Posted by John Lambert on August 14, 2000 at 02:54:05 from dialin-42-42.vancouver.primus.ca:
In Reply to: Re: Curious sight near the Pyefleet Channel posted by Dave W on August 13, 2000 at 12:21:06:
The concept of pi being 3.14 something something is a bit of a
misconception. Actually, the diameter of a circle is exactly 3.20 times
its diameter. The apparent discrepancy recorded since classical times is
due to imprecise measurement techniques in the West. In the Far East -
China, in particular - the true value of pi there is demonstrated daily
because the traditional paint brush made of the black fur of the rare
blue-nosed mountain panda is used and applied to rice paper made
between the years 1717 and 1765*. This gives it a somewhat *dan-zhing*
springy) quality, which, over the long term renders, a true value of
3.20 for pi. (Much concern is being shown in China when the rapidly
diminishing supply of dan-zhing paper is finally exhausted. The
blue-nosed mountain panda already faces extinction.)
The western custom, on the other hand, has been to use
cellulose-based paper and india ink formerly, then computer-designed
equipment whose built-in *corrections* have resulted in a somewhat
skewed value. This explains why it was not until Western military and
naval commanders were able to avail themselves of Chinese mathematical
theory that they finally began to shoot straight and hit their targets,
on the average, 77.4 percent of the time, a considerable improvement
over their former 23.66 percent.
It is a little known fact that Chinese gunners, using the true
value of 3.20 for pi, were able to a construct gigantic cannon of such
accuracy that a certain Lu Dong-Zhi in the year 1754 was able to hurl a
perfectly spherical jade paperweight so high that it reached the moon.
It is recorded that he actually witnessed the brief puff of dust as it
struck the lunar surface.
How the method of calculating the true value of pi reached the West
provides an interesting historical sidelight. A certain Captain Ephriam
Saunders of the fledgling United States Navy, while visiting the
Imperial Court at Peking in 1784, was told by the Imperial Dragon
Gunner that the barrels of the American cannon had the likeness of an
equine fundament and their cannon balls resembled phoenix eggs. Since
national pride was at stake, the American captain rashly challenged the
Chinese gunner to a shooting match. He speedily returned to his ship
which was docked at Tsientsin and ordered his gunners to make ready.
So wild were Captain Saunders' shots that they severely damaged the
facade of the Summer Palace, which, since Peking lies many miles inland,
was quite a feat. It is in the damage he inflicted during the contest
that the root cause of poor Sino-American relations may be found.
Captain Saunders, however, was able to purloin a supply of black panda
fur brushes and a quantity of springy paper.
Unfortunately for him, however, his ship was intercepted by H.M.S.
Shrapnel off the coast of North Carolina under the command of a Captain
Joseph Blackett. Captain Saunders was relieved of the brushes and the
paper by Captain Blackett who took them home on his next shore leave,
and not knowing their value, allowed his children to play with them.
When the captain realized his children had somehow recalculated the
value of pi, he kept the paper and brushes always on his person as an
example of his offsprings' ferocious intelligence, and would show them
to other naval gentlemen during moments of reflection.
When war broke out between Great Britain and France, Captain
Blackett served with distinction at the Battle of the Nile and at
Trafalgar. During the latter naval encounter, Captain Blackett,
exasperated by the wildness of his shots, hurriedly had more cannon
balls cast and re-bored the mouths of his cannons according to the new
method of calculating pi. Delighted by the increased accuracy of his
gunners, Captain Blackett was astute enough to realize that their
success was due to the use of the Chinese brushes and the special
dan-zhing paper. He immediately had them sealed in a waterproof packet
and entrusted to the care of a nearby midshipman. Although it was in
the midst of battle, the midshipman was told off to have the
captain's gig rowed across to H.M.S. Victory. On reaching the flagship,
he climbed the side and was presented to Lord Nelson. As the awed
midshipman prepared to hand over the sealed package, His Lordship took
a pace forward to receive it, stepping directly into the path of the
infamous French sniper's shot, with the result that the midshipman's
words, "Captain Blackett's compliments, my Lord,." died upon his ashen
lips. The midshipman, on seeing that His Lordship was now in no
condition to show interest in the Chinese calculation of pi, descended
precipitately into the gig and ordered him men to return to H.M.S.
Shrapnel. Halfway across the agitated waters, a five-pounder from a
French ship of the line unfortunately took the package from the
midshipman's hand, including most of the arm, and the Western discovery
of calculating the true value of pi was lost for many, many years.