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Correspondence of Governor Sharpe. 471
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other Maryland Commissioners were apprized of it as well as
They themselves were, but Colo Henry & Mr Ross who acted
then as Commissioners, & Mr Malcolm who attended as an
Assistant say they do not remember that the Matter was ever
mentioned to them or taken into Consideration. Be that as it
will Your Ldp has not I understand suffered any Detriment
by that Line having been run in such a manner for tho by
that means the Middle Point of it may be several Perches
more South than it ought (that is to the Southward of the
Point where it was begun) yet as that Part of Iames's Island
where it happened to terminate is some Perches more East-
erly than is That part of the Island where the Line would have
terminated had it not deviated or declined from a Parallel of
Latitude, what is now fixed to be the exact Middle of the
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Letter Bk.IV
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Peninsula in that part is really to the Eastward of the True
Middle Point & consequently Your Ldp will gain one way
what was lost another, but as I have already observed was the
Northern Line to be run after the same manner (that is by
setting off at Right Angles from some Meridian & ranging
the Tops of a Number of Stakes or plumbed staves in a
straight Line) there would be no Chance of Your Ldp's gain-
ing any thing but you must unavoidably suffer great Loss to
wit the Land contained in such a Triangle as I have above
mentioned & indeed from what I can see there is a greater
probability of any Error that may be committed in running
that north Boundary being to Your Ldp's Prejudice than
in your favour for which reason it is the more expedient &
of greater Consequence that a true method or Scheme be
procured & pursued. Altho the Commissioners did at their
late Meeting agree upon a Method for discovering & deter-
mining the Course of the Tangent Line & the point of Con-
tact, yet I have among the other Queries stated some relative
to that matter as the Answers of able Mathematicians thereto
may possibly be of some use, or if we have adopted a good
Scheme it will give us some Satisfaction to know that it meets
with the Approbation of the Skillful. As it is of very great
Consequence to Your Ldp that the Point from which the
North Boundary may be begun lyes no more than barely 15
Statute Miles South from Philaa It would give me & the
other Commissioners great Satisfaction to know what Method
able Mathematicians would recommend as the best & most
accurate way of finding that Point whether by Astronomical
Observations or by actual Mensuration, & if the Latter is
thought best, by what Methods & Instruments the Mensura-
tion must be made. As I apprehend that the Surveyors will
not by reason of the weather be able to resume their Work
again before the 10th or 15th of April next, & that they will
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p. 151
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