Zenith Distance of Castor October 10th 6h 6′ 8 19 51 12th 5 58 8 19 51 === === === Declination of Capella 45 44 14 Zenith distance of Capella Refraction 5 2 5 ——— ——— ——— Latitude 40 42 9 === === === Declination of Castor 32 22 7 Zenith distance of Castor 8 19 51 Refraction 0 0 9 ——— ——— ——— Latitude 40 42 7 === === === The mean of the above observations ascertain the Latitude of Fort George in 40° 42′ 8″. I am, with respect Sir, Your most Humb. Servt. JOHN MONTRESOR. John Cruger Esq. President of the Chamber of Commerce of New York. (End of extract of minutes.) The Chamber of Commerce appropriated 20 pounds to pay Mr. Rittenhouse for his services in the above matter. In 1790,[30] Fort George was razed to the ground, part of the material was used for filling in and enlarging Battery Park, the Government Building was erected on part of the old fort site, and all trace of the southwest bastion where the observations of Montresor and Rittenhouse were made was lost. The New York Historical Society, on June 10, 1817, therefore voted to apply to the Corporation of the City to ascertain the site of the bastion an which Messrs. Rittenhouse and Montresor made their observations in 1769 and to erect a monument with suitable inscriptions to mark the same. Messrs. John Pintard, Dr. John Griscom and Dr. Samuel L. Mitchill were appointed a committee to prepare the memorial to the Common Council and present it to that body. The memorial, dated June 16, 1817, recited the facts here given and said: “It is conceived by the Historical Society that it is worthy the care of a cultivated and enlightened people to ascertain and perpetuate by a monumental stone the aforesaid site.” It also called attention to the fact that “Your magnificent City Hall has been erected considerably to the northward of the place where Fort George formerly stood,” and requested that its latitude also be accurately determined and marked by a monument with appropriate inscriptions.