XXII ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



Professor A. P. Knight, of Queen's University. 

 Dr. A. H. Mackay, F.R.S.C, of Halifax, N.S. 

 Rev. r. A. Iluart, of Laval University. 



23. Measurement of the 98tii Meridian Across the North 

 American Continent. 



In accordance with the desire expressed at the last general meeting 

 of the Royal Society, the Honorary Secretary fonvardcd to the Governor- 

 General-in-Council the following memorial, prepared by a committee, 

 (whose names were suggested at tjie meeting in question) with the 

 object of securing the co-operation of the Canadian Government in 

 the measurement of the 98th Meridian across the North American 

 Continent — an important subject to which Professor C. H. McLeod 

 specially directed the attention of the Council and Fellows generally 

 in May last : 



To His Excellency the Governor-General in Council : 



The Royal Society of Canada has the honour to bring to the notice 

 of Your Excellency a proposal by Dr. Pritchett, Superintendent of the 

 United States Coast and Geodetic Survey, to measure! an arc along the 

 98th Meridian from Acapulco, Mexico, to the shore of the Arctic Sea 

 in Canada. Dr. Pritchett's views are explained in a paper read by him 

 at the last meeting of the society. A copy of this paper with explana- 

 tory maps is appended. 



The measurement of the 98th Meridian has been in progress for 

 some time as part of the general survey of the United States ; the object 

 of Dr. Pritchett in urging its extension through Canada and Mexico, 

 is to pro^'ido data for the determination of the figure and dimensions 

 of the earth, and while from this point of view the work would he 

 purely scientific, the Canadian portion of it would also be of great 

 practical utility in forming the basis of a thorough geographical survey 

 for this Dominion. 



While it is true that the promotion of science is mainly due to a 

 few of the most advanced and wealthy nations and that these nations 

 have frequently sent expeditions or established stations abroad when 

 information had to be obtained in semi-civilized or wild and unin- 

 habited countries, it is also a fact that the least favoured of the civilized 

 nations have not unfrequently assumed the task of assisting science 

 to the extent of collecting data obtainable within their own borders. 



In the present instance the survey is in progress within the 

 limits of the United States, and quite recently the Government of ^lex- 



