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In the telemeter article you can read this statement: "Alexander Selligue is often mistakenly credited with the invention, he did invent an improved telemeter with fixed lenses in 1821 and isresponsible for coining the term." The relevant paragraph from the reference given says:
Das von Herrn Selligue (in der Schweiz) erfundene geodätische Instrument Telemeter, zur Ausmessung der Erntferungen von einem Standpuncte aus, mittelst zweyer Gläser, die an den beyden Enden eines gemeinschaftlichen Querstabes parallel angebracht sind, und wo in dem Brennpuncte des einen ein Schrauben-Micrometer ist, der den parallactischen Winkel mißt, scheint von den in dieser Art schon bekannten Vorrichtungen nur dadurch sich zu unterscheiden, dass bey diesen der Winkel mittelst der dem Glase gegebenen Bewegung gemessen wird, während die Gläser bey der Selligueschen Vorrichtung parallel bleiben, wodurch der Gebrauch sicherer wird.
The geodetic instrument telemeter, invented by Mr. Selligue (in Switzerland), for measuring distances from one survey point with two [field] glasses, which are attached parallely at both ends of a joint crossbar, and where in the focal point of one of them is placed a screw-type micrometer, measuring the parallactic angle, seems to differ from those already know devices of this kind only as in these [known devices] the angle is measured via the movement of the glass, whereas the glasses of Selligue's apparatus are kepts parallel, whereby the use becomes more reliable.
I am now curious about the Swiss part in the description of Mr. Selligue. Is that the same person as Alexander Selligue, who died in Paris? Does anybody know a little bit more about his biography - did he have any brothers or cousins with the same name? Or did the Frenchman Selligue partly live in (the French speaking part of) Switzerland? Or does the above paragraph only mean that while he was traveling, he had a great idea, and the (in Switzerland) remark refers as an adverb to the process of inventing. --Gunnar (talk) 12:28, 31 August 2019 (UTC)[reply]
