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Read Nov. 15,
1764.
THE transit of Venus over the Sun, being a very curious and important phœnomenon, engaged the attention of America as well as Europe. His excellency Francis Bernard, Esq; governor of the Massachusetts-Bay, a gentleman who seizes every opportunity of advancing the sciences, was desirous to have an observation of it in this quarter of the world; and as Newfoundland was the only British plantation where one could be had, proposed to the General Assembly at Boston to make provision for that purpose, which they readily agreed to do. In consequence whereof, I imbarked on board a vessel in the service of the government, taking with me for assistants two young gentlemen my pupils; and such astronomical instruments out of the college apparatus as were necessary. These were, an excellent clock, Hadley's octant with nonius divisions; a refracting telescope with wires at half right angles, for taking differences of right ascension and declination; and a nice reflecting telescope, adjusted by cross levels, and having vertical and horizontal wires, for taking correspondent altitudes; or differences of altitudes and azimuths.
