No. 120.
Mr. Evarts
to Mr. Pierrepont.
Washington, May 21, 1877.
Sir: A letter dated the 16th instant has been received from the Secretary of the Navy, in which it is stated that that Department has in view the determination, by telegraph, of the longitudes between Lisbon and the east coast of South America, and such intermediate points as the cable will permit, and that already, through the action of this Department, [Page 260] the promise of the cooperation of the Portuguese Government has been received.
It is further stated that in case the bureau of longitudes of Paris should not be able within the coming year to give the longitude of Lisbon with accuracy, it will be necessary to invite the co-operation of the British Government, and that in such event, should the terminus of the cable near Land’s End be accurately determined in longitude, permission is desired to set up a small portable observatory at that point to interchange time-signals with Lisbon, and should not the terminus at Land’s End be properly determined in longitude, time-signals will be interchanged with Greenwich Observatory also, upon the completion of which the observers would proceed to the more southern stations.
In compliance with the wish expressed by the Secretary of the Navy, I have to request you to invite the attention of. Her Majesty’s minister for foreign affairs to the subject, in order that, if practicable, permission for the privilege desired may be accorded.
I am, &c.,