Measurement of a Bufe on Hounflow-Heath. 387 
(ketch, than a very accurate map of a country. It would, 
however, have been completed, and many of its imperfections 
no doubt remedied; but the breaking out of the war of 175^ 
prevented both, by furni thing fervice of other kinds for thofe 
who had been employed upon it. 
On the conclufion of the peace of 1763, it came for the 
firft time under the confideration of Government, to make a 
general furvey of the whole ifland at the public cod.' To- 
wards the execution of this work, whereof the direction was- 
to have been committed to my charge, the map of Scotland 
was to have been made fubfervient, 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 effectually completed, and the nation would 
have reaped the benefit of what had been already done, at a 
very moderate extra- expence. 
It will not be expected, that I fihould here attempt to affign 
caufes for the long delay that has 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, fince the fcheme 
had been fird propofed, as a work that could be bed executed 
in time of profound peace, withouf any thing being done in it, 
previous to. the nation’s being unfortunately involved in the 
American war; it was fufficiently obvious, that peace mud be 
once more redored, before any new effort could be made for 
that purpofe. In the mean while, as I dill entertained hopes 
that a work which feerned to merit the attention of the public, 
would, at fome future period, be begun, and, by gradual per- 
feverance, ultimately brought to perfection ; therefore, in 
the courfe of my ordinary military employments, wherein 
the very bed opportunities have offered of acquiring a 
thorough 
