1William Lambert to Thomas Jefferson, 9 January 1812 (Jefferson Papers)
The inclosed abstract of calculation relative to the longitude of Monticello from Greenwich by the apparent times of internal contacts of Sun and Moon on the 17 th of September last, will, it is hoped, be accepted by you as an accurate result, admitting the data to be correctly stated. Having in a former communication, given rules for ascertaining the altitude and longitude of the nonagesimal,...
2William Lambert to Thomas Jefferson, 14 November 1811 (Jefferson Papers)
The President of William and Mary college having lately sent me the result of your observations of the solar eclipse of Sept r 17 th at Monticello , I have calculated the longitude from Greenwich , using the first and last contacts, which will always give a near approximation to the truth, if the apparent times and latitude of the place have been correctly ascertained. I have taken great pains...
3William Lambert to Thomas Jefferson, 24 July 1810 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter of the 16 th instant , had been probably in the post-office in this city a few days before I received it; and as I consider it as an evidence of respectful attention due to those persons whose character in public and private life, and intrinsic merit, deserve my esteem, I am generally prompt in the answers I return to the communications with which I may be favored by them. I am...
4William Lambert to Thomas Jefferson, 19 May 1810 (Jefferson Papers)
I wrote to you some time ago , and transmitted a printed copy of the report of a select committee of Congress on my papers relating to the establishment of a first meridian for the United States , intended for your own use. The late period of the Session at which this report was made, was the cause (perhaps the only one) of postponing a decision until the next meeting of the national...
5William Lambert to Thomas Jefferson, 22 November 1811 (Jefferson Papers)
The observations relating to the solar eclipse of the 17 th September last , were made in this city opposite Rhodes’s hotel , North 71.º West, 1. ⅜ . m American measure, from the Capitol . The apparent times of the principal appearances, to the nearest second, are as follow:— h. m. s. Beginning of the Eclipse, 0. 22. 9.
6William Lambert to Thomas Jefferson, 8 January 1811 (Jefferson Papers)
I inclose for your acceptance, a printed copy of my answer to the Critical Reviewers of Boston , in Massachusetts , who have, in their review for the month of October last, published a number of remarks against my papers submitted to Congress at their last session, relative to the establishment of a first meridian for the United States . Altho’ I dislike much to appear before the public in the...
7William Lambert to Thomas Jefferson, 14 March 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
As you are now retired from the important and dignified station of Chief magistrate of the United States of America , the duties of which you have fulfilled with the deserved approbation of all well disposed and discerning citizens, permit me to congratulate you on the magninimity you have evinced, in thus voluntarily relinquishing the highest and most responsible office in the power of the...
8William Lambert to Thomas Jefferson, 5 December 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
I acknowledge with sincere gratitude and respect, the receipt of your obliging note , inclosing a vote of thanks from the American Philosophical Society for a table of the Moon’s motion, transmitted to you, some time since, as their President. Truly sensible of the instances of friendship with which you have been pleased to favor me, I shall endeavor to reciprocate, so far as I may have it in...
9William Lambert to Thomas Jefferson, 19 September 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
I inclose a table which has been constructed with great care to every 3 minutes of intermediate time between 0 and 12 hours, for computing the Moon’s motion for 12 hours in longitude, latitude, &c. from which the true place may be easily obtained: it was intended to be as fair , as it is accurate , but some parts of it have been stained by accident, before it was finished. The second series...
10William Lambert to Thomas Jefferson, 24 June 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
The reformation of the Julian calendar by pope Gregory XIII , in the year 1582, is so near the truth, that it will not want correction until 3600 years after the change of stile took place. It has been found by a series of observations noticed in Vince’s astronomy, that the tropical year is 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, 48 seconds; if this be multiplied by 3600 years, the product will be...