hose observations contained in
his work on the Pendulum.

That volume, printed under the authority of the Board of Longitude,
excited at its appearance considerable attention. The circumstance of
the Government providing instruments and means of transport for the
purpose of these inquiries, placed at Captain Sabine's disposal means
superior to those which amateurs can generally afford, whilst the
industry with which he availed himself of these opportunities, enabled
him to bring home multitudes of observations from situations rarely
visited with such instruments, and for such purposes.

The remarkable agreement with each other, which was found to exist
amongst each class of observations, was as unexpected by those most
conversant with the respective processes, as it was creditable to one
who had devoted but a few years to the subject, and who, in the course
of those voyages, used some of the instruments for the first time in his
life.

This accordance amongst the results was such, that naval officers of the
greatest experience, confessed themselves unable to take such
lunars; whilst other observers, long versed in the use of the transit
instrument, avowed their inability to take such transits. Those who were
conversant with pendulums, were at a loss how to make, even under more
favourable circumstances, similarly concordant observations. The same
opinion prevailed on the continent as well as in England. On whatever
subject Captain Sabine touched, the observations he published seemed by
their accuracy to leave former observers at a distance. The methods
of using the instruments scarcely differed in any important point from
those before adopted; and, but for a fortunate discovery, which I shall
presently relate, the world must have concluded that Captain Sabine
possessed some keenness of vision, or acuteness of touch, which it would
be hopeless for any to expect to rival.

The Council of the Royal Society spared no pains to stamp the accuracy
of these observations with their testimony. They seem to have thrust
Captain Sabine's name perpetually on their minutes, and in a manner
which must have been almost distressing: they recommend him in a letter
to the Admiralty, then in another to the Ordnance; and several of
the same persons, in their other capacity, as members of the Board of
Longitude, after voting him a THOUSAND POUNDS for these observations,
are said to have again recommended him to the Master-General of the