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CHAP. VII. The Disagreement betwixt the Ordinary Sea-Chart, and the Globe; And the Agreement betwixt the Globe and the True Sea-Chart, made after Mercator's Way, or Mr. Edward Wright's Projection.
THe Meridians in the ordinary Sea-Chart are Right Lines, all parallel one to another, and consequently do never meet; yet they cut the Aequinoctial, and all Circles of Latitude, or Parallels thereunto, at Right Angles, as in the Terrestrial Globe: But herein it differeth from the Globe, for that here all the Parallels to the Aequinoctial being lesser Circles, are made equal to the Aequinoctial it self, being a great Circle; and consequently, the Degrees of those Parallels, or lesser Circles, are equal to the Degrees of the Aequinoctial, or any other great Circle, which is meerly false, and contrary to the nature of the Globe, as shall be plainly demon∣strated.
The Meridians in the Terrestrial Globe do all meet in the Poles of the World, cut∣ting the Aequinoctial, and consequently all Circles of Latitude, or Parallels to the Aequator, at right Spherical Angles: so that all such Parallels do grow lesser to∣ward either Pole, decreasing from the Aequinoctial Line.
As for Example, 360 Degrees, or the whole Circle in the Parallel of 60 Degrees, is but 180 Degrees of the Aequinoctial; and so of the rest: Whereas in the ordina∣ry Chart, that Parallel and all others are made equal one to another, and to the Aequinoctial Circle, as we have said before.
The Meridians in a Map of Mercator or Mr. Wright's Projection, are Right Lines, all Parallel one to another, and cross the Aequinoctial, and all Circles of La∣titude, at Right Angles, as in the ordinary Sea-Chart: But in this, though the Cir∣cles of Latitude are all equal to the Aequinoctial, and one to another, both wholly, and in their Parts and Degrees; yet they keep the same proportion one to the other, and to the Meridian it self, by reason of the inlarging thereof, as the same Parallels in the Globe do. Wherein it differeth from the ordinary Sea-Chart, for in that the Degrees of great and lesser Circles of Latitude are equal; and in this, though the Degrees of the Circles of Latitude are equal, yet are the Degrees of the Meridian un∣equal, being inlarged from the Aequinoctial towards either Pole, to retain the same proportion as they do in the Globe it self; for as two Degrees of the Parallel of 60 Degrees, is but one Degree of the Aequinoctial, or any Great Circle upon the Globe, so here two Degrees of the Aequinoctial, or of any Circle of Latitude, is but equal to one Degree of the Meridian, betwixt the Parallel of 59 ½ and 60 ½ and so forth of the rest.
Now for the making of this Table of Latitudes, or Meridional Parts, it is by an addition of Secants; for the Parallels of Latitude are less than the Aequator or Me∣ridian,* 1.1 in such proportion as the Radius is to the Secant of the Parallel.
For Example. The Parallel of 60 Degrees is less than the Aequator; and con∣sequently, each Degree of this Parallel of 60 Degrees is less than a Degree of the Aequator or Meridian, in such proportion as 100000 Radius, hath to 200000 the Secant of 60 Degrees.
Now how Mr. Gunter and Mr. Norwood's Tables are made, which are true Meridi∣onal Parts, is by the help of Mr. Edward Wright's Tables of Latitude. Mr. Gunter's is an Abridgment, consisting of the Quotient of every sixth Number, divided by 6, and two Figures cut off.
As for Example. In the Tables of Latitude for 40 Degrees, the Number is 〈 math 〉〈 math 〉
deg. | parts. |
(43: | 712 |
That divided by 6, the Quotient is 43 deg. 712 parts of the Aequator, to make 40 Degrees of the Meridian. And Mr. Norwood's Tables of Meridional parts, is an Abridgment of Mr. Wright's Table of Latitudes; namely,