the point at the mouth of the Pennar river, and make it less prominent; as the diftance from Nellore to the nearest fea coaft, would otherwife have been much * too great Indeed, it was not expected that a vessel, failing along a flat, ftraight eoaft, without land-marks, could ascertain every small bending of the coaft. coast nearter. It is proper to remark, that the whole difference of longitude between Calcutta and Madras, in M. D'Anville's and D'Apres' maps, comes within a few miles of the truth, as they were in pofsession of the observations taken at Ghyretty and Pondicherry: but their maps are exceeding faulty in the detail. The longitude of Madras, or Fort St. George, as was faid before, (page 9) is taken at 80° 25'; and its latitude is 13°5'. Pondicherry, by a series of triangles obtained by means of the Jaghire map, Wandiwafh Hill, Permacoil, the red hills, and the difference of latitude, I make to be 25′ of longitude, west of Madras; so that Pondicherry will be in 80° juft. The medium of the different observations taken there, is 79° 55′ 40′′†. Mr. Pringle, who meafured the routes of Sir Eyre Coote's army, during the late war, makes the difference of meridians the fame as I do, to a fraction. Its latitude is 11° 56′. Cuddalore, in lat. 11° 41′, and lon. 79° 45′ 45′′, is the most fouthern point, determined by Mr. Pringle's measured routes: but the fame gentleman furnishes us, with the bearing of Portonovo from that place; which, with its latitude 11° 30', allows us to place it, almost to a certainty, in lon. 79° 53′ 30′′. The pofition of Chillumbrum Pagoda, in respect of Portonovo, although fo confpicuous an object to the fight, is variously reprefented. By the medium of what appeared to me to be the best authorities, I have placed them South-west 7 G. miles from Por * I have allowed Point Pennar to be 16 G. miles to the east of Nellore: moft of the MS. maps make it lefs. + Con. de Temps Gentil Topping 79° 57° Medium 79° 55′ 40′′ tonovo. tonovo. its Mr. Barker determined their pofition with respect to Devicotta, by a measured base, to be W. 16° 45′ N. 8 G. miles which added to the former line from Portonovo, gives 79° 55' for the longitude of Devicotta. Its latitude appears to be 11° 21'. Moft maps allow a much greater diftance between Portonovo and Devicotta, than what arifes from the above conftruction; which is 9 G. miles on a SSE. bearing: and the foundation of the error, appears to me to be the giving the bearing of Devicotta from Chillambrum, too great a degree of fouthing. From Devicotta, fouthward to Negapatam, my authorities are fome MS. maps; among which, is one, drawn by M. D'Anville, containing the principal pofitions between Madras and Tanjore; and feems intended for the bafis of a map of the fouth Carnatic. Had M. D'Anville's differed from the others, I fhould have been inclined to give the preference to the refult of his investigations; but it happens that all the different maps I have confulted, differ fo little among themselves, that none make the difference of longitude between Devicotta and Negapatam more than 1′ 45′′; and the medium of the whole is 1' 15" caft; fo that Negapatam may be taken at 79° 56′ 35′′ lon.; and latitude 10° 46'. Thus Negapatam appears to be 3′ 25′′ weft of Pondicherry, or 28′ 25′′ from Madras; and whatever error there may be, must arise chiefly between Devicotta and Negapatam. If there be any, the different geographers and map-makers have all fallen into the fame kind of error. I obferve that the different maps made of late years, in India, have confidered Negapatam as being in lon. 79° 53' to 79° 54'. I know not whence the idea is taken; but, whether founded or not, it differs but little from mine. Negapatam is the fouthmoft point, on the eastern fide of the peninfula, whofe pofition can be reckoned tolerably exact; unless we except Point Calymere, whofe bearing being pretty well known from Negapatam, and its latitude determined with precifion; may be confidered as being nearly as well afcertained as Nega Negapatam, on which it depends. longitude 79° 54' 30". Its latitude is 10° 20'; and No connected measured line that can be depended on, has yet been carried across the peninfula; Col. Fullarton's marches, meafured by Col. Kelly, extending only to Palicaudchery; that is, not within 50 G. miles of the coaft of Malabar: and those extended fouthward, through Madura and Tinevelly, ending at Cape Comorin. Fortunately, however, we have a series of longitudes by a time-keeper, deduced from Bombay, by Capt. Huddart, and extended at intervals, along the whole coaft, to Anjenga; of which, more will be faid hereafter. Col. Fullarton's march into the fouthern countries of the Carnatic, gave an opportunity of meafuring the diftances, and afcertaining the relative pofitions of Tanjore, Tritchinopoly, Madura, Coïmbettore, Palicaudcherry, &c. in refpect of Negapatam, where the march commenced. The plan of these marches communicated to me from the Eaft