

Pofterity, pofterity, this is. your concern,
One day" enlightens the next, that next
improves the third.
Be attentive,
'f wenty times, fince the creation of the Sun,
has Vefuvius blazedj never without a horrid- -
deftrudbion ofthofey thathefitated tofly.
This is a warning, that it may never
fei^eyou unapprizcd.
The womb of fh'.s mountain is pregnant with
bitumen, aljm, iron, gold, filver, nitre
and tbiintains of water.
Sooner or later it kindk-s, and, when the f?a ,
rufhcs in, will give its birtli vent.
But, before its hbours come on, it is fliakcn, ^

and /hakes the earth roitnd it ; fmokes, gleams,
throws up bickering flames, flukes the air,
roars horridly, bellows, thunders, drives the
inhabitants from its quarters.
Retire whihl you may ;
Now, now, its throes come on, it burfts out,

it flings up lakes mixt v/ith fire ;
Down, down it rnilies and .precipitate
Prevents your tardy flight,' and f^amps your fate : ..

If it once furprizes you. ,.Til is oyer. • -,

If you are wife, hear this fpeakitig flonr.
^ Ncgledt your domcftic concerns, negleift your,,
.roods and chattels, tficvc is no delaying. ;
Fly.

[ 287 ]

"J; C, A CopprER vefTcl, abouc '13 inches diameter, and
■ to inches deep, with a doable boctom and fides, which are
placed about an inch and a half apart from each other, leaving
a Ipace between to contain air. The lop or cover is brazed
on, and the whole made air-tight. 1 hrough the top is in^.
ferced a t^rafs cock, and alio a brals or copper cylinder, open
at both ends, about two inches and a quarter in di meter, and
two feet long, Co fixed a> to rile fourteen mches above the too,
and to rcath near to the bottom of the vcirel.

Through the fide of the innermoft veffei, near the top, are
fome holes ma Je, whereby the air in the cavity between the
two bottoms and fides may communicate with the air in the
infide of the veflcl.

4. D, A Phial two inches diameter, and feven inches
deep, corked and fealed, with a hook fixed in the cork, by
which the phial is fufpended.

These are the princip.1l parts of the machine, which are to
' be applied as follows.

From the furface let there be an horizontal flue, of a con-
venient length. In the walls of the flue, the frame, in
which the regifter Hides, is fixed perpendicularly, {o that when
the regifter is down, the flue is doled, when the regifter is
drawn up, the flue is opened, and the higher it is railed, the
more is the palTage of the fire enlarged.

To the fhorter end of the balance, which is fupported on a
-proper fulcrum, ac a convenient heighth, the regifter is;
fufpended by a chain and a rod ; the chain is jult long enough
to wind overthe fegment of the circle, at the end of the beam..
The regifcer is made fo heavy, as to defcend by its own
weight.

At the diflance of two, three, or more feekfrom the re-
gifter, and on the flue of the furface, rhe copPIr vefTci C is
fixed, fo as to receive a heat from the fire palTing through the
flue. The end of the longeft arm of the balance extends di-

O 0 2 . re<5lly

C 288 ]

fe^lv over the cylinder fixed in the copper, and to it the phial
D'\s fulpendedj i'o as to hang within the tube, and by fuch a
length of chain and rod as will allow it to be about two or
three inches immerfed in the tube, when the balance is in
equilibrio. On the fame end of the beam on which the phial
is fufpended, a weight is hung fufficient, with the weight of
the phial, to over-balance the regifter, and rail'e it, and eon-
fcquently open the flue. When the flue is opened to a due
degree, the regifter is held in that fituation, until fo much
water is poured into the copper through the cock, as will fill
one third of the veffel °, then Ihut the cock, and pour water
into the cylinder, until it hfes high enough to float the phial.
By pouring water into the cylinder, the air in the veflel is
compreffed, and finding no way to efcape, as the veflel is air-
tight, it refifts the water, and prevents its occupying the
tvhole fpace ; and therefore the upper part of the veflfel is ap-
parently empty. The phial is loaded with fliot, (o that it will
fwim about one third above the water. When the water rifes
in the tube, the phial rifes with it, in which cafe the regifl;er j£
js fo ballanced, that it defgends, and clofes the flue.

After this deHription^ the principles on which the Senti-
nel Regifter adts, mu(t be obvious to every perfon acquainted,
with the elafticity of the air, and that this elafticity is encreaied^
by heat. For when the fire in the furnace is encreafed, the de-
gree of heat in the flue is alio encreafed; this encreafes the
elafticity of the air contained between the double bottom and
fides of the copper, and confequently of that, which occupied ■
the fpace above the water, as there is a. communication by
means of the holes already defcribed. The elafticity of the air
being inrreafed it e^cpands, and by its expanfion forces the
water up the tube*, the water being rifed, carries the phial
with it, whereupon the regifter preponder-acing defcends,
clofes the flue, arid bv leflening the draught of the chimney or
flue, deadens or checks the fire in the furnace. By this means
again the heat in the Hue is diminifhed, the air in the cavity
bjcomescooleafcihd confequently Lfs elaftk, whereupon the
Water dcfccndSi the tube, and v/iih it the phial to its ftati-
onary point. By the defcent of the phial the regifter is raifed,
and opens the flue -, by which means it ftands as a Sentinel
-Qver the tir;.% and prtlerves an. equal' degree of he<^c.

That.

C 289 ]

That this tvill be the effed of the machine, I can atfell,
having ufed it for more than a year.

It is fubmitted to the curious, whether this machine might
rtot be ufefully appHed, ift, to regulate the heat of chymical
and alchymical furnaces, where long digellions, and a uniform
degree of heat are required j 2dly, in the making of fteel,
and in burning of Porcelain ware, in which a due regulation
of the fire is of great importance ; sdly, in green or hot
houfes, and in apartments for hatching chickens, according to
the Egyptian method. With a little alteration it might be
applied to the purpofe of opening doors, windows, and other
palTages, for a draught of air, and thereby preferve a due,
temperature of the air in hofpitals, Sec,

An Account tf a MACHINE for pumping Vejfels at Sea^
without the Labour of Men.

By Richard Wells.

IN the Gourfe of the immenfe trade now purfued on the
oce^, veffels are continually fubje6t to leaks, which too
often prove fatal to the crews, who, wearied ou-t with inceffant
pumping, are obliged, at laft, to fubmit to their unhappy
fate, and defponding fmk into their watery graves. It is
therefore much to be defired, that feme method could be fug-
gel>ed for prefcTving the lives of fo intrepid and ufeful a fet of
men. What has occurred to me on this fubjedt, I beg leave
to lay before the Society, and fiatter myfelf, it will not prove.
altogether unworthy of notice.

When a veflel fprings^a leak at fea, which cannot be dif-
covered, inftead of exhaufting the crew with Continual working-
at the pumps, they may form, with very little trouble, a ma-
chine to difcharge the v/ater, which will work itfelf, without,
any afliflance from the hands on board.

Let a fpar or fpare top-maft be cut to the length of eight or
ten feet, or m.ore, according to the fize of the veffel , morticc

, foW£

C 290 J

four holes through the thickeft end, through which run four
oars, fixing them tight, exadiy in the middle; to the four han-
dles of the oars nail on four blades (made of ftaves) the fize of
the other ends, which will form a very good water wheel,- if
the oars are llrong ; then fix into the oppofite end, what is
commonly called a crank; the iron handle of a grindftone-
would luit extremely well ; if not to be had, any tlrong bar of
iron may be bent into that form, wedging it tight, to prevent
its twilling round : then nail up a new pair ot chaps on the
fore part of the pump, for a new nandle to be fixed in, which
will point with its outer end to the bow of the veficl ; this
handle will be fhort on the outfide, but as long on the infide
as the diameter of the bore of the pump will admit, in order
that the fpear may be plunged the deeper, and of tourfe- make
the longer ftroke ; the handle muft be large enough to have a
flitfawcd up it, fufficient to admit a ftave edge ways, whicii
muft be fattened with a ftrong or iron -pin, on whi^h Jt may
work; the lower end of the fTave muft be. bored, to admit the
round end of the crank ; then fix the ftiaft with the oars (or
arms) over the gunwale on two crotches, one fpiked to ihe
gunwale, and the othcrnear the pump, cutting in the fhaft a
circular notch, as well to make it run eafier, by leflci,ing the
fridion, as to keep the whole fteady. A. bolt mull be fixed in
each crotch, clofe over the fiiaft, to keep it from rifing ; as '
foon as the wheel touches the water, it will turn round, and
the c'-ank, by nieans of the ftave fixed on its end, will work
the handle of the pump. If the bore be four inches, . and the
pifton or fpear moves eighteen inches at a ftroke, it will dif-
charge 220 cubic inches of water, and admitting the arms of a
wheel to be fix feet from the center, it will turn lound about
146 times in a mile, or 730 times in an hour, when the fhip fails
five knots, which is equal to nine hogflieads. If the lurface
of the water in the whole be fifteen feat from the nozle of the
pump, a man can raife in an hour, with common working,
about thirty-eight hogftieads, which far exceeds the work per-
formed by the wheel ; but this calculation is made on pumps
of the common fize, I would therefore propofe that all vefTcls
■ihould carry larger pumps, the advantage of which will appear
,irom the following table.

-A

C 291 ]

■Ar4 inch bore will difcharge per hour, failing at the rate of
five knots, - - - 9 hogfheads

5 inch, - - - - 14 and an half.

6 ditto, - - - - 20 and 3-4ths.

7 ditto, - - - - 28 and i-4rh.

8 ditto, - ■ - - - 37 hogfheads. •

Hence we find, that a pump of eight inches bore, will
difcharge with the wheel nearly the fame quantity that a man
cojnmonly raifes. If both pumps be fet to woik by the crank,
double the quantity, or 74 hog;heads will be difcharged , but
if .a cog wheel, of about three feet ten inches, with 51 cogs, ba
fixed on the end of the fnaft or axis, and the crank be pafTed
through a trundle or lanthorn wheel, of about two feet dia*
meter, with thirteen rounds, to work with the axis parallel to
the deck, and fixed to the pumps, in the manner ufcd by
brewers and diCtillers, the crank wiii make about four turns to
one rjvolution of the great wheel, and of courle deliver 296
hop^ftieads per hour ; yet as the refiftance made by the pumps
will, in feme meafure, impede the motion ot the wheel, ic
will nor turn ac the rate of 730 times in an hour, for which
fuppofe a deduction of one third, which is certainly a great al-
lowance, the quantity then difcharged per hour is about 2C0
hogfheads, which is more than equal to the confbant work of
five men ; thus if a vefTcl failing at the rate of

5 Knots, delivers 200 hogfheads. per hour, equal to five

mens work.

6 Knots is 240 - _ - equal to 6 ditto. .'

7 Knots 2S0 - - - equal to 7 ditto,

8 Knots 320 - •■ - equal to 8 mens work.

I AM aware of many obje^lions- that will be fuggeOed. In
the firfl place it will be faid, that pumps of eight inches bore^
will be too large to be worked by the flrength of men, when
the wheel cannot be applied. I anfwer, no more force is re-
quired to difcharge a gallon of water at a ftroke from an eight
inch, than from a four inch bore v as the fhcrtendbf tTie lever
or handle to the eight inch bore, need not be above a quarter
part the lengih of the four inch, which will give a purchafe to
the failor at.the locg. end of the lever, fufBcicnt to raife the

pifton -.

.-^-

[ 292 3

pifton orfpeara quarter the heighth of what is required in i
four inch bore for a pifton moving three inches in an eight
inch bore, and twelve inches in a four inch bore, v/ill dehver
jufl: about the fame quantity of water. It will be further ob-
jeded, that in ftormy weather, when veflcls generally make the
moll water, the wheel could not be put overboard. ' I own
there is fome force in this objedion, but if a remedy is bene-
ficial in fome cafes, though not adequate in all, it ought not to
be totally rejected. Many leaks happen at feain moderate
weather, and even thofe which are occafioned by damage in a
ftorm, often continue when the waves are abated. Sailors
are frequently unhappily walhed overboard, and poflibly thofe
who may have furvived the (lorm, are too few, and too weak,
to keep the fliip clear of water, and perform the other necef-
fary duties on board, in fuch cafes this machine would be evi-
dently ufeful. It may alfo be urged, that the wind at fuch
time may be fo much a head, that the {hip cannot make way
enough through the water to work the pumps; to which I
reply, when life is in danger, when grim death flares -the af-
frighted crew in the face, the port of deflination is not to be
confidered, but the veflfel muft be fleered for that Hiore,
which bell fuits the working of the pumps, and keeping her
above water,

I WOULD therefore propofe, that every veiTelfhould not onlf
have pumps of eight inches bore, but be provided with a fhafc,
crank, and proper wheels, which might eafily be flowed away
in little room, as the paddles of the water wheel may be un-
fhipped, and the whole procured at a fmall expencc.

These hints, together v/ith the model, 1 fubmit to the in-
rpe<5tion of the Society, and hope fome improvement may be
aiade on this plan, which will prove ufeful to mankind.

JR. E P E R E N C E S. Plate VI. fg. II.

A. Top-Mad or Shaft of the V/heel. B. Oars or Arms of
the Wheel. C. Crank. D. Pump. E, Props on the Deck,

Uofupport the Shaft.

