Fig. 128. Terrestrial Globe of Pietro Rosini, 1762.
Rigobert Bonne (1727-1794), a distinguished French hydrographer and engineer, achieved likewise a very considerable reputation as a geographer and cartographer; indeed, the great majority of his scientific publications were within the field of geography.[171] With Joseph Jérôme Le Français de Lalande (1732-1807), one of the most famous of French astronomers,[172] he undertook the construction of a terrestrial and a celestial globe on which it was proposed to record in particular all of the most recent discoveries in both the field of geography and that of astronomy. To these globes they gave a diameter of about 31 cm., following, in constructing the gore maps with which each sphere was covered, the method of Bion, giving very careful consideration to the fact that the paper on which the maps were printed would expand somewhat unevenly when moistened with the paste used in the mounting. It seems probable that Bonne completed the terrestrial globe about the year 1771, and Lalande the celestial about the year 1775, and that the engraving of the maps was entrusted to Lattré, who had at this time a place of marked distinction in the profession he represented. Lalande says of the first issue of their work: “M. Lattré, Graveur ordinaire de Mgr. le Dauphin et de M. le Duc d’Orleans, publiera vers la fin de cette année 1771, deux globes d’un pied de diamètre, faites avec le plus grand soin, et sur les observations les plus récentes dessines avec une nouvelle exactitude; M. Bonne s’est chargé du globe terrestre, et je suis occupé actuellement du globe céleste. Ces globes seront en même temps réduits à 8 pouces et à six; chaque assortissement aura des sphères du même diamètre. Les prix seront annoncés dans les journaux.” A short time later these globe makers issued a publication in which they especially described their work, and Lalande noted in his ‘Bibliographie astronomique’ under the year 1775: “On trouve dans le Globe céleste toutes les étoiles alors connues, toutes les constellations nouvelles de la Caille, celle que j’avais introduite sous le nom de Messier, et toutes les découvertes géographiques obtenues depuis quelques années par plusieurs voyages autour du monde. On trouve ces globes chez Lamarche, rue du Foin.” While it has not been possible to locate a pair of the first edition of these globes, there may be found in the Osservatorio Astronomico of Palermo an undated terrestrial globe by Bonne and a celestial, clearly intended as a companion piece, dated 1779. In all probability they are but reprints of the first edition, having the same diameters, that is, about 31 cm. Each is furnished with a graduated horizon circle of wood, a graduated horizon circle of brass, and a small brass hour circle marked from I to XII, the whole being supported by three turned columns. They are reported as being well preserved. A pair has likewise been located in the Geographisches Institut of Göttingen.
The British Museum possesses a small terrestrial globe 7 cm. in diameter, signed N. Lane and dated 1776. Over a sphere of wood has been pasted the engraved gore map, which gives but little geographical information. It has not been possible to obtain a biographical reference to this globe maker, who probably was an unimportant printer of maps in London at this time.
Charles Messier (1730-1817), a French astronomer, map, and globe maker, was a native of Lorraine.[173] In the year 1751 he went to Paris, where he soon became associated with Delisle, first as his secretary, during which period he gave striking proof of his abilities, and later as his trusted assistant. His fame quickly extended to other lands, and he became a member of the Academy of Sciences of Berlin, also of the Academy of Sciences of St. Petersburg, each of which organizations published a considerable number of his scientific papers. It appears that his fame as an astronomer rested chiefly on his investigations of the nature and the movements of comets, becoming known as “le furet des comètes.” Messier’s contemporary and intimate associate was Jean Fortin (1750-1831), whose fame as a scientist rests primarily upon his work as a maker of mathematical instruments. Like Bonne and Lalande, who labored jointly in the construction of terrestrial and celestial globes, Messier and Fortin were active in the same field. In the year 1780 they placed on sale at the shop of Fortin in Rue de la Harpe pairs of their globes, each having a diameter of about 31 cm. Lalande refers to them as “Globes d’un pied de diamètre. Chez Fortin. Paris 1780. Le Globe céleste par Messier: Les étoiles réduites à 1800, d’après les tables que j’avais faites pour mon Globe. Le Globe terrestre par Fortin d’après les nouvelles découvertes géographiques.” It has not been possible to locate a copy of Fortin’s terrestrial globe, but an example of Messier’s celestial may be found in the Osservatorio Meteorico of the University of Parma, in the Istituto di Fisica of the University of Siena, in the Biblioteca S. Scolastica e S. Benedetto in Subiaco, and in the Liceo Machiavelli of Lucca. Copies of a celestial globe by Fortin, each about 22 cm. in diameter, may be found in the Convento dei Frati della Missione of Chieri, in the Biblioteca Comunale of Correggio, and in the Liceo Andrea Doria of Novi.
