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be ſome Error: But at leaſt M. Caſſini ſeems certain, that there is a very conſiderable Diminution in the Degrees of the Parallel of Paris, which confirms his Opinion of the Earth’s being longeſt at the Poles. This we are likely to have better Certitude of hereafter, ſeeing we are inform’d that this Meaſurement of the Parallel of Paris, is carrying on in France by M. Caſſini’s Sons, M. Maraldi’s Nephew, and ſeveral other young Mathematicians, inſtructed by M. Caſſini in this ſort of Work.
I have already ſaid, that all theſe Operations perform’d in France, for the Figure and Magnitude of the Earth, could not ſerve to determine the Earth’s Figure out of France, without the Aſſiſtance of certain Hypotheſes; unleſs the ſame thing were undertaken and carried on in the other Regions of the Earth, more Northern and Southern than France. ’Tis upon this Conſideration, that the Royal Academy of Sciences took up the Reſolution of ſending ſome Aſtronomers to make the like Obſervations as near the Equator and the Poles as poſſible, which are the Places where the difference of the Degrees on the Meridian ought to be the greateſt, according to the different Hypotheſes.
In the Month of April 1735, ſet out from France three Mathematicians and Aſtronomers of the Academy, viz. Meſſieurs Godin, Bougher, and De la Condamine, for the Province of Quito, which is the moſt Northern part of Peru in America; in order to obſerve, just under the Equinoctial Line, the Magnitude of ſome Degrees of the Meridian and Equator.
As to the other Mathematicians and Aſtronomers of the ſame Academy, viz. Meſſieurs de Maupertuis,