[ 292 ]

pifton orfpeara quarter the heighth of what Is required in a
four inch bore for a pifton moving three inches in an eight
inch bore, and twelve Inches in a four inch bore, will deliver
juft about the fame quantity of water. It will be further ob-
jeded, that in ftormy weather, when veflels generally make the
moll water, the wheel could not be put overboard. ; 1 own
there is fome force in this objeftion, but if a remedy is bene-
ficial in fome cafes, though not adequate in all, it ought not to
be totally rejected. Many leaks happen at feain moderate
weather, and even thole which are occafioned by damage in a
ftorm, often continue when the waves are abated. Sailors
are frequently unhappily walhed overboard, and pofTibly thofe
who may have furvived the ftorm, are too/ew, and too weak,
to keep the {hip clear of water, and perform the other necef-
fary duties on board, in fuch cafes this machine would be evi-
dently ufeful. It may alfo be urged, chat the wind at fuch
time may be fo much a head, that the ftiip cannot make way
enough through the water to work the pumps •, to which I
reply, when life is in danger, when grim death ftares --the af-
frighted crew in the face, the port of deftination is not to be
confidered, but the veffel muft be fteered for that fiiore,
which beft fuits the working of the pumps, and keeping her
above water.

I WOULD therefore propofe, that every veflellhould not onlf
have pumps of eight inches bore, but be provided with a fhaft,
crank, and proper wheels, which might eafily be ftowed away
in little room, as the paddles of the water wheel may be un-
ftiipped, and the whole procured at afmall expencc.

These hints, together v/ith the model, I fubmit to the in-
fpeftion of the Society, and hope fome improvement may be
made on this plan, which will prove ufeful to mankind.

REFERENCES. Plate Y\. fig. II.

A. Top-Maft or Shaft of the V7heel. B. Oars or Arms of
the Wheel. C. Crank. D. Pump. E. Props on the Deck,
to^fupporc the Shaft.

4

^«>iup^«.

[^293 ]

Jn ABSTRACT of fundry Papers and Propofnh for im-
proving the Inland ISlavigation of Pennfylvania and MaryUind^
by opening a Communication bctw en the ^ide-lVaters of Dela-
ware and Sufquehannah^ or Chefopeake-Bay -, zvith a Scheme
for an eafy and fJjort LandComnninicaticn b:tiv en the Pt' aters
of SufquehannahaniChriffiana-Creek, a Branch of Delazu re i
to which are annexed fome EJlimates of Ex-pence^ (sc.

TH E American Philofophical Society, held at Philadel-
phia, have always confidcred it is one great end of their
Inltitution, to fet on foot, and forward the execution of,
fuch public-fpirited undertakings, as have a tendency to ad-
vance the landed and commercial intereft of the Britifii Co-
lonies in general, and particularly of thole Middle Colonies,
with which they are more immediately connedled.

With this view it was, that they appointed different Com-
mittees, to view the ground, and confider in what manner a
water communication might be bed opened, between the Pro-*
vinccs of Maryland and Pennfylvania ; and particularly by
what means the Luge and increafing number of frontier-fettlers,
efpecially thole on the Safquehannah and its branches, might
be enabled to bring their produce to market at the cheapeft
rate, whether by land or water. To enable the Society to
make thefe furveys, levels, &c. the Merchants in Philadelphia
crenerouQy fubfciibed near Two hundred Pounds.

The firft place propofed to be viewed, was the ground be-
tween the tide-waters of Apcquiniminck and Bohema^ marked
AB in the annexed map (Plate VII.) and John Lukens, Efq-,
Surveyor-General, John Sellers, Matthew Clarkfcn, and Jo-
feph Eilicot, Efqrs. Meflrs. Thomas Gilpin, R chard Sitriforih,-
William Killen, John Stapler, of Pennfvlvania, and Williamj
Rumfey, Efqi of Maryland, were appointed a Committee for
this fervice, May 5th, 1769; who having performed the
fame, their ReporK^ figned by the three firft named Gentlemen,
v,'as piven in to the Society, June 19th, 1769, fcttirg forth,
*' That they had viewed the ground aforelaid, takejj the
*' levels, furveyed the diftance, ar.d efiaved a calculation of

P p ' *' the

[ 294 ]

" the expence, which would attend the cutting a CANAL in
'* that place, which they were of opinion might be executed
'^ with LOCKS for the furn oi Forty Thoufand Pounds * Penn-
" fylvania money.

" The depth of earth from the higheft ground to the level
" of navigation being very great, they declined making any
" eftimateof what the coft would be, to make a clear paflage
" from river to river, without LOCKS, judging it an under-
** taking beyond our prefent abilities."

The whole length of the ground where this Canal is pro-
pofed, from tide to tide, is 5 miles 107 perches. They found
the waters in the Head Branch of Bohemia about eighteen it^t
below the furface of the highefl ground, through which the
Canal mud go, and the water in the Head Branch of Apoqui-
niminck, about twenty-fix feet below the fame. The tide-
waters are fixty-fixfeet below the higheft ground.

They found that for making a Lock-Navigation (under the-
above circumftances) 208805 cubic yards of earth muft be re-
moved, that 10,260 perches of ftone-wall would be neceff ry
for ffcuring the banks of the Canal •, that three mills muft be
purchafed that ftand in the v/ay of the execution of the plan, and
that fix Locks muft be erefted •, all which, they judge, might
-be done at the expence of Forty Thouland Pounds, as aforeiald,.

Mr. Thomas Gilpin, one of the above Committee, laid be-
fore the Society a plan of a Canal, and the elevation of the
pround, &c. between'Chefter River, in Maryland, and Duck-
Creek, in Pennfylvania, at the place marked CD, in the an-
nexed map. " The diftance from tide to tide is here about
" twelve miles, and the length of the Canal, by the co.urfes it
" muft take, would be fourteen miles. The height of the
" middle ground above the tide is thirty-three ^ctt. •," and he
reports, *' that the water in Chefter River and Duck-Creek
'• is fufficient to liipply the Canal and Locks to the height of
'* twentv-tv/o feet above the tides. Lie eftimates only about

" Eight

■* OneSpaniP-. milled Dollar paCes ;nPennfyl'/ani-\ for Seven Shilllo.'T'; and Six-Pence,
by whith all cflunates in the currency oithat Frovinccniay be turned into Sterling

L 295 ]

" Fight Thoufand and Fifty Pounds for making a navigation
•' for° flat- bottomed boats,' that would carry one thoufand
". bulhels of wheiit each ; but to make it fit for fhallops, with
" a Lock-Navigation, he dates the whole expence at Twenty-
" EightThoufand Two-Hundred and Ninety-iiight Pounds."

Several difficulties having been apprehended in both the
above Plans, and particularly the great expence in executing
the firft to any advantage •, and that if the fecond could be
executed at the expence propofed, it would carry all the na-
vigation of the river Sufquehannah (which is the great objeft in
view,) too far down into Chefopeak-Bay, for an advantageous
communication with Philadelphia -, it was therefore propofed,
that Ibme other places (hould be examined, by which the
water carriage between Sufquehannah and Delaware might be
rendered fhorcer, and more practicable.

Committees were accordingly appointed to examine, fur-
vey and level the ground, between the navigable waters of
Delaware River in Pennfylv nia, and Elk River that empties
into Chefopeake, near the mouth of Sufquehannah. This fer-
vice was compleated by the Committee with great diligence,
and in the extremity of winter, as they found it beft to proceed
when the lurfaceot the waters and marihes were frozen over.
Their Report was delivered to the Society, 16th February,
1770; an A bflrad: of which follows, viz.

" That they had divided themfelves into two parties fot
♦' the greater expedition; one of which parties, viz. Samuel
** Rhoads, Efq-, the Revd. iVIr. John Ewing, MefTrs. Rich-
"*' ard -ittiforth, and Jofeph Horatio Anderfon, undertook
" to furvey and level the ground betv/een the tide water of
" Red Lion Creek, which empties into the Bay of Delav/are
" about fix miles below New-Callle, and the tide water of
*' LonsfCretrk, which is a branch of Elk-River, (the ground
*' marked EF, in th'^ plan). The other party, confifling of
" Meffrs John Stapler, Joel Bailey, Thomas Gilpin, and
*' Levi Holiingfworth, undertook to furvey and level the
*•• o-round marked GH, between the navigable waters of
" Chrifciana Creek, which empties into Delaware about four
«' miles above New-Caftle, and the Head of Elk River.'

P p 2 The

[ 296 ]

u'' The work being fin i (bed, they report further, " That thejr
^' find it a very eaiy and pradicable matier to cut a Canal in
" either of the above places^ fufficiently large to anfvver the
" purpole of a Barge Navigation, as it is called, and that at a
" moderate expence. Or if a Lock Navigation ihould be
" thought more eligible, as by that me ns the fame veflels
" that bring the produce and merchandize to rhe Canals, n}ay
•' proceed to market without unloading, this alfo (although it
*' might be attended with a greater expence) is alfo pradica-
" bie at both the above places."

As to the Barge Navigation, &c.(fhould that be thought beft)
they obferve that " the ground in both places will admit of
" a Canal bemg dug on a. level between the tide waters of De-
" laware and Chffopeake; in which baiges may continually
" ply, loading and unloading at each end •, while ihallopS)
" boats, and other fmall craft may come to the ends ot the
** Canal, to bring or carry off the various articles of com-
'* merce that may be conveyed through this communication..
'* Warehoufc- muft be built at each end of the Canal, to
" prevent unneceflary delays, and damage of the goods.
*' The head waters of Chrift ana and Elk Rivers may be
*' brought in to iupply either of thefe Canals.

The Committee further report, that when they had com-
pleated their fuiveys, &:c. as above; rhey proceeded, agreea-
ble to their inilru^tions, to Peach Bottom Ferry, on S-jIque-
hannah, in ortler to mak^- the btft enquiry th-y could, con-
cf-rnincr the dificrent Falls and Rifts in that River •, and to
examine where the befl and fhorteit road could be made troni
that place to Chriiliana Bridge^

With refped to the ddierent Falls, they report, from the
b'dl intormaLion they coukl obtain, " That the Biild Friar
'• i'W/.f, are the moft diiiicu t to pafs in that river. J hel'e lie
" in Maryland, about three miles below the Southern bounda-
*' ry of this Province ; that the other Falls are often paffed in
'* canoes, flats, rafts, &c. that they all difap ear in the time
'♦ of a ftc'h, and theivfore may be palR^d with the greateftlafe-
*' ty, and that in the mtermtdiacc parts ot the n\c^, the cur-

" rent:

C ''^91 ]

^*^ rent is fo flow and gentle, that it is eafy to row, or even failni.
",againftit. From the great quantity of water which this
" river contains, it appears obvious, that with a very mo-
" derate expence a Channel may be opened through the fe-
*' vera! Falls, by blowing up a few rocks, fo as to make a'
" good navigation, without doing any detriment to the other
" parts ot the river by leffeningits depth ; or where it may be
" judged more expedient, a fmall Canal may be cut on the'
" fhore, fo as to avoid all difficulty and danger from them.
*' rhey cannot afcertain the expence ot this work with preci-
" fion, but they apprehend it will not amount to more than
*' Four Thouland Pounds."

With refpe<fl to the road, they add, " That from the
** mouth of Pcters's Creek, (which empties into Sufquehan-
*' nah, at Peach Bottom, about three miles above the boun-
" dary line of the Province, and where a very convenient
" harbour may be made for boats,) they had exammed the
" ground, and find a good road may be made from thence xxy
" Chriftiana Bridge, by an eafy afcent along the valley of this
" creek, which extends about two miles from the river in a
** diredtion nearly parallel ro the laid Weft line. The ground
" admits of a good road from this to the place where the faid'
*« boundary line erodes Oclorara Creek, near the Horfe-
" Shoe Ford ; aftejp which it may be continued near the faid
** line until it meets with theboundary of New Caftle Countv.
** That part of the road which lies in New-Caftle County is
'* already made, and there is a law in that government, for
" keeping it in good repair. There are no hills to obftruct'
*' it, except at Oclorara Creek and Great Eik ; the mofV
" convenient places of pafTing which appear to be at Wilkie's
*' Mill, and the abovementioned Horfe-Shoe Ford, where the
•» hills may be eafily afcended by winding a little on the
*« Pennfylvania fide. This road may be made at a fmall ex-
*' pence, and will reduce the diftance between Peach Bottom
«* and the tide waters of Chriftiana Creek to about Thiriy-tivo
«* Miles. Bridges mull be thrown over the dreams of Otlora-
" ra and E'k, as they are frequently fo high as not to be
«' forded. The whole expence ot this work, they fuppofe, wi.l
** not exceed a Thoufand or Fifteen Hundred Pounds.

*' Upon

■ r 298 J

^ 'fit Upon the whole, they remark, that theriver Sufqnehannak
*■*' is the natural channel through which the produce oi three-
" fourths of this Province mult in time be conveyed to mark-
*■' et for exportation, and through which great part of the back
" inhabitants will be fupplied with foreign commodities.

" That this conveyance will become eafy and cheap, to the
" fettlers above the Peach Bottom or Bald Friar Falls; and
*' may, by proper encouragement, be found the moil uietui
" and convenient for ail the Weftern trade.

" That a road from Peach Bottom to the navigable waters
" of Chriftiana Creek, will reduce the whole land carriage of
** the moft remote inhabiiiants on the various branches of the
*' Sufquchannah to thirty-two miles, which appears to be the
" lliorieft portage from that river, to the navigable branches
" of Delaware, which can be had within the limits of this go-
" vernment •, and that the conveyance from Chriftiana to*
" Philadelphia is known to be fafe and eaiy.

>*' That clearing a channel through the Bald Friar Falls, and
** opening a Canal thro* either of the abovemencioned levels,
" Will not only reduce the whole trade of the Sufquehannah
" to a water carriage, but will open fuch a communication
" between the Delaware, and all the river? of the Chefopeak-
" Bay, as will greatly advance the commercial intereft ot all
''• the colonies adjoining thereon, by reducing the expence of
" carri-ige, on the various articles of fraffic, which are yearly
" tranfported from one Province to another, through thefe
*' extenfive v/aters."

REMARKS,

Firji^ With refpefl to the water communication propofed
from the mou h of ked-Lion Creek on Delaware, below New-
Caftle, to the navigable branches of Elk-River, at the place
mci:ked EF, it appears from the drafts, &c. that the fame may
be executed by cutting either trom Long-Creek or Broad-
Creek.

