John Davis <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes > > > Hi colleagues, > > I have recently had the opportunity to inspect a superb bronze > horizontal dial made by George Adams (the elder) in the second > quarter of the 18th century. > > Amongst other exiting details of the engraving, it carries the > names of 32 cities or locations worldwide in the chapter ring. The > names are evenly distributed with two between each pair of hour > numerals, but small arrows identify the time of noon at these > locations (compared to that of the dial, located at around 1 degree > East) to the nearest minute. > > Many of the cities still have the same names: Dublin, Lisbon, > Boston etc. Some are easy to guess: Dantzick = Gdansk; > Constanstinople = Istanbul; Berbadoes = Barbados etc. However, > some have me baffled and hence I'm posting this looking for help, > please. Can anyone identify the following locations, with very > approximate longitudes calculated from the dial. I say approximate > because some of the known cities have large inaccuracies compared > to modern values, eg although Lisbon is right to half a degree, > "Pekin in China" is 16 degrees off the value my atlas gives for > Bejing! > > Name on dial Longitude > > Fort St George 86d E (perhaps Madras?) > Cape Comorm 79d E > Isphan 56d E > Cainiec 27d E > St Mich. Isle 28d W > Ca. Spir Sancto 41d W > Ca Fare Freezld 50d W > Port Concepn 110d E > Compostetta 117d W > > Note that the engraving makes some characters difficult to read and > the above list might have mis-identified in for m, f for the long s > etc. > > Here's hoping the list includes some historical cartographers! > > Yes, there are certainly some large errors. Madras (Fort St. George) is 80 deg 14 min E according to Norie's Tables, while Calcutta is nearer at 88 deg 20 min E but that is at Fort William. Never mind, John Harrison will soon be along.
Frank 55N 1W (or thereabouts) -- Frank Evans
