Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia — Vol. 2: Performed between the years 1818 and 1822King, Philip Parker
History
Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia — Vol. 2: Performed between the years 1818 and 1822
King, Philip Parker
Australia -- Description and travel; Natural history -- Australia
UPON THE GEOGRAPHICAL POSITIONS OF THE FIXED POINTS OF THE SURVEY.
The observations for determining the longitudes of the various parts of
the coast were taken with a circle and a sextant by Troughton: besides
these valuable instruments we had three chronometers of Arnold's make,
namely, 413 (box) 2054 (pocket) and 394 (pocket); of which the two first
were supplied by the Admiralty. At the end of the fourth year, in
consequence of 394 having stopped, a fourth chronometer, made by
Parkinson and Frodsham (Number 287 box) was purchased in the colony, and
proved to be a most excellent watch.
The situations of the following places, which were either fixed by us or
adapted from other authorities, served as the basis of the chronometrical
determination of the longitudes of the intermediate parts.
The flagstaff of FORT MACQUARIE on the north-east head of Sydney Cove in
PORT JACKSON (the Cattle Point of Flinders, and otherwise Bennelong
Point) is in latitude 33 degrees 51 minutes 28 seconds South and
longitude 151 degrees 15 minutes 26 East, being, according to the ensuing
table, the mean of all the observations that have been taken.
Latitude (in degrees minutes seconds) observed by:
Captain Flinders, in 1795 and 1802: 33 51 45.6.
De Freycinet in 1802: 33 51 21.
King (reduced) 1817: 33 51 18.
Sir T. Brisbane (reduced) 1822: 33 51 30.
Mean Latitude of Fort Macquarie 33 51 28.
Longitude (in degrees minutes seconds) observed by:
Captain Cook, reduced from his observations at Botany Bay, 1770: 151 11
32.
Captain Hunter, 1788: 151 19 43.
Lieutenant Dawes 1788: 151 18 50.
Lieutenant Bradley: 151 20 38.
Malespina: 151 17 53.
Messrs. Broughton and Crosley, 1795: 151 9 3.
Captain Flinders, 1795-6: 151 17 12.
Ditto 1802: 151 11 49.
Captain De Freycinet, 1802: 151 8 32.
M. D'Espinosa by an eclipse of sun and occultation of Jupiter 1st and 2nd
Satellites, 1793: 151 12 45.
Governor Bligh, 1806, eclipse of sun: 151 17 49.
Captain P.P. King, 1817, eclipse of sun, calculated by Mr. Rumker: 151 17
29.
Sir Thomas Brisbane, 1822 (the mean of six eclipses places his
observatory in 151 degrees 15 minutes 20 seconds): 151 15 32.
Mr. Rumker, eclipse of sun at Parramatta, reduced to Fort Macquarie: 151
17 30.
Mean Longitude of Fort Macquarie 151 15 26.
PERCY ISLAND (Number 2). The longitude of the south-west end of this
island is by Captain Flinders' observation in 150 degrees 13 minutes
East.
ENDEAVOUR RIVER. The observatory, which was placed within a few yards of
the shore on the south side of the entrance (the summit of the highest
bush near the extremity of the opposite sandy beach, bearing by compass
West 3 degrees 40 minutes South) was found to be situated in latitude 15
degrees 27 minutes 4 seconds, and longitude 145 degrees 10 minutes 49
seconds. (See note, Appendix A.)
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