India Houfe, bears the name of Col. Kelly; and is declared to be actually measured, through the points abovementioned. We have to regret that the fame attention was not bestowed in the march from Calicut to Palicaudcherry; the intended point of junction of the Bombay detachment, with that of Col. Fullarton: for, in that cafe, the exact width of the peninfula, had been no longer a matter of enquiry. Tritchinopoly comes out, by the above map of Col. Kelly's, to be 1° 10' of longitude weft from Negapatam; which taken from 75° 56′ 35′′, leaves 78° 46′ 35′′ for the longitude of Tritchinopoly *. The latitude is 10° 49'. Madura, by the fame authority, is 34 difference of longitude weft from Tritchinopoly; that is, in lon. 78° 12′ 35′′. Here it must be noted, that great difcordance arifes between the different r A map, drawn by Baron Wefebe (of the Hanoverian corps) accords in this particular, and indeed, in every other material one, with that of Col. Kelly: but I have no knowledge how Baron W. procured his materials. accounts of the bearing and distance between Tritchinopoly and Madura, as given by Kelly, Montrefor, and others. The two former differ 1,6 G. miles only, in distance; but Col. Kelly's bearing, gives 12,3 G. miles, more of wefting, than Montrefor's. And a third map, communicated by Mr. John Sulivan, has the fame bearing with Kelly's, but exceeds it, 3,7 G. miles, in diftance; thereby, increafing the wefting 1,3 G. miles; and of course, exceeding Montrefor's 13,6 G. miles, or 14′ 15′′ of longitude. The latitude of Madura, I have not yet learnt. Col. Call's map places it in 9° 52' 30"; and Col. Kelly's difference of latitude from Tritchinopoly, 53′ 12′′, gives 9° 55′ 48′′. The authority for the remainder of this line, through Palamcotta (or Tinevelly) to Poolytopu on the fea coaft, weftward of Cape Comorin, is from the map of Madura and Tinevelly, made under the direction of Col. Call (then Chief Engineer at Madras) and from Mr. Pringle's road distances; together with the latitudes of Palamcotta and Poolytopu. First, I find in Col. Call's map, 1° 9′ 30′′ difference of latitude S. between Madura and Palamcotta ; and 18′ of longitude, west. This would place the latter in 8° 43′ (Mr. Pringle informs us, that its latitude is 8° 44′) and in lon. 77° 54′ 35′′. Then, from Palamcotta to Cotate or Cotaur, on the weft of the Gauts, Mr. Call's map gives 29′ 12′′ difference of latitude S.; and 22' difference of longitude weft; to which, if we add the deduction from Mr. Pringle's measured distance to Poolytopu, 5' 30" difference of latitude S.; and 6' difference of longitude west *; the whole difference of latitude will be 34′ 42′′ S. and difference of longitude 28' weft; giving for the position of Poolytopu, lat. 8° 9′ 18′′; lón. 77° 26′ 35′′. Poolytopu village appears to be fituated on the fea coaft, ENE. 4 G. miles from Cadiapatam Point; which point, by Mr. Howe, The bearing between Cotate and Poolytopu, is inferred from fome MS. maps of no great authority, to be about SW; W. The whole distance being only 8 G. miles, the difference of longitude would be but little affected, by any error that might reasonably be expected in the bearing. is reckoned in lat. 87; and Poolytopu being about 1' 30" to the N. of it, should be in 8° 8′ 30′′, according very nearly with the above calculation. It muft, I think, be acknowledged, that there is nothing in this deduction, that appears forced, Poolytopu, by the best account I can get, (a French MS. map in Mr. Dalrymple's collection) is 16' of longitude weft of Cape Comorin; which Cape, by this account will be in lon. 77° 42′ 35′′. We have some further light thrown on this fubject by the meafurement of the road, by Mr. Pringle, from Tanjore to Poolytopu. His whole road diftance is 251 B. miles; and allowing 1 in 9 for the winding of the road, the horizontal distance will be 2231 B. miles, or 193 G. miles; which, on the fame bearing as the above deduction is founded on, (S 33° 40' W) gives difference of latitude 2941′ 18′′; and wefting 107,4, or difference of longitude 1° 49′. As Tanjore is in 10° 46′ 30′′, the latitude of Poolytopu comes out 8° 5' 12", and its lon. 77° 23′ 15′′ (the longitude of Tanjore, by Col. Kelly's measurement, being 79°,12′ 15′′, deduced from Negapatam) and 16' added to it, gives for the longitude of Cape Comorin 77° 39′ 15′′, or 3′ 20′′ to the west of the first calculation. Again, if the proportion of 1 in 8 be adopted for the winding of the road, (a more common one) it produces 190 G. miles + of distance; and the latitude of Poolytopu will be 8° 8'; and its lon. 77° 20′ 50′′; and that of Cape Comorin 77° 36′ 50′′. This is all the fatisfaction that I have been able to obtain, concerning the longitude of Cape Comorin, as deduced from the eastern fide of the peninfula. Something depends on the truth of the affumption, respecting the pofition of Negapatam; and still more on The distance arifing on the lines of Kelly and Call is 186,25 G. miles. |