Delambre as president of, 265, 319
Méchain as president of, 236
Lorraine, 112, 166–67
Los Masons (Ibiza), 273
Louis XIV, King of France, 5, 27, 36, 50
Louis XV, King of France, 20
Louis XVI, King of France, 11, 29, 44, 52, 63
execution of, 36, 62, 75
flight to Varennes of, 20
list of grievances solicited by, 33
overthrow of, 13, 15, 26, 51–52
technical and scientific interests of, 20
Louis XVIII, King of France, 319
Louis-Philippe, King of France, 327
Louisiana Purchase, 300
Low Breton, 87
Low Countries, see Netherlands
Luxembourg, 330–31
Luxembourg Gardens, 5
Luxembourg prison, 105, 145
Lyon, 91
McDonald’s, 228
Madison, James, 365
Madrid, 47, 115, 268, 269, 271, 277
Magna Carta, 240
malaria, 157, 278–85
Méchain’s death from, 279, 280–84
Mala-Vehina, Tour de, 114, 116
Malesherbes, Chrétien-Guillaume de la, La moignon de, (jurist and landowner), 102
Mallorca, 51
Méchain’s attempted extension of first expedition to, 59, 64
in Méchain’s second expedition, 271, 273–76
Malta, 242
Malvoisine farmhouse, 24, 71, 74, 217
mandats, 191, 352
Marais, 19
Delambre’s observatory in, 18, 245–46
Delambre’s return visits to, 144–45
Marat, Jean-Paul, 94, 308
Marjou family, 40
Mars Climate Orbiter, 4, 344
Marseille, 177–78, 179, 209, 222, 242
Martí i Franquès, Antoni, 48
mass, see weights
Massanet mountain, 51
Massif Central, 182, 199–200, 205
Matagall mountain, 56
Matas, Mount, 56, 269
Mathieu, Claude-Louis, 321, 322, 323, 328
measurement, measurement systems
inspectors for, 126–27
meaning of local pre-metric standards and units of, 126–34, 128, 195, 308
origin of, 325
pre-metric diversity of, 2, 4, 19, 32–33, 77, 204
proposals for reform of, 33–34, 76–77, 83–87
symbolic importance of, 2, 32
ubiquity and banality of, 1–2
see also meter; metric system; weights
Méchain, Augustin, ix, 236
as member of Méchain’s second Spanish expedition, 268, 272, 274, 275, 277, 280, 284, 285
obituary for Méchain written by, 286
Méchain, Barbe-Thérèse Marjou, ix, 43, 45, 66, 109, 113, 162, 163, 191
Delambre’s correspondence with, 6, 209, 211, 219–21, 224–26, 265
family background of, 40
length of Méchain’s absence from, 221–22
Méchain’s astronomical work continued by, 40–41
Méchain’s correspondence with, 164, 167, 169–70, 210, 277
Méchain’s death and, 285–86
Méchain visited by, 221–24, 226, 265, 322
power of attorney given to, 40, 268
Méchain, Jérome-Isaac, ix, 210, 285–86, 305, 385
as member of Napoleon’s Egypt expedition, 236, 242–44
Méchain, Pierre-François-André, ix, 13, 82–83, 97, 125, 132, 143, 146, 147, 152–53, 199, 205–6, 241, 242–43, 315, 377
in Academy of Sciences, 9, 19, 40, 41, 43, 81, 186, 246, 264, 374
Academy of Sciences prize won by, 81
astronomy studies and career of, 9, 18, 19, 40–43, 76, 80, 81, 113, 195, 263
birth of, 42
as Borda’s scientific executor, 265
as capitaine-concierge of Paris Observatory, 195
cartographic work of, 42, 169
character of, 42, 43, 45, 48, 114–15, 167, 264, 271–72, 291–92
as chief of naval cartography, 169
on curvature of the earth, 250
data kept from Delambre by, 211, 213, 231–33, 264, 267, 268
death of, 7, 279, 280–84
Delambre compared with, 9, 83
Delambre’s relationship with, 83, 184–87, 214–15, 222, 232, 264–66
Delambre’s rendezvous with, 232–33
Delambre’s view of, 322–23
as director of Paris Observatory, 233, 235–36, 263, 265–66, 268, 322–23
ecliptic measured by, 108, 117
education of, 42
error in latitude measurements made by, see Méchain’s error
eulogies and obituaries for, 286–88
