Let us take the former of these places, and compare the observations made there with the small repeating instrument of six inches diameter, with those made by the French astronomers at Formentera, with a repeating circle of forty-one centi-metres, or about sixteen inches in diameter, made by Fortin.

It is singular that this instrument was directed, by the French Board of Longitude, to be made expressly for this survey, and the French astronomers paid particular attention to it, from the circumstance of some doubts having been entertained respecting the value of the principle of repetition.
The following series of observations were made with the two instruments.
[I have chosen the inferior meridian altitude of Polaris, merely because the number of sets of observations are rather fewer.

The difference between the extremes of the altitude of Polaris, deduced from sets taken above the pole by the same observers, amounts to seven seconds and a half.] Latitude deduced from Polaris, with a repeating circle, 16 inches diameter .-- BASE DU SYSTEME METRIQUE, tom.iv.p.376.

1807.
Number of Latitude Names of Observers.
Observations.

of Formentera.
deg.min.