Relation of a voyage from Boston to Newfoundland, for the observation of the transit of Venus, June 6, 1761. By John Winthrop, Esq; Hollisian Professor of Mathematics and Philosophy at Cambridge, N.E. ; [Two lines in Latin from Cicero]

Relation of a voyage from Boston to Newfoundland, for the observation of the transit of Venus, June 6, 1761. By John Winthrop, Esq; Hollisian Professor of Mathematics and Philosophy at Cambridge, N.E. ; [Two lines in Latin from Cicero]

Table of contents

Title page

RELATION OF A VOYAGE, &c.

APPENDIX. Extract from the Votes of the Hon. House of REPRESENTATIVES. Sabbati 18 Die Aprilis, A. D. 1761. Message from the GOVERNOR.

Lunae 20 Die Aprilis A. D. 1761.

[Page]

RELATION OF A VOYAGE, &c.

THE TRANSIT of the Planet VENUS over the disc of the SUN, being a most important as well as curious phaenomenon, has for a long time imployed the consideration of Astronomers. The first notice that I find taken of it was by the sagacious Kepler, who flourished not long after the revival of the true astronomy by Copernicus: and in a work published in 1604, declared, that no such thing could happen in that century; nor the next, till the year 1761. In this, however, that great man was mistaken. For an English Astronomer, Jeremiah Horrockes, then no more than 20 years of age, but of an admirable genius, having corrected Kepler's Tables by some of his own observations, predicted and soon after observ'd this most rare phaenomenon, on the 24th of November O. S. in the year 1639, at Hoole, a small village about 12 miles N. from Leverpool. Having waited several hours with great impatience, he had at last the [Page] satisfaction to see the Planet as a black spot, just entring on the Sun, at a quarter past three in the afternoon. He made three observations of its positions in half an hour, when he was depriv'd of a longer sight of it by the setting of the Sun. He had given notice to an astronomical friend, Mr. Crabtree, who, at a few miles distance just got a sight of it between the clouds, before Sun-set. These two were the only persons that ever saw Venus in the Sun, before the present year.

THESE Transits became more generally known by a Series, which the late Astronomer-Royal Dr. Halley publish'd, of all in a thousand years; from which it appears that none could happen between the years 1639 and 1761. But what made this of June 6, 1761, most of all famous, was a paper of the same learned author in the Philosophical Transactions for the year 1705, wherein he explains an important use to be made of it. Some uses of the transits of the inferior planets were obvious. They serve much better than any other phaenomena, to perfect the theory of these planets, which is more difficult to be settled than that of the superiors; and did they happen frequently, would be of admirable use in ascertaining the longitude of places on this globe. They likewise demonstrate the truth of the Copernican System, so far as it relates to these Planets, by making it evident that they respect the Sun, and not the Earth, as the centre of their motions. But Dr. Halley pointed [Page] out a new and singular use to be made of the Transit of Venus; and to which no other phaenomenon in the heavens is near so well adapted. This is, in finding the Parallax of the Sun; which is so small that the Astronomers have never been able to discover it with exactness in any other method. If this were once known, the distance of the Sun, and of all the Planets, and of all the Comets, would be known too; and their magnitudes would also be known, from their apparent diameters. This would give us a just idea of the vast dimensions of the solar system, and of the mighty globes which compose it. Nor can we, but by such observations, know whether the Earth continues to revolve at the same distance from the Sun, or whether it gradually approaches him, as there is some reason to suspect; nor whether the Sun remains of the same magnitude, or consumes away and is diminish'd by the light which he is incessantly sending forth. The Parallax of the Sun is also an element that enters into the calculation of eclipses; and of what use these are in Astronomy, in Geography, in History and Chronology, is too well known to need being insisted on at this day. It would likewise determine the quantity of matter in the Earth, or the proportion which this bears to that in the Sun; and shew us precisely the amazing velocity with which light is darted from the Sun and other luminous Bodies;—and probably give us a deeper insight into many of the wonderful works of GOD. For such is the [Page] relation of the several branches of natural Philosophy to each other, and of all of them to moral Philosophy, that whatever tends to the perfection of one tends to perfect the other, in proportion to the connection there is between them. And a capital point once adjusted, may serve for the determination of others, which were not at first thought of. Thus, the exact measure of a degree on the meridian enabled Sir Isaac Newton to demonstrate his Theory of universal Gravity, a scheme which had never enter'd into the minds of any, when the degree was proposed to be measured; by which means that great man laid open the constitution of the astronomical world, and pointed out the fundamental Law which the alwise CREATOR has established for regulating the several movements in this grand machine.

