K^S TRANSACTIONS iSqq-'OO 



trails, or any striking natural features of the country. In the- 

 vicinity of settlements, the line was to be cut a greater distance. 

 Bessel's value of the figure of the earth was adopted. 



From the two points on the parallel, dependent, respectively, 

 on the Sumass and Schweltza astronomical stations, cuttings, 

 were made to connect the points. When the cuttings met, there 

 was found to be a discrepancy of 8", say about 8io feet ; they 

 were, however, connected, though the line thus defined is 

 obviously not strictly the boundary of the treaty. The distance 

 is about g){ miles. This relative deflection of the plumb line, 8", 

 in so short a distance, is the largest on the whole 49th parallel, 

 from the Lake of the Woods to the Pacific. When the cuttings 

 on the parallel from Sumass and the British station at Semiah- 

 moo met, there was a discrepancy of 114 feet in the twenty 

 miles, and between the U. S. astronomical station at the east 

 shore of Semiahmoo Bay, and the British one five miles east 

 thereof, a discrepancy on the parallel of nearly nine feet was 

 found, an error quite within the error of observation. 



The only other cutting on the whole boundary line west of 

 the Rocky Mountains, connecting adjacent astronomic stations is 

 between the Similkameen and the Columbia rivers, a distance of 

 96 miles. The stations there in order eastward are: Similkameen 

 (U.S.); Lake Osoyoos (Br.) ; ist Crossing Newhoilapitkw (U.S.); 

 2nd Crossing Inshwointum (Br.); 3rd Crossing Statapoosten 

 (U.S.); and on the Columbia (Br. and U.S.) From the point on 

 the parallel at Lake Osoyoos, a line was run east and west 30 1/5 

 miles, connecting with similar points at Similkameen and at the 

 ist Crossing. The line was found to strike 509 feet north of the 

 former point and" north of the latter 364 feet, showing a marked 

 deflection of the plumb line. When, simila"ly, an east and west 

 line was run from a point on the parallel at Inshwointum, it was 

 found to be south 300 feet of the point on the parallel at the 

 ist crossing, and 180 'feet north of the point at Statapoosten. 



This shows, therefore, a discrepancy between the latitude of 

 Lake Osoyoos (Br.) and Statapoosten (U.S.) of 844 feet, due to 

 local attraction or difference of local attraction. After verifying 

 the accuracy of the latitude observations, it was decided to adopt 

 the mean parallel, based on the differences found, between Simil- 

 kameen and Statapoosten — a distance of 71 miles. This is the 



