A

COMPENDIOUS

SYSTEM

OF

PRACTICAL SURVEYING,

AND

DIVIDING OF LAND:

CONCISELY DEFINED,

METHODICALLY ARRANGED,

AND

FULLY EXEMPLIFIED.

THE WHOLE

ADAPTED FOR THE EASY AND REGULAR INSTRUCTION OF YOUTH, IN OUR
AMERICAN SCHOOLS.

COMPILED BY ZACHARIAH JESS.

Second Edition Improved.

PHILADELPHIA:

PUBLISHED BY JOHNSON AND WARNER,

AND FOR SALE At their BookstORES IN PHILADELPHIA, AND

RICHMOND, (VIR.)

1814.

Robert Porter, Printer, Wilmington, Delaware,

3.48.43 = add. ed

PREFACE.

AS the Treatises heretofore published on surveying, are deficient in examples, whilst they treat largely on the theory; the design of this publication, is, to supply schools with a system, exemplified with practical illustrations, sufficient to give the learner a competent knowledge of this useful science.

To avoid swelling the work, and increasing the price, I have omitted giving a description of the instruments used in surveying; as they are better understood by inspection, with a little instruction from the teacher, than by any description given of them.

I have chosen a short, mechanical method of explaining and exhibiting to view, the dependencies and proportional properties of triangles, in order to meet the ideas of the learner, in the most easy and simple manner. This I have found to be more useful to them, than any thing I have before seen.

I have not enlarged on the geometrical method of determining the Area of Maps, as it is not to be depended on; for although it may appear true, upon demonstrable

principles, I have found by experience, that as many different ways as a map is marked into triangles and trapeziums, so many different areas it will generally give ; but I have inserted a sufficient number of examples to show the method, which may answer some purposes: such, as for instance, a man to determine, nearly, the quantity of land in his own fields; and these I have done in perches, and tenths, as coming nearest to the truth-and the larger the scale the better.

The calculations by difference of latitude and departure, are generally made in chains and links, as being more easy and accurate, than in perches, and tenthsnevertheless, for the sake of some variety, and advantage of those who prefer the latter, I have given some examples calculated in perches, and tenths; and it will evidently appear, by inspection, that the numbers to be multiplied, are larger; and as it is customary, in this method, to reject the second decimal figure, it cannot be so accurate-one tenth of a perch square, being equal to 64 square links.

The method of bringing chains into perches, is very easy: four perches being one chain; therefore, multiply the chains by 4, and the product will be perches, and the contrary.

EXAMPLES.

1. In 37.56 chains, how many perches ?

2. In 150.24 perches, how many chains?

150.244 37.56 chains. The answer,

Note. These two examples prove each other.

Perhaps some may object to the uniform mode I have adopted, in finding the meridian distances. I know that some use other methods; but I apprehend there is none more easy, than the one I have chosen. And as I have found by experience, that a variety of methods, to praduce the same effect, contribute more to confuse, than instruct the learner, I have adhered to the one general mode.

Z. JESS.

The present edition of this work has been much improved, with additions made by T. HAMILTON of Philadelphia; and the whole carefully examined and corrected by S. HILLES of Wilmington.

THE PUBLISHERS.

1st mo. 1814.