E No. 11.

On the 4th of January, 1828, Mr. Vinton, of Ohio, offered to the House of Representatives the following resolution:

"Resolved, That the Committee on the Territories be instructed to inquire into the expediency of giving the assent of Congress to the provisions of the sixth section of the seventh article of the Constitution of Ohio, relative to the boundary line between the State of Ohio and the Territory of Michigan."

E No 12.

On the 14th of December, 1831, a memorial from the Legislature of Ohio, was presented in the Senate of the United States, praying that measures might be adopted by Congress for the speedy and permanent establishment of the dividing line between that State and the Territory of Michigan, and on the 14th July, 1832, the following act was approved by the President: AN ACT to provide for the taking of certain observations preparatory to the adjustment of the northern boundary line of the State of Ohio.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That the President of the United States cause to be ascertained, by accurate observation, the latitude and longitude of the southerly extreme of Lake Michigan; and that he cause to be ascertained, by like observation, the point on the Miami of the Lake which is due east therefrom, and also, the latitude and longitude of the most northerly cape of the Miami bay; also, that he cause to be ascertained, with all practicable accuracy, the latitude and longitude of the most southerly point in the northern boundary line of the United States in Lake Erie; and also, the point at which a direct line drawn from the southerly extreme of Lake Michigan, to the most southerly point in the said northern boundary line of the United States, will intersect the Miami river and bay; and also, that he cause to be ascertained, by like observation, the point in the Mississippi which is due west from the southerly extreme of Lake Michigan; and that the said observations be made, and the result thereof returned to the proper department, within the current year. Approved, July 14, 1832.

E No. 13.

Fifth section of an act passed 2d March, 1833. '

SECTION 5. And be it further enacted, That the time limited for making observations and returns thereof, under the act of 14th July, 1832, "to provide for the taking of certain observations preparatory to the adjustment of the northern boundary line of the State of Ohio," be and the same is hereby extended until the 31st day of December, 1835; and that for the purpose of carrying into effect the provisions of the act aforesaid, the sum of six thousand one hundred and ten dollars be appropriated for the purchase

of instruments; and the further sum of seven thousand five hundred dollars for the expenses of taking such observations.

Approved, March 2, 1833.

E No. 14.

Extract from the Report of the Commissioner of the General Land Office.

It appears from the report of Captain Talcott, the officer charged with the execution of the last mentioned act, (see Congressional Document, No. 497, H. R. 1st Sess. 23d Cong.) that the latitude of the southern extreme of Lake Michigan, is 41° 37' 7".9, and that of the north cape of the Maumee bay, 41° 44' 2".4; and in a letter to General Gratiot of March 27th last, Captain Talcott further states that, as at that time he was separated from all the papers relating to that subject, he was only able to state generally from recollection the results arrived at, which were, first, the due east line from the foot or most southern bend of Lake Michigan, will intersect the Maumee river very near the line as run and marked by the commissioners; "it will not vary from it three hundred yards:" the other points in this letter refer to the boundary line in the lake.

The line thus referred to by Captain Talcott, must be the line run by Fulton, as that is the only line run which has intersected the Miami river. ELIJAH HAYWARD.

Hon. LEVI WOODBURY,

Secretary of the Treasury.

PHILADELPHIA, March 27, 1835. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt, this morning, of your letter of the 23d instant, postmarked 26th, requiring, at as early a day as practicable, a report of the result of the astronomical observations made for the adjustment of the northern boundary of Ohio. At this time I am separated from all the papers relating to that service, but I am able to state, generally from recollection, the results arrived at:

1st. The due east line from the foot or most southern bend of Lake Michigan, will intersect the Maumee river, very near the line as run and marked by commissioners. It will not vary from it 300 yards.

2d. The same due east line prolonged, did not intersect the line "along the middle of Lake Erie," as deduced from these observations; but will pass more than two thousand feet south of the most southern point of that line. I must also state, that the long, low, narrow sand point, on the north side of Lake Erie, called "Point au Platt," or "Point Pelé," was, at the time my observations were made there, much shortened, from some cause. I was so informed by the captain of the cutter, as we approached it; and he expressed much surprise at the change that had taken place since he last visited it. A young man residing near made the same remark, “that the point formerly extended much further into the lake." The map prepared by and accompanying the report of the commissioners for ascertaining this portion of the national boundary shows the same thing, viz: that the point then projected much further south than at present.

It follows then, that a line "along the middle of Lake Erie," at the time the commissioners surveyed it, must be considerably south at this point, of the line along the middle of the lake now.

Which of these lines shall be considered as the boundary line of the United States, the undersigned is not competent to decide. If the first ⚫ line is the boundary, then it is probable the east line referred to will intersect it very near its most southern culmination, and to ascertain that, further observations will be necessary, and reference also to the notes of the surveyors employed by the commissioners.

If the latter line, there is no doubt upon the subject; the observations are already sufficiently advanced to decide that there will be no intersection.

I am, sir, most respectfully,

Gen. C. GRATIOT, Chief Engineer.

A. TALCOTT,
Captain Engineers.

Extract from Captain Talcott's letter, dated Albany, New York, May 13, 1835, addressed to the Chief Engineer.

