2 Memorias sobre las obversaciones astronomicas hechas por les navegantes Españoles en distintos lugares del globe; Por Don Josef Espinosa y Tello. Madrid, en la Imprente real, Ano de 1809: 2 vols., large 8°; vol. 1, pp. 57–60. My attention was directed to this work by Dr. Dall, who owns the only copy I have seen.
The data from which the various determinations made previous to 1874 were obtained have not been published. The observations made by Messrs. Dall and Baker, of the U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, are published in full in the annual report of that Survey for 1875, already referred to. The observations made by myself last summer as a part of the work of an expedition sent to Mount St. Elias by the National Geographic Society and the U. S. Geological Survey, from which the height and position of the mountain have been computed, are as follows:
A base line 16,876 feet long was measured on the beach at Icy bay. The line, with the exception of section C to D, as shown below, was measured three times in sections of about 3,000 feet each. The distances given below in columns 1 and 2 were obtained with a 100-foot steel tape, and those given in column 3 with a 300-foot iron wire. These are rough measurements, made without the use of a plumb-bob and without taking account of temperature. The ground was quite smooth, with a rise of about five feet in the center; but section C to D was crossed by a stream channel about 300 feet broad and twenty feet deep. Throughout much of the distance the ground was covered with grass, which was only partially cleared away. The stations at the ends of the line were ten feet above high tide. The bearing of the line from the western base was S. 89° E., magnetic.
Measurements of Base Line.
| 1. | 2. | 3. | Mean. | |
| Ft. in. | Ft. in. | Ft. in. | Ft. in. | |
| Western base to station A | 3,179 10 | 3,178 7 | 3,178 9 | 3,179 1 |
| Station A to station B | 2,355 2 | 2,354 1 | 2,354 2 | 2,354 6 |
| Station B to station C | 3,589 0 | 3,587 9 | 3,586 0 | 3,587 7 |
| Station C to station D | Rejected. | 2,609 2 | 2,609 5 | 2,609 3 |
| Station D to eastern base | 5,145 5 | 5,144 10 | Not meas- ured. | 5,145 1 |
| Length of base line | 16,875 6 |
The measurements of angles were made with a gradienter reading by vernier to minutes. The error of the vertical arc was –3', and remained constant during the observations.
Measurements of Angles at Western Base.
| Right vernier. | Left vernier. | Vertical angle. | Date. | ||
| 1. | St. Elias Eastern base | 218° 35' 317 6 | 38° 35' 137 7 | +5° 40' —— | 1891, Aug. 14, 10 a.m. " " " |
| 2. | St. Elias Eastern base | 218° 34' 317 6 | 38° 37' 137 7 | +5° 40' —— | "
" " " " " |
| 3. | St. Elias Eastern base | 218° 37' 317 6 | 38° 39' 137 8 | +5° 40' —— | "
" " " " " |
| 4. | St. Elias Eastern base | 261° 41' 0 10 | 81° 43' 180 11 | +5° 40' —— | "
" " " " " |
| 5. | St. Elias Eastern base | 261° 41' 0 10 | 81° 43' 180 10 | +5° 40' —— | "
" " " " " |
| 6. | St. Elias Eastern base | 50° 15' 148 45 | 230° 15' 328 45 | +5° 40' —— | 1891, Aug. 14, 6 p.m. " " " |
| 7. | St. Elias Eastern base | 50° 15' 148 45 | —— —— | —— —— | "
" " " " " |
| 8. | St. Elias Eastern base | 181° 5' 279 30 | 1° 5' 99 32 | +5° 40' —— | "
" " " " " |
Measurements of Angles at Eastern Base.