.1811.
The Chinese Long Measure.
651
Jesuits, I have no doubt, although I cannot find the statement of the fact anywhere, changed it so as to make it correspond exactly with the of their league. Perhaps each of the statements, that the le is the 250th part of a degree, and that it is the 200th part, are derived from this the first being the of the French astronomical league, which is the of a degree; and the latter the of the marine league, which is the of a degree. I cannot find any authority for the le, as at present established, being 180 to the degree, except the work of Mr. Gutzlaff above quoted.
We shall be able to form some opinion, as to which of these state- ments may be the most correct, by calculating from each the length of the cheih, and comparing the cheih thus obtained with that given us, by the various writers on this subject. The calculations below show what its length is according to each of these statements.
1st Calculation.
A degree according to Mr. Baily's tables is 365,110 feet. We have then at the rate of 180 le to the degree:
365,110÷180=2028.39 feet 2028.39-360-5.6344 feet
676.13 yards =2.60 le to 1 mile.
poo.
5.6344-51.1269 feet = = IR cheih.
1 cheik, then, is equal to 13.5228 inches.
2d Calculation. At 200 le to the degree.
A degree is 365,110-200=1825.55 ft. 608.52 yds. 2.89 le
to 1 mile.
1825.55-360-5.071 feet 1步100.
5.071-5 1.014 feet X 12=12.168 ins. to a cheih.
3d Calculation. At 250 le to the degree.
A degree is 365,110÷÷250=1460.44 feet 486.81 yds. = 3.61 le
to 1 mile.
1460.44÷360=4.056 feet = 1 poo.
4.056-5=0.8112 feet = 9.7344 inches to a cheih. ́. The authorities for the length of the cheih, that have been met with are as follows:
1. Dr. Hutton in the Edinburgh Review. China Mathematical foot, 1.127 English foot.
2. China imperial foot 1.051 feet. Cavallo 1.050 feet.
3. Milburne's Oriental Commerce, vol. II, page 472.
4. Foot of Math. Tribunal, 147.7 French lines, or 134 Eng. inch. 5. Builder's foot, called Kungpoo, 143.1 French lines, or 12, Eng. inch,