146 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
Artificial Boundaries appear to be of but a single sort, namely, 
those laid down by the compass. Such lines have the advantage that 
they can be started at any desired point and run in any desired direction. 
The theory of a compass line as a boundary is, of course, not that the 
line thus run is the boundary (for such a line is invisible and purely 
imaginary), but that the compass is used to locate a line which is then 
properly marked on the face of the country, and this marked line and 
not the compass line becomes the boundary. In addition to its invisible 
character, there is another reason why a compass line itself never forms 
a boundary, namely, that, owing to the fact that the compass points to 
a magnetic pole different from the true pole of the earth, and the mag- 
netic pole is constantly in movement, it is practically extremely difficult 
and, unless the magnetic variation of the old line is well known, impos- 
sible to run a compass line exactly over its old course after a lapse of 
considerable time. And this is true whether the line is “ run by the mag- 
net,” orisadjusted to the true meridian. To transform a compass line 
into a boundary line, therefore, the essential thing is that it must be 
marked and made both visible and permanent. Since it is impracticable 
or impossible to mark such a ling through its whole extent, the usual 
method is to mark it by a series of monuments or other signs set fre- 
quently enough so that one may be readily seen from those preceding 
and following it. The establishment of permanent monuments or marks 
is however a matter of considerable expense, and although this is not 
a material drawback where means are abundant and large interests 
involved, as in international and interprovincial boundaries, it becomes 
of much concern where very numerous local lines are to be marked. In 
such cases the marks are often of a very temporary nature, principally 
blazes on tree trunks, and these are apt to disappear utterly in time, 
giving rise to subsequent disputes and litigation. Property boundaries, 
however, especially in settled parts, are usually marked by fences, trees, 
walls, etc., so that they become readily visible and permanently fixed. 
There is, however, another incidental method by which such boundaries 
are marked, namely, in the memories of residents, who remember their 
location often long after all other traces of them have disappeared. In 
New Brunswick, practically all property boundaries, and even such 
important lines as the county lines, have been marked only by tem- 
porary marks, wooden posts, blazes on trees, etc., the disappearance of 
which, as in the case of the Charlotte north line later to be referred to, 
has given rise to much difficulty which is likely to increase in the future 
until they are permanently marked. 
Viewing compass lines broadly, we note that they fall into two 
classes, first, meridian lines and parallels of latitude, and second, other 