The

C 299 ]

The length of the Canal, if from Long-Creek toDelaware, is
lonfiiles, 135 perches; if from Broad-Creek to Ditto, it is 9 miles,,
200 perches j and either of thefe Canals leads immediately into
Delaware.

The Committee declare themfelves fully fatisfied, that a
good Canal, either for a Barge or Lock Navigation, may be
made in this place, through one of the hollows adjoining the
ridge on which they carried their level, at a lefs expence than at
any place of equal convenience. The feverity of the feafon did
not permit them to carry their level along either of thefe hol-
lows, or to examine the foil fo ftriflly, as that they could pre-
tend to make an accurate eftimate of the expence. But,
by the beftjudgment they could form, the ground to be dug
and moved for a Barge Navigation, is about 420,000 cubic
yards, and the whole expence of this and the other work ne-
ceffiry for a Barge Navigation in this place, they eftimate at
;^. 14,426.

Secondly^ With refpefl to the Canal propofed from Elk-
River to the navigable waters of Chriftiana-Creek, near the
bridge, at the place marked GH ; the diftance or length
of the fame, by the different courfes, is 12 miles, 10 perches.
The height of the heigheft ground above the level of the tide is
fixty-eight feet and a half.

The ground to be dug and moved,, for a Barge Navigation^
they make 387860 cubic yards.

And the whole expence of compleating the Canal,

For a Barge Navigation, . . £, 19,396: 10
The additional expence for a Lock Navigation 40,924 : 10

Total for a Lock Navigation, £. 60,321

The difference between th« expence of a Barge and Lock
Navigation being fo great, the Committee therefore recom-
mend the former for the prefent.

The particular eftimates upon which the foregoing Abftraft
is founded, together with the Plans of Surveys, Elevations of
the Ground, and Drafts of the different propofed Canalsp

being

I 30^ 1

being too large to be inferted in the Tranfadlions of the Socie-
ty, are therefore lodged in their Cabinet for the infpedion of
thcfe who may defire further fatisfadtion, in regard to the Pradti-
cability ofcarryTrig either of the above fchemes into execution,
which on a due confideration ot allcircumftances may be judged
molt for the public fervice.

In the mean time, the immediate opening the propofed new
road from Peach-Bottom on Sufquehannah, to the tide waters
ofCrifliana Creek, is recommended as a matter of the utmoft
importance, not only to the city of Philadelphia, but to a
great part of the fettlers on the waters of Sufquehannah.

^othe American Philosophical Society, ^c.

A Defcription of a MACHINE for ctitthig FILES, a Model of
-which was p-efented the Society feme Time ago.

By B. O.

A

REFERENCES.

BENCH, made of well feafoned oak, and the face of it
plained very fmooth. AAAA. (Plate VII. Fig. 2.)

BBBBB, The feet to the bench which fliould be fubilantial.

CCCC, The carriage on which the files are laid, which moves
along the face of the bench AAAA^ parallel to its fides, and
carries the files gradually under the edge of the chifel HH,
while the teeth are cut : This carriage is made to move by a
contrivance Ibmewhat fimilar to that which carries the log
againfl. the law of a faw mill, as will be more particularly
defcribed.

DDD, Are three iron rods, inverted into the ends of the
carriage CCCC, and which pafles through hoks in the ftuds
EEE, that arc fcrewcd firmly againfl: the ends o* the bench
AAAA, fordirefting the courfe of the carriage CCCC parallel
to the fides of the faid bench.

FF, Tv/o

r 3G1 3

FF, Two upright pillars, mortifed firmly into the bench
AAAA^ nearly equi-dillant from each end thereof, near the
edge, and diredtly oppofue to each other.

GG^ The lever or arm, which carries the cutter f///, and
works on the centers of two fcrews A7v, which are fixed into
the two pillars FF^ in a diredion right acrofs the bench
AAAA. By tightening orloofening thefe Icrews, the arm which
carries the chird, may be made to work more or lefs fteady.

L, Is the regulating fcrew, by means of which the files may
be made coarfer or finer -, this fcrew works in a flud A/, which
is Icrewed firmly upon the top of the pillar F. The lower end
of the fcrew L, bears againft the upper part of the arm GG,
and limits the heigth which it can rife.

iV, A Steel fpring that is fcrewed to the other pillar F, by
one end, the other end of which prefTes againft a pillar O, that
is fixed upon the arm GG, and by its prefTure forces the faid
arm upwards, until it meets with tfie regulating fcrew L.

P, Is an arm with a claw at the e^d, marked 6, the other
end is fixed by a joint into the end of the itud or pillar O, and
by the motion of the arm GG^ is made to move the ratch-wheel
^i this ratch-wheel is fixed upon an axis, which carries a
fmall trundle head or pinion R^ on the oppofite end ; this
takes into a piece SSSSS, which is indented with teeth,
and fcrewed fitmly againft one fide of the carriage CCCC, and
by means of this the carriage has a motion communicated to it.

^T", Is a clamp for faftening one end of the file in the place
or bed on which it is to be cut.

Fy Is another clamp or dog at the oppofite end, which
works by a joint ^, firmly fixed into the carriage CCCC.

2", ABRIDGE, likewife fcrewed into the carriage, through
which the fcrew X pafles, and prefTes v/ith its lower end
againft the upper fide of the clam^p F, under which clamp the
other end of the file ZZ, is placed and held firmly in its place,
while it is cutting, by the prefTure of the faid clamp or dog F,

Olq 7^ 7' 7» 7> ^s

C 302 ]

7, 7, 7, 7, Is a bed of lead, which is let into a cavity that is
formed in the body of the carriage, fomething broader and
longer than the largeft: fized files •, the upper tace of this bed
of lead is formed varioully, fo as to fit the different kinds of
files which may be required.

2, Two catches, which takes into the teeth of the ratch-
wheel ^, to prevent a recoil of its motion.

3,3, Is a bridge to fupport one end of the axis 4, of the
ratch-wheel ^

5, A Stud to fupport the other end of the axis of the
ratch wheel, ^

When the file or files are laid in their pUce, the machine
mufl be regulated to cut them of the due degree of finenefs,
by means of the regulating fcrew, i,, which, by fcrewing it
further through the arm, Af, will make the files finer, and
vict" verfa, by unfcrewing it a little, will make them coarfer -,
for the arm GG", can by that means, have liberty to rife the
higher, which will occafion the arm PP, with the claw, to
move further along the periphery of the ratch-wheel, and con-
fequently communicate a more extenfive motion to the car-
riage CCCC, and make the files coarfer.

When the machine is thus adjufted,a blind man might cut a
file with more exaftnefs than can be done in the ufual method
with the keened fight-, for, by ftriking with a hammer on the hrad
of the cutter or chifel HH, all the movements are fet at work,
and, by repeating the ftroke with the hammer, the files on
one fide will at length be cut ; then they muft be turned, and
the operation repeated, for cutting the other fide.lt isneedlefs to
enlarge much on the utility or extent of this machine ; for, on
an examination, it will appear to perfons of but an indifierent
mechanical fkill, that it may be made to v/ork by v/ateras rea-
dily as by hand, to cut coarfe or fine, large or fmall files, or any
number at a time -, but it may be more particularly ufeful for
cutting very fine fmall files for Watchmakers, as they may be
executed by this mac'iine with the greateft equality and nicety
imaginable : And as to the materials and dimenfions of the fe-
veral parts, I fhall leave that to the judgnrient and (kill of the
artift, who may have occafion to make one, only oblerving, that
ihe whole flioukl be capable to bear a good deal of violence.

TRANSACTIONS

O F T H E
Jlmerican Philosophical Society.

Sec t. IV.
MEDICAL PAPERS.

An Analyfis cf the Chalybiate Waters of Bristol, in

Pennfylvania •, in Tvoo hitters from Dr. John De Nor-
MANDiE, of Brijlol^ addreffed /d? Dr. Thomas Bond, one of
the Vice Prejidems cf the American Philofophical Society^ held
at Philadelphia •, and by him communicated to the /aid society.

LETTER I.
Briflol^ in Pennfyhania, September lo, 1768.
Dear Sir,

ON feeing amongfl the many ufeful purpofes of inftituting
the x'\merican fhilofophical Society, that of commiini-
cajng to the public new methods of curing and preventing
difeafes, is defervedly included ; I take the liberty of re-
queuing you to prefent my«mo(l refpeclful compliments to the
v'orthy Members of it, and beg their favourable p.cceptance of
the inclofed Analyfis of theBrillol Mineral Water, and of an
account of the means whereby a village, long unhealthy, has
been rendered remarkably healthy.

Q^q 2 To

[ £0i ]

To the American Philosophical Society, held at
Philadelphia, ^c.

TH E great improvements the laft and the prefent age
have made in the healing art, the encouragement given
to the ftudy of Phyfic by the eilablilhment of medical fchools
in North- America, and efpecially in your city, where the
feveral branches of medicine are regularly taught, mufl afford
the moft fenfible pltafure to every humane dil'pofition, and
prove an encouragement to all who are interefted in the health
of their fellow creatures, to exert themfelves in purfuing every
difcovery which may tend to the relief of the fickj or the rein--
ilatement of an impaired conftitution.

From thefe confiderations, I have undertaken to try the
following experiments upon the Chalybeate Waters of Briilol,
in Pennfylvania, with a view to diicover their contents, as a
guide to the further inveftigation of their virtues and ufes j:
and particularly, their application in the cure of difcafes. For
although it mull be confeffcd, that a chemical analyfis is, in
fome meafure, an uncertain teft of the medical virtues of any
compound; and that the qualities of its conitituent parts,
when feparated, may not only differ from, but are lometimes .
oppofite to, thofeof the mixture ; yet when we want the tefti-
mony of experience, a chemical analyfis is the bed m.eans of
■ jnveftigating the truth, and dlfcovering the virtues of the-
compound.

Thus, if from the following experiments it Ihail be found
that the waters of Briftol, are impregnated with the principles
of thofe of Barh or Spa, it will be no forced conclufion to fay,
they may be benencial in cafes fimilar to thefe that have been
happily cured by the lacier.

Experiment.!. A fmull portion of white oak bark, infufed
in the waters, induced an immediate change fro n tranipartncy
to^a'cJArk purple colour, which it retained 24 hours, vvithouc
depofiLing any fediment.

v.. Some

[ 3^5 1

II. Some of the fame water, after being made hot, or
expol'ed for a tew hours to the open air, in a great meafure loft
its irony tafte, and received no other colour than a common
tindture from the white oak bark.

III. One drop of ftrong oil of vitriol, in two ounces of the
water, produced no fenfible alteration ; and the water after
{landing fome t'me continued tranfparent, without depofiting
any okerifh or other fediment to the fides or bottom.

IV. Ol. Tart. pr. deHq. dropt in fome of the fame water,,
induced a change in the colour, rendering it fomewhat yellow ;
and in time precipitated to the bottom ot the cup a fine gold,
coloured oker.

V. Sixteen ounces avoirdupois, carefully evaporated to a-
drynefs in a China bowl in B. M. left one grain ot a yellowifh.
brown powder of the talle of tart, tartariz.

VI. Linen, moiftened with the fcum fioating on the top of
the fpring, is tinged with a ftrong iron mold.

VII. This water in weight is exadly the fame as that of
rain water.

From thefe few experiments, it is fofHciently evident that
this water, in its natural ftate, contains a large portion of iron
dilTolved in pure water by means ot an acid, which acid is ex--
tremely volatile, and probably of the vitriolic kind •, principles
fimilar to thofe of the much celebrate:d waters of the German
Spa, with which they likewife agree in the eff^ds which imme-
diately follow upon drinking them ; fuch as quickening the
pulfe, exciting an agreeable warmth in the ftomach, proiriOt:ng
the appetite, and occafioning a flow of fpirits, and a greater
degree of chearfulnefs.

Hence we msy juftly conclude, that like thofe they will
be very beneficial in all that numerous train of difeafes, which
arife from a debilited and relaxed ftate of the folid parts of the
human body, brought on by living in warm climates, immo-

deraLe

[ 3o5 l

derate evacuations, Sec. fuch as hypochondrical complaints,
melancholy, lofs of appetite, and indigeftion, with habitual
fickncfs, and pains of the ftomach and bowels, and all their
unhappy confequences -, rickets, lamenefs, and fome paralitie
complaints •, and that they will likewife prove powerful deob-
ftruents and alteratives, opening obftrudions, and difcharging
what is obnoxious by the feveral emunftories.

Nor indeed are thefe virtues attributed to them from con-
jecture and analogy only •, but, in fome meafure, from the
teftimony of fa(5t and experience. For although it would not
be very eafy, till the waters become more generally known, to
colle(5l any number of accurate and well attefted cafes, yet,
from the ftridleft enquiry from perfons who have fpent their
lives, near thefe fprings, it is certain they have, for a long time,
been remarkable for their falutary effects, ftrengthening the
ftomach, reiloring loft appetite, &c. And that numbers have
left the place perfectly cured ol difeafes which, for many years,
had eluded the moft powerful remedies.

But as Briftol was formerly an unhealthy place, and pre-
judices againft it may ftill remain in the minds of numbers of
perfons, who otherwife would be willing to try the benefits of
thefe waters, it may not be improper to alTign the caufes why
it was then fo, and how from their removal, it is now become
an exceeding healthy i'pot.

