Weekly national intelligencer., 1850-08-31
AMERICAN SCIENTIFIC INSTITUTIONS.

In the anniversary address to the Royal Geo.
graphical Society of London, delivered on the 9th
Of last May, by Captain w. H. SMyTH, R. NJ,
President Of the Society, we find several COM
plimentary references to scientific matters in our
country, and among them the annexed notice of our
Coast Suruey and the Smithsonian hastitution
which will interest many readers:
The photography atlantic possessions is stead
lily advancing, Captain Bayfield, being now employed upon
the southern shores of the Gulf Of st. Lawrence Commander
Shorthand in the Gulf Of FuDdy, and Lieutenant Lawrence
among the West India Islands In the United States the
photographic operations and chorographca details pro-
ceedng with extraordinary accuracy and Dispatch whe with
their characteristic ardo its travellers have overspread the
vast regions which separate the two great The
survey is truly useful and national undertaking, and has
been most crdtaby conducted through all its depart
Of science. Upon this point enabled speak
positively from having been long supplied with their abors,
and from the correspondence of Lieutenant Giss Lieutenant
Charles Henry Davis, and other sound authorities have
studied the question closely and hesitate not pronounce my
conviction that though the Americans the last in the field
Of practical astronomy and geodetcal survey, they have per
saun, leaped into the very front ranks Were asked to
give instances would say Look to their beautiful maps and
CHARTS their practice Of establishing differences Of ong
ude by electricity and the probable extension of its wondous
chronogaphc application; mark their novel methods Of taking
and recording anss by Of galvanic current and
consider the excellence and refinement of their asronom
cal observations for geodeca purposes proved by their
being able to detect the alteration in the direction Of gravity
caused by differences in form and density of the materials
posing the earths crust !"
The present state Of the great Coast Survey very ably
communicated the American Association for the Advancement
of Science, the 18th Of last August by Professor A. Bache
the sku director This report clearly shows what is compe
ed what is in hand and what remains be performed; and
beg draw your attention to it. But in showing the pros
poets Of bringing the work to period, the Professors says
what progress the Oregon and California sections may show,
only tell when the California gold mines little
exhausted The discovery of this Ell Dorado by which the
wild dreams of the age of Columbus realized recalls my
mind the danger of reckless criticism For when Sir Francis
Drake discovered that coast the Journal sad sThis
try seemed promise rich veins of gold and ver wherever
those metals To this Mr. Kerr who edited collection Of
Voyages and Travels in 1914, makes this unpote note
This surely gross asehood, even the Spaniards
much experienced in mines of the precious metals have found
none in California though possessing missions among its rude
and scan population in every corner in this very spot
And to this luminous sequtur he subjoiRs E(dtor)"
Among other powerful impulses to the advance Of intellect
in the United Sates is unquestonaby the founding of that
merorous and powerful Of progress the Smithsonian
Institution This established by the will of James Smith
son, English gentleman, worthy scion Of the Duke Of
United States of America, for he increase and diffusion Of
knowledge among men, This responsible and honorable
trust accepted by the and act of Congress-
passed the 10th of August 1896 appointed trustees
and governors the highest official members Of the Administers
ton and individuals selected for their known requirements
Beside the formation of extensive library and museum
gallery Of art and lecture the Institution promises to
publish an annual volume of original researches in history
philosophy science, art, and literature. Its first volume,
Of the ancient monuments Of the Mississippi Valley, with
merous plans and illustrations, and that part of Mr. Smith
sons ntention the diffusion Of knowledge is already in
operation"