The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-02-18

n
tn smaller triangualions fix the more important
intermediate points from the bases OF the minute survey
which the surface OF the shore ana 'e SEQ ha
been connected with the establishment OF Nauohai 70
servatory Not 50, sir Every astronomical observation
rbicb has been made has been necessary 10 the deter
mination of the latitude and longitude OF the points Of
survey II was necessary TO have these fixed and pre-
c;.aIv Known | need scarcely give the Senate any au
1horiiy for this; but can easily do have here
article from the Princeton Review, written by Professor
Henry himself, OF the most distinguished Swans of
this or any other country, from which will read para
graph:
sConneced with the primary trianguation series of
astronomical observations made for ascertainng the
latitude and longitude Of the points the result
which may check the guaton and establish
the chart the parallels OF latitude and mesidans OF ong
possesses within Itself the data for verfcurion"
' might appear at first sgh. that the process here de-
scrbed Is OF difficulty oil execution and that
be safely trusted TO ofordnay scientific acqnre-
ments &c., but nothing can be further from the truth
Sir minute error In your base line "a small mistake
in any of your primary obser vations-propagates and
1nultpics itself throughout the whole extent Of work
of this sort.
been supposed might be made in the National Observa-
tory, nothing than hints of the process ndis
pensable TO give precision and value 10 the results OF
these surveys Sir this is well known. 1t is the prac-
fice in every. civilized country under heaven where an
attempt has been made execute great work like this,
in the surveys Of England, France, Russia, Prussia,
Wurtemburg, Italy, &c, many of which have been ex-
ecuted with extraordinary accuracy TO employ the means
which have been used in the service in which
engaged. We have improved upon these means IN
respects, aud surveys inferior in accuracy
completeness OF detail, and economy OF performance to
OF theirs
since the act Of 1892 under different auspices than the
survey That Observatory established by Congress,
and has connexion with the coast survey. II at any
time any observations have been made connected with
that survey the Observatory it has been for the pur
pose of assisting the advancement OF the work II has
been but proper contribution from an establishment
which is entirely independent OF the plan and pro-
gress OF the coast survey venture to say sir, that
Il never entered into the head of Mr.. Bache, or
of Mr. Hassler, OF any else, that in making
the astronomical observations SO absolutely necessary to
the value OF these surveys he was bidding defiance 10 an
act OF Congress- and building up permanent National
Observatory The superintendent OF the coast survey
would have been dsgraced scientific man, and
fathless public servant, if he had omitted to give
curacy, precison and value 10 his work, by such nds
pensable and well known and must be
ployed in all work of this character.
Well sir, after the main triangulations, and the sec
ondary and tertiary angulaon, comes the topography
which delinehtes the country for few miles inland.
Mr. Hasser carried it much farther inland than Mr..
Bache has done. That was partly owing, however, to
country upon which the two officers engaged Mr.
Hasser occupied chiefly with the billy regions OF
the north, where there were many prominent natural
objects far inland, which furnished the best points for
his triangulations. His observations were therefore,
necessarily carried farther into the interior than those OF
Mr. Bache, who has been more occupied with the south
ern portions OF our country where the land IS lower and
more level.
While then, they are making this primary triangula-
ton, this secondary triangua,on which is subsidiary to
the former, and this tertiary riangulaton, 10 assist in
the competition and verication OF the whole they might
just well make a typographical map OF the country
They might have omitted that, to be sure; but think
that it was dsce tonary with the President to include
this work, since, while engaged in the coast survey II
would make but very little addition to the expense to
make topogr apical map of the coast instead OF
skeleton map of the diereat stations and triane uations
1t by asceainDg the precise position as to latitude and
longitude, of all the points upon the coast that you de-
rive an accurate deneaon of the upon that
That is all The photography cannot be ascertaned
with any precision without the aid OF shore operations
1t is necessary to make traDgulaons with points upon
the coast with which to connect the points of the coast
in order mark down and describe the soundngs. The
system of trianguaton Just as necessary IN order to
enable you dclDeae upon map the character of the
surface of the earth under the TO enable to
delneae the objects upon the surface OF the earth upon
the Shore 80 that rigonometrca and astronomical OBJ
servaons absolutely necessary for this survey and
in fact the basis of II.
We have various detached surveys of different portions
of the coast made different times, but venture say
that have not among these single perfect and
chart of the Most of them highly inaccu
rate. | know this to be the fact, sir know that the
previous surveys for example pie OF New bedford Gan i'm
exceedingly Inaccurate Dangerous single rocks
have been found by the coast survey near one OF the
main ship channels with but five feet of water on Them
entirely omitted in the ates. publication. So says Lieut.
Blake in his report TO the superintendent The denea-
ton of that single rock upon the chart might save the
Doubtless great deal has been saved TO the government
and vast deal to the citizens OF the country, by
the discovery OF this and similar dangers Ii may, per-
haps, net be known that government sometimes loses in
the duties on property lost in single shipwreck upon
our coast more than the whole amount which has been
expended in one year upon the coast survey.
To ascertain and delneae the topography of the
face underneath the waters TO distance from the
Shore with the precision with which you describe
the surface OF the shore, very important matter,
Navigation cannot be secure without it. The naviga
tor who approaches your coast in thick weather. or
in cloudy night, when he cannot take observations
of the heavens and when too far see the lights
mn st nm for hi9 Va
Tous modes have been pursued to furnish the character
OF the bottom not only in the bays and sounds but upon
the sea, the shore, and far out the sounding
line can ordinarily reach. By means of CREASED lead,
they bring up the depostes at the bottom These
curately examined and described, and upon the chart
their character and the depth of marked upon
the points off the coast which it has been previously
is desirable them give not only the topography of the
shore. but the exact character OF the bottom in all the
soundngs upon our coast. Thus, sir navigation may be
made sale.
Now sir the results of that coast survey have already
been of extreme value The discovery of deep and
direct channel the outer bars of the harbor OF New
York, never before used known, has proved of i'm
mense importance to the OF that great CONNER
cia city II has earned the gratitude OF the merchants OF
baton from the chamber Of and other public
bodies The navigation of Delaware bay has been vast
ly improved by it. new, straight channel parallel to
the old one has been foundi this bay better sheltered
from floating ice Three channels were found what
called the Cape May Ridges, which will be vastly
servceabe to the coastng vessels of the coal tradea
business which sends from Philadelphia annually nine
thousand cargoes OF coal to various parts of the coast
The whole form Of the bottom of the bay has been ascer-
mar uraip u horof Spfnn