The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-08-29

proved by experience OF every age and race to be
emnenuy conducive TO the progress Of civilization and
culture.
But indispensable are these heavenly measures Of
time TO our hfe and progress, and obvious are the
that In the economy of nature the day the month
and the year not exactly commemorative some or
these by which an accurate division Of time applicable
TO the various uses OF lite Is derived from the observa
OF the heavenly bodies have doubt that, to the
Supreme Intelligence which created and rules the uni
verse, there harmony dden In the numerical
relation to each other of days months and years-but in
ignorance Of that harmony their practical adjust
men to each other is work Of difficulty The great
barrassment which attended the reformation Of the
iendar after the Of the Julian period had the
days, sufficiently illustrates this remark. 1t Is
most true that scientific difficulties did not form
der the auspices OF the Roman Ponti, the
Protestant world for century and more, rejected the
troversy, collision and bIoodshed. (stern's I" Him.
meiskunde," p ~ II was not adopted in England TIL
country ofstruve and the Palkova equatorial they
eisst at the present day In adding eleven minutes ad
we've seconds TO the length of the tropical year.
I'd The second great practical OF Astronomical
observatory connected with the science of geography
The fl st page of the history of continent this
truth. Profound meditation the sphericity of the
,arth was one the which led Columbus
10 undertake his momentous voyage and his thorough
acquaintance with the astronomical science OF that day
was, in his own judgment, what enabled him to
the almost merable Obstacles which attended its
prosecution. (Humboli "Histoire de la Geographic"
L., p y
the very Commencement Of his i'm mortal work. De Revo
luonbus blum coest,um, fol- y appeals TO the disco
very Of America compile ing the demonstration OF the
sphericty OF TIE Earth. Much Of our knowledge Of the
figure density and position OF the earth rs member
Of the solar system rs derived from this sci.nce aud
furnishes the means Of performing the most important
operations OF practical geography. Latitude and ongi
tude which lie at the basis Of all descriptive geography
are determined by observation. Ne map deserves the
name ON which the position or important points has
been asronomicay mined Some OF our most
important political and administrative arrangements de-
ravdn thaL. N.nraFn nf
] may mention the land system Of the United States,
and the determination Of the boundaries OF the coun
Try. believe that Till it was donS by the federal
government uniform system OF mathematical survey
bad never IN any country been apphed TO an extene
ys .cs large Se glan he " and i0h
the interval between the peace and the adoption OF
the constitution but the limits OF these grants and sales
ascerained sensible objects, by trees streams
rocks hills and by reference to adjacent portions of ter
ritory previously surveyed The uncertainty OF boun
daries thus defaed failing source OF Etga
ton large tracts of in the Western untry granted
BY yreinia under this Old system OF special and local
SUI yey were covered with conflicting claims, and the
controversies which they gave rise1 formed small
pant the business OF the Federal Court after It's or
ganzaon But the adoption of the present land system
brought order out Of chaos The entire public domain
now scientif ALLY surveyed before is offered for sale it
Ia laid of into ranges townships, sections and smaller
ton Of base and meridian lines; and have been in
formed that under this system scarce case OF con-
tested location and boundary has ever presented !,
self in court The general land Office contains maps
and plans, in which every quarter section OF the
public land is laid down with mathematical pre-
c,sion The superfcies OF half continent thus trans
ferred in miniature the bureaus at Washington, While
the local Offices contain transcripts Of these plans
copies Of which are furnished the individual pur
chaser. When consic the tide OF population an
nualIy flowing the pubic domain, and the immense
importance Of its eficieLt and economical administration
the utility OF this application OF astronomy viii pc duly
estimated.
will here venture to repeat which heard
lately from son OF the late Hon. Timothy Pickering
Mr. Octavius Pickering behalf OF his father, had ao
piled Mr. David Putnam, OF Marietta, 10 act as his
he virginia military dis,ri:t in the state Of Ohio Mr.
