Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1839-08-13
EDO VI E&EHa.
Survey OF TUE COAST.

SURVEY OF TIE COAST ~
The attention ot Crng;es5 was ms. sn'"'u "
suhect Of Tie entire coast OF me Ch''u o'Ns' y
s;dsr, Jefferson in 1907, and . Law was acc"fun"Py
So n I'm, vear authorizing and requesting inc lresi
survey lobe taken OF ihr coasts o, 'e
i, which shall designated The Islands oio sh"alS'
r;,h the roads or places Of anchorage, within t"enty
,a,as of any part of the shores OF The U s. ana also
the respective courses and dte'ances 'etweeh inc pm
cipal capes or head lands together WIN soeh "he al
Ter as he may deem proper Tor conpr'hs an ac'u'aN
chart of every part ot The coasts "p'" TUG
said" .., ,,a p,s.;
The act further authorized and requested me irSs
dent "for any OF the purposes Aforesaid 10 cause P
Der and intelligent per-nns !" De smp"Jto' pna as"
sn.h Of the pubc vessels in active service as he may
;ndue exuedent and give such instructions Tor reSu
isnu their conduct b'm may appear proper accotu
ing TO the tenor Of this act
The duty Of carrying into effect lnis Ia" was ue'
voIyed by The President The Secretary OF Tue isA
.prv Mr. GalatIn Accordingly, in March, leui a
circular was issued by that officer. requesting the sng
oestion of the outlines Of plan Of the contemplated
work "to unite correctness and practIcabhty va
rnus plans presented, and one submitted by p'o-
fes.or ilasslet adopted by the Presdrn but,
owing the situation Of the external eau"ns on he
country a, that pprnd the President deemed u best 10
CONNIE ncing the work and, IN the meantime,
directed Mr. Fl to furnish descriptions Z" the scientific
instruments required for the prosecution OF me "ofR
These preninares being settled. aud appearing mat
the necessary instruments could not De pf"cu'ro ~ 'he
county, il became necessary send TO Europe Tor men,
whittier Mr. Hasser was instructed 10 proceed Tor that
object He accordingly embarked f'T England III the
wear 1911 and had the necessary instruments prepared
I,nder his immediate direction and Inspection br'oFe
this commission ives accomplished however, The peace OF
the country interrupted, and Mr. liass!tr was mus
prevented from returning 10 the United States WIN the
instruments until towards The close OF The year 1910
In the year 1915, Mr.. Dallas, then Secr"tary {" the
Treasury with The approbs lion cf The PRESIDENT, engag.
ed the services Of Mr. Hassler, Who entered on The IN
derlaknu superintendent oil the en'lTe worR WIN
authority 10 employ officers from the corps otengneers
4 ,hap ssis,ap and Ia
ce.sary eouipupns, for the successful prosecution
of the work After the preparatory RECOMMENDING ano
surveys, base line was established and duly Fauh'o oy
careful calculation in New Jersey in lST, and sundry
urinary trianpuaiions projected and completed during
The said wear The work. nj this period, "ae interrupted
by the omission Of Congress 10 make The necessary aP
tons presumed to have been owing to the urgent
demand for funds meet paymens on account OF The
heavy national debt then due by the county, and other
important objects Of public nature Matters thus re
NAMED until The passage OF the act Of lse lUin July,
1872 entitled IAN act 10 carry into eHpcihe act TO pro-
vide for survey of the of the United States by
which the &c. revived, and requiring the survey TO
embrace the coasts Of Florida hiss ACT also auhu'lzss
~ President Sin The execution OF the law, 10 employ
ali persons in the land and naval service OF the United
States and such astronomers and other persons as he
may deem proper.
Mr. Hassler again appointed by the President to
make the survey under the superintendent OF the ifea
surv DEPARTMENT., on the same terms agreed upon IN
1876 Under the fostering care OF Congress this great
national work has been since prosecuted with as much
vgor and activity as the nature OF 1t would adm! o.
and MANY highly important results have already been
realized and amongst them the discovery OF another
channel into the habor OF New York, of sufficient depth
of for the safe passage oil vessels Of the largest
class in and out Of that port.
The Superintendent has under his direction several
able assistants and officers under them, engaged in the
topoprarhca pnrt Of the survey and are divided into
separate corps for accomplishing the main and seconda
nv trianouIaons, and the punetable operations be
aide. there are four vessels employed IN The hydro
graphical portions of the work in making the necessary
soundinps md examination Of currents, shosls, bays
hsrhurs &c on the coast These operations ore con
Quoted by intelligent and experienced naval officers
(nnder the immediate direction Of the Superintendent
whose determinations are grounded on points and re
suits first established by the Typographical parties on the
land and thereby giving to them mathematical precision
and certainty.
From casual examination of the report Of the Su.
perntpndeni, made 10 the Secretary of the Treasury
and laid before Congress OF The last session. appears
that the work has been completed in all its details
throughout that part OF the coast and adjacent waters
lying between the eastern extremity OF Long Island
Sound. 10 the neighborhood of Long Branch, New
Jersey and the necessary angnaions 10 pursue the
survey and snundngs of the Delaware, the outer sea
shore and Bsrgenat Bay, have been extended S"u,hey
to the vicinity Of Cape May and towards the North Ia
Mount Carmel, in Connecticut Sounding parties are
now engaged in completing their operations between
the prints indicated Accurate maps and charts of the
respective portions Of the work progressed have
been prepared, and whenever directed by Congress TO
be published, WILL doubt furnish highly impor,an,
information and prove OF great practical public utility
and especally The maritime portion Of The commun
ty.-GioIe.
STANDARD WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.
In December, 1919, the motion OF Mr. Lowndes Of
South Carolina a resolution adopted by the House
of Representatives directing The Secretary Of State "to
report TO this House What information he may be able to
obtain the regulations and STANDARD for weights and
measures in the several Stntes and as to the proceed
ings in foreign countries for establishing uniformity in
weights and measures; together with such plan for fix
ing standard Of weights and measures tor the United
States be may deem proper for their adoption.
In compliance with this resolution, very able and
Interesting report made by the Secretary OF State
(Mr Adams) in February. 1921, detailing many import
ant facts and exhibiting remarkable difference between
the weights and used the respective
houses
No further proceedings appear to have been taken in
the matter until May, 1890 when resolution W as adopt
ed by the Senate If the IT, States on The motion of MIR
Woodbury.. then Senator from New Hampshire direct.
ing the Secretary Of the Treasury 30 cause comosr
son TO be made Of the standards u weights and
used in the principal custom houses in the United
States and report the Senate at The mex, session of
Congress"
In obedience 10 this resolution the required Compare
son was commenced under the immediate superinend
ence of Mr. F r. Hassler, whose high reputation for
scientific requirements generally and experience in this
branch especially, recommended him peculiarly qua
lifted for the undertaking II conducted on The bes,
established scientific principles and the result exhibited
such remarkable disparity in the weights and measures
used in the different custom houses as TO demonstrate
the urgent necessity Of providing standards for their
regulation, to insure uniformity throughout the U s.
Reports were accordingly made by the Secretary of the
Treasury TO the Senate in 1881 and 80 accompanied
by detailed statement prepared BY Mr. Hnsser show