David Jones wrote in USMA 23749:
In message <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, Bill
Potts <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes
David Jones wrote:
"some 25-30 miles to the west of it at Paris - a lot."
Oops. I guess you meant to say "some 40 to 50 kilometers ..."
*blush* I typed the numbers right though - I meant 25-30 km.
David
--
David Jones
What does it matter if it was miles or kilometres? I believe that
there is no French text that refers to the grand meridian survey as
"passing through Paris". What mattered was that Dunkerque and
Barcelona were on the same longitude. I believe the "passing through
Paris" phrase was added by English writers in a pejorative sense to
imply that the metric system was a purely French affair instead of
being dedicated � tous les peuples".
Joseph B. Reid
17 Glebe Road West
Toronto M5P 1C8 Telephone 416-486-6071