The town of Briftol is fituate on a high dry bank, with the
river Delaware to the eaftward and foudiward. There is a
quantity of low ground to the fouthward and weftward, which,
in its natural ftate, was overflowed by every fpring tide •, to
the northweft there is a Is.rge pond of water, which, when filled
by the winter'srain, overflowed the neighbouring hollow clayey
around, and there remained ftagnant, until exhaled by the fuc-
(.ceding warmer fealbns, which was feldom before the middle
of autumn ; at which time agues, remitting, intermitting, and
continued fevers, and indeed every fpecies of autumnal dii-
orders, prevailed, not only amongft ftrangers, but even the
inhabitanfi. This continued to be the cafe until the owners of
the low marfliy grounds, to the fouthward and weftward of the

town,

C 307 ]

town, embanked and improved them-, andafew public fpirited
inhabitants employed perfons to cut ditches to drain off the fu-
perfluous water, as it flowed out of the pond. After thefe im-
provements, the place became healthy ; the inhabitants were
no longer particularly fubjeft to fevers of any kind, and, for
feveral years paft, have enjoyed as much health, as any people
in any part of America,

t^

*' L E r T E R 11.

SIR, ^

SOME months ago, In a Letter to you (communicated
to the Public by the Philofophical Society) 1 gave you a
Ihort analyfis of the Briftol Chalybiate Waters.

I HAVE fmce had opportunities of profecuting that fubjeft
farther, by a number of additional experiments, which, to-
gether with the hiftories of feveral cafes, that have occurred
in my attendance here, will more clearly afcertain the contents
of thefe waters, and determine the effedis which may be ex-
pected from their ufe, in the cure of difeafes.

I THEREFORE take the liberty to tranfmit you the following
account, which I flatter myfelf, will be favourably received as
an ufeful fupplement to my former Letter.

The experiments 1 related to you in my lad, tended chiefly
to fhew that thefe waters owed their chief impregnation to iron
kept in folution, by means of an acid, which I judged to be of
the vitriolic kind.

Those which lam now to communicate to you confirm this
opinion, and at the fame time difcover fome other principles,
in their compofition, with which 1 was before unacquainted,
and which probably increafe their medical virtues.

Experiment I. Upon the addition of Sp. Sal. Arom. to the
water a flight eflfervefcence enfued, and upon (landing about
an hour, a light yellow matter vias feparated and floated on
the top of the liquor.

II. From

I 308 1

. IT. From a mixture of Hrre water, the fame feparation was
■made, but fell to the bottom of the liquor.

III. Powder'd chalk added to the water produced the fame
feparation, but not in fo Ihort a time, as in the preceeding
experiments.

IV. The refiduum, after a flight calcination, was ftrongly
attracted by the Magnet.

V. A SOLUTION of crude Sal. Ammon, being mixed mtk
the water, was fucceeded by the fame appearance as the addi-
tion of lime-water,

VI. The refiduum after evaporation rn Bain. Mar. before
calcination, difcovered to the taftea confiderable portion of Salt,
Ivhich left a coldnefs on the tongue, and when f-perated by
Iblution, filtration and evaporation, appeared of the colour of
fait of amber, and fliott into right angled cryftals, which
through a microfcope appeared beautifully feathered ; and
from every experiment was found perfecflly neutral.

VII. Silver immerfed for fome time in the water acquired
a flight yellow colour.

VII. The refiduum thrown on a red hot iron fparkled very
much, and emitted a fulphureous fmell, what remained on
the iron had not the leaft perceptible tafte of fait.

IX. The wa'ers, and the folution of the cryftalized fait,
changed fyrup of violets, to a fine light green.

The firft four of thefe experinients, in which the waters were
decompofed as well by a volatile alkali, as by lime waier, and
an abforbent earch, and the refiduum (after a flight calcination)
bein;}; attracted by the Magnet, evidcntiy prove that they are
impregnated v/ith a confiderable portion of iron.

The fifth experiment (in which a decompofition takes place
by means of a double ele<n:ive attraction; ihevvs that the acid

t 309 ]

in thefe waters, has a ftronger affinity vvirh alkalies, than that
which is rhe bafis of Sal. Ammoniac, (which is the marine
acid,) and muft be either the nitrous or vitriolic. And from
"a dccompofition taking place, on the addition of common
nine with the Chalybiate Waters, in about the fame time as
when left expofcd in the open air, we may rationally conclude
the acid to be of the vitriolic kind.

The fixth experiment (licws that there is a fmall portion of
neutral ialts in thefe waters, which from the coldnefs wi«h
which they efFe6t the tongue, and the appearance of the
cryilals, are probably of the ammoniacal kind.

The feventh and eighth experiments together with the
fmell of the bath and the confuierable factor which the waters
acquire when kept for any time, evidently (hew that they con-
tain a third principle, which is fulphur. This indeed (as well
as the fait) is in a fmall quantity, yet it may contribute fome-
what to the mcdicmal virtues of thefe Springs.

The ninth experiment feems to prove them to tend rather
to an alkaline nature, but as this was in a very trifling degree,
it may be ac'^ounted for from the efcape of the acid which is ex-
treamly volatile.

These experiments compared with thofe I have already
communicated to you fufficiently difcover the confticuent
parts of thefe Waters.

From fome other experiments I find they inftantly lather
with foap, are fomewhat lighter than common water, that they
no ways coagulate milk, even when boiled with it, and that
when mixed with an equal quantity of it, they prevent in fome
meafure its acefcency •, from the firft and fecond of which
facts, we may naturally fuppofe them more powerfully deob-
llruent, and from the two lal> we may draw this ufeful corol-
lary, that they may not only be ufed with fafety along with a
milk diet, but that they realy in a chemical fenfe prevent the ill
confequences which otten attend fuch a diet in a weak ftomach.
From this circumftance their efficacy muft be in many cafes
greatly increafed.

R r When

[ 31^ J

When drank, they a6l as a quick diuretic, always in^
creafing the quantity of urine. They generally at firft drink-
ing prove cathartic, always tinge die excrements black, and
Ibmetimes, from the flate of the ftom.ach prove emetic. Thejr
exhilarate the fpirits, and in iome inftances produce a mbr
mencary intoxication. They communicate an immediate, vi-
gor and ftrength to the whole conftitution, as is evident to
many patients, who with fatigue walk to the wells ; but in
returning home, are not fenfible of any wearinefs or languor.

They prom.otedigedion, Qrengthen the ftomach, and create
an appetite. Thele are their contlant and immediate erfeds
in almoft every (late of the body, from which one might rea-
fonably conclude, that they would be highly, beneficial in ma-
ny, difeafes. But as the beft teft of their utility are fads, I
fliall feled ibmefewoutof thole cafes, which this feafon has
^already afforded me.

Cafe \fi. JV. A. A LABOURING man, of a fallow diw^^^j.
complexion, who for twelve years pall, had been afflided
with phegadenic ulcers in his legs, and for the laft eight years
a fchirrous liver and fpleen, for v/hich the moft. povv^erful de-
obftruent^ aperient, and alterative medicines had been pre-
fcribed without effed", was employed in finking the Bath, and
digging drains, to carry off the wafte water tor ten days,
during which time he v;as generally up to his knees in mud,
ochre, and, water. In that, time the ulcers on his legs intirely.
healed up, withoutthe ufe of any kind of medicine or dreffing,.
except a piece of linen cloth over the fores. He wiis then re-
tained as bath keeper, in which ftation his bufinel's led him into
the bath feveral times every day ^ and in eight weeks (during,
which time he conftantly drank the Waters) the diforder in.
his liver and iplcen gradually gave way •, and. at this time, with-
out the ufe of any medicine, he has perfedly recovered his
health and complexion. 1o him the waters at firff proved
gently purgative, and afterwards diuretic.

7.d. W. W. Aged about nineteen years, for two years pad
had been afflided with vioknt rheumatic complaints, to fuch a
degree that at the time of his coming '.o the Bath it was with

difficulty

C 311 ]

difficulty he could raife himfelf when feated, and the mufcles of
his neck were fo rigid and contracted that he could not move
his head •, he found lenfible benefit from the firft ufc of the
Bath, and by continuing it for about feven weeks, perfeftly
recovered his health, and the ufe of his limbs.

3^. L. M Had for near two years been afflided with a
weaknefs at his ftomach, inability in the.organs of digeftion to
perform rheir office, and at times a general laffitude and weari-
nefs over every part of his body, brought on by too violent
exercife. Upon drinking and bathing a fhort time, he re-
ceived very fenfible benefir, all his complaints ceafed, and he
gained a much better appetite than he had ever experienced
while laboring under his diforder.

^th. Mrs. H. For five years had been affli<51:ed with a vio-
leni cough, attenaed with pain in her breaft and ahedtic fever,
which never had abated from the ufc of medicine. By drink-
ing and bathing for four weeks, fhe perfe<511y recovered her
health without any medicine, and returned home with a very
good appetite.

Sth. Mifs R. For two years paft had been fubjea to pains
in her ftomach and head, obftrudions in her liver, flight
cough, perpetually feverifli, with lofs of appetite, and reftiefs
nights, for which a variety of medicines had inefl^edually been
ufed, they only affording a temporary relief. In this ftate fhe
came to the Wells, in fo low a condition ihat fhe could not
walk the length of a ftreet but with the greateft difficulty. At
firft fhe daily rode to the Bath, but after ufing it for foir/e time,
fo far recovered, that fhe could walk without any inconve-
nience, and after ftaying about five weeks, returned home
very hearty, had a good appetite, and rcfted well.

6th. J. F. FoRthelaft five months fubjedl to an inceffant
cough, the efl?e(5l of a violent cold, came to the Wells and
drank the waters for ten days, in which time his cough by de-
grees abated, and he returned home perfedly cured.

ytb.

[ 312 ]

yth. Mrs. K. Had complaints fimilar to thofe mentioned
in the cafe of Mifs jR, but attended with frequent acrid,* black
{tools, which afforded no relief from her complaints. She
drank the waters, and went into the bath for five weeks, in
which time fhe recovered her complexion and flefh, and a
much bettjr ftate of health, than fhe had enjoyed for a num-
ber of years.

8//& Mifs H. About live weeks before fhe was brought to
the bath, was feized with fpafmodic contra(5lions in her left
arm, a paralitic complaint over all the fame fide, her fpeech was
much affecfted, one fide of her mouth drawn up, and fhe had
hardly any power over one hand and foot, from which the heft
adapted medicines and the ufe of a common cold bath had af-
forded no relief. Immediately on ufing the Chalybiate bath,,
her fpafms began to abate, and foon left her. She ftill remains
at Bath, has perfectly recovered her fpeech, and at this time,
without the flrietert: examination, you cannot difcover the leall
remains of her diforder ; fhe can now work with her needle,
and drefs herfelf as ufual. She took fome tew nervous flimulat-
ing medicines during the time of bathing.

9/^. Mr. D. Who had been for fome years conftantly fub-
je6l to a nervous cholic, which rendered his life a burthen to.
him, came to Briflol, and, after ufing the bath and diinking
the Waters for two weeks, left the place perfe(5liy cured v/ith-
out the ule of any other medicine.

loth. Mrs. — For the laft twelve years of her life was
fubject to obftruftions in her liver, attended witii an almoil
conftant menftruation, lofs of appetite, Oedematous f.velling in
her legs and feet, and difturbed and rcftlefs nights. At the foli-
citation of her friends, flie came to Briflol with a conllitution
almoft wore down, and with a prepofieflion that her cafe did not
admit ot any relief. After a fhort time batiiing, and drinking
the waters, the fweliing in her i^Qt and legs abated, her appe-
tite and fieep returned, the diforder in her liver,, and every
other complaint abated, her colour returned, i^n..; he now en-
joys a much btrtter Hate of health than Ihe had expcrie iced for a
number of years, with theplcafing profpecl: of a pcifed recovery.

FaoM.

C 313 J

From thefe cafes, as well as from the fenfible efFecfts upon
firft drinking thefe waters, it is evident that they are a fafe and
adiveChalybiate, exerting the moft powerful cffeds upon the
human conftitution, and agreeing with the molt delicate fub-
jeds J and that they are fately and fuccefsfuliy drank in many
cafes where the common and ufual preparations of iron are at-
tended with dangerous confequences; which perhaps may be
owing to the extream iubtlety and minutenefs of its parts, and
the interpofition of fo large a quantity of pure water; or it may
poffibly depend on the nature of the mixture, which cannot
eafily be imitated by any artificial preparation.

In particular, thele cafes teach us, that the moft happy e{fe(fts
are to be expe6ted from thefe waters in old and obftinate ul-
cers, which they quickly and readily difpofe to heal. That
they penetrate the moft remote and minute veflels of the body,
prove powerful deobftruents, and remove the moft obftinate
ot difeafes, clandulous obftrudtions, even after they had refifted
the moft powerful m.edicints. And hence they ma^ prove highly
beneficial in ftrumous and fcrofulous cales of children, in
jaundice, and other obftruftions of the liver, fpleen, and my-
fenteric glands, which lay the foundation for fo many and fuch
obftinate chronick* complaints •, as alfo in cafes of obftrudted ca-
tamenia, and where, from relaxation, the flow is too abundant..

They likewif-, as appears from the cafes of JV. W. and L...
M. cure moft obftinate rheumatifrns, and that languor and un-
eaftnefs whic-h often arife from too violent exercife, and whichi
are nearly allied to the rheumatifm.

And however prejudices may operate againft the ufe of Cha--
lybiate \\at(:rsin diforders ot the lungs, nothing is more certain
than that thefe I am now treating of, have afforded effectual
reliet in violent coughs, even where they have been of long
ftanding, and when attended with hedic complaints j as is e-
evidnt from the cafes of Mrs. H. Mifs R. and J. F. which
laft was the only cafe in v/hich drinking the waters without
bathing complea'cd the cure. Nor indeed is this do(2:rine of
the ufe ofChalybiace waters in pulmonary and hedic com-
plaints intirely new. Morton prelcribes them in the Phthifis

Pulmonalis,

r 3M ]

Pulmonalis, in which he does not (land fingle. And there
have been inftances of coniiderable reliet afforded by them even
-in the laft flages of a confumption. Some rcftrid:ions and cau-
tions are certainly'- neceffary in their ufe, but they v/ould be too
tedious to mention here, and mull be left to the judgement
of the phyfician.

