174 ANNUAL RECORD OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 



standing of the details. Eight rectangles have been com- 

 pleted by Lieutenant Wheeler in his previous expeditions, 

 and it is expected that thirteen will be finished by the end 

 of the season. 



To carry out this programme certain points are to be de- 

 termined astronomically with great precision, and these as 

 nearly as possible along a continuous parallel. Those already 

 selected are, according to the New York Herald, a point near 

 Beaunois, near northwestern Kansas; the crossing of the 

 Union Pacific and the western boundary of Nebraska; Chey- 

 enne; the eastern limit of the survey of the fortieth parallel 

 by Clarence King ; Sherman, the highest point on the Union 

 Pacific ; Fort Steele ; Laramie City ; the crossing of the 

 Union Pacific and the western boundary of Wyoming ; the 

 crossing of the Central Pacific and the 120th meridian; and 

 a point on the western boundary of Nevada. 



Telegraphic determinations of the longitude will be used 

 very freely, and for this purpose Brigham Young has kindly 

 permitted the employment of his well-equipped observatory 

 in Great Salt Lake City. It is proposed to establish a prin- 

 cipal station at or near Sherman, the position of which will 

 be determined with the utmost accuracy, and to use this as 

 a point of reference for the other stations referred to. The 

 work of the present season will be carried on almost simul- 

 taneously in Utah, Arizona, and Nevada, several divisions of 

 the main party having already been organized and set to 

 work. The southern and southwestern portions of the Salt 

 Lake basin are to be explored; also the mining regions on 

 the Virgin and in Eastern Nevada. It is proj^osed to estab- 

 lish astronomical points, by means of which to determine with 

 greater accuracy the location of the mineral veins. The Wa- 

 satch Mountains will constitute the eastern limit of opera- 

 tions during: the vear. 



The expedition, as organized, embraces the following among 

 the more important of the personnel : Lieutenant George M. 

 Wheeler, United States Engineers, in command ; Lieutenants 

 R. L. Hoxie and W. L. Marshall, United States Engineers ; Dr. 

 H. C. Yarrow, surgeon and naturalist ; T. Y. Brown, hospital 

 steward and meteorologist ; G. K. Gilbert and E. E. Howell, 

 geologists; J.H.Clark and E.P.Austin, astronomical observ- 

 ers ; Louis Nell and John E. Weyss, chief topographers ; H. 



