Page:Madras Journal of Literature and Science, series 1, volume 6 (1837).djvu/74

60 nut trees) of the sea horizon to the west. The eastern view is terminated by the Ghat mountains, the highest of which subtend an angle of about 2° 15′, the low hills to the north intercept only 45′: and from N. N. W. to S. E. the view extends to the sensible horizon itself. The country intervening between the Observatory and these boundaries, on the land sides, consists of hills covered with low jungle, having strips of rice-ground meandering between them, and topes of trees interspersed. On a cliff, between three and four miles distant to the south, and of the same elevation above the sea as the Observatory hill, are built walls of masonry, intended to receive three meridian marks; and to the north an equally eligible situation may be selected for those in that direction.

The geographical situation of the Observatory, as nearly as I have yet been able to ascertain it, is as follows:—

Latitude 8° 30′ 35″ north.

Long. 76° 59′ 45″ or 5h. 7s. 59m. east.

These positions cannot, I think, be in error to the amount of 5″ in latitude, or of 2′ (in time) in longitude—they will, however, be settled with more precision shortly.

With the expression of my earnest hope, that the Trevandrura Observatory may, hereafter take an important part in celestial research, and prove useful to science, I shall conclude this brief account.

In the 15th No. of this Journal Mr. Taylor has advanced several objections to the principle and details of the plan for a self-registering barometer, proposed by me, in the 14th No. These objections I have considered with the attention due to the source whence they emanated, and being humbly of opinion, that those which refer to the principle of the plan do not hold good, I purpose, in the present communication, to state my reasons for thus considering them. With respect to those that refer to the details, it will afterwards be seen that they are easily got over.

I shall (although in Mr. Taylor's paper it be last stated) first consider the objections referring to the principle of the plan, because, if they hold good, they undoubtedly would be what he considers them "fatal to the balance barometer." In page 308, No 15, of the Madras Journal, the case is supposed of an increase of atmospheric pressure equivalent to half an