154 



REPORT ON THE STATE CABINET. 



the measurement, the more so as, notwithstanding various inquiries and 

 researches, the report of the Commissioners, which should give informa- 

 tion about the details of their opei-ations, has not yet been found. From 

 the sketch No. 1 it will be seen that the line crosses the great chasm 

 of the Twenty Mile Creek, the shores of which I connected by the aid of 

 a triangle. 



Since one degree of the meridian measures, in this latitude, 364,395 

 feet, or 1" = 101^.221, we find the two monuments resp. 1' 36". 77 north 

 and 1'3".93 south of the parallel of the observing station, and therefore, 

 with the latitude determined for the latter. 



The Latitude of the monument near the Shore of Lake Erie, 



42° 16' 2". 8. 



This result admits of a direct comparison with what the Commissioners 

 have found. According to a kind communication from Dr. Woolworth, 

 the inscriptions, which formerly were on the stone now dilapidated, are 

 recorded upon a map in Hazard's Pennsylvania Archives, Vol. xii, and 

 were the following : 



On the west side : 



TERRITORY 



ANNEXED TO THE STATE 



OF PENNSYLVANIA, 



NORTH 



LATITUDE 42° 16' 13" 



VARIATION 25° 



WEST. 



On the east side : 



MERIDIAN OF THE 



WEST END OF LAKE ONTARIO, 



STATE OF NEW YORK, 



18 MILES AND 52.5 CHAINS 



FROM THE NORTH BOUNDARY OF 



PENNSYLVANIA, 



AUGUST 23 



1790. 



Considering the small probable error of our determination, we hardly 

 can hesitate to pronounce the latitude of the Commissioners as too great 

 by about ten seconds. Herewith is connected another consideration of 

 perhaps more importance. The inscription reports the distance from the 

 north boundary of Pennsylvania to be 18 miles 52.5 chains ; assuming 

 this measure, which converted into arc corresponds to 16' 13".2,tobe 

 correct, it would follow that the north boundary of Pennsylvania is in 

 latitude 41° 59' 49". 6, and not on the parallel of 42° — as in conformity 



