The Enquirer

MAP OF VIRGINIA.

From the Petersburg Intelligencer.

Messrs. Dickson And Pleasants,

THE object of the enclosed letter will be answered by publishing it: I have therefore to request that you will insert it in your next paper. A rough draught of the MAP therein referred to, has been submitted to the inspection of the members of the General Assembly, who have generally expressed their approbation of the work, and offered their friendly interposition to insure its publication. In consequence of which an ingenious and competent artist has been engaged to engrave the Map, which I flatter myself will be executed in a style not inferior to any similar work in the United States.

Proposals will be handed to you in a few days.

I am yours, &c. &c.

WILLIAM PRENTIS.

Petersburg, Feb. 6, 1805.

Dear SIR,

THE MAP of VIRGINIA, to which you have lent so considerable assistance in the collection of some of the necessary materials, is nearly completed. For the forwardness of the work, I am indebted to Mr. William Davis, whom I have found to be a neat, correct and intelligent draughtsman.

In making to our countrymen your proposals for the publication of this Map, it will be proper to mention, in a few words, the data upon which it is founded. These ought to be known, in order that some previous judgment may be formed of its pretensions to public attention and encouragement: and also, that it may not be supposed, a greater degree of accuracy is assumed, than the information possessed will warrant. For this purpose, it may be stated--

1st. That the latitude and longitude of several important points, ascertained but of late, afford so many essential requisites in the formation of a Map, and cannot fail, as far as they extend, to conduce to greater accuracy.

2dly. That plots of counties, furnished by their surveyors, particularly by those of the transmontane and middle parts of the state, have been collected with much labor, and very considerable success:--that surveys also, which have been made of the boundaries of counties, of the courses of rivers, of the bearings of mountains, and of the distance of places, have been sought for with the greatest diligence, and obtained, except in a few instances.

3dly. That the exposure of the first delineation to the animadversion of the Representatives in Richmond, whose local information may be presumed to be correct, has afforded the means of retrenching many errors, and of supplying a deficiency in materials.

Lastly. The completion of the boundaries of the state, together with the labors of those who have preceded in the same work, furnish principles for geographical combination, which lead, in some cases, to useful results.

Such is the ground work of the Map.--Its size, which will be 5 feet 6 inches in length, and 3 feet 8 inches in breadth, will be found, I think, sufficiently suited to the magnitude of the state.

With respect to the delineation, it is observed, that accuracy, so far as the present state of the geographical knowledge of this country could be obtained, and will permit, has been studiously aimed at. The degree of correctness of which the Map may boast, is greatly short of that which might be attained by the interposition of the legislature of Virginia. It is only her fiat, which can give existence to a perfectly just picture of herself. In the mean time, I flatter myself, that the representation which is now proposed to be exhibited, imperfect as it may be in some respects, will still be found more satisfactory, than any which hath hitherto appeared: and will aid in the promotion of that geographical knowledge, which is the most interesting to every Virginian.

I am, Dear Sir,

Yours, very respectfully,

J. MADISON.

Williamsburg, Feb. 1, 1805.