eastern boundary, and is the instrument with which the latitude from observations of stars on the prime-vertical, and the longitude from observed meridian transits of the moon's bright limb, and the moon culminating stars-of the military position of Rouse's Point-were determined in 1845. It is the instrument with which the first determination of latitude was ever made in America, I believe, by observing the transits of stars over the prime-vertical. By a series of such observations made in December, 1844, with it, by Mr. W. C. Bond, director of the Cambridge observatory, Massachusetts, and myself, the latitude of that observatory was determined in a few nights, and was reported in the Transactions of the American Academy of Sciences of the succeeding year. Its loss would prove very inconvenient to the commission. I find stored here under a shed, much exposed to the weather, some seventy or more barrels of pilot-bread, belonging to the commission, which have been here since August last. I shall have it inspected, and if fit to be sent forward to El Paso, I shall assume the responsibility of having it done, trusting that this course will be approved by the department. It does not seem to be under the charge of any agent of the commission here. I am, very respectfully, sir, your obedient servant, J. D. GRAHAM, Lieut. Col., Head of Scientific Corps, &c., &c., &c. Hon. A. H. H. STUART, A-(Appended to No. 59.) NEW ORLEANS, March 29, 1851. DEAR SIR: You will please deliver to Colonel Graham, or his order, nine boxes, delivered at this port by the steamship Falcon, which are marked for United States Mexican boundary commission; also, one box addressed to Lieutenant Whipple, of the same company or commission, as per order, addressed to me by the Hon. John R. Bartlett, commissioner for the said boundary commission, dated at El Paso del Norte, 30th December, 1850, deposited with you. Yours respectfully, JAMES R. JENNINGS, S. P. SANFORD. Agent U. S. Mail Steamship Company, New Orleans. B-(Appended to No. 59.) Proceedings of a board of officers which assembled at New Orleans, La., pursuant to the following orders: [SPECIAL ORDERS No. 19.] At the request of Brevet Lt. Col. Graham, topographical engineers, a board of officers will assemble at the quartermaster's office, at eleven o'clock this morning, to examine certain boxes pertaining to the Mexican boundary commission, and report upon their contents. Detail for the Board. Brevet Lieut. Col. W. W. S. Bliss, Assistant Adjutant General. By order of Major General Twiggs : HEADQUARTERS WESTERN DIVISION, W. W. S. BLISS, New Orleans, La., April 12, 1851. Assistant Adj't Gen'l. NEW ORLEANS, La., April 12, 1851. The board met pursuant to the above orders. Present all the members. The board examined certain boxes pertaining to the Mexican boundary commission, and found their contents as follows: Box 583. One transit stand, marked "Lieut. Whipple, U. S. Mexican boundary commission." The telescope, axis, and micrometer lenses, (said to be packed in another box,) could not be found. Box 2. Twenty percussion rifles, marked "U. S. Mexican boundary commission." *6 boxes. In each are seven tin canisters of rifle-balls, marked "U. S. Mexican boundary commission." Boxes 8 and 9. Rifle-balls, marked "U. S. Mexican boundary commission." Box 583 was taken possession of by Brevet Lieut. Col. Graham, topographical engineers. The remaining boxes were turned over to the agent, for transportation to Indianola, Texas. There being no further business before the board, it adjourned sine die. SIR: The pilot-bread belonging to the boundary commission, mentioned in my letter to you of the 20th inst., having been represented to me as too much damaged by exposure to the weather while lying here under a shed since August last, to be sent forward for use, I ordered a board of survey upon it, and upon eight boxes of hospital *NOTE.-There are seven tin canisters of rifle-balls in each of these six boxes, making fortytwo canisters in all. J. D. G. stores, chemicals, natural history appurtenances, &c., which were found deposited under the same shed, and marked as the property of the boundary commission. The order in the case, and the proceedings and opinion of the board, are hereto annexed, marked C. In pursuance of that opinion the bread was this day sold at public auction, under an order from me to that effect, due notice having been previously given, by public handbills posted through this village. The gross amount of sales was. Auctioneer's commission (5 per cent.) off. Net proceeds of sale $94 35 4 70 89 65 The above net amount of eighty-nine dollars and sixty-five cents has been paid to me by the auctioneer, and, in the absence of a commissary, I have charged myself with it by placing it to the credit of the boundary survey, in my accounts rendered to the Fifth Auditor of the Treasury, with the bill of sale annexed thereto. All the other articles mentioned in the report of the board of survey will be sent forward to El Paso. Up to this moment no officers have reported to me, and I have been compelled to continue the very arduous duty of attending personally and alone to superintending every detail connected with the service I was appointed to direct. I trust that the organization of the quartermaster's and commissariat