stones engraved alike with the arms of the proprietaries and placed side by side "the better to distinguish and ascertain the tangent "point," as will appear was done by reference to the records of the Commissioners under the dates of June 18th, 1765 and November 20th, 1766, given in the preceeding extracts and briefs of their proceedings. The fragments which we were told of while engaged in the reconnaissances were the remains no doubt of the missing companion of the one we found a little inclined in posture but firmly planted in the ground. When it was taken up, for the purpose of placing the new stone which will presently be noticed, it was unbroken and perfect in its form. Had Messrs. Mason and Dixon adopted the method of tracing the arc by deflecting from their tangent line (which is so true in its direction) and then from chord to chord of a constant length to find points on the circumference of that arc, it would not have been affected by the want of perpendicularity in the assumed direction of the radius to the tangent. They would by this method have described the true are independent of any reference to the radius except alone as to its length, and they would have intersected the north line by the curve at precisely the distance from the tangent stone computed by us, that is to say at 7960.6 feet from it, and 217.6 feet in advance of its present position. The error in their curve is not one of moment as regards extent of territory, as it abstracts from Delaware and gives to Maryland only about one and of an acre. The versed sine of their are is 115.8 feet and that of the arc they should have traced is 125.3 feet. 100 Although their measured distances are found to be affected by many errors, incident always to measurements of great extent with the chain, yet the directions of their lines are correct, and as the only distance included in their portion of the survey and specified as an ele ment in the boundary, namely, the fifteen miles south of the parallel of the most southern limits of the city of Philadelphia was, after measurement with the chain, corrected by very accurate observations for the corresponding difference of latitude, the absolute division of territory between the then provinces was effected from the south extremity of the tangent line to the north extremity of the north line, on the whole, with great accuracy. Their long west line or parallel of latitude we have had no occasion to test, except for a short distance; but the great care with which their astronomical observations. contained in the old manuscripts at Annapolis, were made, leaves no doubt of the accuracy of that part of their work. These observations, together with the records of the proceedings of several joint Commissions charged with the division of the then provinces in question, will be more fully alluded to in a report to Colonel Abert, Chief of the Corps of Topographical Engineers, and they will, I hope, be rescued from their long slumber, in quiet obscurity, and be laid before the world in a printed form. The conclusion having been arrived at, that none of these monuments found on the curve, at the tangent point, and at the intersection point, had been disturbed in their original positions, which was ratified by your board, the obligation to consider them true marks of boundary is imposed by the declaration to that effect by the Commissioners acting on behalf of their respective constituents, Lord Baltimore, and Thomas and Richard Penn, fully expressed on the records of their proceedings. Accordingly, by your directions, in addition to the new monument fixed at the north-east corner of Maryland, as already mentioned, the following were also erected at the tangent point, at the intersection point, or junction, of the three states, and on the meridian of the curve, viz: At the tangent point, a post of cut granite, 6 feet long and squaring 18 by 15 inches was inserted 4 feet of its length in the ground, on the north side of and touching the old stone bearing the engraved arms, which remains in its old position. On the north side of the new stone is graved in deep cut letters the word TANGENT with the date 1849. At the point of junction of the three states, a triangular prismatic post of cut granite, 18 inches wide on each side, and 7 feet long, was inserted 4 feet of its length into the ground. It occupies the exact spot on which the old unmarked stone was found. It is marked with the letters M, P, and D, on the sides facing respectively towards the states of Maryland, Pennsylvania and Delaware. On the north side, below the letter P, are the names of the Commissioners in deep cut letters; namely, "H. G. S. Key, of Md., J. P. Eyre, of Pa., G. R. Riddle, of Del., Commissioners." with the date, 1849. This boundary stone stands upon land now belonging to William Johnson. The old, unmarked stone was buried, lying in a prostrate or horizontal position, just below the surface of the ground, on the north side of, and central with the new stone. At the meridian or middle point of the arc corresponding to the length of the chord as we actually found it, and at the distance of 118.4 feet perpendicular from the middle point of said chord, a post of cut granite 6 feet long was inserted 44 feet of its length into the ground. This stone squares 17 by 14 inches. It is rounded on the west side to indicate that it is on the curve, and on the east side the date 1849 is marked in deep cut figures. The circular boundary between Pennsylvania and Delaware, from the point of junction of the three States to the river Delaware being yet unmarked, and number of citizens residing near this common border being in doubt and anxious to know to which State they belong, at your suggestion the survey was conducted with such precision as to enable us to describe that boundary correctly, as will appear upon our map, for a distance of about 3 miles north-eastward from the junction. We have determined the distance by computation, at which a due east line from the north-east corner of Maryland will cut that circular boundary, and find it to be 4036 feet, or .766 of a mile. We have also computed the angle with the meridian at the said north-east corner made by a line drawn from thence to the spire of the court house at New Castle, and find it to be 70° 20′ 45′′ east of south. At the distance of 3786 feet measured