In nervous diforders arifmgfrom relaxation, one would na-
turally expe(5c from them the happicft effeds, and in fa6l they
have been found very effe^lual in palfies and nervous cholicks,
as in the cafes of Mifs H. and Mr. D. In fliorc, thefe waters,
in every difeale which arifes from that fruitful fource of com-
plaints, a relaxed and weakened ft.ite ot the folids, may wiih
great propriety and truth be termed fpecificj but in no cafes
have their good efft;6ts been more evident or remarkable, than
in a depraved and debilitated ftate of the organs of digeftion,
arifmg from inactivity, and a ledentary lite, from continuing
too long in warm climates, or from exceffive and free living;
here the remedy is immediately applied to the fe^t of the dif-
eafe, and of confequence muft produce the moil immediate ef-
fefts, nor indeed has there been one inftance, in which, if pro-
.perly perfevered in, they have failed of affording relief.

Every particular here afferted is confirmed by experiments
that have been carefully made, and by many cafes, from which
thefe few are fele6led, and in the ilating of which ithe public
may rell affured, that the moft fcrupulous fidelity has been
obierved, by

Dear Sir,

2"ours, C^c,

0£r. 6ih, iy6^. JOHN D E N 0 RMJ N D IE.

1o Doflor Thomas Bond.

[ 3^5 ] ■

the Cr.fi of a TETANOS and LOCKED JAW, cured by
amazing quantifies of Oj-Hua}, by Dpclor Archibald Glos-
TER, of St. John's, Antigua-, commimicated to John Mor:-
GAN, M. D. F. R. S. Profeffor of Phyfick^ in the College of

- Philadelphia \ and by him laid before the American Philofophical
Society.

NEGRO, aged forty years, having fuffered the exceflive
_^ heat of the fun in the day, imprudently laid himfelf down
and (Icpt on the damp Earth in the night. The next morning,
he perceived a ftiffnefs in the mulcles of his jaws, with a foma-
what, painful or rather uneafy fenfation in thofe of the neck j
havino- no other complaint at the time, he was blooded, and
had an emollient liniment tor the parts affefted, and was or-
dered a lenient purge, ex Mann. S Sal. Glaub. This operated
immediately.

The day following the pains in his jaws increafed, the muf-
cles of his back and neck were frequently feizcd with violent
fpafms, which proceeded to the murdes of his thighs and legs', .
rendering them quite rigid.

He could fcarcely refrain from crying out at thefe times,
and could not, but with difficulty, open his teeth, fo far as to
admit a knife betv<een. Luckily for him his under jaw pro-
jected naturally beyond the upper jaw, fo that his food pafied
between his teeth, and he had no great difficulty in fwallowing
liquids. His pulfe was (low and fmall, and his fkin was below
thenatural heat : He had no deep, for fo foon as he dozed-,
fevere fpafms would roufe him.

Having obferved in the London Medical Eflays, that thefe
complaints had been fuccesfully treated with free exhibitions
of opium, and having before this obfiinate cafe came under
my obfervation relieved patients by very liberal dofes of it, I
thought nothing in the Materia Medica would be fo likely to
yield relief in this cafe. 1 therefore prefcribed on the evening
of the fecond day as follows, viz.

June "]th. Vp. Pulv: Ccntrnyerv: Ccmp*: 3 if. Nitre: pur -,
Catnph'. Opic pur: ana ^ fs. M D in P M fex.
Cap: unam pia quaque h.ord.

m. He.

[ 3iS J

S^fh. He was no better, his ftiffnefs continued with fre-
quent fpafms fevere and painful. The powders were repeated
\vich dij of opium.

gth. He had no fleep, no difturbance in his mind, nor the
leall affeftion of the Senlbrium Commune which could be at-
tributed to the opium. His powders were repeated as yefter-
day, he took liquid food, fuch as weak broths, gruels and
ptifans. A general bath was ordered, in which he was put
itiff as a ftake, and the fpine with all the rigid parts were well
rubbed after the uieof it, with a liniment,

€X Cafnph. 3?. foha: in Oh Oliv. ^vf.
Tenet: Tebaic: ^iij. M:

loth. The pov/ders were repeated with zi of opium to
be given every two hours as uiuai. •

A P RTicuLAR bath likewife, confifting of emollient and
difcutient herbs, was directed for the mufcles of his jaws and
neck, which were moft feverely convulfed-, indeed ihe Malle-
ter mufcles were to the touch like wood.

jith. The patient was no better : I began to difpair of
him: Emollient clyfters were thrown up morning and evening,
he being very collive, as well from the ufe of the opium, as
from the efieds of the difeafe. His mind was clear and un-
difturbed, he had no fleep, nor even drowfinefs; nor did there
appear any of the ufual effedis of opium given in much fmaller
quantities. However I knew that nothing but opium could an-
fwer our purpofe, and iho' I had gone as great lengths v/ith it
as any one in thefe parts would venture, yet I not only per-
fifted in its ufe, but incieafcd its quantity to si/s. in fix powders,
ufing lefs nitre and camphor.

I2tb. tiAviNG taken the lad fix powders, he thought his

fpdms recurred lets frequently. Yet there was no relaxation

oi the mufcles ot the jaws, nor any other favourable alteration.

His cl>fters were repeated, the baths and liniment continued,

arid his powders were again ordered,

1 31k

C 316 ]

I ph. EvERV thing continued the fame. He had no fleep, nor
any relixation of the mufcle.s. His dilchar^es by theclyfters
vere hard dry fcybals ; hi.s mind was ftill calm, and not a
fundlion of it Impaired, or in the lead akered. He was wake-
ful in the day as ufual, and in the evening h :d an incr;naiion
to reft, but continued to be difturbed by n.efe dreaitui fpafms.

Still between hopes and defpair I ordered fix powders with
two drachms of opiums which was twenty grains of pure fuiid
opium m each dofe, to be given every three hours.

i/\.'h. Having taken all rhefe, he was rather eafier, his
fpafms were It-fs frequent, yet no perceptible relaxation- of the
mufcles of his lower jaw followed. His diet was continued as
above. His clylter produced the fame difcharges as before.
He was eafier always after the general bath, and the rubbing
in of.the liniir.cnt, all which were continued , and as I had
ventured as tar with opium as I thought it prudent, I ordered
as follows :

?, Pul. Contray. Comp. r

Cinnab. Antim. \ ana -^jfs.

Opii pur. C.

Mofch. Chinens. 3 fs to be divided into fix
parts, and one to be given every three hours.

15//&. He faid he was eafier, had a very little fleep ; his
fpafms were Icfs frequent, and he was in better fpirits. This
encouraged me to hope for a relaxation of th fe cruel fpafms,
which have been fatal to fo many. I therefore boldly returned
to the former dofe of Opitim^ and gave 3 ij in the powders with
the mufk and cinnabar.

i6th. The patient found himfelf much the fame as yefler-
day. His baths, liniments, clyllers, frictions and powders
were repeated.

17//&. He found himfelf much eafier today, his powders
were repeated, and his fpafms were much relaxed every where,
except in his right leg which was very painful. The mafleters
gave way a very little, fcarcely perceptible.

S f 18. He

C 317 ]

iStb. He was much the fame as yefterday, having gained
however a little ground. The fame means were continued,
and his powders repeated.

i^ih. He was rather better, and more free from pain j he
could fit up i the mufcles of the back part of the body were-
fo far relaxed as to admit of that pofture, without much pain, ,
He moved his lower jaw from fide to fide with fome eafe. The
lame powders, &c. were continued.

20lb. He could open his mouth fo far as to admit my little
finger into it, but this was done with a horrid grin, and I was
afraid the fpafm would return with theefirort, which is very^
common. The medicines were repeated

217?. He was much in the fame condition V ftillhad fpafms-
at greater diftances, had fome fleep, and faid he could eatj
but I was unwilling to hazard the experiment. His liquid'
food was continued, his medicines were repeated, and every-
thing obfcrved with the fame care as before,

22d. He continued to mend j has had feme flcep ; the
iiiafieters were relaxed fiill more ; the fpafm recurred lefs fre-
quently. He complained of iownefs of fpirits, and was de-i
firous of tobacco to fmoak, which was allowed. He had
a mixture of four fpoonfuls of old. rum in a pint of warm wa-
ter. His powders were ordered as before with sy of opium,
and the ufual quantity ofmuik, to be given every four hours
only.

2^d. He was much berter, had fome (Teep, opened hi*
mouth, could chew, and flill enjoyed a calm undiflurbed
mind. His powders were repeated with "^j; of opium which
makes fifteen hundred grains of folid opium taken in f event een days.

24.tb. He had better reft laft night and more fleep than
during his illnefs before. He eat a bit of lamb, could open
his mouth no farther than yefterday, but his fpafms recurred
Icfs frequently. His powders with dj J of opium were ordered
as before.

' 5^b.

C 318 ]

2 5ib. He was much better in all refpeds ; he (lept pretty-
well laft night, and could move his legs and arms very freely.
There was ftill a fpaim on his mafleter mufcles, as he could
not freely open his mouth. Nothing was ordered but a con-
tinuance of his baths, liniments, clyfters, friftions. The
powders ordered for him yefterday not being yet expended.

26fb. He continued to mend, although he had not taken
above 20 grains of opium the two preceeding days. There
was no alteration in his fpirits. The fpafms were more relaxed.
From this time he was vifited Icfs frequently, his medicines
given more irregularly, but as he had fpafms which recurred
now and then till the 15th of July, he had his bath continued,
and tookabout 3 j(/}of mufk, and 96 grains of opium in that
(pace.

July 20th. He is now perfeiftly well,- in good fpirits, and
finds no inconvenience from his preceeding ficknefs, nor
any mifchief from the amazing quantity of opium he has
fwallowed down. It is to be noted that from the i6th he was
put upon a courfe of nervous pills ex G. Aflafoetid. and Cinna-
bar of Antimony without any opium.

Lest any perfon (hould imagine the opium which was made
ufe of in this cafe, might not be good, 1 think proper to add
that it was frefh, and appeared to be very good, being procured
from Meflrs. Bevan, Druggifts in London ; and that it always
anfwered to the ufual effects of Opium in the common dofes, in
every other inftance, having made fufficient ufe of it in my
praftice, to be certain ot its quality.

J}^ Account of the Effe^fs cf the STR AMMONIUM or

Thorn-Apple.
By Benjamin Rush, M. D. Profeffor of Chemiffry, in the
■College of Philaddphia.

IW A S called to a child, (between three and four years
old,) a few days ago, which appeared to be ill with a vio-
lent fever, delirium, tremors in her limbs, and a general

5 f 2 eruption

C 3^9 1

eruption on her fkin, accompanied with a confiderable i welling,
itching and infiamrndtion. As the feafon for inflammatory
difeafes was now over, (it being the beginning of Aiiguftj and
as I had neither feen, nor heard, of any cafes which bore the
leaft refemblance to this in the ciry, I acknowledge 1 was
much furprized at it, and knew not what caufe to call in, to
account for a fever attended with fuch acute fymptoms, at a
time of the year, when moll of people, efpecially children,
were fubjedt to complaints of a very different nature. As her
puife was pretty full and ftrong, I immediately ordered her to
loofe a little blood, and gave her a few laxative medicines.
Befides thefe, 1 ordered her to be put into a warm bath, and
recommended the application of {limulating cataplafms to her
feet. The opening medicines operated the evening after I gave
them, and brought away a great number of the afcarides
worms which i far from thinking were the caufe of her difor-
der, as the fymptoms ftill continued with as much violence as
ever. I cannot help remarking here, that two of the moft
powerful vermifuge medicines we are acquainted with, viz.
the Anthelmin^ or Worm-Grafs of Jamaica*, and the Carolina
Fink-Root^ are both confiderAbly narcotic, and when taken in
too large quantities produce effects fomewhat fimilar to thofe
of the Strammonium. Do their vermifuge deoend upon their
narcotic qualities alone .f" Are ail narcotic fubftances vermi-
fuge ? Or may not they be rendered fo, by adminiftring
puri2;es after them, in the manner we are direfted, after ufing
the Worm-Grafs and Pink Root ? Thefe are queftions, which
are perhaps foreign to our prefent fubjeft, and yet when re-
folved, may have their ufes in medicine. But to return ; the
mother of the child finding moft of the remedies we had ufed
ineffedtual, informed me for the firfl: time, that they haH a
{^xn'^nixx.-^ o{ Strammonium growing in their garden, where the
child generally played, and that fhe recolleded that fhe had
oice been diibrdered in a (light manner, from eating fome of
the feeds of it. This led me immediately to treat her com-
plaints in a very different manner from that I had formerly
done. I gave her a puke of two grains of Tart. Emetic, dif-
folved in water by fpoonfuis. It vomited her feveral times, but

brought

* S€C Dr. Brown's Natural Hiftory cf Jamaica

r 320 ]

brought nothing but phlegm from her flomach. After this I
gave her fweet oil in large quantities, mixed with a little of the
oleum Ricini, which in a little time brought away a great
number ot the Srrammon um feeds. The relief fhe got from this
evacuation, encouraged me to repeat the fame medicine,,
which 1 did every day for near a w ek, till I began to flatter
myfelf they were all difcharged from the body. But notwith-
ftanding this, flic was far from recovering fo rapidly as we.
wifhed. The tremors ftill continued in her hands at times j*
her delirium abated, but it left her ftupid and blind. The
pupils ot her eyes were much dilated, and Ihe catched at the
bedcloathcs and at every thing around her, in the fame man-
ner as a perfon in the lafl: (lage of a fever. As 1 was perfuaded
the 0:l (he had taken, had evacuated all fuch of the feeds as
were in the gutts, 1 began to fufpect, that her complaints were
ftill kept up by a few feeds which ftill renained in her ftomach.
I therefore gave her four grains of tart, emetic, in the manner
I formerly mentioned, and had the pleafure to find, that it
brought up above 8o of the feeds, the fecond time it puked
her. inding the ftupor and blindnefs ftill continue, I repeat-
ed the puke, which brought up, above 20 more. Upon this
all her complaints vanlftied, and in a few days ihe appeared
perfectly well.

