Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1846-02-05
The Coast Survey.

Po'N VI 'otSssU puSuc, huc ouP0i"
,endent Of the U. S. Coast Survey, for
the year l845, No. 39, Of the printed
documents of Congress. From the con-
else statement there given, it appears
that greater progress has been made in
this important National work than during
any previous year. We have not suffi-
ci-nt space for the details Of the work
The whole series Of operations is divided
into three principal sections, ,he East
ern, Middle and Southern.
The Eastern section comprehe nds the
operations on the coast and inland OF
New Eng land. The primury niansles
have been extended norihward 80 far as
TO include that ancient and venerable
seat Of learning Harvard University, g,
and the store OF Astronomical labours of
Bowdnch, Paine, Peirce, Bond and
others, is made available for liking the
geographical position Of points of The
survey on ,hc surface of the earth.
For the last twenty years, series Of
Astronomical al observations has been made
at Cambridge, Boston, and Dorchester,
having for its object to FIX the long tude
of the Boston State House from Green
wich, England. BY his junction this
summer, Professor Bache has been able
to avail himself for the Coast Survey of
all these observations, which embrace
the solar eclipses and lunar occulnlions
OF the last twenty years, the moon-cul-
limitations of the last six years, and The
chronome'rlc comparisons, through the
Liverpool ste eamers, for the last two years
A II these sources of Information combine
IN placing the site Of the New Cam
bridge Observatory, four hours, forty
four minutes, thirty-one and seven tenths
seconds in time west Of Greenwich -
One Of Professor Bache's primary iri-
an lies connecting Harvard Observable
ry with Blue Hill, and Prospect Hill,
effects the connection Of the observatory
with the coast survey, a connection that
will ere long be extended eastward to
Nova Scotia, and westward TO the ex-
tremiiy of Texas.
In this way the coast survey is found
moving hand in-hand with the local in
stitutioDs, availing itself of the fruits Of
their labours, and furnishing them in re-
turn With the means Of more periec,
correspondence with sister institutions
throughout the republic.
The coas, survey has this year boen
connected with the Massac nuse,ts' sur
vey under Borden, and the primitive
base lines of both operations, have been
compared together and tested by a third
or new base Of verilication eleven miles
long, measured by Assistant Edmund
Blunt, on the Boston and Providence
Railroad. To give some idea of the
close agreement between the results of
the two independent works, the coast
survey and Borden's survey Of Massa-
chusetts, we remark in the notice Of
these works in the Nautical Magazine
of Januury, that :he sides Of su.ns OF The
large tlian:les Of twenty four miles in
length near Rhode Island, when made
common to the two surveys, and referred
both to Hasslrr's and Borden's base
lines, agree wiihin a fraction Of a foot
The primary friangulaiion in this Sec
tion has been effected personally by the
superintendent, Prof Bache, with The
aid Of Lieut.. Lee and assistant Bou,elle.
A summary Of their work for the cam-
paign Of l846 gives l25 Cor the mum
ber of observations for lime, 63G2 fol
latitudes aud 937 for azi,nu,h a monu-
ment this, of the industry Of the party. -
.Masneiic observations were made a, five
stations, and meteorological observations
at all of the stations.
The secondary hiangglalion, which
consists of a series Of smaller triaDgles,
extending over The same ground, includ
ing the principal stations, have been con
Quoted by assistant Eakin and Mr.. Shi- |
ras. The number Of angles measured
from May to October was 1899 This
part Of the work has been carried To
Cape Cod.
The Typographical work, under as
sistant Boyce, has included the head of
Buzzard's Bay, Elizabeth Island, aud
part of MartIia's Vineyard Island, and
wo sheets are completed for publications
also three others by assistant Whiting.
The soundings under Lieut. Blake,
nave been extended in Buzzard's Bay 4
Vineyard Sound and Long Island Sound
These soundings give the materials for
charts of these bays and sounds, and will
make known more perfectly to seamen
Two very lmportan; harbors of refuge,
viz Tarpaulin Cove and Holiness
Hole: Ofthe Importance of such charts,
it is sufficient to remark tha, every sea-
son causes losses to our insurance Offices,
which the knowledge afforded by these
charts might have prevented, Of more
han the whole cost Of the hydrograph-
Ic operations for making these charts.
The exploration of the Gulf Stream
has been performed by Lieut.. Davis.
IL is operations VIII furnish more precise
than any heretofore obtained
Ut the dimensions, temperature, and me-
effects oil this s,ns ular fea.
lure OF the Western Atlantic.
The sci and ueiocity Of the sides off
New England and IN Long Island Sound
have been measured by Lieuienants
Blake and Davis. These observations
give the means Of making tide charts of