on the said line from the aforesaid northeast corner, this line will intersect the circular boundary. The want of a proper demarcation of the boundaries between States is always a source of great inconvenience and often of trouble to the border inhabitants, and it is worthy of remark that, as our survey progressed, and while making the necessary offsets to houses on the east of the north line, we discovered that there was an impression. among many that the boundary of Delaware extended up to the north line, from the junction, to the north-east corner of Maryland. Mr. W. Smith, a gentleman who has once served as a member of the Legisla ture of Delaware, resides a full half mile within the State of Pennsylvania measured in the shortest direction from his dwelling house to the circular boundary. We find also by careful measurement that Christiana church is in Pennsylvania, full one hundred yards west of the circular boundary. The dwelling houses of Messrs. J. Jones, Thomas Gibson, Thomas Steel and J. McCowan are all within the bounds of Pennsylvania according to our trace of the circle from computed elements. I take great pleasure in acknowledging here the valuable aid rendered in this survey by my assistants, Lieut. George Thom, of the Topographical Engineers, and Mr. Charles Radziminski. The former was obliged, by his duties in the office of the North Eastern Boundary, to return to Washington on the 24th of November. He joined us however again on the 29th of January, and participated in the completion of the field work on the 6th of February, at a time when, owing to the delays which the almost continued stormy and cloudy weather in January had produced, his aid was very important. Mr. Radziminski remained in the field from the beginning to the end of the work and used every exertion to forward it. Mr. Derrick, our junior assistant, did the same. They lost not a day that could be appropriated to the out-door work, and often when the weather was unpromising they would go out in order to be ready to observe angles, &c., if it should clear, and would return drenched with rain or covered with sleet during the cold weather of December and January, never regarding their personal comfort when the work could be forwarded by exposing themselves. ་་ I herewith present three finished maps, one for each of your respective states, constructed from our surveys, and duly certified. All of which is respectfully submitted. J. D. GRAHAM. PART OF SOUTHERN BOUNDARY :-WEST AND THE Rev'd Dr. Ewing to Pres. Dickinson.—Resignation, 1785. HONBLE SIR: PHILADA., 26th Mar., 1785. When I last had the Honour of waiting on your Excellency in Company with Mr. Hutchins; I informed you that it would not be necessary for both Mr. Rittenhouse and myself to be employed in running the western boundary of the State in conjunction with the Virginia Commissioners in the ensuing summer. I mentioned farther y't my connection with the university, & my own church would require my continuance in Philadelphia, and that therefore I should no longer be considered as holding the Commission with which the Council had been pleased to honour me in the preceding year. Lest this might have escaped your memory in the Multiplicity of public Business, I have taken the Liberty of requesting y'r Excellency to give this information to Council, and am, Sir, Directed. with the greatest Respect, Your Excellency's most obdt. and very Humble Servant, JOHN EWING. His Excellency, John Dickinson, Esq., President of the state of Philadelphia. [Penna. Archives Vol. X, page 428.] GENTLEMEN, To Commissioners on Boundary, 1785. INSTRUCTIONS. IN COUNCIL, April 9th, 1785. Council taking into Consideration the Resolution of the General Assembly of the 28th of August, 1783, and the Report of the Commissioners for determining the Boundary between this Commonwealth & the State of Virginia, of the 18th of November last, and that our southern Boundary is now ascertained, have thereupon appointed you Commissioners to run and mark the boundary of this Commonwealth, from the southern Corner thereof to the North-west corner of the same, as you will perceive by our Act here with delivered and duly authenticated. Depending upon your Diligence, Integrity & Knowledge, we expect that this important work will be accomplished in the ensuing season, with Fidelity, & all the exactness to be derived from astronomical observations. You will act in conjunction with the Commissioners on the part of the State of Virginia, as far as they may choose to proceed with you. The line of boundary we desire to have marked by a Vista and by stones properly prepared & fixed in the Ground, at the distance of five miles, one from another, every stone to be inscribed with the distance from the south-west corner. The north-west corner of the State is to be ascertained by astronomical observations, & must be so marked as to be rendered as distinguishable as may be by all the Means you can devise. If any Commissioners on the Behalf of the United States appear, to join with you in ascertaining the Boundary, You will be pleased cheerfully to co-operate with them. We ardently wish, that you, Gentlemen may in the execution of this Commission and in your Return, seize the opportunity, for making every observation, and obtaining all possible Information, concerning the situation and course of Rivers & Streams, Hills and Mountains, that may be of the least use in assisting the public Councils on the very interesting subject of forming the most advantageous Communications by Roads and Canals between the different parts of the Country. We have appointed Mr. Stephen Porter to attend you as Commissary under your direction. He is to purchase before your set out, the articles of which a list is inclosed, except such as can be obtained from the public stores, procure provisions at the places of Operation, hire necessary Laborers, & render a just and true account of the Monies expended. I am with much Esteem, Gentlemen your most obdt. Directed. and very Humble Servant, JOHN DICKINSON. Drs. John Ewing and Thomas Hutchins, Esquire. [Penna. Archives, Vol. X, page 438.] SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, PHILADELPHIA, Monday, April 11th 1785. * Council taking into consideration the resolution of the General Assembly of the twenty-eighth day of August, 1783, and the report of |