It may perhaps appear furprizing to fome, how fo many of
the feeds of the Strammonium fhould be lodged fo long in a
child's ftomach, without producing much worfe effedls than
thofe we have mentioned, efpecially when we confider the ac-
counts which Dr. Siork has given us of the eflfedts of a very
fmall quantity of it. In order to account for this, we muft re-
mark, that the feeds the child fwallowed were of the laft year's
growth, and were become fo dry and hard as to refemble little
pieces of horn. Befides the feeds of the narcotic pUnts in ge-
nera! contain but very little of their virtues ; even the feeds of
the poppy itfelf may betaken in large quantities, without pro-
ducing any of the efFedts of opium. Dr. Stork's experiments
were made entirely with the extrad of the Strammonium, two
grains of which contain more of the narcotic quality of the
plant, than three hundred of the dried feeds.

My

C 321 ]

~My chief defign in relating the above cafe, is to nnake t\TO
, :Obfervations, which may be of ufe in other cafes.

I. We learn the wonderful connection between the furfacc
of the fkin and the alimentary canal. Eruptions upon the
flcin are generally attributed to an acrimony in the blood. In
the prefent cafe we fee an -eruption occafioned by acrid fub-
flances irritating the ftomach and bowels. It would be eafy to
point out feveral other matters both of a vegetable and animal
nature, which produce effefts of the fame kind almoft as foon
as they are received into the ftomach, and long before they are
fuppofed to have undergone its action, or of being mixed w'th
the blood. It is impoffible to tell, what fpecies of the eruptive
difeafe sare occafioned by the prefence of morbid matter in the
primae viae ; but in all thofe cafes, where it is doubtful, it
would not be amifs to fufpedl it, and to order our medicines
accordingly. Dr. Korr (of St. Croix) informed me, that he
had once an obftinate humour upon his arm, which alternated
with a complaint in his ftomach, arifing from the too great
predominance of an acid, and that he was never able to re-
move it with all the applications he could ufe, till he cured the
diforder in his ftomach by bitier and aftringent medicines.

A SECOND obfcrvation upon the above cafe, which I would
beg leave to make is, that pukes may often be given to evacu-
ate the contents of the ftomach, and notwichftanding they
work tolerably well, may not anfwer the purpofes we iniended
by them. How often do we difcover the ftrongeft marks of
worms being lodged in the ftomach, and yet how feldom arc
we able to bring them up from thence, by the ordinary pukes
we adminifter. In this, and like cafes therefore, it fliould be
our pracftice to encreafe the dofes of our vomits, or to give
fuch fubfiances as will deftroy the life, or virus of thofe things
we would wifti to expel from the ftomach. Had the laft
puke, which I gave to the child, which had eaten the Stram-
monium feeds, failed of bringing them up, I have no doubt,
but what the plentiful ufe of acids <j[, (which are fu< h poweitui

antidotes

^ since writing the above, I have had the pleafurc of hearing from Dr. Thomas Bond,
and Dr. Harris, an account of the good effedls of Lemon Juice in a iimilar cafe, after the
ftrongeft pukes had been given to no puipofc.

L 322 J

antidotes to other narcotic fubflances,) would have rendered
them harmlefs. And if we may be allowed to reafon from
analogy, I think we may prefume, that there is fcarcely a
poilonous fubftance in nature but what has an antidote provided
tor it. What thefe antidotes are, can never be determined by
reafoning a priori, but muft be found out by experiments
alone. Confidering the frequency of the accidents which arife
from poifons, and the little relief we arc able to afford m themf,
I cannot help thinking an enquiry into this fubje6t a matter of
great importance, and v/ell worthy of the attention of the
Faculty of Phyfic.

An E N QJJ I R Y inio the Nature^ Caufe, and Cure of tht
ANGINA SUFFOCATIVA, or Sore Throat Dif.
temper, as it is commonly called by the Inhabitants of the City
and Colony of New -York ^ i^c. 5y Samuel Bard, M. D.
and Profejfor of the Practice of Phyftc in King's College^ New-
Tork \ communicated to John Morgan, M. D. F. R. S.
Profejfor of the Theory and Practice of Phyftc, in the College
of Philadelphia.

" ^S a faithful and accurate hiftory of difeafes, their various
" fymptoms and method of cure, is the moff effetiual way of
" promoting the art of healing \ Phyftcians fhould defer ibe^ with
" the utmofl care, the difeo.fes they would treat of, and the good
" and had effects of any method or medicines they have ujed in
" them. But in a more particular manner is this n'ceffary, when
" any new and uncommon difiempr occurs, of which the peculiar
** pathognomonic and diagnojiic figns fhculdbe carefully laid down,
" and a particular account given of what evacuations, regimen
** and medicines were ujeful or hurtful in it^

Huxham, on Fevers, P. 267.

ROM a convi6lion of the truth and importance of thefe
_ obfervations, and in ob^'dience to the precept of fo great
a Man as Huxham, I have determined to attempit the hiftory
of a difeafe which has lately appeared among the children ot
this city, and which, both as an uncommon, and highly danger-
ous drltempcr, well defer yes an attentive confideration. In ■

delivering

C 3^3 1

delivering it therefore, I fhall firft carefully enumerate the
fympcoms with which it was attended, and deicribe the appear-
ances which occurred on inlpeding the bodies of fuch as died
oi it i and then lay dowri the method of cure which has been
found to be moft fuccefsful in its treatment.

In general, this difeafe was <:onfined to children under ten
years old, rhough fome few grown perfons, particularly wo-
men, (while it prevailed) had fymptoms very firrilar to it.
Moft ofthofe who had it were obferved to droop for feveral
days before they were confined. And the firll fymptoms, ia
al moft every cafe, were a Highly inflamed and watery eye, a
bloated and livid countenance, with a few red eruptions here
and there upon the face, and in one cafe a fmall ulcer in the
nofe, whence oofed an ichor fo fharp as to inflame and erode the
upper lip. At the fame time, or very foon after, fuch as could
fpeak, complained of an uneafy fenfation in the throat, but
without any great forenefs or pain. Upon examining it, the
tonftls appeared fwelled and flightly inflamed, with a few
white, fpecks upon them, which, in fome, increafed io as to
cover them all ove"r with one general flough -, but this, altho' a
frequent fyrnptom, did not invariably attend the difeafe -,
and fome "had all the other fymptoms without it. The breath
was either no ways off^enfive, or had only that kiild of fmeil
which is occafioned by worms ; and the fwallowing was very
little, if at all, impeded. ' .4 - .t.. .

"These fymptom?, with a flight fever at nighr, continued in
fohie for five or fix days, without alarming their friends j i-n
others a difficulty of breathing came on wlthm twenty four
hours, especially in the time offleep, and was often fud-'enly
encreafed to fo gre t a degree as to threaten immediate fufFo-
catlon. In general, however, it came on later, incfeafed more
gradually, and was not conftant i but the patient would now
and then enjoy an interval of an hour or two, in which he
breathed with eafe, and then again a laborious breathing would
enfue, during which he fet-med incapable of filling his lungs,
as if theairwas drawn.thrbugh atoo narrow paflage.

C 325 ]

This ftage of the difeafe was attended with a very great and
fudden prollration of ftrength •, a very remarkable hollow dry
cough i and a peculiar change in the tone of the voice -, not
eafily delcribed, but fo fingular, that a perfon who had once
heard it, could almoft certainly know the difeafe again by heaf-
ing the patient cough or fpeak. In fome the voice was almoft
entirely loft, and would continue very weak and low for feve-
ral weeks after recovery. A conftant fever attended this dif-
eafe, but it was much more remarkable in the night than ih
the day timej and in fome there was a remakable remiflion to-
wards morning. The pulfe at the wrift was in general quick,
foft and fluttering, though not very low, and it was remark-
able, that at the fame time ihe pulfations of the heart Were
rather ftrong and fmart than feeble. The heat was not very*
great, and the fkin was commonly moid.

THESEfymptoms continued for one, two, or three days. Bf
that time it was ufual for them to be greatly increafed in fucK
as died ; and the patients, though commonly fomewhat coma-
tous from the beginning, now became much more fo •, yet
€ven when the diforder was at the worft, they retained iheit"
fenfeSj and would give <iiftin<Sl aniwers, when fpoken to j
although on being left to themfelves, they lay for the moft
part in a lethargic fituation, only raifing up now and then to
receive their drink. Great rcftlefsnefs and jactation came on
towards the end of the difeafe, the fick perpetually tofling from
one fide of the bed to the other, but they were ftill fo far
comatous as to appear to be afleep, immediately upon
changing their fituation or pofture. An univerfal languor ind
dejeftion were obferved in their countenances j the fwelling of
the face fubfided -, a profufe fweat broke out about the head,
neck and breaft, particularly when afleep ; a purging in feveral
came on •, the difficulty of breathing increafed, fo as to be fre-
quently almoft entirely obftrudled, and the patient died appa-
rently from the fufibcation. This commonly happened before
the end of the fourth or fifth day ; in feveral within thirty-fix
hours from the time the difficulty of breathing came on firft.
One child, however, lived under thefe circumftances to the
eighth day -, and the day before he died, his breath and what
he expe6lorated, was fomewhat offenfivej but this was th£

T t only

C 326 ]

only in (lance in which I could difcover any thing like a dif-
ao-reeable foiell, either from the breath or expefloration.

Out of fixteen cafes attended with this remarkable fuffoca-
tion in breathing, feven died ; five of them before the fifch
day, the other two about the eighth. Of thofe who recovered,
the difeafe was carried off, in one, by a plentiful lalivation,
which began on the fixth day ; in moft of the others, by an
expe<5loration of a vifcid mucus.

I DISTINGUISH between the falivation and expedoration,
becauTe in one tiie difcharge feemed to come from the falivary
glands, and was attended with little or no cough j in the others
it manifeftly came from the trachea, and was attended with an
inceffant cough ; and 1 judged the falivation to have been a
natural crifis, as the patient had taken but grs. vi of calomel
before it came on. Her gums were not inflamed, her teeth
were not loofe, nor had her breath, or faliva, the fmeU of per-
fons under a mercurial falivation. In this cafe the voice, in the"
fpace of a few hours, from ..eing pretty ftrong and loud, be- '
came fo low as to be with difficulty heard.

' One of the firft families in which this difeafe appeared was
that of Mr.WilliamWaddle of this place. He had feven children
in his family, all of v^hom were taken ill one after another ;
the four firft had the difeafe as I have juft now defcribed,
and rhreeof thefe died: the one who recovered was .f he inftance
I mentioned, in which the difeafe was carried off by a faliva-
tion. The other three were the youngeft. '^l hey had not the
difficulty of breathing, but in its (lead, very troublefome
ulcers behind their ears. Thefe began with a few red pimples,
which foon ran together, itchtid violently, and difcharged a
great deal of a very Iharp ichor, fo as to erode the neighbour-
ing parts, and in a fevv days fpread all over the back part of
the ear, and down upon the neck. They all had a fever, par-
ticularly at night, and one of thern ha 1 a perpetual 'tenefmus.
This fymptom appeared in fevcral who had the difficult) of
breathing, but in none to fo remarkable a degree as in this
child.

After

[ 327 ]

After this, many other children had fimilar ulcers behind
their ears j and fome of them feenried (lightly afifeclcd with the
difficulty of breathing; but it never became alarming while this
dilcharge continued. Thefe ulcers would continue for federal
weeks, and appeared covered in fome places with floughs,
relembling thole on the tonfils j and at laft grew very painful
and uncaly.

In fome cafes they were attended with fwellings of the pa-
rotid and fublingu.d glands, which fubfided on the eruptions
appearing behind the ears, and difcharging freely, and again
fwciled upon the difcharge being checked.

I MET with but two inftancesof any thing like this complaint
in adult perlons. Both of thefe were women ; and one ot thera
had alTilled in laying out two of the children that died of it. At
firfl her fymptoms refembled rather an inflammatory angina, but
about the third day the tonfils appeared covered with thick
floughs-, her pulfe was low and feeble; fhe had a moift {kin; a
dcjedlion of fpirits ; and fome degree of anxiety, though nothing
like the difficult breathing of the children.

The other was a foldier's wife, who for fome t:ime, before fhe
perceived any complaint in her throat, laboured under a low
fever. Her tonfils were fwelled, and entirely covered with
floughs, lefembling thofe of the children ; but her breath was
more ofFenfive, and flie had no fuffocation.

I HAVE had an opportunity of examining the nature and feat
of this difeafe, from dilfecStion, in three inftances. One was a
child of three years old. Her firft complaint was an uneafinefs
in her throat. Upon examining it the tonfils appeareu fwelled
and inflamed, with large white floughs upon tliem, the edges'
of which were remarkably more red than the other parts of the
throat. She had no great forenefs in her throat, and could
fwallow with little or no difficulty. She complained of a pain
under her left breafl:; her pulfe was quick, fofc and fluttering.
The heat of her body was not very great, and her fkin was
moiil ; her face was fwelled; (he had a confiderable proilration
offtrength, with a very great difficulty of breathing; a very

T t 2 remarkable

C 328 1

ri?nal¥aBlFfe'.ldW CoCigli-, and' a peculiar change in the toae of
her voice. riie next day her difficulty of breathing was irt-
crealed, and l"he drew her breach in the 'mnnner before de-
fcribed, as if the air was forced through too narrow a paffage,
fo that (he feemed incapable of filling her lungs : She was ex-
ceedingly reftlefs, tofTing perpetually from fide to fide, was
fenfibl?, and when afked a queftion, would give a pertinent
anfwer, but otherways Ihe appeared dull and comatous. All
thefe fymptoms continued, or rather increafcd, untill the third
night, on which Ihe had five or fix loofe ftools, and died early
in the morning.