financial situation of, 66–67, 110, 169–70, 191–92, 223, 271, 273
in Franco-British longitude expedition, 43–45
funeral and burial site of, 284–85, 288
in Genoa, 164–77
honors accorded to, 235–36, 263–64
International Commission presentation of, 3, 248–49, 291, 294, 295, 301
in Italy, 122, 161–63
in latitude measuring contest, 245–46, 248, 294
leadership weaknesses of, 271–72
as member of metric commission, 19, 20, 21
military rank of, 156
nervous breakdown suffered by, 210–11, 230–31
as official emissary of the Republic, 34
at Paris Observatory, 148
passports of, 52, 63, 173, 269, 271, 276
pessimism of, 45, 122, 291
physical appearance of, 43
plaque in commemoration of, 228
political neutrality promised by, 110, 113–15
precision as obsession of, 42, 43, 56, 60–61, 110
pumping station injury of, 65–66, 107–8, 110, 117, 196–97
reaction to French Revolution of, 110, 295
scientific character of, 7, 110, 113, 117, 294, 299–302, 308
scientific vs. personal writings of, 184–86
second Spanish expedition of, 262, 263–89
self-doubts and self-deprecation expressed to Delambre by, 182–87, 190–91
southern portion of meridian expedition led by, 1, 3, 21, 39–67, 107–23, 180, 181, 191–98, 226–29
Méchain’s error, 158–59, 173, 176, 291–304, 322, 337, 340
Delambre’s discovery of, 288–89
Delambre’s solution to, 297–98
Delambre’s treatment of, 6–7, 292–96, 293
effect on meter of, 7, 170, 303, 327
Méchain’s concealment of, 121–22, 292–95, 293
Méchain’s confession to Slop of, 163–64, 221, 372
Méchain’s making and discovery of, 117–22, 120
Méchain’s mental and emotional health affected by, 7, 161–62, 167–68, 169, 171, 174, 196–97, 210, 213, 223, 226, 228–31, 246, 263–64
Nicollet’s solution to, 298–301, 307
preservation of, 5, 338–39
as social problem, 9
Thérèse Méchain’s possible knowledge of, 221, 226
Mediterranean, 42, 45–46, 162, 164, 205, 212, 267, 269, 275
melancholy, 162, 174
Melun, 146, 210, 216–19, 218, 347–48
Mendel, Gregor Johann, 301
Mendoza, José de, 362
Mercier, Louis-Sébastien, 69, 94, 235
Mercury (planet), 81–82
meridian:
Cassini family surveys of, 19, 21, 22, 24, 25, 92–93, 100, 153, 158, 184, 192, 196, 198, 199, 227, 250
definition of, 25
selected as meridian expedition’s sample meridian, 90–94
equator compared with, 95
meridian expedition, 10, 1–233, 240
Academy of Sciences and, 13–14, 19, 21, 40, 61, 142
author’s retracing of, 9
conception of, 19–22
&n
bsp; critics of, 94–95
Delambre and Méchain’s correspondence during, 6, 63, 76, 153, 158–59, 178, 182–87, 189–90, 197–98, 200–201, 210–11, 212–13, 223, 229, 231–32, 272, 274, 275–76, 278–80, 296, 321, 323
Delambre and Méchain’s differing goals for, 9
Delambre and Méchain’s papers from, 5–7
Delambre detained by militia on, 12–16, 27, 28–36
Delambre’s logbook from, 15, 16, 28, 104, 153, 182, 183, 189, 206, 217, 248, 302, 321
Delambre’s northern portion of, 1, 3, 10, 11–37, 68, 70–76, 96–105, 124, 153–59, 178, 180, 181, 187–91, 198–206, 207, 209, 212–13, 216–19, 226, 229–30, 234
Delambre’s official account of, see Base du système métrique
Delambre’s private notebook from, 41
Delambre’s view of mission of, 302–3
epic success of, 327
French Revolution’s effect on, 3, 9, 21–22, 36–37
goal of, 1, 3
least accurate sector of, 158
letters of royal commission for, 30–32, 46, 52
maps of, 10, 38, 68, 106, 124, 180, 206, 234
Méchain’s delays in resumption and completion of, 161–79, 209–15, 219–33
Méchain’s logbook from, 113, 167, 182, 213, 248, 292–96, 293, 321
Méchain’s measurement error on, see Méchain’s error
