The Yazoo City Whig. [volume] (Yazoo, Miss.) 1844-1851, 1845-03-14
General Intelligence.
IFlle Coast Survey.

1AaC COAST survey
We have been furnished by a friend with
The following comprehensive abstract ofPsO-
lessor Bache's report upon the Coast survey.
This great and important work (says tie Bos.
Ion Daily Advertiser is in very good hands,
and making very satisfactory progress, and /
we cannot but concur in the hope OF our |
that Congress will continue |
10 sustainit by ample appropriations.
1--WE have before Us the report Of the su. |
perintendent Of the Survey Of the Coast,
showing the progress of the work during
The past year. 1t is accompanied by maps, /
sketching the various fields Of operation,
and such detailed statement of what has
been done, both out Of doors and in the of.
fee, that the careful reader may form a cor.
rect estimate ofthe character aud progress
of this great national undertaking.
"'Fhe report is divided into three parts ::
the first gives an account Of the nature of the
work; the second recoUnts the labOrs Cf the
past year; and the third exposes the plan Of
operations for the succeeding year. The
Operations OF the survey have, during the
present year, been carried into nine States
Of the Union, and will soon be extenden TO
three others. Ia eight Of these States all
the divisional duties have been performed
simultaneously during the preceding sum-
lmer; that is, while the Superintendent and
his principal assistants have conducted the
primary tFiangulatiOns, the secondary TRAN
guIating parties have furnished the necessa-
Try points for the topographers, who in their
turn have supplied the naval officers with
The requisite means ofmaking the soundings,
observing the direction and velocity Of car
rents, &c.
Astronomical observations have been
made at FIVE stations, meteorological at a
still greater number, and magnetic observa-
tions demanding the EXTREMIST accuracy and
lpalience. have been repeated in the harboE
lof New York and the principle habors Of
Long Island Sound. Two bases to verify
the work of former years have been measUr
led--one on Kent Island, in the Chesapeake
abOW Eve and half miles long, and anoth
10" viA d~eV~Pls-s~ts-y obS~A-ole1Sii mila
long.
''In addition to the above, observation.
and calculations for the determination Of
Longitude are going on at all times at the
principal astronomical stations Of the cOun
TRY, including the Observatory at Cambridge
We have abundant evidence here that Meth
Ter the time nor the resources of the SurVel
have been wasted nor misdirected. w,
must not omit, however, 10 notice the labor
lof the office, which are great and incessan
through ali seasons Of the yean The bes
lexponent Of the latter is the chart of New
York bay and harbor which has lately been
issued from the Office of the Coast Survey
it has never been equalled or even appFoch
ed in this country, in minutenesS and accu
racy of detail, and beauty and clearness o
execution.
"Even this, However, is limited praise
The importance Of this and the charts o
other great harbOrs can better be estimated
by reading Dr. Bachc's report, from which
we learn that new channels never before
known, and dangerous impediments TO navi
CATION entirely unsupported, have been dis
2 covered even ia our largest commercial de
a pots, as New York and Philadelphia.
The Superintendent has presented plal
of operation for the ensuing year which i
very compr shensive, embracing in its Eel,
thirteen States of the Union, and also ex
: lceedingly interesting to the mercantile com
!: munity, proposing to give at once to tn
5 public the valuable information which ha
q been accommodating for ten years. We havi
q an ernest trust, and Indeed assurance, the
9 mo misplaced views Of economy on the pal
$ of our Legislators will interrupt or delay III
: execution Of this plan. Whatever adds /
y the security ofour commerce increases OF
g wealth; and the former liberal appropriation
Is lean best be redeemed By such additions
. Expenditures as will lead to the immediat
e diffusion Of the valuable information in th
d office Of the Coast Survey, waiting the sane
IS ton Of Congress for its publication.
j. II is with the highest pride and gratifc'
j. ton that we see the scandalous rePrOaC
3, passing away from as Of being indebted
% English aud French surveys tand those vel
{. incomplete ones) for knowledge Of our o"
le Ishnres.
II '.This pride is not little increased
Of he fact that this great work q now conduc
n led bY one Of our own countrymen, though v
B. heartily join HMM bis graceful eulogy upt
= Ibis predecessor, Mr.. HassleF, whose memo
= will always be gratefully cherished among
. us for having firsl introduced into this coa
:. try, and practically illustrated, IN impoEla
q branch Of physical science
y We cannot conclude this notice (says q
i. Daily AdUertisef) without calling attenti
= to the enlarged and maguanimous spirit vi