Davies' Surveying was first published in book form in 1830. This is a very nice copy of that rarely seen original edition. The text was first written as a series of lecture notes for use by the Cadets at West Point. The Military Academy was one of the foremost schools for mathematics in the country, and the book was directed towards more highly educated readers than were other works of the period.

The book's two introductory chapters on mathematics offer instruction in logarithms and plane trigonometry, but not geometry. The continuing chapters provide details about the principal surveying instruments then in use. These were the telescopic theodolite, compass, level, plain table, cross, and a number of computing and drafting scales. Practical instruction is also given in determining area, general surveying, topography and harbor surveying. Numerous working examples are included, with corresponding illustrations appearing in the rear on nine folded plates. The plates also have detailed engravings of the various instruments.

One of the examples in the 1830 text involves surveying a large tract of land using four different instruments. The theodolite is utilized for overall horizontal control, the compass and cross for fill-in work, and the plane table for adding topographic features. The book was so well received at the Academy that Davies rewrote the entire text to make it suitable for general distribution.

The revised work soon became the most popular American surveying book of the mid-19th century. Over the years there were a total of six different versions of the book with varying titles. A book review of the work appears in the website of The Compleat Surveyor. Click here for the Gibson Book Review

Size is 5.5" x 8.7" with 147 pages of text plus 153 pages of mathematical tables. Inside the rear cover are located 9 folding plates. Condition is particularly good noting some cracking to both front and rear hinges and scuffing to the edges of the leather cover. While there has been wear to the outside binding, the condition of the text and plates suggest the book has seen little use. One blank endpaper is missing from just inside the front cover although a second endpaper is still there.