From the very beginning of the Dominion Land Survey in the 1870’s surveyors were required to compare their working chain with a standard chain that was compared to a known distance. This requirement continued with the introduction of steel band tapes. The temperature and the tension applied to the standard tape when it was compared was recorded. When measuring with the working tape in the field a correction was to be made to measurements to compensate for the contraction or expansion of the tape due to temperature. Also, because steel band tapes will stretch, a tension handle was used when chaining in the field so that the same tension (usually ten or twenty pounds) was used as when the chain was calibrated.
The Society has several Dominion Land Surveyors standard tapes and Alberta Land Surveyors standard tapes in their collection.
Tape, ALSA Standard
Tape, DLS Standard