Tientsin) of the longitude of T’ai-yiian Fu. Major Davies, of the General 
_ Staff, a well-known Chinese explorer, very kindly undertook to perform the 
observations necessary at Tientsin, whilst everybody was kept busy at the 
T’ai-yiian end of the line on the nights of September gth and toth. The 
determination was entirely successful, and the longitude thus obtained— 
together with the latitudes already taken—were reduced to the Hsin-an Mén 
(the Eastern Gate of the Southern Wall of the city), the position of which was 
found to be: longitude, 112°-33'-55°.73 E., and latitude, 37°-51'-36°.3 N. 
After this, final preparations for an early start westward were pushed on 
with all speed and completed by September 27th. All stores were packed 
away in suitable cases, the surveying instruments carefully stowed, the photo- 
graphic material arranged so as to be easily accessible, and each member of 
the party finally told off to his individual task. 
The constitution of the expedition then at starting was as follows :— 
Leader - - - - - R.S. Clark. 
Doctor and Meteorologist - - Captain H. E. M. Douglas, 
C2, DiS: O- ReACM: G- 
Artist - = : - - Haviland B. Cobb. 
Interpreter and General Manager G. A. Grant. 
Naturalist - - - - A. de C. Sowerby. 
Surveyor - - - - - Hazrat Ali. 
Muhammad Husein, fifteen muleteers, three grooms, two survey coolies, eight 
personal servants, and Josephus, a young siikari, engaged for two months 
only ; making a total of thirty-six persons. 
At the last moment it was found necessary to hire several extra pack 
animals, so that the expedition started with forty-four mules and five donkeys. 
There were besides eight ponies for the use of the Staff and two attendant 
grooms. 
