Subject: Longitudes west of Washington<br/>
Date: Nov 15, 2003 @ 15:10<br/>
Author: Lowell G. McManus (&quot;Lowell G. McManus&quot; &lt;mcmanus71496@...&gt;)<br/>
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<div id="ygrps-yiv-1194705894">On Thursday, Adam wrote:<br/>
<br/>
<blockquote><span title="ireply"> &gt; I&#39;ve seen old American maps somewhere (can&#39;t remember where) that showed<br/>
 </span></blockquote>longitude relative to the dome of the Capitol in Washington.<br/>
<br/>
In BUS&SS, Van Zandt tells us that an Act of Congress of September 28, 1850<br/>
(repealed August 22, 1912) required &quot;That hereafter the meridian of the<br/>
observatory at Washington shall be adopted and used as the American meridian for<br/>
all astronomic purposes...&quot;  This meridian passes through the center of the dome<br/>
of the old Naval Observatory (24th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW).  It is<br/>
77°03&#39;02.3&quot; west of Greenwich.<br/>
<br/>
So, it&#39;s not the Capitol dome, but that of the former Naval Observatory, then<br/>
located just northwest of where the Lincoln Memorial now stands.<br/>
<br/>
Van Zandt tells us that the meridian boundaries of a great many of the western<br/>
states, which were established during the 62 years that this law was in effect,<br/>
are referenced to the Washington Meridian.<br/>
<br/>
Lowell G. McManus<br/>
Leesville, Louisiana, USA</div>