450 
PARTIAL RESULTS OF EXPLORATION. 
For the immediate use of the government, the relative longitude and the relative height of points 
along any given line is required. A discussion of the absolute longitudes and heights, also the 
preparation of the natural history, geology, &c., may be deferred without injury to the object now 
in view. 
The map and profile should indicate new routes or lines to be surveyed, and those heretofore 
surveyed, by which obstacles on the line followed may be avoided. 
Very respectfully, your obedient servant, 
JEFF. DAVIS, Secretary of War. 
Governor I. I. Stevens. 
LETTER OF GOVERNOR STEVENS TO THE SECRETARY OF WAR. 
Washington, August 4, 1854. 
Sir : In answer to your letter of July 25, I beg leave to report as follows : 
1. My general map, forwarded to the department shortly after rendering in my report, exhibits 
the several lines that come into competition for railroad routes, and the detailed map, scale 
T,2u<j,(j u <5 gi ves the several lines surveyed by myself and my assistants in the recent exploration 
made by me. I herewith enclose a table of latitudes, which can be relied on as furnishing good 
results. The observations on north and south stars give results closely approximating. 
Our longitude observations are not good. Very many were made, but we failed in the use of 
the transit, which was relied on to check the work, and to rate the chronometers. Up to a late 
period I was sanguine that we should master all the difficulties, and get good observations. I 
have been disappointed. In the journey from Washington city, where the chronometers were 
rated, to St. Paul, they got out of order, and the rates were not afterwards ascertained with pre¬ 
cision. I am of opinion that, with the re-occupation of a few fixed points, as Wallah-Wallah, 
Fort Owen, Fort Benton, and Fort Union, all the observations will be made available. 
I am of opinion, however, that with the latitude observations, and the admirable odometer 
survey, and the use of Nicollet’s longitudes, and those of Captain Wilkes, and those (3) ascer¬ 
tained by Captain McClellan, the map can be relied on, and all inaccuracies in longitude will 
scarcely be appreciable. 
It is due to the exploration and myself to state, that I relied upon Captain Joseph Roberts, who, 
on his application, was, at my request, detailed for duty with the survey, to take charge of the 
observations for latitude and longitude. He had a large practical experience in observations, and 
it was designed to place him in special charge of the transits, with which he was perfectly familiar. 
At the last moment he got orders relieving him from the exploration, and I was then obliged to 
depend upon one of the assistants, Mr. George A. Stevens, who, though a good observer and 
computer, had not the requisite experience in observations on the march for the purpose. It was 
impossible for me personally to make observations, in consequence of my wretched health the 
greater portion of the trip. For six hundred miles, in consequence of an old disability, the result 
of my service in Mexico, I was obliged to ride in an ambulance; and though I took my horse 
two hundred and fifty miles before I reached the mountains, 1 suffered severely from debility and 
fatigue the whole route through. 
At Fort Union the observations were placed in charge of Lieutenant Donelson, with instruc¬ 
tions, if practicable, to get longitudes by lunar distances; but Lieutenant Donelson was not able 
to report any results except for latitude. 
Lieutenant Saxton was also provided with instruments for observations for latitude and longi¬ 
tude, but furnished no results except for latitude. 
I will remark that Mr. Stevens, who is now in the Territory in the capacity of my private sec¬ 
retary, has been industriously engaged since April in making‘observations, and in familiarizing 
himself in the use of instruments, and I now consider him well qualified to make observations in 
the field. All the observations for latitude and longitude are in Olympia. 
