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Excerpt from Experimental Determination of the Velocity of Light
In November, 1877, a modification of Foucault's arrangement suggested itself, by which this result could be accomplished. Between this time and March of the following year a number of preliminary experiments were performed in order to familiarize myself with the optical arrangements The first experiment tried with the revolving mirror produced a de¿ection considerably greater than that obtained by Foucault. Thus far the only apparatus used was such as could be adapted from the apparatus in the laboratory of the Naval Academy.
At the expense of $10 a revolving mirror was made, which could execute 128 turns per second. The apparatus was installed in May, 1878, at the laboratory. The distance used was 500 feet, and the de¿ection was about twenty times that obtained by Foucault.* These experiments, made with very crude apparatus and under great difficulties, gave the following table of results for the velocity of light in miles per second.
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