VI. On Captain Parry’s and lieutenant Foster’s experiments on the velocity of sound

Abstract

During Captain Parry’s winter residence at Port Bowen, in 1824—1825, experiments were instituted on the velocity of sound. As, probably, investigations of that sort will not frequently be made at such low temperatures, it appears not uninteresting to compare the results obtained, with the theoretical formula of the late lamented Laplace, and also with other experiments made under different circumstances. With this view I caused my assistant M. Simons to make the calculations of which I am about to render an account. Captain Parry’s and Lieut. Foster’s experiments were made at Port Bowen, in 73° 13' 39" N. and 88° 54' 55" W. of Greenwich. The distance of the brass six-pounder from the station of the observers was trigonometrically determined by Captain Parry to be 12892,96 English feet, and by Lieut. Foster 12892,82 feet; the mean being 12892,89 feet. Time was measured by pocket chronometers held close to the observers’ ears. The direction of the gun was S. 71° 48' E. The table of the experiments is repeated, to avoid the necessity of reference.