FROM a sense of the advantages to be derived from this Observation, Dr. Halley recommended it in the most emphatical terms, and inforced it with all the energy of language, on the Astronomers and others of the present day, that they would by no means let slip an opportunity, which he then doubted whether it would offer it self again to the people of this or the following age; and on which depended the adequate solution of a Problem, in itself most noble, and inaccessible any other way. And to put the matter beyond all hazard, he advised to have a number of Observators station'd in different parts of the Earth, that some of them [Page] might be sure to succeed; as a single person might be frustrated by the intervention of clouds.

THESE pressing recommendations of the learned Doctor did not lose their effect. The approach of this phaenomenon was attended with a general curiosity: It became a topic of conversation among Persons of every rank, of every profession, of every taste. It could not escape the notice of some of the greatest Monarchs of Europe, surrounded, as they were, with the tumults of war. His late MAJESTY, of happy memory, attentive to the cultivation of the Arts and Sciences, those great ornaments of civil Society;—particularly of Astronomy, on which he well knew Navigation, and of consequence the commerce and wealth of his Kingdoms had a necessary dependence; was graciously pleased to provide for having this observation made in the most distant parts of Africa and Asia, as well as in his own Royal Observatory at home.

NOR was America inactive on this singular occasion. His Excellency FRANCIS BERNARD, Esq Governor of the Province of the Massachusetts-Bay, inspired with a just zeal for the advancement of Literature, which he demonstrates on every opportunity, exerted himself to procure an observation in this quarter of the world. And as Newfoundland was the only British Plantation in which one could be made, and indeed the most western part of the [Page] Earth where the end of the Transit could be observ'd, for this was to happen before the Sun would be risen to any other part of America, except the Savage coast of Labrador, he proposed by a Message See the Appendix. to the General Assembly of the Province then sitting at Boston, to make provision for this purpose. The Assembly, animated with the same public Spirit, and treading in the steps of their worthy Predecessors, who from the settlement of the Country have eminently distinguish'd themselves among the other Governments as the PATRONS OF LEARNING, readily enter'd into his Excellency's views, and past a Vote See the Appendix. requesting Him to order the Province-Sloop to convey me to Newfoundland on this design. The orders were issued, agreeably; and his Excellency was pleased to give me such Letters, directed to his Majesty's Officers, Commanders, and other his Subjects, and likewise to those of the French King, as were proper to facilitate the execution of the enterprise, and to secure it from disappointment by the enemy. The Reverend the President and Fellows of Harvard College, in order to promote so laudable an undertaking, granted their Apparatus of astronomical instruments, to be imploy'd in this affair. Accordingly, I carried an excellent Pendulum clock; one of Hadley's Octants with Nonius divisions, and sitted in a new manner to observe on shore as well at sea Presented to the Apparatus last year by Ezek. Goldthwait, Esq; a refracting telescope with cross wires at half [Page] right angles, for taking differences of Right Ascension and Declination; and a curious reflecting telescope, adjusted with spirit-levels at right angles to each other, and having horizontal and vertical wires for taking correspondent altitudes; or differences of altitudes and azimuthsPresented this year by the Hon. Thomas Hancock, Esq. And taking with me for assistants two young Gentlemen my Pupils, Messr's Williams and Rand. who had made good proficiency in mathematical studies, I embark'd at Boston, on board the before-mentioned vessel, commissioned by the Governor, May the 9th, and in 13 days arrived at St. John's, Newfoundland.

