The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-03-04


Ia. The idea that the coast survey should be
transferred to the navy seems to involve the other
that there are more naval officers than can be APP
propriateIy employed. The uses Of navy, even
IN time of peace. might, if it were the province of
TINS department to interfere in such a matter, be
broadly stated. Ii the naval service is too numer-
Gus, upon which do not venture to give an opin-
ION, then should il be decreased, as was done by
this department with the revenue service. To as
sumo the nece sity for increased duties in time of
peace, Is to assume too large personnel of the
service for peace establishment
The importance of navy to the protection of
commerce will necessarily appear less forcby as
It may be efficient in preventing the occurrence of
depredatons upon it by awless combinations.
IL. 1t has been supposed that if the survey were
entrusted entirely to the navy, outside work would
be increased IN proportion; but experience does
not confirm this. Rivers, harbors, and bays
formed the chief staple Of the surveys from 1919
to 1882, and this department knows that the ex-
ertions Of the present superintendent to obtain
outside work have not always proved as success
full was desirable for the regular progress of the
survey in that particular
The Charge, that this survey is extended too far
inland, has been met often and refuted, that it
seems hardly necessary again TO notice it, put for
ward, as it generally is, for the sake of bringing
the operations Of abe coast survey nearer to the
mere nautical standard. The advantage in rapid
IVY anu uCCuldCy III causing main
ton to follow the shortest lines of the coast and
to occupy, where practicable, a range of hills in
the interior, is admitted by all those who COM
prehend the subject. The longer the exterior
sides the larger those from head land to head land
will beI the less the labor, the greater the progress
and the greater the accuracy Of the work The
crossing Of the neck from New York to the Della
ware, and from the Delaware to the Chesapeake
leaving the coast Of New Jersey, Delaware, Mary
land, and Virginia to the tertiary trianguaton
checked by the primary, were most important TO
the economy and precision of the survey. So the
occupation of the interior hills of Connecticut,
Rhode Island Massachusetts, New Hampshire,
and Maine were essential to the rapid progress
(and therefore the economy and to the minute ac-
curacy OF the work. The secondary triangua-
ton and Typography are carried no further inland
than is necessary for navigation and defence.
chart that does not show the navigator the features
of the coast which he is approaching, is compar-
atvely valueless and so universal is this opinion,
that even in mere nautical surveys the attempt is
made to substitute rude sketches of the county for
accurate Typographical representations. A chart
which stops at the shore line fails IN the very es-
sentials. For purposes Of defence it is essential
that the nearest communication by land should be
delineated, and in many this will be OF great
value even to the navigator.
The coast survey maps carried to the near
est land communication in those parts of the coast,
when SUCH communications are not too far in the
interior. On those parts Of the Southern coast
where the communications are chiefly by water,
the statistics of the topography show that the pro-
portion of shore line to surveyed, is much in
creased, attesng that the principle is fully carried
out by those engaged in this part of the work,
and that the work il not carried unnecessarily in
land,
So of the objection that II is carried too far
ward, embracing the gulf stream, it is equally un-
tenable with the former; for photographic work
on the coast of the United States, which would
omit the characteristic and peculiar features of its
photography would be an absurdity.
10. The vessels used in the coast survey are Of
two classes; one engaged in the photography, and
| the other used as means of transportation for
the land parties. The vessels used ia tho hydro
graphy are under the command of naval officers,
and the officers Except the captains clerk) and
the men, furnished by the Navy Department
part of these vessels belong to the survey, hav-
ing been paid for out of the general appropriations
pert have been transferred from the revenue SER
vice, the quartsvmastey generals department of
the army, and the Navy Department. tf thirteen
vessels used by the photographic parties during
the last year, five were purchased by the Survey,
five furnished by the Treasury Department, and
three by the Quartermaster's Department. The
Navy Department has furnished to the Coast
Survey but four small vessels, and these in such
condition and of such size as to be unsuited to
the photographic purposes, unlesq for tempo
rary use.
The saving to the government by the transfer
of the revenue vessels to the survey, instead OF
selling them, was shown by my predecessor, in a
letter addressed to the Committee of Commerce of
the House Of Representatives in January, l649,
and transmitted to the Senate, with his report in
relation to the expenditures and results fth1 coast
survey. exec. Doc. No 26, Senate, 3Oth Con-
gress, Cd SESSION. The annual saving to the re-
venue marine by the transfer is there stated at
S39 900. Similar conclusions were arrived at in
dependently in the War Department, by the quar-
termaster general, who recommended after ample
experience in the matter, that the vessels which
had been used as transports should, as far us
practicable be transferred to the other departments
of the government, where they might be used, IN
stead Of being sacrificed ct pgbllc sale. Two Of
the largest and most useful steamers, Of which
had been much desired for the survey of the wes-
tern coast, were transferred to the Navy Depart
ment, in the service of which one still remains,
the other having been lost near Point Conception.
A statement Of the names and number of vessels
employed, the cost Of repairs, hire &C.. up to the
close of lS4S, will also be found in report by my
predecessor, in February, lS49. Exec Doc. No.
q, Senate, Goth Congress, Cd session.)
vessel which draws more than from nine to
eleven feet of water is nadmissable for use on a
survey Of shoals, and Of our coast generally. One
drawing SIX feet is Objectionable in many cases.
Some parts Of the require absolutely vessels
which do not draw more than from three TO FIVE
feet to enable the work to be done readily. Large
vessels, then, entirely inapplicable to this pur-
pose. Even the steamers which we obtained
from the revenue service, though made for coast
ing, have been complained Of by some of the hy-
geographic parties as drawing too much water,
and the necessity for light draught steamers has
been dwet upon IN different reports by the super
intendent and assistants.
The navy has no sailing vessels and but two
steam vessels at all adapted to coast survey ser.
vice. The class Of vessels chiefly used in the coast
survey are unknown now in the naval service
The revenue cutter fancy was loaned to the Navy
Department by the Treasury, for use in its expe-
dition under Lieut. Mnury's direction, because
there was no vessel deemed suitable which was
available.
30. The principles OF natural philosophy in
volved in the construction of an apparatus for the
measurement of base lines are altogether beyond
the range OF ordinary study. IL must be adjusted
! for expansion by heat not only while the temper
ature is stationary, but while It is rising and fall
! ing, involving GONE Of the subtest principles of
mathematics applied TO physics. The construc-
ton of it requires that the workman shall be d.
rec,ed by practical experimental philosopher
ffti- s.F. H..