Annual Address. 



11 



until 1784, when on the resignation of Gen. Philip Schuy- 

 ler as surveyor-general of this state, Mr. DeWitt was 

 appointed in his stead, and continued in the office for more 

 than half a century and up to the time of his death in 1834. 

 Associated with his uncle, G-en. James Clinton, and with 

 Gen. Schuyler as commissioners on the part of this state, he 

 assisted in running and establishing the boundary line be- 

 tween this state and Pennsylvania. The whole south- 

 western part of this state and also a portion of the northern 

 section were surveyed and laid out into townships under his 

 direction, and a map of the state was prepared at the request 

 of the legislature, and subsequently published by him. 

 To have had the esteem and confidence of "Washington was 

 an honor which any man might value, and no event of his 

 life gave him higher gratification than his appointment in 

 1796, as surveyor-general of the United States, on the 

 unsolicited nomination of Washington, although for per- 

 sonal and family reasons, he found it necessary to decline 

 the appointment. The means of education in civil 

 engineering were then so few and imperfect, that in order 

 to discharge his official duties, it became requisite for him 

 in a large degree, to instruct and train up the assistants 

 whom he found it necessary to employ. Among those 

 thus trained by him, were John Randal, Jr., a former 

 member of this Institute and eminent in his day as one of 

 the best engineers in the country, and James Ferguson 

 and others who became distinguished in the public service. 

 He took a lively interest in the success of the canal system 

 of this state, and the preliminary surveys were at an early 

 day made under his direction ; and afterwards, during the 

 construction of these works, the commissioners constantly 

 availed themselves of his advice and assistance. He was, 

 for more than thirty-five years, one of the most faithful 

 members of the board of regents of the university, and at 

 the time of his death its chancellor. Our transactions 