THE reception I met with there was suitable to the consequence of my Commission, and the dignity of my Employers. Whatever was wanted, was supplied in the most obliging manner by the Gentlemen of that place; amon whom, I am under particular obligations to mention Capt. Ross, Commander of his Majesty's Garrison, and Michael Gill, Esq Chief Judge in the Courts. With their assistance we were enabled to surmount the difficulties which must be expected to attend an undertaking like ours, in a country unprovided with conveniences for such operations. The town of St. John's being bounded with high mountains toward the Sun-rising, so that no house in it would answer our end, we were obliged to seek farther; and, after a fatiguing and fruitless [Page] attempt or two, fix'd on an eminence at some distance, from whence we could have a view of the Sun presently after his rising. As this place was open, and had no building near it, we pitch'd some tents upon it for a shelter; which, together with our Apparatus, and such materials as we had occasion to make use of, we convey'd up thither, with the labor of several days. We secured the Clock to a pillar set in the ground under a large tent. Near this tent, and within call of the Clock, we fix'd two others firmly in the ground; one, to mount the refracting telescope upon; the other, which was above 8 feet high, for a Style, having at top a plate of lead with a little hole for transmitting the Sun's rays; and we laid a large horizontal Platform on the ground, to receive these rays. This Platform we kept cover'd, to defend it from the Sun and the weather; and examin'd its position every time we made use of it, by a very long level. On this we carefully traced a meridian line, by correspondent altitudes of the Sun, taken both with the Reflector, and by the Sun's image on the Platform. And, in order fully to examine and verify the meridian and adjust our clock, we repeated these operations every fair day, and many times in a day; and continued them with an assiduity which the infinite swarms of insects, that were in possession of the hill, were not able to abate, tho' they persecuted us severely and without intermission, both by day and by night, with their venemous stings. It would be tedious, [Page] as well as needless, to give a detail of the observations we made with this intent: 'Tis sufficient, that we regulated the clock with as much exactness as we could have done at home.

THUS prepared, we waited for the critical hour, which proved favorable to our wishes. The morning of the 6th of June was serene and calm, We have since learned, that all along shore, from Cape-Race to Halifax, there was a heavy storm of rain that morning. The Sun rose behind a cloud that lay along the horizon, but soon got above it; and at 4h 18m we had the high satisfaction of seeing that most agreable Sight, VENUS ON THE SUN, and of shewing it in our telescopes to the Gentlemen of the place, who had assembled very early on the hill to behold so curious a spectacle. The Planet at first appear'd dim thro' the cloud, but in a short time became more distinct and better defined. Upon this, I applied my self to take the passage of the Sun's and Venus's preceding limbs by the vertical, and of their lower limbs by the horizontal wires in the Reflector; and made the following observations; one of my assistants counting the Clock, and the other writing down the observations, as I made them.

[Page]Apparent Time.

At 4h | 21m | 16s | The Sun at the vertical.
|  | 27 | Venus at the same.
| 23 | 2 | Venus at the horizontal.
| 24 | 19 | The Sun at the same.
| 27 | 25 | Venus at the horizontal.
| 28 | 43 | The Sun at the same.
| 35 | 11 | The Sun at the vertical.
|  | 17 | Venus at the same.
| 37 | 45 | Venus at the horizontal.
| 39 | 5 | The Sun at the same.

AS Venus began now to draw near, the Sun's limb, I prepared to observe her egress. The interior contact appeared at 4h 47m 17s, and the exterior at 5h 5m 46s. IN memory of so rare an observation, the Gentlemen present agreed to give the hill, where our observatory was situated, the name of Venus's Hill,

THE above observations gave me so many differences between the Sun's and Venus's altitudes and azimuths; from whence, by spherical trigonometry, I deducd the Planet's right Ascensions and Declinations; and from them, in the last place, her Longitudes and Latitudes. It would be neither of entertainment nor use to the Reader, to insert the particulars of such tedious calculations: It will be enough to give the result of the whole, or the Planet's difference in Longitude from the Sun's centre, and her Latitude, at the time of each observation; which came out as follow.

[Page]

Apparent Time. | Diff. Long. Sun & Venus. | Venus Lat. South.
4h 21m 27s | 9m 2s | 10m 47s
23 2 | 9 4 | 10 50
27 25 | 9 25 | 10 52
35 17 | 9 56 | 10 55
37 45 | 10 8 | 11 00

THUS in the short interval of Time that was permitted, I determin'd five positions of the Planet on the Sun; and by laying off the differences of Longitude and the Latitudes, the Planet's path over the Sun may be drawn, and its situation determin'd in respect of the ecliptic,

[figure]

[Page] or any other circle of the sphere; as is here done for the vertical thro' the rising Sun at St. John's. In the Figure, the circle CZLN represents the Sun; the diameter ZN, the vertical thro' his centre S; CL, the ecliptic, in its due position with respect to this vertical at the time of sun-rising at St. John's. Then, laying off the first observ'd difference of Longitude on the ecliptic from S to D, and the corresponding Latitude in a perpendicular to the ecliptic from D to A, we have the place of the Planet on the Sun at the time of the first observation; represented here by the black spot at A; which also exhibits the apparent bigness of Venus in proportion to the Sun's; their diameters being nearly as 1 to 33. In the same manner may the other observations be projected; and the right line BE, drawn thro' the several points thus found, which there was not room to set down in this Figure, will be the Planet's path on the Sun; in which, B is its place at the beginning, M at the middle, and E at the end; the numbers over the path shewing Venus's place at the several hours of the night between the 5th and 6th of June.