Méchain’s second Spanish expedition in, 262, 263–89
Méchain’s seniority on, 41, 45, 186, 187, 264, 288, 315
Méchain’s southern portion of, 1, 3, 21, 38, 39–67, 106, 107–23, 180, 181, 191–98, 208, 226–29
Méchain’s Spanish collaborators on, 48, 62
Méchain’s view of, 9, 45, 170
military rank awarded to members of, 156
National Assembly and, 13, 14, 19, 34, 70, 76, 112
provincial views of, 182, 204, 227–28
purging and suspension of, 103–5, 109, 125, 143–44, 145, 167–69
resumption of, 151–53, 169–70, 173, 176, 181
salaries of members of, 40–41, 101, 109, 153, 156, 183, 191–92, 200, 223
scientific instruments used on, see Borda repeating circles
starting and ending dates of, 39–41, 233
taking of observations and measurements, 25–26, 50–51, 56–62, 70–76, 100, 101–2, 108, 110, 113, 114, 117–22, 120, 157–59, 172, 183–84, 187–90, 199–206, 210, 216–19, 222, 226–29, 229–30, 265, 269–70, 275–80
tent signals used by Méchain on, 48–49, 49, 51
threatened cancellation of, 40
Meridienne Verte (2000), 9
Méri-es-bois, 158
Mersenne, Marin, 88
Mesnil, 97
meter, 188
coining of term, 87
current definition of, 7, 338
Delambre’s suggested length for, 303–4
early estimates of length of, 99–100
first platinum standard for (1799), 3, 252, 253, 303, 335, 382
International Commission’s establishment of length of, 236, 249, 252, 303
Méchain’s measuring error and, 5–9, 118–22, 327
original definition and conception of, 1, 3, 19, 87–96
provisional (1793), 98, 99–100, 126, 131, 153, 168, 216, 238, 252, 303, 366
records of calculations of, 5–7
redefinitions of, 5, 7, 338
second platinum standard for (1880s), 335–38, 337
selection of meridian for, 90–94
true size of earth and, 252
meter sticks, 98, 126, 131, 238–39, 242, 380
shortage of, 256
Metric America, A, 342, 344
Metric Board, U.S., 344
metric commission:
formation of, 19–22, 39
see also meridian expedition
Metric Conversion Act, U.S., (1975), 342
metric system, 187, 214, 325–45
Adams on, 4
attempt at international development of, 88–89, 93–94
budget for creation of, 94
classical prefixes for, 87, 152, 261, 316
Condorcet on, 1
conversion tables for, 254–55
creation of, 83–105
criticism of, 149
date for obligatory use of, 99, 126
decimal scale chosen for, 86–87
democratic principles embodied in, 1, 2–3, 32, 90, 132, 253
effect on France of, 9, 330
French introduction and rejection of, 4–5, 254–61, 258, 315–18
French revival of (1837–40), 327–30
globalization and, 3, 4, 9, 350
global use of, 4, 326, 339
legal vs. popular adoption of, 326–27, 332
linking of units in, 85–86
Low Countries’ adoption of, 330–31
Napoleon and, 3, 4, 7, 8, 261, 292, 315–18
national sovereignty and, 331, 340–41
natural basis of, 85, 87–96
official codification of, 99, 152
political unification and adoption of, 331
political upheaval and adoption of, 326, 332, 339
provincial views of, 182, 204, 329–30
revolutionary nature of, 134–35, 138–40
scientific use of, 4
Spain and, 269, 331
as tool of French Empire, 242, 244
trade and, 244, 259–60, 332
U.S. and, see United States
Mexico, 331
Milan, 172, 177
militia, 11, 26, 46, 64
Delambre detained by, 12–16, 27, 28–36
Méchain drafted into, 42
Milky Way galaxy, width of, 17
Miller, Sir John Riggs, 88–89, 240–41
Millikan, Robert, 301
miquelets, 50, 52, 65, 111, 192
Mirabeau, Honoré-Gabriel Riqueti, Comte de, 75, 245
Missouri and Mississippi valleys, 300
Mizar, 62, 117–18, 119, 187, 190, 198, 210, 298, 388
Montagnes Noires, 6, 210, 211, 212, 215, 227, 228, 242, 263, 265
