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Letter to Editor
April 24, 1793
Gazette Of The United States
New York, New York County, New York
What is this article about?
A Traveller inquires of Mr. Fenno's correspondents for detailed methods to determine latitude and longitude using only a knife, hatchet, and basic astronomical observations in remote, uninstrumented locations, requesting publication of all responses for practical use.
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OCR Quality
98%
Excellent
Full Text
Mr. Fenno,
There is a peculiar and very urgent reason for proposing the following question at this time, and it is earnestly requested that such of your correspondents as may be able to give satisfactory answers to the same would be pleased to send them in as soon as possible.
THE QUESTION.
Suppose I should be cast away on some desolate island, or should travel into some uncivilized country, where no kind of mathematical instruments could be procured.—I want to know what observations I could make in such circumstances, without the assistance of any other instruments, except a knife and hatchet, or such as I could readily make with these—so as to enable me afterwards, with the assistance of proper books, to compute, with tolerable accuracy, the latitude and longitude of the place where I had made such observations.
N. B. It may be taken for granted that I shall be able to preserve an exact register of all my observations, and of the year, month, and day when they were made; and that I know the names of most of the principal fixed stars, or at least shall be able to point out such on which I shall have made any observation.
It is requested that your correspondents be very minute and particular in the directions they may give, so that they may be easily understood, and readily put in practice.
It is also requested that you would publish all the answers to this question which shall be sent you, so that from the whole a choice may be made, as circumstances may require.
A TRAVELLER.
There is a peculiar and very urgent reason for proposing the following question at this time, and it is earnestly requested that such of your correspondents as may be able to give satisfactory answers to the same would be pleased to send them in as soon as possible.
THE QUESTION.
Suppose I should be cast away on some desolate island, or should travel into some uncivilized country, where no kind of mathematical instruments could be procured.—I want to know what observations I could make in such circumstances, without the assistance of any other instruments, except a knife and hatchet, or such as I could readily make with these—so as to enable me afterwards, with the assistance of proper books, to compute, with tolerable accuracy, the latitude and longitude of the place where I had made such observations.
N. B. It may be taken for granted that I shall be able to preserve an exact register of all my observations, and of the year, month, and day when they were made; and that I know the names of most of the principal fixed stars, or at least shall be able to point out such on which I shall have made any observation.
It is requested that your correspondents be very minute and particular in the directions they may give, so that they may be easily understood, and readily put in practice.
It is also requested that you would publish all the answers to this question which shall be sent you, so that from the whole a choice may be made, as circumstances may require.
A TRAVELLER.
What sub-type of article is it?
Informative
What themes does it cover?
Science Nature
What keywords are associated?
Astronomical Observations
Latitude Longitude
Navigation Instruments
Fixed Stars
Desolate Island
Uncivilized Country
What entities or persons were involved?
A Traveller.
Mr. Fenno,
Letter to Editor Details
Author
A Traveller.
Recipient
Mr. Fenno,
Main Argument
requests detailed instructions from correspondents on performing basic astronomical observations with minimal tools (knife and hatchet) to later compute latitude and longitude in remote areas without instruments.
Notable Details
Assumes Ability To Record Observations With Dates And Identify Principal Fixed Stars.
Emphasizes Need For Minute, Practical Directions.
Urges Publication Of All Responses For Selection As Needed.