ESSAY

ON THE

CARDINAL POINTS:

BEING

A COLLECTION OF AUTHORITIES IN EXPLANATION OF THE TERMS,

"DUE NORTH," "DUE SOUTH," "DUE EAST," AND "DUE WEST,"

AS APPLIED TO LAND SURVEYING.

COMPILED AND ARRANGED

BY NOAH BARKER, LAND SURVEYOR,

AND LATE "LAND AGENT OF MAINE."

BANGOR:

PRINTED BY SAMUEL S. SMITH.

Eng

488.64

HARVARD COLLEGE LIBRARY
M THE

SHELDON

BOUG

AMEY RIC

FU D

March 10,1938

THE CARDINAL POINTS.

INTRODUCTORY LETTER.

To the President of the "Jackson Iron Manufacturing Company:"

DEAR SIR:

Agreeably to request, I herewith submit for inspection such authorities as my limited opportunities would allow me to collect, in explanation of the terms-" due North," " due South," "due East," and "due West," as applied to Land Surveying. You will perceive by the Plan and Field-notes now in possession of your Secretary, that the Survey of the "WhiteMountain lands" belonging to said Corporation and embrac ing several distinct tracts-one of which was "Sargent's Purchase" covering the Summit of Mt. Washington-was at first made by the undersigned in 1853 and '54, under the direction of your predecessor in office, the late Hon. David Pingree, of Salem. At that time, I had no apprehension that any diversity of opinion existed, or ever would exist among intelligent men at least as to the proper signification of the terms used in designating the Cardinal Points; knowing as I did, from study and long practice in the profession, that among practical and scientific Engineers, and Land Surveyors, the meaning of the terms, "due North" and "due South," had become as well understood, and as decidedly fixed, as were the terms, "North pole" and "South pole," as applied to the Earth.

But as Cupidity and Science seldom harmonize, a question seems to have been started, whether the terms "due North," "due East," &c." may not be construed to mean something else than the true and fixed Cardinal Points. This question is understood to have been carried up for the legal construction, and final determination of the Honorable Judges of the Supreme Court of New Hampshire. To meet this question fairly, it seems proper to present the following facts, to wit:

1. The common acceptation of the words, "due," "north," "south," "east," and "west," as applied to courses, according to the definitions laid down by the best English and American Lexicographers.

2. How the terms, "due north," "due south," "due east," and “due west,” are applied in the published works on Land Surveying.

3. How these terms have been understood and applied in the past, by arbitrators, treaty-makers, &c. in the settlement and establishment of State and National boundaries; and in the surveys of the Public domain.

4. The present opinions of some of the best living Authors, Professors, and Civil Engineers, as to the proper meaning of these terms, as applied to land-surveying.

Yours, Very Respectfully,

EXETER MILLS, ME. JULY 18, 1864.

NOAH BARKER.

PART I.

Definition of Terms.

According to JOHNSON'S "DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE," (in 2 vols. London ed. 1785,) we find the definition of "DUE," a. Exact; without errour." DUE, ad. Exactly; nicely; duly." In Dr Webster's "American Dictionary of the English Language," (Unabridged,) the same word is thus defined:

66

"DUE a. Exact; proper;" course."

DUE, adv. Directly; exactly; as, a due east

66

In Dr. Worcester's large "Dictionary of the Fnglish Language" we find

"DUE a. Seasonable; exact; without deviation." "DUE, ad. Exactly; directly; duly; The course is due east."

According to Webster, we find

"NORTH, n. One of the cardinal points, being that point of the horizon which is directly opposite to the sun in the meridian, on the left hand, when we stand with the face to the east; or it is that point of intersection of the horizon and meridian which is nearest our pole." Worcester has "NORTH, n. One of the four cardinal points, being that point of the horizon which in northern latitudes is opposite to the sun when in the meridian and on the left hand of a person facing the east."

Dr. Webster has

"SOUTH, n. The north and south are opposite points in the horizon; each ninety degrees, or the quarter of a great circle, distant from the east and west. A man standing with his face toward the east or rising sun, has the south on his right hand. The meridian of every place is a great circle passing through the north and south points. Strictly, south is the horizontal point of the meridian of a place, on the right hand of a person standing with his face toward the east. But the word is applied to any point in the meridian, between the horizon and the zenith."

Worcester has "SOUTH, n. One of the four cardinal points of the compass, being that point of the horizon which is in the direction in which the sun always appears at noon to the inhabitants of the northern hemisphere without the tropic, or that point which is on the right hand of a person facing the east ;opposed to north."

Dr. Webster defines "EAST, n. The point in the heavens where the sun is seen to rise at the equinox, or when it is in the equinoctial, or the corresponding point on the earth: one of the four cardinal points. The east and the west are the points where a line at right angles to the meridian of a place intersects the horizon. But to persons under the equinoctial line, that line constitutes east and west.

Worcester has "EAST, n. The point of the horizon at which the sun is seen to rise in the equinoxes, opposite to the west; that point of the horizon lying on the right hand when one's face is turned towards the north pole; the point of the compass in a direction at right-angles to that of north and south.

Dr. Webster has "WEST, n. In strictness, that point of the horizon midway between the north and south points, on the side, where the heavenly bodies set; opposed to EAST, which is the corresponding point on the side where they rise. In a less strict sense, the region of the hemisphere near this point. Thus we say, a star sets in the west, a meteor appears in the west, a cloud rises in the west." Dr. Worcester defines "WEST, n. One of the four cardinal points, being the point of the horizon which is midway between the north point and the south point, and at which the sun sets at the equinoxes; the point of the horizon to the left as we look towards the north, or the region near this point; the occident; the opposite of east."