William Shervington to Benjamin Franklin, June 20, 1753

Antigua, June 20, 1753

Sir,

Mr. Benjamin Mecom having received half a dozen circulatory letters from you relating to Mercury’s transit over the sun the 6 of last May, 4 he put them into my hands. One would have sufficed for our island, as we are not overburthen’d with men, who have a taste that way. Hereunder I send you the result of my observation thereof. *

Sunday, May 6, at 6h 7′ 51″, I observed the western limb of Mercury to touch the western limb of the sun; and, at 6h 10 ′37″, he touch’d the same with his eastern limb, and totally disappear’d. Lat. of the place 17° 0′ N. Lon. by estimation 61° 45′ W. from London.

This was taken by a Graham’s watch, 8 and corrected by two altitudes taken by a most exquisite quadrant; viz.

At 6h 58′ 7″, I observed the distance of the sun’s upper limb from the zenith = 72° 21′ 30″. And at 9h 31′ 5″, I observed the same = 36° 17′ 0″.

By the common process (which you may have, if necessary) I found the watch was 0° 4′ 4″ 28‴ too fast; †therefore,

Pray impart your observation to Your Well-wisher,

William Shervington