Letter from Charles S. Peirce to Carlile P. Patterson
(New York, 28.11.1877)



 
Spanish translation & annotations

 


New York, 1877 Nov 28


My dear Sir,

Yours of the 27th has just come & I cannot at this moment answer it properly as I am intensely occupied with my pendulum business.

The Geodetic Association was first German; it was then made European; and it is now proposed to make it cover the globe. There is a strong reason for this; which is that the scientific goal of all geodesy (of course, I don't mean its only purpose) is the establishment of the figure

 

 

of the Earth, and this cannot be done without combining all parts of the Globe.

For that reason, I have no doubt that the Association will cause the Peruvian degree to be remeasured. And they will make the greatest determination of the figure of the earth. Now shall not our work take its place among the data of this determination?

I know that some people would say no. As if America were not enough isolated by nature, they want to cut us off from the fraternity of European

 

 

science. This spirit is a wretched imitation of the very worst trait of the English.

Of course, the matter is not one to be decided lightly.

The Association relates to all that is geodetic, that is to all our work except Topography & Hydrography. It treats Latitudes, Longitudes, Azimuths, Triangulation, base-measurements, tide observations, levelling, pendulum work, etc.

It conspires to effect such uniformity in the work of the different surveys as can be effected in leaving

 

each its complete liberty. This uniformity obviously enhances the value of the resulting figure of the earth. It also discusses the best ways of working & exchanges ideas annually which are of value to all. The annual report from each country is an affair of four or five pages, which it would be advantageous for the Coast Survey to make.

Yours very truly and respectufully,

C. S Peirce

 

 


Transcription by Sara Barrena (2018)
Una de las ventajas de los textos en formato electrónico respecto de los textos impresos es que pueden corregirse con gran facilidad mediante la colaboración activa de los lectores que adviertan erratas, errores o simplemente mejores transcripciones. En este sentido agradeceríamos que se enviaran todas las sugerencias y correcciones a sbarrena@unav.es
Proyecto de investigación "La correspondencia del tercer viaje europeo de Charles S. Peirce (septiembre-noviembre 1877)"

Fecha del documento: 21 de marzo 2018
Última actualización: 21 de marzo 2018

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