l899-'00 TRANSACTIONS l6l 



of the parallel in the longer intervals. That they did upon the 

 consideration that it was of the greatest importance that nothing 

 should be left for future discussion of settlement, and that the 

 operations should be final and conclusive. It ma^^ be stated that 

 opposite the centre of a chord of 25 miles in length, the departure 

 from the 49th parallel would be about 40 yards, and of 12 miles, 

 9 yards. Both these departures are probably far smaller than the 

 deflection of the plumb line, at the governing astronomical sta- 

 tions. 



We have, therefore, in the actual boundary line of British 

 Coulmbia, a deviation from the 49th parallel, as given in the 

 treaty of 15th June, 1846, in so far, that the straight lines replace 

 the curve of the parallel between all the stations, and further- 

 more, that between Similkameen and Statapoosten, the mean 

 parallel was adopted instead of the astronomically determined 

 points. 



We have followed now the 49th parallel for 1,270 miles, 

 about one thirteenth of its circumference, and it has disclosed to 

 us some of its vagaries as manifested in the latitude component 

 of the deflection of the plumb line. This boundary line is the 

 longest astronomic one on the earth, the nearest approach to it 

 being the meridian separating West Australia from North and 

 South Australia. 



The same law or force which causes the deflection of the 

 plumb line, determines the length of the seconds pendulum, pre- 

 serves the planets in their orbits, and maintains the stability of 

 the universe — is the law of gravitation. Our earth furnishes us 

 with many interesting problems, and the very discordances ob- 

 served — apparent though they are— tend to lead us on to unravel- 

 ling the mysteries and intricacies of nature, and to unfolding the 

 unity and harmon3^ of the cosmos. 