departments, which I recommended in my letter of the 6th ultimo, at Washington, will be carried into effect. I can assure the department that the state of the service requires it. Upon a survey like this, considering the extent of desert country it has to traverse, as much care is required in organizing these departments, and as much experience is requisite for its incumbents, as though they were connected with the operations of troops in time of war. My wagons left here, with the instruments and a portion of the provisions for my small party destined to El Paso, on the morning of the 25th instant. I shall overtake them, and shall reach San Antonio before them, and we shall be in ample time for the military escort from thence to El Paso. I am, very respectfully, sir, your obedient servant, Lieut. Col., Head of Scientific Corps, &c., &c., &c. Hon. A. H. H. STUART, [ORDERS NO. 1.] C-(Appended to No. 60.) INDIANOLA, TEXAS, April 23, 1851. A board of survey, to consist of Messrs. J. H. Clark and J. W. Baldwin, attached to the United States boundary survey, will make a sur vey and inspection of seventy-five barrels of pilot bread and three half-barrels of crackers, which were left here in August, 1850, by the commission; and on seven boxes of chemicals, hospital stores, and natural-history appurtenances, belonging to the said boundary commission, which arrived here in November, 1850, in the steamer Palmetto, from New Orleans; and on one other box, belonging to the said commission, which arrived here, by the steamer Galveston, the 26th of December, 1850. The board will report upon the present condition of all the above articles, and state their opinion whether they are now fit to be sent forward to El Paso del Norte, for the use of the said boundary commission. J. D. GRAHAM, Lieut. Col., Head of Scientific Corps, U. S. B. C. INDIANOLA, TEXAS, April 23, 1851. We, the undersigned, in pursuance of the above order, proceeded, this day, to make a survey and inspection of the articles above specified. We found deposited under a shed, which leaks from above, and which is open to the south, and exposed to the rains from that quarter, seventy-five barrels of pilot bread, two half-barrels of soda crackers, and one half-barrel of butter crackers, which it appears were left here by the boundary commission, in August, 1850; and eight boxes, seven of which arrived here, in the steamer Palmetto, the 4th of November, 1850, and one of which arrived here, in the steamer Galveston, the 26th of December, 1850, we are informed. Their condition is at present as follows: 75 barrels of pilot bread.. 2 half-barrels of soda crackers. 1 half-barrel of butter crackers. Box No. 1, (weight 144 lbs.,) containing 2 packages of wrapping paper, marked “Mexican boundary commission," probably intended for botanical specimens; 2 large portfolios filled with brown. paper, for ditto; 1 tin box. Box No. 2, (weight 251 lbs.,) containing 1 package of wrapping paper; 2 packages of light brown paper; 1 package of red paper; 1 India-rubber bag; 3 pieces of oilcloth. Box No. 3, (weight 113 lbs.,) containing 6 tin cans of alcohol; 1 can of Goadby's solution; 1 can of oil; 2 cans of Damaged, and not fit for use. Damaged, and not fit for use. In good order, and fit to be sent to Paso del Norte. All in good order, (except one box of jelly, which was broken, and there camphor; 6 bottles, three of which are marked port and three brandy; 2 small bottles, one containing arsenic, the other not labelled; 1 piece of glue; 1 bar of pewter; 1 box of Dyer's healing embrocation; 1 box of cocoa paste; 1 box of summer-savory; 1 box of sage, pulverized; 2 boxes of ground pumpkin, for pies; 2 small empty tin boxes; 2 boxes of jelly, one broken; 1 box of sweet marjoram; 2 glass jars of peaches; 1 box of sulph. ammonia; 1 glass jar filled with cigars; 1 box of sardines; 2 empty bottles; 1 gauging glass; 1 package of tin and copper wire; 3 earthen jars filled with a solution, which smells strongly of camphor; 1 glass jar of isinglass; 1 cup sealing-wax. Box No. 4, (weight 84 lbs.,) containing 2 tin cases, each of which contains six drawers; these drawers are inlaid with cork, propably for pinning insects. Box No. 5, (weight 22 lbs.,) containing 1 bottle of oil of lemon; 4 bottles of tincture of ginger; 1 can of citric acid. Box No. 6, (weight 73 lbs.,) containing 2 tea boxes, each filled with arrow-root. case of Box No. 7, (weight 222 lbs.,) containing 1 tin case hermetically sealed. This was not opened, and consequently its contents are unknown.* Box No. 8, (weight 180 lbs.,) containing a chest of chemicals, and implements for chemical tests. fore thrown out,) and fit to be sent to Paso del Norte. In good order, and fit to be sent to Paso del Norte. In good order, and fit to be sent to Paso del Norte. One in good order, the oth er damaged, but fit to be sent to Paso del Norte. Apparently in good order, and fit to be sent to Paso del Norte. Three vials of salts, broken, and contents lost. From many of the vials and jars the acids and salts had evaporated or leaked, so as to injure the padding of the interior of the lid, and the coverings of the stoppers. It is now fit to be sent to Paso del Norte. *Afterwards it was understood it contained stationery, for the official records of the commission. |