Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-10-14
ZOE rNE ENpuiRER

~ ASr' DNOME.sS AND AAlssInAiiCiANS.
The writer, a Kind OF ddb5lcr In niailiem3-
tics, like ali others vino have only superficial
knowledge 0t Any science, has conceived All
idea which he thi:hs probably nvw one, be-
cause II has To> been rntii lately Known 10
himself. For fear, however, Of exposing hls
ignorance by advancing an idea ds Il new one,
which may have been known for ages, he has
taken some pains, Is far as the means lay III his
power, 10 ascertain whether 1T he new not,
but from tue researches he has made, he has
not been able 10 satisfy himself upon Tie SUBJ
Ject, but Is rather more strongly confirmed IN
the OPINION, tndt itlS at least party new he is,
however, veil aware, thai hie enqUlries have
been 'OO hunted Tor slni to form any determI.
nate opinion on the subject, hut not beng fond
OF trcnbe he has determined 10 take the short
est Way OF obtaining the information he Is IN
need OF, BY asking II through The mediums ot
The Lpquuer, lIoA those who may De able TO
give II.
The writer thinks be has discovered mode
for ascertaining the suns distance from the
eartl, which Is preferable 10 the usual mode OF
aNcet ldiniIg IL by means OF the suns pdtaiiaN,
or To any other mode than by a trdwsit OF We
nus-Aiso from the same propo, iion the means
OF ascertaining latitude-ths laat mode, howe
yer, he thinks is somewhat upon the principle
OF the Quadraut. His object being 10 gam
knowledge, he hopes 10 be excused itbe should
ask Information which may be known 10 ali the
world but himself.
The mode he proposes to find the suns
distance from the eartii is thus Prem any
place upon tie surface of the globe ut which
you Know the exact latitude, ascertain tile an
gle OF the suns rays upon a perpendicular, ON
the lower side-SuppCSe Triangle 10 be form
ed by line from the sun TO this perpeudIcu-
lar Z. line from the perpendicular TO tie centre
of the. earth, that is 10 say, The perpendIculaf
continued anti il reached tbe eaTtli's centre)
and line frcm said centre TO the suD--now
knowing the exact latitude of tie place YOU are
at, you have the angle at the centre OF the
earth CT the triangle above mentioned. Fer,
our earth being dIGtded into 3UJ' as all circles
are, our latitude II the measure OF tue angle
formed by the perpendicular above mentioned
Continued to the eattlis centre, and line
from said centre t. the sun, mi king due al
iowance for the defamation Of the san. HaV.
ing this angle at the centre, and the angle OF
the suns rays with the perpendicular oil the
lever side, you have two angle OF the TRAN
Sie abore mentioned, and consequently by de-
Quoting their amount from 1867 the SUN ot
the three angles of every triaDgIe) you have
Tie third angle. Here you have three angles
given OF d triangle, and one side (tle semid!a-
meter OF The earth, the perpendicular CONT
nued) and OF course Toy plain trgouome tricai
question the other Two may be found, the snus
distance from the centre of the earth being
one side of the triangle, of course his distance
from the earth is found. Now this question
worked differently ought TO slew us our la Ii
tude. Admit the distance or the sun TO be
kHown-as before stated, Ne get The angle of
The sans rays upon perpendicular-we know
the seniidameter of The earth. Now, as the
suns dis lance from the earth 5 ceiftre,1s 10 the
sine OF tire angle made by the rays of the sun
aud tire perpendicular, so is the earths semidia-
meier Uhe perpendicular continued to the
centre) to the sine of tie angle at the sun.
here are TWO angles OF triangle given
of conrSe you have the third by deducting their
sum from 1892. This third angle, is the angle
at the earths centre, and consequently our
latitude aSbcfOre shown, IL tie suns deciiIiatI-
on calculated, and the reTractiOn of his rays up
on our atmosphere is allowed for. The inior-
nation want is. whether the above modes be
correct, and whether they have been hereto
fore known. The latter think, is upon a pTin.
ciple somewhat similar to the quadrant, but
50 simple tatit might ne used ifcOrrect, by
who did not understand tile use Of the quadrant.
Tie wriicr has tried experiments TO test the
truth OF this latter mode one before one upon,
aud one after the 2lst Sept. The one on the
2lst Sept. answered to his expectations, but
the other two did not, notwithstanding the de
chnatiOn and refraction were correctly calcu-
lated. he pleased to let me know the cause
OF this deviation from what il should be.
AHChiMEDES.
n. u. The writer has found that the angle at
the sun in the triangle before mentioned is so
very small that there would he no error of con-
sequence IN leaving that angle ont of the ac
count in calculating latitude, but the angle
made by the rays Of the sun on the perpendi-
culsr ON The upper side, would he the true lali.
tude within one quarter OF a mile on any part
ofthe eaith.
DISSTONEHS to SOUTH AMERICA.
Inc sailing Of tie OntaiiS VIII excite much
attention.. Judge Provost Gate OF New Or
leans and Dir. Breckenridge 90 out as Com
misSioncrs-tO what place? One paper says
. destination unknown" Another. to the
Bfdziis'-A ti'ird, gives far more important
destIndiiOn-tO Chill. " to mike such arrange
nients with the ncic governments Of that c0un-
Try as the interests Of the United States may
require"
Dare VIC pierce tie veil which has been so
-a'SijnouSly thrown overthis measure, We would
guess land meer conjecture IL il certainty
that thCy go. out, not TO recognise tie iudepen-
dence OF CHI. or of any other county, bHt to
gather the Information, which the United
States nay ask, previous and preparatory 10
TccOgniuon-t0 sound the state o. the cOun-
try,t0see for themselves tho aciual condition
OF Bueuos Ayes, Chill, .&c.-to determine
whether any Of tliem. and which. las succeeded
~ estRbtisGRg Us Independence, or is likely TO
30 so-thatln measure 50 much ffaughi with
iutsrcStingdnd complicated considerations. our
government MAY have better Information than
the Statements OF interested parties. on tie ca
sual accounts Of scsfaring persons.
crisis II at baud We Must take a stand
on tie subject, Oar policy must accommodate
itself 20 ,hc change Of circumstances. Shall
we recognize aHy Of the St,tc. OF South Ame
Iica ihisis the most interesting Question
That has met cur politician fsr yeas. Priusi
ise aud honof btgin 10 Gail i'eriv uron To- l0
listen 70 TIE cs.tiHs Of S0nth Amcii,S
10 oar ueN', NC siili tatr uD .dis anesti0u
CONT fsn Rfi,'f, !ItyrSr8
H..H.