FROM hence we state the times of the Transit as it would have been seen at St. John's, had the Sun been above the horizon during the whole continuance of it. They are as follows, on supposition that the angle of Venus's visible way with the ecliptic is 8o 28m, and her horary motion in that way, 4m; though indeed a very [Page] small alteration in any of the elements will make a sensible one in the time of the beginning.

Venus first touch'd the Sun's limb, June
D.
H.
m.
s.

5
10
24
14

her centre enter'd,

33
30

She was wholly within,

42
43

The middle, or Venus nearest the Sun's centre,

13
45
00

SINCE these papers were at the Press. I have learned, that Venus's nearest distance from the centre of the Sun, was found at Paris, 9m 33s; and at Middleburg in Zealand, 9m 5s.

the distance between them being then 9m 22s.

Venus began to pass off the Sun

16
47
17

Her Centre passed off

56
30

She wholly left the Sun,

17
5
46

IT may be further collected, that the conjunction in Longitude happen'd at 14h 4m 32s in 15d 35m 22s of Gemini; the Planet's Latitude being then 9m 28s. The Longitude at this conjunction differs but 27s from the calcule I made by Dr. Halley's Tables; and the Latitude but 23s. Which shews to what a degree of perfection those tables are already carried.

BY several observations we found the Latitude of the place 47d 32m N; which falls between the Latitudes set down in different books and maps. No eclipse of the sun or moon happen'd while we were on the Island, by which we might have determin'd the Longitude; and [Page] Jupiter's Satellites proved of no service in that affair; as they were not risen high enough to be observ'd above an hour before day-light came on. There were but two eclipses of them that could have been visible during our stay there; and tho' I watched for both these, I was disappointed of both by unfavourable weather. Neither was I fortunate enough to get so much as one occultation of a fix'd star by the moon, tho' I spared no pains for it. On the 11th of June we made an observation for this purpose, by taking the difference of right ascension of the moon's preceding limb, and the middle star in the border of the garment of Virgo, the 82d of that constellation in the Britannic Catalogue; which at 9h 29m 51s, we found to be 12d 7m 29s. Calculating from hence, the Longitude came out 50d 14m W. from Greenwich; which is a little less than I had supposed it in my calculations.

THE variation of the needle we found to be 19d W. which is less than it is marked on the charts.

IN the above calculations I took the semidiameter of the Sun to be 15m 50s; and of Venus 29s. This last is less than Dr. Halley, after Mr. Horrockes, supposed it; but it cannot be bigger, consistent with the foregoing observation, which has convinced me, that Venus, instead of being equal in diameter to the Earth, according to the common opinion, is less, in the proportion of 5 to 4.

[Page]BY the foregoing observations we are now enabled to predict with certainty, what Dr. Halley, in his paper before-mentioned, only suspected, that Venus will again pass over the Sun on the 3d of June in the year 1769; the former part of which Transit will be visible in our horizon for about 5h in the afternoon, but the Sun will set before it is ended. That Transit will be more convenient for finding the Parallax than the present has been; but not because ‘Venus will then describe a line nearer the diameter of the Sun;’ which is the reason assign'd in the London Magazine for June 1761. The Planet will hardly come so near. The true reason is, because Venus will then describe a more northerly path on the Sun. After that, there will not be another Transit for above 100 years; viz. not 'till the 8th of December in the year 1874. But the whole of that will be invisible here; the middle happening about midnight. The next after that, will not be in the year 1996, as it is in Dr. HALLEY's Series. This Series was founded on the old hypothesis of the immobility of Venus's Nodes, which appears to be erroneus. The observation of the late Transit has made it certain, that these Nodes have a retrograde motion, tho' a very slow one; which is agreable also to the Theory of Gravity. And from hence it follows, that the next Transit after that of 1874 will not be till the year 2004, on the 8th of June; the latter part of which will be visible here after sun-rise. How Astronomy transports us into distant Futurity!

