Early American Scientific Instruments and Their Makers Part 12

Incomplete, and maker not known. The second of the instruments described in _The Journal of Andrew Ellicott_ as an acromatic telescope. Used for taking signals, with sliding tubes, which draw out to about 15 in. It was considered to be remarkably good for its length, and showed the satellites of Jupiter very distinctly.

Gift of Andrew Ellicott Dougla.s.s of Flagstaff, Ariz., in 1931. USNM 152085.

_Transit and Equal Alt.i.tude Instrument_, made entirely of bra.s.s, with original lens now broken. The instrument is described by Ellicott in the following extract from _The Journal of Andrew Ellicott_:

Preparatory to beginning the ten mile square [of Washington] a Meridian was traced at Jones' Point on the West of the Potomac.

From this Meridian an angle of 45 degrees was laid off North Westerly and a straight line continued in that direction ten miles.... From the termination of this second line a third making a right angle with it was carried South-Easterly ten miles: and from the beginning on Jones' Point a fourth was carried ten miles to the termination of the third. These lines were measured with a chain which was examined and corrected daily, and plumbed whenever the ground was uneven, and traced with a transit and equal alt.i.tude instrument which I constructed and executed in 1789 and used in running the Western boundary of the State of New York. This instrument was similar to that described by Le Monnier in his preface to the French "Histoire Celeste." ... All the lines in this city in which I have been concerned were traced with the same instrument which I used on the lines of the ten mile square but as the Northern part was not finished when I left that place, I cannot pretend to say what method has since been pursued.

Deposit of Andrew Ellicott Dougla.s.s of Flagstaff, Ariz., in 1931. USNM 152080. FIGURE 10.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 73.--Telescope used by Andrew Ellicott for his survey of the boundary between the United States and the Spanish territory of Florida. The instrument is signed "W. & S. Jones, 135 Holborn, London." USNM 152082.]

ELLIS, ORANGE WARNER (18th century). _Theodolite_, about 1780, bra.s.s; horizontal circle 5 in., vertical circle 5 in., telescope 7-1/2 in., compa.s.s 3 in.; spirit level set into compa.s.s card; spirit level attached to telescope; fixed vertical circle; unsigned. Used by Orange Warner Ellis about 1780 in the surveying of the boundary between the United States and Canada, the area which is now Vermont.

Acquired from Miss Mary N. Ellis of Chicago, Ill., in 1929. USNM 309596.

FIGURE 74.

FRYE, JOSEPH (fl. 1762-1783), Fryeburg, Maine. _Ma.n.u.script Booklet_ of "Tables Useful in Surveying Land, made and presented by Joseph Frye to his son, Joseph Frye, Jr., November 18, A. D. 1783." Size 6-1/4 in. by 3-7/8 in., 16 pages, paper covers, marked "Fryeburg Joseph Frye AD MDCCLx.x.xIII."

Loan from Laurits C. Eichner of Clifton, New Jersey, in 1957. USNM 315062. FIGURE 45.

(See Greenough, Thomas, for surveying compa.s.s used by Joseph Frye.)

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 74.--Theodolite used by Orange Warner Ellis about 1780 for surveying boundary between the United States and Canada in the area which is now Vermont. USNM 309596.]

GREENOUGH, THOMAS (1710-1785), Boston, Ma.s.s. _Surveying Compa.s.s_, made of hickory with engraved paper compa.s.s card. Over-all length 11 ft.; dial 5-1/2 in. in diameter. Central medallion on card depicts man along sh.o.r.eline using a Davis quadrant with a schooner offsh.o.r.e, with touches of red. Inscribed in gilt in band around central medallion: "Made and Sold by THOMAS GREENOUGH, Boston, New Eng." Used by Joseph Frye in 1762 for surveying his land grant in what is now Fryeburg, Maine. Loan from Laurits C. Eichner, Clifton, N.J., in 1957. USNM 315001. FIGURE 44.

(See also, Frye, Joseph, ma.n.u.script booklet of "Tables Useful for Surveying Land ...")

HAGGER, WILLIAM GUYSE, (C. 1748?-1830?), Newport, R.I. _Backstaff_, or _Davis Quadrant_, about 1760-1770, made of dark wood with scales and sights of boxwood, 25 in. long, 14 in. wide at large arc and 5 in. wide at small arc. Inscribed as follows: "W^m G. Hagger Newp^t R. Island/For M^r----." The name of the original owner has been blocked out by the insertion of a piece of ivory. This quadrant was acquired from Mrs.

Carola Paine of Bethel, Conn., in 1961. USNM 319029. FIGURE 59.

Davis quadrants signed by Hagger are in the Comstock Memorial Collection of the Rhode Island Historical Society (dated 1776); in the Shepley Library in Providence, R.I. (dated 1768); and in the Peabody Museum at Salem, Ma.s.s. (dated 1775).

Also in the U.S. National Museum is an unsigned quadrant (USNM 178975) that is almost identical in detail to the one signed by Hagger. It is the gift of A. R. Crittenden, Middletown, Conn. Another almost identical instrument, in the collection of the Franklin Inst.i.tute, is signed "C.

Elliott, New London, 1764"; it differs from the other two only in that a lens is combined in the middle sight.

HOLBECHER, JOHN, (fl. 1738). _Backstaff_, or _Davis Quadrant_, of dark wood with boxwood scales and vanes. Length 25-1/2 in.; large arc 15 in.

Inscribed "Made by John Holbecher/ For Capt. Joseph Swan--1738."

Holbecher is not listed as an English or American instrument maker, but it is believed that the instrument is American.

Acquired from Bern C. Ritchie & Co., Chicago, Ill., in 1960. USNM 318439.

