Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1845-02-06
Tie Coast Survey.

Boston Advertiser by a frieGd with III,
following comprehensive abstract Of Prot
Bache's report upon The Coast Survey
This great and important work is in yer,
good hands and making very satisfactory
progress, and we cannot hut concur il
the hope Of our correspondent, that Con
gress will continue to sustain i, by ample
sPPropriations:- -
We have before MS the Report of the
Superintendent of the Survey Of the
COas,, showing The progress of the work
during the past year. Ii is accompanied
by maps, skeiching the various fields o
operation, and such detailed statement
Of what has been done both out of doors
and in the Office, that the careful reader
may form correct estimate Of the char
ac.er, and progress Of this great national
undertaking.
The Report 10 divided into three parts
The first gives an account of the nature
OF the work the second recounts the
iabors Of the past year, and the third ex-
poses the plan of operations for the sue
ceeding year. The operations Of the
Survey nave during The present year been
carried into nine States Of the Union, and
will soon be extended to three others
In eight Of these States all the divisional
duties have been perinrmed simultaneou ous-
ly during the preceding summer-that is,
whilst. the Superintendent, and his princi-
pal assistants have conducted the primary
lriangula,i"os, the secondary triangular
ing parties have furnished the necessary
points for the 'opographers, who in their
turn have supplied the naval officers with
The requisite means of making the sound
ings, observing lhe direction aud velocity
of currents, sc.
Astronomical observations have been
made at five stations, meteorological at
a still greater number, and magnetic oh.
servalions demanding the EXTREMIST ac-
euracy and patience, have been pea,ed
in the harbor Of New York, and the
principal harhors Of Long Island Sound.
Two bases, TO verify the work Of former
years, have been measured, one on Kent
Island in the Chesapeake, about 8 l-2
miles long, and another in this State,
about miles long
In addition TO the above, observations
and calculations for the determination of
Longitude, a"e going on at all times, at
the principal astronomical stations of the
country, Including the Observatory at
Cambridge. We have abundant evil
dence here, that neither the time, nor
the resources Of the Survey have been
wasted, or misdirected. We mus, not
omit, however, to notice the labors OF the
office, which are great and incessant,
through all seasons Of the year. The
best exponent Of the latter is the chart
of New York bay and harLor, which has
lately been issued from the Office of the
Coast Survey. 1, has never been eoual-
cd or even approached in this country
IN mlnuteness, and accuracy Of detail,
aud beauty, and clearness of execution
Even this, however, is limited praise
The Importance Of this, and the charts
Of other great harbors can better be esti-
mated by reading DR.. Bache's Report,
from which we learn that new channels
never before known, and dangerous i'm
pediments to navigation entirely unsus.
pecled, have been discovered even in
our largest commercial depots, as New
York and Philadelphia.
The superintendent has presented n
plan OF operations for the ensuing year
which is very comprehensive, embracing
III its field thirteen States Of the Union,
and also exceedingly interesting to the
mi mt al
at once to the public the valuable infor-
nation which has been accumualing for
ten years. We have an earnest trust,
and indeed assurance, tia, no misplaced
views Of economy on the part Of our leg
islators, will interrupt or delay the execu-
ton of this plan. Whatever adds to the
security Of our commerce, increases our
wealth and the former liberal appropria-
tions can best be redeemed by such adj
ditional expenditure as will lead to the
immediate diffusion OF the valuable nior-
nation in the Office of the Coast Office,
waiting the sanction Of Congress for its
publication.
/; is with the h ghest pride and grali-
cation that we gee the scandalous re-
pIohCn PasS'iiP away ToiH us, oI Deinp
indebted to English and French surveys
(and those very incomplete ones) for q
knowledge Of our own shores.
This pride is not little increased by
the fact that this great work is now con
Quoted by one Of our own counirymen-
though we heartily join him in his grace
iui eulogy upon his predecessor, Mr..
Hasser, whose memory will always be
gratefully cherished amongst US for hav-
ing first introduced into this county, and
practically illustrated IAN important branch
Of physical science.
We cannot conclude this notice, with
out calling attention TO the enlarged and
magnanmous spirit with which DR..
Bache has called to his aid some Of the
most distinguished scientific men in the
country. lie has thus impressed ma.
tional character upon this great work,
and nobly responded TO the unanimous
voice Of American science in favor of his
appointment We trust that this voice
will be heard in the halls Of Congress,
and uniting with those of commerce and
navig alton, will demand sufficiently