Upon examining the body, which was done on the after-
noon of the day Ihe died, I found the fauces, uvula, tonfils,
and root of the tongue interfperfed with floughs, which ftill
retained their whitifn colour. Upon removing them, the part-s
underneath appeared rather pale than inflamed. I perceived
no putrid fmell from them, nor was the corps in the leaft of-
jfenfive. The CEfophagus appeared as in a found fl:ate. Th|
epiglottis was a little inflamed, on its external furface, and ori
the inner fide, together with the in fide of the whole larynx, was
covered with the fame tough white floughs, as the glands of .
the fauces. The whole trachea, from the larynx down to its
divifion in the lungs, was lined with an infpiffated mucu*^ Ir^
form of a membrane, remarkably tough and firm 5 which^
when it came to the firft: ftvbdivifions of the trachea, feemed to
grow thin and difappear : It. was fo tough as to require, no in-
confiderable force to tear it, and came out whole from the
trachea, v/hich it left with much eafe ; and refembled more than
any thing, both in.thicknefs and appearance, a fheath of chin
Ibammoy leather. Theinner membrane of the trachea was
flighrly infiamed •, the lungs too appeared inflamed as in per
ripneumoniecafcs-,, particularly the right lobe, on which. there
were many large livid fpots, though neither rotten or oflTenfive;
and the left lobe had fmall black fpots on it, relembling thofc
marks leftunder the fl^in by gun powder. Upon cutting into
any of the larger fpots, which appeared on the right lobe, a
bloody fanies iffued from them without frothing, whereas
upon cutting thofe parts which appeared found, a whitifli- frothy
but fltghtly ting, d with blood, followed the knife.

This is a faithful hiftory of this complaint, as it appeared
jQ all the cafes I have met with. Dr.

r 329 ]

Dr. Douglass, ofBofton, in the year 1736, publilhed an
account of the firft appearance of the difeafe in this country ;
from which 1 find that it put on much more malignant and
putrid fymptoms at that time, than it has lately been attended
with, efpecially in this city, wheie difeafes of the putrid kind
feldom occur •, and was fo conftantly attended with the ery-
fipelatous fymptoms, that he terms it an eruptive miliary
fever, with an angina ulcufculofa. And even in this place,
fome of the oldelT, and molt refpe(5table praditioners, afifure
me, they have feen, but a few years ago, the fame difeafe of
which I am: now treating, attended both with the cryfipelatous
appearances and highly putrid fymptoms.

Upon the wjiole, 1 am led to conclude that the prefent difeafe^
as well as other fimilar difeafes, which have made their
appearance at different times, and in different places, arofe
from a particular difpofition of the air, or miafmata fui ge--
hens; which more or lefs, according to particular circum-
ftances, generate an acrimony in the humours, and difpofe
them to putrefadlion ; and which have a fingular, tendency
to attack the throat and trachea, affecting tke muc6.u^
glands of thefe parts, in fuch a way, as to occafion them to,
fecrete their natural mucus, in greater quantities than is fuffi-r
cient for the purpofes of nature : and which in this particular
fpecies, when fecreted, is either really of, a tougher or more
vifcid confiftence than natural, or is .dllpQ(qd to become, fq
ft^om reft and ftagnation5,,j o\.zsivr,Jl \jii^qq£Uh bns nidi wu?^

. The difeafe I have defcribed, appeared to riie to be of an in-'
feftious nature, and as all infeftion mufi be owing to fome-
thing received into the body, this, therefore, whatever it is,'
being drawn in by the breath' of a healthy child, irritates the
glands of the fauces and trachea, as it pafTes by them, and
brings about a change in their fecrctions. Tht infeflion,'
however, did not feem in the prefent cafe to depend fo much'
on any generally prevailing difpofition of the air, as upori^
effluvijE received from the breath of infedled perfons. This will'
account why the diforder fhould go through a whole family,;
and not affedt the next door neighbour; and hence We learn a'
very ufeful leflbn, namely, to remove all the young children iri^
a family, as foon as anyone h taken with the difeafe ; by
which caution, I am convinced, many lives have been, and
may again be preferved, i shall.

[ 330 ]

J SH-ALL now proceed to deliver the method of cure, which
.was found mod fuccefsf ul in thedifeafe, as far as it fell under
my own obfervation. And in the firft place, as from all the
fymptoms related, it is evident that this diforder is not always,
and in every liage, attended with any remarkable degree of pu-
trefcency ; and from the diflecftions it appears, that an inflam-
mation of the lungs, if not the caufe, may at lead be the confe-
quenceofthediftemper, one would imagine that V.S. and evacu-
ations were not totally to be forbid j and accordingly we find
Dr. Douglafs directing us, that if the fever is high, and the
patient is plethoric or accuftomed to venefedtion, to take
away fome blood, but with diicretion : And if the tonfils
are much inflamed, with great pain and difficulty in fwallow-
ing, to ufe venefedion in the jugulars. And Huxham acknov/-
ledges, in the ulcerous fore throats of which he treats, " That
** there were certainly fome of them with a pretty fmart fever,
" that bore bleeding at the beginning with advantage, and that
" he was obliged in feveral to give Nitre with diaphoretics.'*

But Fothergill fpeakingof the fore throat dlfl:emper, which
came under his notice, and which feems to be of a more highly
putrid kind, afifures us, that aliliough in fuch cafes he has
been induced to order bleeding, yet it did not appear to have
any advantageous effcdtsj and concludes, that notwithftanding
the vehemence of the fymptoms, it is proper in general to omit
this evacuation ; nor can I hear of any perfon who has ufed it,
in the fore throat (wnich appeared lately amongfl: us) with
fuccefs i fo that I hardly dare venture to prefcribe it, but muft
leave it to the difcretion of the Phyfician, untill farther expe-"
rience fliall confirm its utility, or forbid its ufe.

There is fomething very Angular in the tendency of the
virus in this difcafe, as 1 have already hinted, to attack the
throat and trachea, nor are the eff'eds it produces there lefs
remarkable. Dr. Fothergill, in his account of the putrid lore
throat, defcribes the floughs on the tonfils, as mortified efcars;
but in that fpecies of fore throat I met with, they appeared as
in the trachea, to.be nothing more than the mucus of the.
part, preternaturally thickened into the form of a membrane.
At firft I imagined this to be only a peculiar kind of pus,

which *

C 331 J.

which is fometimes found upon the furface of internal in-
flamed membranes •, but upon removing it, the membrane of
the trachea did not appear to have been fufficient'y inflamed,
tojuftify fu^ch an opinion. And in a cafe I latJy had an op-
portunity ot examining, where the patient died of a very vio-
lent inflammation ot the internal membrane of the trachea,
there was no fuch mucous lining to be difcovered upon it.
Nor <:an I think it the effeft of any fpafm or conftriftion of the
lungs, as I never knew it remarked as occuring in fuch as have
died of fpafmodic afthmas, nor is it long fince 1 had an opor- -
tunity of being fatisfied as to this particular, in the cafe of a fai-
lor, whoadlually died in aviolent fit of a fpafmodic afthma, which
had lafted for feveral days -, and yet there was not the leaft ap-
pearanceof any fuch mucous membrane after death, either in the
large or fmaller branches of the trachea, This morbid appearance
is particularly noticed by feveral gentlemen who have favoured
us wiih an account of the difleclions of thofe who have died
under an angina*. Dr. Monro, fen. found it in feveral he dif-
fetted, and § Rolandus Martin, Profcfibr of Anatomy at
Stockholm, mentions a very remarkable inftance of it, where
this mucous membrane^defcended into the minuteft branches of
the trachea arteria, growing thinner as it defccndcd deeper into
the lungs, untill it refembled the membrane which lines the
Ihell of an egg. He adds, that the lungs were not inflamed, nor
in the leaft injured, fo that the infant died merely from the '
fufi^ocation. Afid t^ven thofe who have written of the ulcerous
fore throat, as Drs. Huxham, and Douglafs, and have not
given the appearances from difl^e6tion, yet have mentioned
many mucous linings being expeflorated, which Douglafs
compares to the cuticle raifed by vefications, and Huxham
conct ived to be really pieces ot the internal membrane of the
trachea. So that this is a circumftance which feems to be pe-
culiar to the difeafe; and I believe thofe who die, on the fecond
or third day, with tl e ftrangulated breathing, are generally
fuflfocated, by this membrane. The atfedion, therefore, of '
the mucous glands, muil be confidered as the proximate caufe
of this difeafe, and readily accounts for all the other fymptoms^
and from it only, efpecially in the beginning of the coniplaint,

can

Sec Dr. Withering's TfieGs on the Angina Gangrenofa.
§ Idem.

[ 332 ] ^

can we fafcly draw our indications of cure ; paying at the
r^me time a conftant attention to any fympcoms ot putrefcency
that may occur.

And it is from viewing the difeafe in this light only, that we can
account for the ufe of Mercury in it j a medicine, which, if we
confiderisas a fpafmodic complaint, cannot pofTibly have any
good efFedjOrifwelook uponit merely asa putriddifeafe, feems
diredly contrary to every intention ofcure; but which, neverthe-
. lefs, undoubted experience has proved to be highly beneficial.
And indeed, if we confider the peculiar acrimony which this dif-
eafe occafions in the fluids in general, independant of putrefac-
tion, and the infpiflation of the mucus of the trachea, we might
reafonably conclude a priore, that Mercury, which in general
correds acrimony in a very remarkable manner, thins all
the mucous fecretions, particularly thofe of the mouth and fau-
ces, and affe^s the breath very early, would be beneficial in
it, and either prevent the formation of this membrane, or
promote its feparation and expulfion, when already formed.
Dr. Douglafs viewing the matter in this light firft tried it, and
meeting with fuccefs, afterwards recommended it to others ;
and, in a very few words, has explained both his theory and
practice in this particular. *' Any affedlion of the throat (fays
" he) does frequently produce a natural ptyalifm. Mercurials
*' ufed with difcretioh, are a kind of fpecific in fuch like ulcers,
*' and ulcufcula, and in fad here moiflen the throat and
" mouth, flop the fpreading of the ulcufcula, and promote
*' the calling ofi'of the floughs ; and as an acceflbry advantage,
*' the patients being moilly children, deftroyed worms. Amongft
*' all the preparations calomel anfvvered beft. The gentle
" vomiting and few (lools that it occafioned in Tome, did not
" confound the natural courfe of the diftemper. Turbith
" produces too ftrong a revulfion, and the eruption is thereby
" too much diverted. This diftemper did not well bare any
" other evacuation but Mercurials." And in another place,
fays, " the defpumation of thi^. acrid inquination of the juices
" in our dlflemper, that is, its natural crifis, feems to be
" by the patent and falutary emundories of the fauces and
** (kin. In corrofive taints, v. g. venereal and others, a Mer-
*' curiaj ptyalifm, and fudorificdecodtion of the woods anfwer

" beft.

[ 333 J

<' befl:, this gave Us the hint of promoting the tendency of
'* ^nature in ourillncfs, by mercurials and gentle breathinrr
" Iweats in bed, which with good management feldom failed,
*' excepting where the necrolis was irremediable from the
"beginning.'*

There is a fingularity in this Gentleman's ftile, bajchis ob-
fervacions are accurate and judicious ; and, as he fays himfelf,
being founded upon real, not imaginary cafes, mult therefore
be of permanent truth. And Indeed the cale I met with, in
which the diforder (and in no trifling degree) was carried off"
by a .very copious faUvation, is, of itlclf, aimoft a fufficient vin~
dication of this pradice ; and together with the cafe of that
child whofe body 1 firft opened, where I faw the moft power-
ful antifeptics faithfully adminiftered, which not only failed
of fuccefs but did not even mitigate the i'ymptoms, was what
firft led me to enquire more minutely into the nature of the
diieaie, and of the remedies which had been ufed with moft
fuccefs in its cure.-— Upon reading Dr. Douglafs's little eflay,
(vshich gave me the greater i,nisfa6lion bccaufe he wrote upori
the difeafe as it appeared in this country, and under his
own immediate obfervation,) 1 found he placed his chief
dependence upon mercurials, which I was the more readily
induced to make trial of, from the appearance I found from
diircftiorT, and the idea I thence naturally formed of this com-
plaint •, and the experience 1 have had of their good effcvfts, fully
julVifits the recommendation Dr. Douglafs has given of them;
as the more freely I have ufed them, the better effeds I have
feen from them. Calomel is what I have commonly ufed, and
have given it to the quantity of 30 or 40 grains, in five or fix
days, to a child of three or four years old ; not only without
any ill cffeds, but to the manifeft advantage of my patient ;
relieving the difficulty of breathing, and promoting the caflino-
offthefloughs, beyond any other mcdicine.That it may more im-
mediately enter the blood, and a6l more powerfully as an atte-
nuant, itlhould atfirft be joined with a mild opiate i and v/h:it is
a little remarkable, is, that given in tnis way, it feldom or never
raifed in children any fali vatic n-, tho' indeed llhould beapprehen-
five of no ill confequeijces from it, if it fhould. After the firft or

U-n fccond

C 334 ]

fecond dofe, the opiate Ihould be omitted, as then the mer-
cury will not be fo apt to go off by the inteftines, and the
opiate if continued will, by leflening the fenfibillty of the tra-
chea, counterafl in ibme meafure the attenuating effeJ^s of
the caloirel, and alfo increafe the coma. The operation of
the calomel, as an expectorant, will be very much promored
by a prudent ufe of oxymel of fquills, or lead that (hould
purge, by ipecacuhana, given fo as to puke two or three times^

But although I confider mercury as the bafis of the cure,
efpecially in the beginning ot this dlleafe, I by no means in-
tend to condemn, or omit the ufe of proper alexipharmics and
antileptics; of which the ferpentaria, contrayerva, and peruvian
bark are the moft powerful, and have been ufed with the.
greateil fuccefs. Sweating is ceriainly one way, by which na-
ture carries off this difeafe •, infomuch that Huxham c^eclares>
he did not remember to have had one patient mifcarry, who,
fell into a fofr, eafy, univerfal fweat : and therefore, whatever
method of cure was purfued, this fhould be always conneded-
with it. The patient fhould be kept in bed, and as the dif-
eafe has a putrid tendency, the diaphoretics fhould be of the
alexipharmic and antifeptic kinds. i he bark is certainly a
mod powerful antifeptic, and' when the fymptoms of putre-
fadlion, fuclr as a moift clammy fkin^ highly putrid breath,
and hemorrhages appear, muft be attended with advantage^
But early in the difeaf.% while the fkin continues dry, attended
with a great difficulty of breathing, and the fymptoms of in-
flammation rather than thofe of putrefadion prevail, it fhould
be omitted •, and here the removal of tiie diforder (hould be
attempted, chiefly, by mercurials and mild fudorifics. And in-
deed I think the whole art, in the cure of this difeafe, depends,
upon properly timelng thefe remedies, and infifling upon one
or the other, as the fymptoms of putrefadion do, more or,
lefs, prevail.

