Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-02-26
THE COAST SURVEY.

safety and convenience of our extensive marine,
military and commercial, has been matter of deep
interest to us ever since its commencement, many
years ago, under the auspices OF that enlightened
statesman, WILLIAM III. CRAwFoRD, then Secretary
Of the Treasury. We have accordingly marked its
progress from year to year, first under the direction
Of Mr.. HAssLER, the profound mathematician, and
subsequently under that OF Professor A. ID. BAcHE,
its present learned and distinguished Superintendent
Few persons who have not had an opportunity to ex-
anime the Superiptendent's ample periodical reports
to Congress, or the beautiful maps and charts execut
ed and engraved at his bureau in this city, from the
minute surveys triangulatons, and soundings Of his
scientific corps, can have idea Of the extent the
intrcacy, and high scientific character Of this work,
or of the credit which it is calculated TO obtain for
our country and Government with the scientific
world abroad.
1t is from these considerations that we have usual
ly furnished to our readers some notice of the an
nual reports Of the Superintendent to Congress.
The report presented at the present session,
showing the progress Of the work during the year
lS47, has just been issued from the press and pos
sesses uncommon interest for those who, like our
selves, have watched the gradual development of
those plans which Professor BAcHE introduced
soon after his appointment to Office and which
were designed to extend the usefulness Of the sur
vey, and to ensure its actual completion within a
reasonable period of time.
The inquiry as to what Unreasonable limit of time
is, or as to when, in other words the whole coast
ing trade of the United States will probably bepro-
vided with the means of secure navigation from the
Office of the Coast Survey, may be answered as
follows: The whole coast of the United States, on
the Atlantic and on the Gulf of Mexico, has been
divided into sections and in each one of these Sec
tons all the various operations of the survey might
be conducted at the same time, if the pecuniary
means were adequate, and accordingly the SURVEYS
of the whole coast might be made in the time re-
CURED to complete one section. Such rapid pro-
gress as this is hardly, however, to be anticipated
for the present; but Professor BAcHE has never,
we believe, lost sight Of his original design to ex-
tend the benefits of the survey speedily as posi-
BILE to all the States having seacoast.
In 1914, when he took charge of the work, nine
States only profted directly by its abors; in ls45
four more were included, making thirteen in 1916
the number was fifteen during the past year it was
eighteen; and, following up this. plan of gradual
expansion, the Superintendent now proposes to
embrace every State on the Atlantic and the Gulf
of Mexico in the project of next year. and this with
only small addition to his previous estimate. In
the pursuit OF this plan the progress of the coast
survey has been steady and secure it has been also
uniform. In every section the methods are the
same; SO that the results now brought 10 Washing
ton, and (where they are importantly published in
detached parts to meet the urgent demand for infor
nation which the accurate system and frequent dis
coyeries of the coast survey create, can be COM
bined into one comprehensive map or chart for gen.
eral use and reference.
The appropriate fruits of the coast survey are
these maps and charts, of which sixteen have been
published since 1884, and of which the number
will continue to increase rapidly. But every years
labor produces single results no less striking than
important. The discovery, year after year, of new
channels and of hidden dangers some of them such
as concern the whole commerce of the country,
touching not only its facilities but its safety is an
object not to be lost sight of in estimating the value
of the whole work. The labors of ls47 have not
been without their rewards An entirely new cha
racter and very great improvement is given TO the
entrance channel into Mobile Bay by the survey of
Lieut.. Com. PATTERSON. In the Chesapeake the
channel round the north side of Dauphn island into
Chester river is shown to be much better and safer
than supposed and convenient harbor of re-
fuge, where one was wanted, has been pointed out
by Lieut.. Com. MACARTHUR.
The navigation Of the near the Nantucket
Shoals has been improved by the discoveries of
Lieut.. Com. DAVIS.
most general terms of the employments of the past
year. Professor BAcHE has adopted in his report
ajudicious plan of giving in the beginning of it as
brief summary as practicable of the progress of
the past year, leaving the details of the operations
and the amount of work done by each assistant to
be specifically stated under the head Of its proper
section.
Those, therefore, who have not leisure nor taste
to follow critically the steps of the survey, in all its
various branches, will find all the general informa-
ton they require comprised il few Of the earliest
pages of the report.
The advance made since the appearance of the
report of 1916 fully justfes the promises which it
contained, although the past season has been quite
an unfavorable one and some parts of the work
have proved to be much more difficult Of execution
than was supposed, particularly the topography in
the neighborhood of the city Of Boston, where
lowing to the variety of natural and artificial fea-
lures to be determined, the number of streams, the
broken character Of the ground the number of roads,
villages, and detached buildings &c.) three topo-
graphical parties were almost constantly employed.
There is no portion of the work which appears
to have excited deeper local interest than that in
the Mississippi Sound; and the great encourage
ment afforded to the Superintendent, while person
ally employed in that field Of duty, is mentioned by
him with respect. This is very important section
of the survey. We are satisfied that the channel
round Dauphin island. and the imnortant discoyery