w of
1902, the proceeds received from the sale of public lands in certain
Western States and Territories will be expended by the National
government in the construction of irrigation works. This law is destined
to have a great influence upon the future of our Western States.

[Illustration]

The National System of Survey.--In the thirteen original States
there was no uniform system of land survey, but each tract of land was
surveyed as necessity required, generally after settlement had been
made upon it. The tracts were of very irregular shapes. The boundary
lines, usually starting from some natural object, were measured by rods
or chains, running in certain directions as ascertained by the use of
the compass. This method of survey is still in use in the Eastern
States. According to a law of 1785, a uniform system of "rectangular
survey" was applied to all lands belonging to the United States. This
survey has preceded settlers, and has to some extent influenced the
method of settlement and the nature of local government throughout the
West. The lands surveyed have been divided into townships six miles
square. For the boundaries of townships the law requires the use of
north-and-south and east-and-west lines. To secure starting points from
which to run these lines, it was necessary to designate certain
meridians as Principal Meridians and certain parallels as Base Lines.

Method of Land Description.--The map indicates the location of
Principal Meridians and Base Lines in the States north of the Ohio
River. Starting, then, from any Principal Meridian, the tier of
townships directly east is called Range I; the other ranges are numbered
east and west of that meridian. Counting also from the Base Line, the
townships are numbered 1, 2, 3, etc., both north and south. It thus
becomes possible to locate precisely any particular township by a simple
description: e.g., township 5 north, Range VIII east of the first
Principal Meridian.

Since the eastern and western boundaries of townships are meridians,
they approach nearer to each other as they go farther north. Hence the
townships become less than six miles from east to west as the survey
proceeds northward from any base line. This necessitates the running of
standard parallel lines, or correction lines, at frequent intervals, to
be used as new base lines (Figure 1).

[Illustration: Figure 1]

To still further facilitate the sale and description of lands, the law
provi