But befides a falivation, and fweating, nature frequently
carries off this difeafe by an eruption on tiie fkin, ulcers behind
the far?, or in other parts of the body, or an external fwelling
of ti":e throat, all of which feem ev-dently to indicate the ule
of bliflers. And accordingly Drs, Fothergill and Huxham re-
commended

[ 335 3

commended them j particularly Dr. Hiixham, who fays he h^s
fometimes bliftered the throat from ear to ear with great fuc-
cefs. It has indeed been faid, that they fometimes produced
mortifications, and that even the dilchargc they occafioned,
feemed to be more than the patient could bear ; but as 1 hav'e
never heard this remark confirmed, I cannot help imagining,
that the cafes in which they were tried, were particularly un-
favourable, and more remarkably putrid than is ufual ; tor in
the child, who died on the eightli day, I applied bl'fters be-
hind the ears, and they had not the leall appearance of morti-
fication or gangrene, even after the child's deaih. And in
a cafe of very great danger, which I lately met with, they were
certainly of grertt fervice, and very etfectuaily fupplied the
place of thofe natural difcharges, by which nature carries off
this difcale.

I WOULD recommend their application early in the difeafe,
from the fame principle that they are applied in inflammacory
angina's or pieurifies •, to relieve the throat and trachea, and to
derive the flow of humours from the internal, to the external
parts.

As the cafe to which I refer was a very remarkable one, in
which thediieaie was attrnded with fome of the \torft iymptoms I
everfaw, and the method I have been advifing was ftrictly pur-
fuecl, and attended with fuccefs, 1 cannot help confidering this
fuccefs to be in fome meafure a proof of the propriety ot the
treatment, and for that realon fhall here infcrt the cafe at large.

The patient was a child of about tv/o years and a half old,
who had complained tor about a week of a fore throat and
hoarfenefs. The day before 1 faw her (he had fomt^ difnculty
of breathing, vyhich on that dav was greatly increafed, and
exaftly refcmbled the breathing of the children v/hofe cales I
have before related, wheii moft ftrangulated. Upon examin-
ing her tiiroat J found the tonfils fwelled, inflamed, and
covered wuh floughs of a yellowilh colour. Her breath was not
in the leaft offcnfive % her pulfe was fmail and fluttering, and
her fkin pale and clammy. Two very large bliilers were im-
mediately applied, one behind each ear, fo as to meet at her

U u 2 throat.

335 1

throat. She took four grains of calomel, with a quarter of a.-:
grain of opium, and was directed to drink a decodion of fer-
pentar : virg : iifguifed with old methegHn, as a common
drink -, and as her fkin was pale and chmmy, fhe had a clyfter
of one drachm of cort. peruv. and ten graiqs of ferpcnt. vir-
gin, in milk, to be adminiftered every fix or eight hours; but
of thefe (he received but one that night •, and as we found
fhe did not retain them, they were foon diicontinued ^ nor
could fhe be prevailed on to drink but very little of the
decodtion.

I SAW her feveral times during the firft day, and (he ap->
peared worfe at e.:ich time. About eight that evening fhe had
fomething like a fit-, and, at nine, the ftrangulacion in her
breathing was much increafed •, her pulfe was funk; her coun-
tenance changed-, her nofe appeared to be pinched up; her eyes
were fixed and glafTy ; a blue ring was obfervable about her
mouth, and fhe was comatous. I left her, expecting fhe would
foon die. Her blifters had been dreffed a little before ; had
rilen well -, and difcharged freely ; and, v;ithin two or three
hours, as I was informed by the watches who fit up with her,
fhe feemed to revive. The next morning I was greatly fur-
prifed,not only to find her living, but in a fitting poflure, eat-=
jnc^ her brcakfafl, with little or no difficulty of breathing, having
her natural countenance returned, with feme colour in her
cheeks, and her pulfe rather rifen.At twelve o'clock however her
breathing grew more difHcult, and though not fo ftrangulated as
the day betore, was very quick and uneafy. From this time for
five days fhe remained in a very dangerous fituation, and gave
but little reafon to expeft her recovery. Her breathing con-
tinued quick and laborious, and her voice v/as almoft: entirely
gone ; her pulfe was quick and low ; fhe fv/eated profufely,
particularly at night.s, and conftantly lay in her bed in a co-
matous fituation, giving however diflinft anfwers when
ipoken to. I could difcover nothing difagreeable in her breath,
though fometimes what flie brought up was a iitttle offenfive.
During this time, and for many days after, the bliflers dif-
charged confiderably, and the matter of the difcharge was fo
fllarp and corrofive as to inflame' and erode the fkin almofl
^'rOm the chin to the fternum. She conllantly took tv/ice a

r 337 3

day three grains of calomel ; and, except the firft dofe, with-
out opium, until fhe had taken upwards of thirty grains ; ani
continued the ufc of the decodtionof ferpentar: in as large quan-
tities as flie could be prevailed on to take it. On the ieventh
day from the time I firCt faw her, fhe began to cough a good
deal, with which fhe expedorated pretty freely, and brought
up fome very tough mucus. She breathed more freely, opened
her eyes and looked about with fome fprightlinefs, and dranl^
a glafs or two of wine. From this time (he gradually grew
better, and by the fifteenth day from the time I faw her, all
her lympfoms had left her, except great weaknefs, and fo re-
luarkable a hoarfenefs, or rather lofs of voice, that it was with
great difficulty fhe could be heard; and a peculiar fenfibi'ity of
the larynx with regard to fluids, fo that the moment fhe at-
tempted to drink fhe fell in:o a fie of coughing, although fhe
could fwallow folid food without difficulty. This however foon
left her, but her weaknefs and lownefs of voice continued, a
much longer timf-, fo that in two months fhe could hardly
walk alone, or fpeak in a tone above a whifper.

When ulcers appear behind the ears, or in different parts of
the body, they require a particular treatment •, the difcharge
ihould be encouraged by frequently wafning them with warm
milk and water, and poultices of bread and milk be applied to
them ; but greafy applications always do harm, as they check
the difcharge : nor will they bear digeilives. I was in fome
cafes, however, after the difcharge had continued for a great
length of time, obliged to check it, with a very weak folu-
tion of Vitriol, alb. which I found anfwered this intention
well i nor did I ever obferve any ill effe6LS from it : But I al-
ways ufed it with great caution, and never ventured on it,
■untill I had corre6ted the general virus of the difeafe, by a
previous ufe of Mercurials. In refpeft to gargles, I would
entirely follow Dr. Fothergill's advice. Fomentations applied
to the breaft, and fumigations with the fleams of fome mild
aromatic herbs, and warm vinegar, not only give eafe, but
ferve, in fome meafure, to attenuate the mucus in the tra-
chea •, and by gently flimulating the lungs, raife a flight
cough, and promote the expefloration. The treatment of

anv

[ 338 ]

any accidental fymptoms, after endeavouring to fornn a
juft idea of the difeafe, muft be left to the difcretion of the
Phyfician.

Such are the fentiments, which, from an attentive obferva-
lion of the fymptoms, and progrefs of this difeafe, I have en-
tertained of its nature, and moll proper treatment, which
nothing, but a real dcr fire of contributing to the ftock of me-
dical facts, has induced me to offer to the notice of the pub-
lic ; thefe being the only foundation of a certain and rational
pradtice •, and I can anfwer for the fidelity and candor with
which I have related, what are here preferved.

Substance of fotneV A'PEVi^ that could not be infer ted in their

proper Place.

^he following account cf an Aurora Boreal i<? zvas received fom

a Ccrrefpondent^ at La cnfter^ in Pennfyhania, viz.

*'rT^H AT about half an hour after feven in ihe evening of
j|_ January 5th, 1769, there was feen at that pace, a
bright crcpufculum, rifing out of the Norrh ; which in abwut a
quarter of an hour extended irle-f from N. E. to N. W -— The
tipper part was deeply notched, and role m one place to the
height of neur 40°. above the horrizjn.

" At three quarters af:ere ght, it v/as fo light in the North-
ern hemifphcre, that a perfon, who felt no dcLay or infinBity
of cye-fight, might eafily have read a book printed in Double
Pica Roman.

** At nine o'clock, five columns or pyrami'l*:, of a very vi-
vid Red, rofe perpendicular to the horizon, in the N. V\ .

They were unequal in their heights : For, whiill two ot them
rofe almofl to the zcnirh, others did not exceed 45°. They
char.ged colours alrernately from a fiery red to a purple-, from
that to a yellow^ from yellow to a flame colour-, and then to
red again, 1 hefe changes were fo luJdtn and quick that they
afFefted the fcnfe fo ftrongly as to raife horror.

*' At a quarter after nine, the columns changed their per-
pendicular pofition to an oblique one, and immediately began

to

[ 339 T

CO move towards the Weft. They foon blended together, and
formed a dirty red (ky, tinged with yellow.

'* N. B, There were no ftreamers, corriifcations, tremu-
lous or dancing motions, as are con^mon to fuch Phasiiomena.
This was a quiet one, except that it changed colours, and
moved towards the Well, as already defcribed.

" During the appearance the air was uncommonly fevere
and chilling ; and, though the Heavens were ferene and be*>
fpangled with ilars, the atmofphcre felt damp and heavy.

*' A little before ten o'clock, the whole funk below our
horizon and diiappcared."

Mr. Thomas Gilpin halh prefented a model of a Horizontal
Wind- mill j and writes to the Society as follows.

"rx^HAT to obviate the difficulty of turning the houfe, or
J[_ frame, of common wind-mills to the wind, he had
contrived a model of a horizontal wind-mill, which he had
fixed to three pumps, as he apprehended the chief ufe of fuch
a mill would he the applying; it to raife water out of mines
and quarries, and likewile out of wells, or brooks for watering
meadow^. He thinks alfo it might be further applied to anfwer
the va ious ufes of other wind-mills, without the inconveni-
ence in turning or fhitting them as the winds fliift.

** The model is three pumps ered, in a triangular pofition;
in the center is a crank ereft in a ftep, and fteddicd by a neck
in a frame, from the ears of the pumps ; on the top of the
crank are eight arms, and at the ends of each is a fail which
alternately draws with the wind, and folds againft it, which
gives a powerful motion to the crank, which, by a handle to
each pump, works them in a regular fucceflion."

Mr. John Jones, of Indian River, Worcefier County., Marylan-^^
gives the following account of a Species of Grape Vines, which
h? had dfcovered, different f or,i all others he had ever feen,~ —

HE bark (he lays,) is of a grey colour, very fmooth, and
the wood ot a firm texture. They delight in ahigl Tandy

foil J

T

C 340 ]

foil; but will thrive very well in the Cyprus fwamps. The leaf
is very much like that of the Englifh grapevine, fuch as is
propagated in the gardens near Philadelphia for table ufe.

" The grape is much larger than the Englifli, of an oval
fhape, and, when quite ripe, is black, adorned with a number
of pale red fpecks, which, on handHng, rub off. The pulp is a
litcle like the Fox-gr pe-, but in tafte more delicious. Thefe
grapes are ripe in Odober, and yield an incredible quantity of
juice, which, with proper management, he doubts not, would
make a valuable wine.

" He employed a perfon to gather about three bufhels and
one peck of them when ripe, and immediately had them preffed 1
which, to his furpiize, yielded twelve gallons of pure juice,
though a good quantity muft have been loll in the pi effing.

" In about twelve hours after putting the juice in a keg, it
began to ferment, and he fuffered it to go on till it got to be
fo violent, that it might be heard all over a large room. It
continued in that fbaie for three days. He then check'd it, fear-
ing it might turn acid, though, he fays, he was afterwards con-
vinced that if he had fuffered it to fermem as long again, it
would have feparated the vinous parts from the fleftiy, and
given greater fmenefs to the liquor.

" After this it was rack'd off, and before cold weather-
buried in the garden, the top about fix inches underground ;
where havino- continued till the fummer following, he could
not diicover that it had in the leall altered, either in tafte or
colour. He obferves farther that, after eating a quantity of
them, or drinking the juice, they leave an aftringency, as clar-
*" ret is apt to do.

" There is an immenfe quantity of thefe vines growing on

the beach, open to the fea-, and they are alfo found in great

plenty upon the ridges, and in the fwamps. Since their difco-

\ very he has tranfplanted a number of them into his vineyard,

*^^ from which, in a year or two more, he expe<5ls to make a wine

\ much better than is commonly imported."

^ END OF THE FIRST VOLUME.