SIR: The observations I made at the most southern bend of Lake Michigan, in 1833, with a ten-inch reflecting and repeating circle, gave, for the latitude of that point, 41° 37′ 07" 9. The observations were continued here for seven or eight successive days, and on the sun and stars south and stars north of its zenith, and the results of these observations accorded well; and I have no doubt that the latitude above stated is within less than two seconds (2") of the truth. At the time of making these observations, they were considered as preliminary only to the use of the large instrument which had been ordered for this service. Last summer I made a station on the left bank of the Maumee river, about three miles (by the river) above Fort Lawrence. The station was a little north of a marked line, which was pointed out to me as the boundary line between Ohio and Michigan, by persons residing near; and is, I do not doubt, the line designated as "Fulton's line" on Burr's map, and which was run for a due east line from the south bend of Lake Michigan.

The result of my observations at this station, with a zenith micrometer, when reduced to the line above referred to, gave for its latitude 41° 37′ 09′′ .35. In other words, the marked line, where it crossed the Maumee, was one hundred and forty-five feet north of the parallel of latitude through the south bend of Lake Michigan. No observations were made in connection with this line east of the Maumee. I can, therefore, give no further information touching its intersection with Lake Erie, than can be deduced from the fact, that as the line was run with great accuracy from Lake Michigan to the Maumee river, it is not probable that any great error was committed in prolonging it east of the Maumee to its intersection with the lake.

I am, sir, most respectfully,
Your obedient servant,

A. TALCOTT, Captain of Engineers.

A true extract from the original on file in the Engineer Department.

C. GRATIOT.

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E No. 15.

PHILADELPHIA, November 23, 1835.

SIR; I have the honor to submit the following statement, showing the results of a portion of the observations made during the last season for determining the latitude of certain points connected with the settlement of the northern boundary of Ohio, as required by the act of July 14, 1832.

The results are deduced from taking the mean of a number of observations on twenty fixed stars. The very near coincidence in the deductions made from each observation on the same star, as also their accordance with other results, obtained from a series of observations on other stars, which have also been calculated, induce me to believe that the latitudes of the several points are true to the nearest second.

1. The most southern extreme of Lake Michigan is in latitude 41 deg. 37 min. 07 sec. N.

The greatest difference, arising from a comparison of the observations being 03.05 sec. and the greatest difference from the mean result, 01.17 sec.

2. From observations upon a portion of the same stars, made on the Maumee river, near the east line, recognised as Fulton's, where that line crosses the Maumee, and referred to said line, the latitude is found to be 41 deg. 37 min. 08 sec. N. or about 101 feet north of the parallel tangent to the south bend of Lake Michigan.

This result is obtained from a mean of five determinations; the greatest difference found, on comparing the observations, being 01.67 sec. and the greatest difference from the mean result, 00.98 sec.

3. The north cape of the Maumee bay is in latitude 41 deg. 44 min. 07 sec. N.

This result is obtained from a series of observations made on fourteen different stars, the greatest difference, as before, being 02.56 sec. and the difference obtained from a comparison with the mean result, being 01.50 sec.

The observations from which the above latitude is deduced, were made on Turtle island; the difference of latitude having been determined trigonometrically.

The latitude of the astronomical station on Turtle island, Maumee bay, is 41 deg. 45 min. 12 sec. N.

4. For the determination of the latitude of the most southerly point of the boundary heretofore established between the United States and Canada, in Lake Erie, two positions were chosen:

The first, 23 miles east of Huron, Ohio, on the margin of the lake, and in the immediate neighborhood of its most southwardly bend. The result of the observations made at this station, fixed the latitude of the most southwardly bend of Lake Erie at 41 deg. 22 min. 54 sec. N.

The second position was taken at Point Pelé, Canada, nearly due north of the first position. From a series of observations made at this station, it is found that the southern extreme of Point Pelé is in north latitude 41 deg. 53 min: 59 sec.; and further, that it appears from the results of the survey and triangulation connecting this station with Point Pelé island, that Point Pelé, when surveyed under the orders of the commissioners appointed to settle the position of the territorial line between the United States and Great Britain, under the treaty of Ghent, projected much further into the lake than it does at present; and that, as near as it can be ascertained from a comparison of the two surveys, this point, in 1818, was in north latitude 41 deg. 52 min. 24 sec.

The latitudes of the two last mentioned points, furnish the data from which the most southwardly point of the territorial boundary in Lake Erie must be determined, because "a line along the middle of Lake Erie” must make its greatest southing between these two points.

Before this latitude can be determined, however, the principle which governs in its location must be established. A middle point on the meridian, between the two shores, is found to be in latitude 41 deg. 38 min. 26.5 sec. north, from a portion of the data given above. A middle point on the same meridian in 1818, was in latitude 41 deg. 37 min. 39 sec. north, deduced from another portion of the same data; now, a line dividing the lake into two equal parts, and perpendicular to lines radiating from Point Pelé, is found to be in north latitude 41 deg. 33 min. 15 sec.

In 1818 it is found in latitude 41 deg. 32 min. 44 sec.

It will be observed that, in both cases under the first construction of the language used in the decision of the commissioners, relating to the territorial boundary, the due east line from the south bend of Lake Michigan will pass south of said territorial line; and that, under the last construction in both cases, the territorial line will be intersected by a line running due east from the south bend of Lake Michigan.

For the longitude of the several points above mentioned, I have the honor to refer to my report furnished in January, 1834.

I have the honor to be,

Very respectfully,

Your obedient servant,
A. TALCOTT,

Capt. of Eng.

Gen. C. GRATIOT, Chief Engineer.

A TABLE of the latitude and longitude of certain points required to be determined by the law of July, 1832, with a view to the adjustment of the northern boundary of the State of Ohio.

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