The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1843-06-07
The Coast Survey-Its Brilliant Results.
"Csn knowledge have no bound, but must advance
So far, to make us wish for ignorance T,-DsNHAM.


Mr. EDITOR -
The ustrious ease, whose profound wisdom and
vast learning have been applied for long series Of
years to the direction and progress of our greatest
national work, the Coast Survey, at length one ps
TO the Eublic gaze portion of his abors, and bids
us make what use we may of them. Alter ten
years of anxious expectation we permitted
this glimpse, this ioretaste of what is TO follow
perhaps, during the present century We are pre-.
sented by Mr. Hassler with catalogue of the ex-
act geosrarcal positions OF forty lighthouses, with
directions tor use, III the Language of the sci.
ences," for the immediate use and benefit OF our
navIgatOrs
Three-fourths Of the names in the catalogue are
those OF that important class of beacons, KIN own
among sramen as "sde Lights" or those { ecu
Pying opposite shores OF inland waters, like the
lamp posts on each side OF Broadway. The great.
est accuracy was undoubtedly required besides
a vast amount OF laDorous calculation, TO emi-
nate the few hsures given as results -sifted like
grains OF gold dust from mountain OF sand and rub
Dish, by otrepeated manlpuations, and the eternal
gratitude OF tee nation at large is due to the inn
mortal Hassler tor 30 useful bequest, the more
particularly when we consider how insig nifcant has
been the cost The skipper Of Long Island Sound
will no longer have any doubts about the accuracy
OF his observations after worklng up lunar or me
rldlan altitude because the figures in the cata-
logue will always serve a check to prove his cal
culations. No more need the ballast monger of
Delaware Bay feel any uneasiness in taking de-
pArture from MahOn's Ditch to Mispillion Creek,
tor the elements OF the actual distance are here laid
down. The canal boats from the Susquehanna to
The Patapsco may now paddle in safely, since the
position OF Have de Grace lighthouse is shown to
seconds. OF latitude and longitude. The positions of
seven lighthouses On the ocean coast are given,
and by comparisd0 with the same as given in
the American Coast Pilot of Messrs. Blunt,
we find in the latter such horrid erYors az
30 seconds OF latitude, or half a mile Of Ii
near distance. Navlgators should be cautious how
they use this book, for we regret 10 in the
latest edition, that no mention s made therein Of
"the meridian OF the island of Zero, accepted tor
he "a ing M liar hef vve
the two plani-s lobes," 80 carefully noted by Mr..
Hassler in his directions for use," and which the
real navigator will appreciate, when jammed be-
tween the pct and gTidiron OF He'll Gate.
There are some few errata in Mr.. Hasser's list
which were probably caused by the "short time"
allowed for its preparation and the want Of suita-
bic assistants" this country being utterly barren OF
the peculiar intellecs required for such purposes,
thus throwing the whole amount Of labor upon the
Illustrious chief, at the green old age OF 10
Cape May lighthouse, at the entrance OF Delaware
with the one at Mahons Ditch, or that at Havre de
Grace) Is laid down one degree, sixty geographic
cal miles north OF its true position. "omiiting deci-
mails" II should also have been stated that longi-
tudes are always calculated from Greenwich by
English and American NaYgators, instead of the
expression, "as from the latter (Greenwch) longi-
tudes are generally calculated by English naviga-
tors" There are some small errors in the changing
of the ''time column" into care" the mosl impor.
tant of which is the position Of Throgs Neck
However, as our coasters who navigate the Sound
can check the rates OF their timekeepers between
the City Hall and Sands Point, the latter error will
not perhaps cause any disasters AS the survey is
now progressing southwark shall expect in 1853 to
receive from Mr.. Hasser the geographical positions
OF the lamp posts on the Dismal Swamp Canal and
the Lazareto Beacon at the head of the Patapsco,.
with others Of equal importance. 1t is much to be
lamened that the penurious feelings of our legsla-
tors should prevent more liberal appropriations for
only S1OO,000 per year have been allowed to Mr..
Hasser, yetif the brilliant results enumerated above
are properly estimated, the economy Of the work
in proportion its value, will astonsh all the world.
We trust our next Congress will look at this matter
and show more liberal temper
STEERING PADDEK.