Montalet, 227, 228
Montesquieu, Charles de Secondat de, 125
Montgolfiers, 78
Monticello, 89, 238
Montjai, 12, 13, 24, 26
Mont-Jouy, 58, 64, 76, 113, 117, 123, 252, 269, 271, 288, 388
Catalan, French, and Latin versions of name of, 57
description of, 57
fortress of, 57–59
French prisoners-of-war in, 109, 120
Méchain’s latitude measurements on, 57, 59–62, 63, 117–22, 158–59, 183–84, 187–88, 190, 248–49, 291, 293, 295, 297, 300
Montlhéry, 24, 71, 76, 322
Montmartre, 23, 26, 75
Montredon, 226–27
Montsalvy, 203, 205
Montserrat, 51, 56, 269, 270, 270
Montsia, 269, 272, 273
moon, 92
distance from earth to, 77
Morlac, 199
Morogues, 157
Moulinet manor house, 231
Mouton, Gabriel, 91
Myanmar (Burma), 326
N6 highway, 216, 218, 347–49
N9 highway, 229
Nanthilde, Queen of France, 27
Napoleon I, Emperor of France, 101, 116, 178, 242, 267, 270, 309, 312, 314–15, 336
birth of, 165
Catholic Church and, 310, 315
coronation of, 310
coup staged by, 201
description of, 237–38
Egypt expedition of, 236, 242–44, 267
exile of, 318
in Genoa, 165–66, 177
as member of Academy of Sciences, 237–38, 264
metric system and, 3, 4, 7, 8, 261, 292, 315–18
as president of Academy of Sciences, 265–66
Napoleon III, Emperor of France, 336
Narbonne, 231
National Academy of
Sciences, U.S., 341–42
National Aeronautics and Space Administration, (NASA), 4
National Archives, French, 18, 254, 289, 328, 338
National Assembly, French, 75, 142, 215
formation of, 77
meridian expedition and, 13, 14, 19, 70, 76, 112
metric reform and, 84, 86, 89, 93
National Bureau of Standards, U.S., 341, 342
National Convention, 34, 36, 62, 152
National Institute, French, Academy of Sciences as part of, 148
National Institute of Standards and Technology, U.S., 239
National Observatory, see Paris Observatory
nature, as basis for metric system, 85–96, 132
Nautical Almanac, 43
Necker, Jacques, 33
Nehru, Jawaharlal, 339
Netherlands, 7, 91, 152, 238, 242, 330–31
New Orleans, La., 244
Newton, Sir Isaac, 82, 92, 93, 213
Nice, 164, 175
Nicollet, Jean-Nicolas, 298–301, 307
Nile, 242–43, 320
Nilometer, 243
Noël, Denis-Nicolas, 27–28, 31, 34, 36
Notre-Dame-du-Mont, 56
Nouet, Nicolas-Antoine, 146, 242
numbering systems, 86–87
Observations on “The Spirit of Laws” (Condorcet), 125
Occitan dialects, 195, 204
Oizon, 157
“ordinary measures,” 316–17
Oriani, Barbera, 172, 173, 175, 177
orientation tables, 205, 227
Orléans, 154, 156, 158, 178
Palais des Tuileries, 20, 26, 141
Palais du Louvre, 85
Palais du Luxembourg, 254
Palma, 274–75
palme, 87, 261
Panthéon, 12, 72–73, 150
commissioning and description of, 74
as mausoleum, 74, 75, 236, 245
mausoleum motto of, 75, 320
as observation station, 71, 72, 74–76, 294
old weights and measures stored in, 74, 75
reconsecration of, 320
Renommée statue atop of, 73, 74
Papal States, 251
paper money:
assignats, 155–56, 182, 185, 191, 352
mandats, 191
parabolic reflectors, 268, 270
Paris, 5, 18, 21, 39, 40, 41, 69, 89, 96, 97, 101, 121, 138, 153, 162, 163, 164, 172, 175, 177, 179, 187, 191, 196, 200, 206, 210, 217, 223, 227, 265, 272, 336, 338, 349
after collapse of French empire, 318
Delambre and Méchain’s return to, 233, 235–36
Delambre’s observation stations in, 22–27, 70–76, 73, 74
Delambre’s student days in, 16–17
distance of Amiens to, 91
division between provinces and, 182, 195–96
food riots in, 75
Lafayette’s attempted taking of, 30
latitude measurement contest in, 245–46
length of Méchain’s absence from, 221–22
marble-encased meters in, 254