[Page]FROM these numbers a question naturally arises, How it comes to pass, that there will be another Transit after so short a term as 8 years, when there has not been one for above 120 years past, nor will there be another for above 100 years after the next? This question deserves an answer. I shall give it one, deduced from the first principles, in as clear and succinct a manner as I am able. It is to be observed then, that the Earth revolves round the Sun in 365 days; and Venus in 224; and moving in a smaller orbit included within the Earth's, she may pass between the Sun and the Earth; which aspect is called an inferior Conjunction. By reason of this quicker revolution, Venus must overtake the Earth in certain intervals of time, which I find to contain 584 days; so that Venus, having once passed between the Sun and the Earth, will return to pass between them in 584 days. Now if her orbit lay in the same plane with the Earth's, at every one of these inferior conjunctions Venus would pass between the Sun and the Earth, in the strictest sense of the word; and, her unilluminated side being then turned to the Earth, would appear to us like a black spot passing over the dise of the Sun. Had this been the position of her orbit, at the end of every period of 584 days there would have been a Transit of Venus; and the Transits would all have been central, the Planet every time describing a diameter of the Sun. But the plane of Venus's orbit is inclined to the Earth's in an angle of [...] and so far might Venus be [Page] seen to the N. or S. of the ecliptic, if view'd from the Sun; but view'd from the Earth, to which she is much nearer in the inferior conjunctions, she may be seen above 9 ¼d from the ecliptic; and therefore, as the Sun's semidiameter is but ¼ of a degree, Venus in her inferior conjunctions may pass 9d to the N. or S. of the Sun's limbs. This Planet can appear on the face of the Sun, only in those inferior conjunctions, when her distance from the ecliptic, as seen from the Earth, is less than the semidiameter of the Sun. For this effect, she must be within 5d of her Nodes, which are the two opposite points in which her orbit crosses the ecliptic; and this are she describes in 3 days. About the present age, the Sun is in one of these Nodes on the 5th of June, and in the other on the 6th of December. So that the Transits must happen between the 2d and 8th of June; or the 3d and 9th of December. To find at what intervals they may follow one another, we must find when the aforesaid period of conjunctions, viz. 584 days, taken some number of times will amount to some number or years, within 3 days more or less: for that will bring the conjunctions to happen at the same time of the year. Now five of these periods amount to eight years, wanting two days; and this is shortest interval in which the Transits can follow one another. No other number of these periods less than 147 will answer this condition; and this number amounts to 235 years.— At the end of the period of 8 years in June, [Page] Venus passes almost 20m more northerly than before; and as the semidiameter of the Sun is near 16m, if in a Transit in June Venus passes above 4m to the S. of the Sun's centre, there will be another Transit in 8 years; otherwise, not till 235 years. And from hence it appears, that these Transits cannot succeed one another in two consecutive periods of 8 years; for in the last of them, Venus will pass near 40m more northerly than in the first; which is more than the whole diameter of the Sun. The like may be said of the Transits at the other Node in December.—The last time this period of 8 years took place, was in 1631 and 1639; and the next time, after the present, will be in 2004 and 2012.

AS there was some reason to suspect that Venus had a Satellite, partly from two observations of M. Cassini at Paris in the years 1672 and 1686, but principally from one that was made by Mr. Short at London on the 23d of October 1740, I entertained hopes of seeing it pass over the Sun; and with this thought, view'd the Sun with great attention in the Reflector, both on the 5th and 6th of June; but in vain. There were several spots then on the Sun, but none that I saw could be a Satellite.

TO conclude. The path of Venus, above determin'd, is her visible path, as affected by parallax at St. John's; which will be different from her visible path in distant parts of the [Page] Earth, where parallax has a different effect. This visible path, and the apparent motion of Venus in respect of the Sun, are here rightly determin'd, even if the elements imploy'd in the calculation, such as the latitude and longitude of the place, and those supplied by the astronomical tables, should not be exactly such as we supposed them. Any small difference in these particulars must equally affect the motion both of the Sun and Venus; and therefore, tho' it would alter their places in respect of the equinoctial points, it would produce no sensible difference in the relative motion of one to the other; nor any error in the situation of Venus in respect of the Sun. The comparison of the observations made in the N. W. parts of the world with those in the S. E. when all of them come to be laid together, will give the true path of Venus, abstracted from parallax; by which means, the quantity of the parallax will at length be discovered. The right determination of which point will render this year 1761 an ever-memorable aera in the annals of astronomy.

END.

§

§

[Page]

[Page]

RELATION OF A VOYAGE FROM BOSTON TO NEWFOUNDLAND, FOR THE OBSERVATION OF THE TRANSIT OF VENUS, JUNE 6, 1761.

BY JOHN WINTHROP, ESQ HOLLISIAN PROFESSOR OF MATHEMATICS AND PHILOSOPHY AT CAMBRIDGE, N. E.

Omnes artes—habent quoddam commune vinculum; et quasi cognatione quadam inter se continentur.