JOHNSON, JOHN, Surveyor, 1818. (See Rittenhouse & Evans, surveying compa.s.s.)

JONES, W. & S., 135 Holborn, London. (See Ellicott, Andrew, telescope.)

PIERCE, ABNER, (c. 1790). _Surveying Compa.s.s_ with Jacob's staff. Made of bra.s.s; 12 in. long; 5 in. in diameter; with needle lift. Jacob's staff 4 ft. high and with wood shaft about 1-1/2 in.; bra.s.s head.

Unsigned. Used about 1790 by Abner Pierce, who built Pierce's Mill in Rock Creek, District of Columbia.

Gift of Mrs. Francis D. Shoemaker of Washington, D.C., in 1930. USNM 309826.

PRIESTLEY, JOSEPH (1733-1804), Northumberland, Pa.

_Chemical Apparatus_ that formed part of the laboratory of Joseph Priestley at his home. It includes the following specimens: 3 chemical retorts, 6 bell jars, 1 gas collecting flask, 6 flasks, 4 funnels, 23 miscellaneous metal and gla.s.s objects, and 1 eudiometer. A special exhibition of some of this chemical apparatus was held in the U.S.

National Museum in 1958 (see fig. 69).

Gift of Miss Frances D. Priestley of Northumberland, Pa., in 1958. USNM 315341-315358. FIGURE 75.

_Globes_, one terrestrial (fig. 76) and one celestial (fig. 77), that formed part of the equipment used by Dr. Joseph Priestley. The terrestrial globe, of 26 in. diameter, has a Sheraton mahogany tripod stand and is inscribed--

To the Rt. Honorable/Sir Joseph Banks, Bart. K.B./President of the Royal Society/containing all the latest Discoveries and Communications from the most/correct surveys to the year 1798/by Capt. Cook and more recent Navigators. Engraved upon an accurate degree by Mr. Arrowsmith, Geographer/Respectfully Dedicated/by his most obedient servant/W. & T. M. Bardin/Manufactured and Sold Wholesale and Retail by W. & T. M. Bardin/16 Salisbury Square/Fleet Street, London.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 75.--Special exhibition of chemical laboratory apparatus used by Dr. Joseph Priestley. USNM 315341-351358.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 76.--Terrestrial globe made by W. & T. M. Bardin of London and used by Dr. Joseph Priestley. Diameter, 26 in. USNM 53253.]

The celestial globe, also with a Sheraton mahogany tripod stand, has a diameter of 23 in. and is inscribed--

To the Rev./Nevil Maskelyne, D. D. F. R. S./Astronomer Royal/This New British Celestial Globe/containing the positions of nearly 6,000 stars, cl.u.s.ters, nebulae, Planetary Nebulae/& correctly computed & laid down for the year 1800 from the latest observations and discoveries by Dr. Maskelyne, Dr. Herschel, the Rev. Mr.

Wollaston, etc., etc./Is respectfully dedicated by his most obedient hmbl Servants W. & T. M. Bardin, Manufactured and sold Wholesale & Retail by W. & T. M. Bardin/16 Salisbury Square/Fleet Street, London.

Gifts of Mrs. Eliza R. Lyon of Williamsport, Pa., in 1893. USNM 53253, 53254. FIGURES 76, 77.

_Orrery_, mounted on three legs 31 in. high, round top 22-1/2 in. in diameter. The planets shown are Mercury, Venus, Mars, Earth, Jupiter, and Saturn. The base is not original. Maker not known; English, 18th century.

Gift of Miss Frances Priestley of Northumberland, Pa., in 1958. USNM 315353. FIGURES 76, 77.

RITTENHOUSE, BENJAMIN (1740-c. 1820).

_Surveying Compa.s.s_, about 1796, of bra.s.s, 13-1/2 in. long over-all and 6-1/2 in. diameter. Supported on a tripod by means of a ball-and-socket joint and screw-tightening device. The name "A. Ellicott" is inscribed on one arm outside the bezel of the dial, and the name "B. Rittenhouse"

is inscribed on the other arm. The number "10" is marked on the reverse of this instrument, which is listed in the _Journal of Andrew Ellicott_ as Item 9: "A Surveying Compa.s.s made by Mr. Benjamin Rittenhouse upon the newest and most approved plans."

Gift of Henry B. Dougla.s.s of Newton, N.J., in 1934. USNM 310815. FIGURE 78.

RITTENHOUSE, DAVID (1732-1796), Philadelphia, Pa.

_Surveying Compa.s.s_, bra.s.s, over-all length 14 in., diameter 6-1/2 in., silvered dial marked with eight-pointed star indicating the cardinal and intermediate points, glazed. Inscribed "Rittenhouse, Philadelphia."

Fitted with a ball-and-socket joint for mounting on a tripod, and complete with wooden field case.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 77.--Celestial globe made by W. & T. M. Bardin of London and used by Dr. Joseph Priestley. Diameter, 23 in. USNM 53254.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 78.--Bra.s.s surveying compa.s.s made by Benjamin Rittenhouse for Andrew Ellicott and inscribed with both names. The instrument is described in _Journal of Andrew Ellicott_ (Philadelphia, 1803). USNM 310815.]

Stated to have been used by General Washington for laying out the estate of Mount Vernon, according to family ma.n.u.scripts. It was made by David Rittenhouse and presented by him to General Washington, who subsequently gave it to Capt. Samuel Duvall.

A ma.n.u.script consisting of 14 letters relating to the surveying compa.s.s is filed in the U.S. National Museum (USNM 92542). The letters were written in 1851 and 1852 by George Washington Parke Custis, Anthony Kimmel, and other Washington descendants.