Mecjfurenient of a Bafe on Hounflow-Heath. 38^ 



/ketch, than a very accurate map of a country. It would, 

 however, have heen completed, and many of its imperfedlions 

 no doubt remedied ; but the breaking out of the war of 1755 

 prevented both, by furnifhing fcrvice oi other kinds for tiiofe 

 who had been employed upon it. 



On the conclufion of the peace of 1763, it came for tlie 

 firft time under the confideration of Government, to make a 

 general furvey of the whole ifland at the public cofL To- 

 wards the execution of this work, whereof the direc^lion w^as 

 to have been committed to my charge, tbe map of Scotland 

 was to have been made fublervient, by extending the great tri- 

 angles quite to the northern extremity of the ifland, and filling 

 them in from the original map. Thus that imperfect work 

 would have been effe<fLualIy completed, 'and the nation would 

 have reaped the benefit of what had been already donty at a 

 very moderate extra-expence. 



It will not be expelled, that I fliould here attempt to affign 

 caufes for the long delay tbat lias taken place in carrying a 

 work of fo laudable a nature into execution : fuffice it to fay, 

 that a period of twelve years having elapfed, lince the fcheme 

 had been firft propofed, as a v/ork that could be beft executed 

 in time of profound peace, without any tiling being done in ity* 

 previous to the nation's being unfortunately involved in the 

 American war ; it was fufficiently obvious, that peace muft be 

 once more reftored, before any new effort could be made for 

 that purpofe. In the mean while, as I ftill entertained hopes 

 that a work which feemed to merit the attention of the public^- 

 would, at fome future period, be begun, and, by gradual per-^ 

 feverance, ultimately brought to pertection ; therefbre, ■ ill 

 the courfe of my ordinary military employments,- wher-eirf! 

 the very beft opportunities have offered of acquiring a 



thorough 