CICERO.

BOSTON: N. E. PRINTED AND SOLD BY EDES AND GILL, IN QUEEN-STREET, M,DCC,LXI.

APPENDIX.
Extract from the Votes of the Hon. House of REPRESENTATIVES. Sabbati 18 Die Aprilis, A. D. 1761. Message from the GOVERNOR.

[Page]

MR. Secretary OLIVER, came down with a Message from His Excellency the Governor; which he read and laid on the Table; His Excellency's Message is as follows, viz.

GENTLEMEN of the House of Representatives,

I Have received a Letter from Professor WINTHROP, wherein he offers his Service to go to Newfoundland to observe the Transit of VENUS over the Sun on the Sixth Day of June next. You must know that this Phenomenon, (which has been observed but once before since the Creation of the World) will, in all Probability, settle some Questions in Astronomy which may ultimately be very serviceable to Navigation: For which Purpose, those Powers [Page] that are interested in Navigation, have thought it their Business to send Mathematicians to different Parts of the World to make Observations. And as the Comparisons of the Observations in different Parts of the Earth will be the principal Means of making the Discoveries useful, His Majesty has sent a Man of War with Mathematicians, to be stationed in different Parts of the East-Indies, &c. and the French King and some other Powers, have done the same. It happens that this Phenomenon is not to be seen in North-America, except the most Northern Parts, of which Newfoundland exhibits the best View; I cannot therefore excuse my self recommending to you to enable Mr. WINTHROP to take a View from thence. The best and least expensive Method I can think of, is this; That the Province Sloop, which a little before that Time will be obliged to be sent to Penobscot, may proceed from thence with the Professor to Newfoundland.

IF you will signify your Approbation of this, I will order it; and I can assure you, that we shall hereby serve the Cause of Science, and do Credit to the Province.

FRA. BERNARD.

Council-Chamber, April 17, 1761.

HIS Excellency's foregoing Message was read again, and Ordered, That Mr. Welles, Col. Clap, Col. Worthington, Mr. Foster, and Mr. Flucker, Consider and report thereon.

Lunae 20 Die Aprilis A. D. 1761.

[Page]

IN Answer to His Excellency the Governor's Message of the 18th Currant, proposing to the House to provide for Mr. WINTHROP'S going to observe the Transit of the Planet VENUS over the Sun's Disk, on the 6th of June next:

VOTED, That His Excellency the Governor be humbly requested to direct Captain Saunders, Master of the Sloop in the Province Service, to wait on JOHN WINTHROP, Esq Hollisian Professor of Mathematics and Philosophy at the College in Cambridge, and him in said Sloop to attend and convey, with the Apparatus and other Necessaries, to the Northeast Part of Newfoundland, or to such Places as said Professor shall judge proper; and when his Observations are compleated, and Mr. Winthrop shall direct it, that Captain Saunders attend on and convey Mr. Winthrop back to Boston.

Sent up for Concurrence.

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Title statement

Relation of a voyage from Boston to Newfoundland, for the observation of the transit of Venus, June 6, 1761. By John Winthrop, Esq; Hollisian Professor of Mathematics and Philosophy at Cambridge, N.E. ; [Two lines in Latin from Cicero]

Winthrop, John, 1714-1779.

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2009-10.

ID [DLPS]

N07098

ID [TCP]

N07098

ID [STC]

Evans 9040

ID [NOTIS]

APY1934

ID [IMAGE-SET]

9040

ID [EVANS-CITATION]

99029009

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Early American Imprints, 1639-1800 ; no. 9040.

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— Relation of a voyage from Boston to Newfoundland, for the observation of the transit of Venus, June 6, 1761. By John Winthrop, Esq; Hollisian Professor of Mathematics and Philosophy at Cambridge, N.E. ; [Two lines in Latin from Cicero], Winthrop, John, 1714-1779..

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24 p. ; 23 cm. (8vo)

Printed and sold by Edes and Gill, in Queen-Street,,. Boston: N.E. :: M,DCC,LXi. [1761].

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Users should be aware of the process of creating the TCP texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data.

Text selection was based on the New Cambridge Bibliography of English Literature (NCBEL). If an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in NCBEL, then their works are eligible for inclusion. Selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. In general, first editions of a works in English were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably Latin and Welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so.

Image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. Quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in Oxford and Michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet QA standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. After proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. Any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. Understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of TCP data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. Users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a TCP editor.

The texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the TEI in Libraries guidelines.

Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements).

Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site.