The Hispanic Society of America possesses a good example of Fortin’s work (Fig. [129]), this being an armillary sphere, having at the common center of its system of circles a terrestrial globe about 5 cm. in diameter. It is without date, but probably was constructed about the year 1780. In the South Pacific within a cartouch is the inscription “A Paris chez le Sr. Fortin. Rue de la Harpe.” This example is 41 cm. in height, having a graduated horizon circle 31 cm. in diameter, supported on a turned wooden base by four arms or quadrants. The terrestrial globe map of twelve gores is much darkened with age but gives in good outline the several continents with a few geographical names. Its armillae are of pasteboard, consisting of a supporting meridian circle within which the several celestial circles can be revolved on the extended polar axis of the terrestrial globe. These celestial circles represent the zodiac, on the surface of which are given the names of the several zodiacal constellations and the names of the months, the meridian circles, the tropics, the equator, the two polar circles with an hour circle at the north pole, all of these being so attached as not to permit of independent motion. Attached to one of the meridian circles is a device for representing eclipses, the one of the sun and the other of the moon.
Fig. 129. Armillary Sphere of Jean Fortin, 1780.
George Adams, the elder (fl. 1760), maker of mathematical instruments and optician to His Majesty George III of England, won great distinction for himself as a maker of terrestrial and celestial globes, and as a writer on geographical and astronomical subjects. With him in his work were associated his sons George (1750-1795) and Dudley, to whom, after the death of the brother, fell the management of the business. We know of Dudley’s success in his work, which he must have carried on well into the first quarter of the nineteenth century, though we know neither the date of his birth nor of his death. In the year 1766 the elder Adams issued the first edition of a very useful work on globes, including a consideration of their construction and their uses.[174] In the year 1810 appeared the thirtieth edition of this work, with a preface and additions by the son, Dudley. The title of the work suggests that the first issue was prepared as a description of globes which the author had just put upon the market, but globes of his bearing a date so early seem to be unknown. None have been located which appear to have been issued earlier than the year 1772, after which time we know there were repeated issues signed either “G. Adams” or “D. Adams.” A pair of the date 1782 may be found in the Museo Astronomico of Rome. These appear to be in a fair state of preservation (Fig. [130]). Each has a diameter of about 46 cm., being furnished with a graduated brass meridian circle within which the sphere revolves, a graduated horizon circle of wood, having pasted thereon the usual records referring to the zodiacal constellations and to the time reckoning. This horizon circle rests upon four supporting arms or quadrants, which in turn are carried by a tripod base of wood. The spheres are of pasteboard with plaster of Paris covering, on which the respective maps have been pasted, each map being composed of twenty-four gores or biangles, or of twice twenty-four, since each is cut on the line of the equator to facilitate mounting. The geographical records given on the terrestrial globe map are practically such as one could find on the best plane maps of the period, always, however, in this connection remembering that those regions which had not been visited or carefully charted by explorers gave to the map maker considerable latitude for a play of his imagination. It is interesting, for example, here to note that Adams appears to have been very uncertain about his information relative to the western and southwestern part of the present United States. He seems to have caught from some explorer’s account that the Colorado River flows westward, emptying directly into the Pacific, and he so marks it, giving, however, to the river the name St. Bartholomew. The celestial globe revolves on the axis of the equator, the gores being made to terminate at the poles of the ecliptic. Constellations are represented so far as they have been named by astronomers to date, the several figures being artistically drawn, on which color has been somewhat sparingly employed. Each constellation is given its old name with an English translation; star names, when given, are frequently in Arabic, Latin or Chinese, and are distinguished by Greek letters. Recently discovered stars are so marked as to be easily distinguished.