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The Royal Society: Science in the Making

Paper, 'An examination of the Roman and Greek foot, as well as of several other Italian measures, compared with the English foot' by Martin Folkes

Reference number: CLP/16/48

Date: 1735

Description

Folkes writes: 'In the wall of the capitol is a fair stone of white Marble, of the length of 8 foot 5 inches English, and of the breadth of 1 foot 9 inches and a half; upon which are inscrib'd the Standards of several Measures with these respective Inscriptons.' He presents and discusses these inscriptions. This paper is followed by annotated proofs of three papers from volume 39 of Philosophical Transactions, 'A catoptric microscope' by Robert Barker, Folkes' paper on measurements and 'Observationes nonnullae notatu non indignae, Anno 1734' by Johann Friedrich Weidler.

Subject: Metrology / History

Read to the Royal Society on 5 February 1735

Published in Philosophical Transactions as 'An account of the standard measures preserved in the capitol at Rome'

Reference number
CLP/16/48
Earliest possible date
1735
Physical description
Ink on paper
Page extent
14 pages
Format
Manuscript
Printed

Creator name

Martin Folkes

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Citation

Martin Folkes, Paper, 'An examination of the Roman and Greek foot, as well as of several other Italian measures, compared with the English foot' by Martin Folkes, 1735, CLP/16/48, The Royal Society Archives, London, https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/clp_16_48/paper-an-examination-of-the-roman-and-greek-foot-as-well-as-of-several-other-italian-measures-compared-with-the-english-foot-by-martin-folkes, accessed on 10 February 2025

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  • Classified Papers

    Dates: 1592-1741

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