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Correspondence of Governor Sharpe. 481
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hend that That Boundary will be laid down & marked before
the End of next Summer in which Case we must I presume
immediately proceed to run the other Lines which I am afraid
it will be scarcely possible to do with such Accuracy & Truth
as could be wished & by what I can understand there is a
greater Probability that any Errors which may be committed
will be to the prejudice of His Ldp than to the Detriment of
the Proprietors of Pennsylvania. Hoping that His Ldp will
be pleased to procure us from able Mathematicians some
Scheme or Plan for running the other Boundary Lines par-
ticularly that long Line which is to be run at the Distance of
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Letter Bk. IV
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fifteen Statute Miles South of the Southernmost Part of Philaa
I shall transmit you in order that they may be laid before His
Ldp sundry Queries, the Consideration of which will I con-
ceive point out to such Mathematicians as may be consulted
the Difficulties which we expect to meet with in the Course of
our Work. As it is of the greatest Consequence that in fixing
the Spot from which the North Boundary is to be run we come
not beyond a Point that may be found to lye at the exact Dis-
tance of 15 Statute Miles (horizontally measured) South from
the Southernmost part of Philaa & that in Running such North
Boundary or East & West Line we do not by any means
suffer it to deviate or decline towards the South, I hope the
greatest Attention will be paid to the questions relative to
those Matters & that the Mathematicians will in their Answers
be as full & explicit as they possibly can, so that none of us
may be in doubt about their Meaning. You will observe
that among the Rest is one query to this Effect viz. What is
a due East & West Line ? is a Parallel of Latitude such a
Line ? or will any Line that makes an Angle with a Parallel of
Latitude be a due East & West Line ? Which question you'll
be pleased to observe I do not ask as if I was myself in Doubt,
nor do I think any of His Lordship's Commissioners are in
doubt concerning it, but as a Hint was drop't by one of the
Pennsylvania Commissioners that They were not satisfied
about the Intention of their Constituents with respect to that
Matter I thought it my Duty to write to His Ldp concerning
it & to point out to Him the Detriment he will suffer in case
His Ldp & the Proprietors of Pennsylvania were to agree
(which Agreement They may possibly endeavour to make)
that the East & West Line which is to be our Northern
Boundary, should be run in the same manner as was That
from Fenwix's Island, which Line the Chancellor I perceive
hath determined to be a due East & West Line notwithstanding
I think any Mathematician that should be told after what
Method it was run (to wit by Staves set off at right Angles
with a Meridian & ranged in a Line) would pronounce that an
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p. 155
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