The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-04-06
MISCELLANEOUS.


franklin Institute of the State OF Pennsylvania for the
promotion OF the mechanic arts, to whom referred
for examination and report the subject of "the pro-
gress OF the survey OF the coast OF the United States,
report:
That the survey of the coast of the United States is
one OF those great national duties which government
owes to It's citizens and to the world at large In
the present advanced condition OF civilization and en-
arged commerce. it would be matter of great surprise
should we find important duty overlooked entirely,
or prosecuted with such unwingness as to 1t to
fall IN It's practical benefits to society.
The duty OF government constituted like own,
whose of the OF the country exclusive
of all interference from the States, and extends
greater bay and river border than that Of any other
in the world is, perhaps, imperative upon this point
than that of the governments OF countries OF more limited
space in these particulars.
The Importance of such knowledge as an accurate
measurement and deneauon OF the coast would give'
early felt by the people and authorities OF the Union,
and the plan for such survey to be prosecuted with the
best lights that physical science then afforded was adopt
ed by President Jefferson in the year 1907 and the APP
ponmen of the late Mr. Hasser to the Office of superln-
iendent was made by him.
Owing to the difficulties in which the country became
involved about that time from the disturbed condition OF
Europe, and TO the subsequent which took place be-
tween the United States and Great Britain, Mr.. llasser
was unable to procure the necessary instruments Tor the
work. to undertake its prosecution, until the year
1917 Shortly afterwards the law under which he had
been appointed modified, as To exclude civilians
from official positions on the survey and was not until
the year 1882 that Mr. Hasser, under reappolnnent,
commenced his labors in actual service.
From that time until his death, which occurred in the
year lS43. he was engaged in prosecuting the work IN
the northern part of the United States and his
ments embraced portions of the States of Delaware,
Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut,
Rhode Island, and Massachusetts.
Although the actual labors in the field great and
much valuable information was collected It was not
deemed expelent by the late superintendent to publish
the preliminary results to great extent IN the form OF
In 1914, Professor Alexander Dallas Bache ap-
pointed to the Office OF superintendent, made vacant by
the decease of Mr. asser, and he Immediately addressed
inns tn ha uona IN N
verifying the work OF his predecessor and second TO the
publication of the ascerained results in practical form
ne and @ ae 70 p s o"d s1
complete the trangulaons of those portions OF the coast
and commence the publication of the maps and preliminary
sketches, thus rendering the work Immediately available
While this has been the with the work as il stood
in lSii base lines have been measured to the north
and south of Mr. Hassers work, and the survey is
progressing in eighteen States the eastern coast, and
party organized for the preliminary examination OF the
western coast. When the committee states that these
abos cover the whole OF the coast line on the Atlantic
and Gulf of Mexico, with their tributaries and intend
ed TO extend over the whole OF coast line on the Pa
clio ocean, with its immense but little known tributaries
some idea may be formed of the scope and value of such
survey 1t first addresses in its practical character
commercial naton-,he second in the world, whose for
elgn commerce in imports and exports amounts TO about
$500 900 annually, and whose domestic coastng
trade Is probably equal to many millions yearly In
the year terminating June 3d. 1s47, IA 229 vessels, of
aggregate tonnage of 1891 7o5 tons, arrived in the ports
OF the United States and 1870 vessels, of aggregate
tonnage employed in the coasting trade 2o39,OI5
TONS and some of these coasters make ten twelve trips
per annum The number OF emigrant passengers that
arrived IRON foreign countries was nearly 100000, and
the officers and mariners engaged in maritime com
merce amount probably to 900 souls.
We can scarcely conceive OF the perils to which such
mass OF property and life is subject in approaching
extensive and dangerous coast; and although
anu buoys have been erected mark most hazardous
places, there are others, hidden beneath the waters that
wash our shores. perhaps equally periious which can
only be ascertaned, and become generally known, by
accurate soundings and charts
independently of the ordinary results of the operations
OF the coast survey given III the annual reports, and
preliminary sketches and maps, two great natural ap
proaches, before unknown, have been discovered and
verified in such form to mark them distinctly for
by the mariner refer here to Gedneys channel in the
harbor of New York, and to Blakes channel, in Della
ware bay.
OF equal merit but not yet SO distinctly made avaia-
bic for practical purposes the new discovered shoals
of Nantucket, the examinations of Chesapeake and Mo-
bile bays and OF the dangerous parts OF the coast
of North Carolina.
The Investigations of the width and direction of the
current OF the Gulf stream, that great physical wonder
practical il is of scientific interest The phenomena
OF the tides and of the currents of the and rivers
which wash and water our territories; the nature and
changes of the bottom, both in the shallow and deep
places, are highly curious and practical.
Nor ought wa to overlook, in such summary the
curate deneaton OF the topography OF the country Dor
derng the shores On every side, and everywhere the
survey applies the scale of truth and science to the crude
and imperfect locations and measurements of former
times, and presents us with perfect nearly perfect
work.
Entrances to harbors and bays have been found vary
from the received proportions by miles, light houses and
dangerous points in the navigation, have had their loca
tons corrected; and the conidng mariner made safe in
his approaches.
only necessary for any who doubts these great
results to procure the most approved of the old charts
and maps and compare them with the work of the coast
survey. The members of the institute may readily do
this, by an examination OF the new chart OF Delaware
river and bay they will rise satisfied from such ex
animation, that every attention has been given to
accurate results; and will be apparent to them, how
valuable similar works must be u their fellow Gill
in other parts of the Union. But it is unneces
sary for to conhne ourselves to the commerce of
the nation, in enumeration of the practical benefits of
the survey The work that has been wrought out
along the coast, may be equally relied by the State
and municipal authorities, for local or more extended
measurements by the trianguaton OF the of Cities
counties, and States
AS land becomes valuable, and the conflicts for its pos
session increase In number, the Importance OF auhentl-
Gated measurements, male independently of any such
considerations, will be more aud more obvious, and it
will doubtless become the policy Of each State if
not OF the subordinate parts of it, to compare the bound
airy lines of public and private locations they
nperlectly or arbitrarily exist with the great triangua
tons OF the national work, and correct them WITH and
mark their relation to- these measurements by the app
cation OF the same methods that used in them
BY such system, not only would private litigation
the subject of boundaries be much diminished, but
rate maps would be Produced and take the place of those
imperfect and deceittu sketches now in use.
OF the scientific methods used the labors OF the coast
survey II Will be sufficient Tor perhaps, TO say that
they embrace all that is known, either in this
try or in Europe and that, in the establishment of
formula the application of old Ones those ntrusted
yif In yXprk ptaIp h,nhn