A new Metbod of Surveying

Countries, or large Tracts

of Land.

HE common Method of perforining

this Problem, is by taking and protracting inaccessible Diftances, which has been treated of (in general) already'; and there. fore, supposing that the Ingenious Surveyor cannot be incapable of applying it to this particular, I hall wholly omit this, and give you a few Method, invented by thofe Learned Mathematicians Mr Whifton and Mr Ditton, in order to whicb, let us premila the following Lemmata.

1. All sounds are propagated almoft evenly, and are observed to move 8 measured Miles in 37 Seconds.

This is well known froin the last and most accurate Obfervations about we

Pbilo. Tran. the Velocity of Sounds, which are those of Mr * Derham.

II. An ordinary Mortar is easily able to cast a Projectile about a Mile in Perpendi. cular Heigth; and the Sound thereof may be heard near 20 Miles.

The truth of both thefe Propofitions have been sufficiently proved by divers Experiments made by Mr Whiston for that purpose.

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III. A Projectile may be fill'd with Combustible Matters, to take Fire as foon as discharg’d,!: and continue burning till it comes to the Ground.

This all that deal in Rockets, Bombs, and Mortars, do very well know, and is found to be true.upon Tryal.

IV. Fire, or Light about a Mile high! will be visible in the Night time, when the Air is tolerably clear about, 70 Miles. ()

This also hath been made manifest by many Experiments made on purposes,

The Solution of the Problem. Let a Shell that will take Fire as foon #3 discharg'a, and continue Burning till it comes to the Ground, be shot perpendicularly about a Milé high out of a Mortar at any convenient place in a clear Night; and this Discharge will by the Bearing, and Interval of the Flash and Sound, give the Diftance and Bearing of an Observer within the Hearing and Sight thereof, according to the foregoing Lemmata.

Example, Fig. 2. Let the Bearing of a Shell disa charg'd out of a Mortar ar č, and also the Interval of the Flash and Sound thereof be observ'd by Persons fent to A. B. E. F. G.

H.I. D.

H.I.D. places within 20 Miles round C, who inuft be furnished with an Instrument to measure Angles, for taking the Bearing of the shell, and a Thread 39.2 Inches long, with a Plummet faften’d to one end, which

a being suspended by the other end to a Pin, or Nail, and made to swing, will vibrate seconds by which the Interval between the Flash and Sound may be nicely measured, and let their Olfervations be as follows.

9 Places of Obfervations.

Interval · between the
Sound and Flash in Se-
conds of Times. *

D. 63 _ S.E. 33
A.
74

30
G 55
E. 83 S.W.40
F. SI

90
I. 55

N.E. 6
H 78

50
B. 1 69

INW.60

Miles.

14 16 12 18 11 I 2 17 IS

To protract which, through the point C, draw the Meridian N. S. and lay

cff the Angles NCD. 3*, NCA. 30°,NCG. $7° from the North towards the Weft. The AnglesNCE.40°,NCF 90, from the North towards the Eaft.The Angles SCI. 6°,SCH 50°, from the South towards the West. Laftly, Lay off the Angle SCB 60" from the South towards the East. Then set off their distances from the Mortar at C. viz. DC= 14 m. A C = 16 m. & c. according to the Observations. So will you have an exact Map of the place A.B.C.D.E.F.G.H.L, and the Scituation of the Villages about each Station may be easily taken by the Observer thereot after the common inethod of taking inacceslible Distances,

CORROL AR Y's.

1. If each Observer were to let off a Rocket at his own Station, and take the mutual Bearing, of each others it wou'd be a great Check to any Error that could pollibly happen.

II. if a great Gun were discharg'd near the Mortar, and the Sound thereof used in. ftrad of that of the Mortar; it would be beard inuch further, and consequently a much larger Tract of Land might be curveyed at

A ready way to find a true Meridian line by ibu

Pole. Star.

The right Ascension of the Pole Star for this Year (1716) is 37 Minutes of Time; and it increases one Minute 16 Seconds every ten Years: Therefore having at any time this Star's Right Ascenfion, and the Right.. Afcenfion of the Sun both in Time, if you fubftract the latter from the former, adding 24 Hours to the Right Ascension of the Pole-Star, when it is less than the Sun's the Remainder will be the time of the Star's, coming to the Meridian; at which time hang up two Pendulums between your Eye and the Pole Sfar, and 'a Right-line drawn through them, will be a true Meridianline.

In the Survey just now treated of, you may use the lights of a good Circumferentor, or any other Surveying Instrument, ha: ving one of the lights long enough to take in the Pole-Star. - If you wou'd know, what Angle the Pole-Star makes with the true Meridian at other times, the following Table will thew.

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