Putnam declined the agency. He had had much to 40
with business Of that kind and found beset with endless
yigaion II have never" he adds, succeeded but IN
single case and that location and survey AIDE by
Central Washington before the Revolution, and am not
acquainted with any surveys except hos' made oy nm
At this most important survey OF the coast OF
the United States progress-an operation Of the VI,
consequence reference to the commerce. naviea
ton ard biography Of the country The entire work
need scarce say, is OF practical astronomy Toe
scientific estabshment which We this day inaugurate
looked TO for important cooperation in this great under
taking and III no doubt contribute efficiently 10 It's pro
stcufion.
Astronomical observation furnishes by far the best
of defining the boundaries OF States, especially
when the lines Of great length and run through unset
tied countries. Nau Al indications like and noun
isips, however distna IN appearance are in practice
boundary was essabhsbed between the Tntea states
and Great Britain, depending chiefly on the course Of
rivers and highlands dividing the waters which flow
into the Atlantic ocean Iom those which Tow into
the st. Lawrence. II took twenty years to lind OFT
which river the uue 81 crox that being the start
ing point England then having made the raordnary
discovery that the Bay Of Fundy bot part OF the Al
sntc Ocean, forty years more passed in the
cessfnl attempt TO re create the Highlands which this
strarge theory had annihiatd and jat the two
tries the verge OF the controversy set
tied by compromise Had the boundary been accuraei,
described by lines 81 latitude and longitude, dispute
could have ARISEN No dispute the bounds ~
between the United states and Spain, and her sucCsssor
painless mountains alog the s2d degree of latitude
The ds nifty OF rivers may be dr. puted in the oil
the s. Crox the course OF mountain CHAINS is too broad for
dividing In the division Of streams experience has
shown rs uncertain but degree OF latitude is written
the HEAVIER ~ sphere and nothing but observ
rs required 10 read the record
But scientific elements IKE sharp instruments, mus,
be handled with scientific accuracy. part OF boun
dairy between the British provinces upon the forty
hfh degree OF latitude and about forty years ago
pensive fortress commenced by the government Of
the United states at Rouses Point on Lake Champlain
. spot Intended 10 be just within limits When a
line came be carefully surveyed the fortress
turned out 10 be the wrong side Of the ne had
been build pg an expensive ortucaton for oar neghbor
ton by the webst and Ashburon treaty In 1872 the
tress was left within our limits
Errors still more serious had nearly resulted few
years since In war with Mexico BY the treaty OF
Guadalupe Hidalgo, in le4s, the BOUNDARY line be
s d.sssea sg reference sn 10 e town r %
a. laid down on specified map Of the United States
OF which copy ". appended TO the treaty. THIS
commits sion OF OF II appeared that or
Of two three degrees existed In the projection o.
tne map lines VI attuut anu fonEltude dld not
form the topography Of the region; HAT became
impossible TO execute the text Of the treaty. The "a
Meslla Valley was part OF the debaabe ground
and the Of ten millions Of dollars paid The Mexican
government for that and Tor additional strip Of territory
the southwest was the smart money which expiated
the iraccuracy OF the map the necessary result
perhaps, Of the want OF good matsrals for its Goa
structon.
II became my Official duty In London, few years ago
70 apply TO the Br,h government Tor Authentic state
ment Of their claim 70 jurisdiction over New Zealand
The Official CARTE for the ID OF October 1870
from the Foreign Office anordng the desired infor
nation. This number OF the Case contained the prociA
nations issued by the IA Governor Of New Zealand sn
Pursuance ofthe instructions he received IRON Marquis
Normandy, other Majesty principal Secretaries OF
state asserting the Jurisdiction Of his government
the islands Of New Zealand and declaring them 70 extend
iron thirty -four degrees thirty minutes North forty
degrees ten inues South latitude II is scarcely
necessary say that South auoe intended both
instances. This OF sixty nine degrees OF latitude
which would have extended the claim OF British jursdc
ton the whole breadth OF the Pacific had apparently
escaped the notice OF that government
II would be easy TO multiply illustrations 10 proof Of
the great practical impo lance OF scientific
signa,lcns drawn from astronomical observations, IN