The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-12-05


be made for the importation OF all The valuable We
getable productions and animals OF other coun-
tries. This would enable TO appropriate 10 our
selvea the results of the wisdom experience, and
improvements Of all the world in regard 10 ngri-
culture, and we should soon be rendered ludepen-
dent of other countries for many articles which are
now imported al great cost. One or more oiilcers
should be connected with 1t thoroughly acquainted
with the principles of geology, mlneralogy, che
mlstry, and botany, for the purpose oil lnyest-
eating and reporting upon the Character ana pro,
perties oil every variety oil SOIL ROCK mineral ana
vegetable and their adaptation to useful purposes
To this bureau should also be entrusted the duty
of experimenting the taking OF each decennlal
census, and OF procuring and classifying from year
to year all the statistical Information which can be
obtained in respect to the agriculture, manuiac-
tures, commerce. tonnage, revenue expenditures,
financial and banking systems, Improvements by
railways. canals, and roads, industrial pursuits,
and general progress Of every State in the Union,
and of the principal nations OF the world. by this
means vast fund of useful knowledge, which can
not be obtained would be always accessible TO
Congress and the Executive.
The value of such information in shaping our
own policy hardly be estimated. Facts IKE
these the groundwork of ali wise legislation
In the language of an enlightened statesman OF
Europe, statistical knowledge is the true basis OF
evory Just and paternal administration, and with
out II il is impossible to realize the authorizations
which necessary to the prosperity OF the coun-
try" This remark is peculiarly applicable TO
our country, whose interests are 80 diversihed,
and spread over such wide extent OF territory as
to render il impossible to legislate wisely In re-
gard TO them without thorough knowledge OF their
value and relations to each other. The information
furnished by the returns of census 10 OF great
Importance; but, when we remember that 1T is OBJ
tanned but once in ten years. and that IN the inter
mediate time rapid changes are going on, and new
interests apringing into existence, and new States
added to the Union IL will at once be perceived that
il ia sufficient for the purposes OF our Govern
lnent. Ii should be the duty OF the officers OF the
bureau TO keep pace with the annual progress OF the
nation, and to present to Congress at every session
a condensed view OF all the statistical information
TO be derived from the proper authorities OF each
| State.
England, in come xon with her Board of Trade,
has Statistical Bureau and Registrar General,
which keep the government constantly advised OF
the general condition of the country and the facts
Illustrative OF the progress and wants OF each par
tcular branch of its industry.
France has regarded the subject OF agriculture OF
| so much importance as to create a separate de-
partment TO take charge oil its interests. She mas
also established, in connection with IL, bureau OF
statistics, the results of whose labors are annually
| published for the in Information of her government
! and people. There also no less than twenty
colleges in France, established under the patron
age OF the government, in which botany, zoology,
chemistry, agriculture, and the treatment OF the
diseases of cattle, the subjects OF instruction,
| Committees are also employed constantly by the
government in investigating all improvements
| connected with agriculture, and in collecting and
| distributing seeds, plants, vegetables, and fruits.
| The publications of the results of the inquiries
and Investigations of these different agents of the
government constitute the most valuable contribu-
| tons which have been made to agricultural and
statistical SCIENCE and avail myself OF this oppor
tunity to say that the acknowledgements OF this De-
| partment are due to the Minister of Agriculture
for valuable collection of seeds Sc, which he has
courteously presented as specimens of the produc-
| tons of France and its colonies.
In Belgium the subject OF agriculture Is under The
control of the Minister of the Interior, but ls aB'
signed to a special bureau, attached to which is an
agricultural council, consisting OF eighteen mem
bers, two of whom are annually chosen by each oil
the nine provincial boards There is alsoa stats
teal bureau connected with the Department, under
the direction of Of the most scientific men in
| Europe.
Prussia has bureau of statistics, which was
established in 1906, and is now connected with the
| Department of Finance.
| Austria Russia Sweden, and Spain, and other
countries of Europe, have also exhibited their high
appreciation of this branch OF political science, by
establishing bureaus to collect and classify all the
important facts connected with the development of
their resources and the condition and wants OF their
people
| The beneficial operation of these important
| agencies is everywhere visible in the improved
condition of the agriculture of the countries into
which they have been introduced, and IN the exact
information which the government possesses d the
value and progress OF every department OF Its IN
| dustry.
| In view OF these facts, cannot but think that a
Just regard to the welfare of country requires
that Congress should lose no further time in esta.
blishing an agricultural and statistical bureau; and
therefore request that you will again invite their
attention to the subject.
Mexican Boundary.
In my last report stated that the initial point on
| the Pacific and the point of junction Of the ella
| with the Colorado river had been determined
and fixed; that the intervening line had been run
| and marked, and temporary monuments erected
thereon for distance OF about thirty miles
The determination of the geogI aphical positions
Of the "initial point on the Pacific, and the point
of junction of the ella and Colorado rivers, by Ma
jor William II. Emory. furnished all the elements
necessary for computing the aziinuth OF the atraght
line of boundary connecting these two polnts. me
azimuth was computed and laid off at both extremi
ties of the line, and what remained to complete
this western Pacific section was the running
end marking the line arthcially upon the surface
of the earth,
The Joint commission, previous to their adjourn
ment to meet at Ell Paso appointc two engineers,
one from each side, to complete this section OF the
work. Captain E. l.. f. Hardcastle was appointed,
and conducted the work on the part OF the United
! States, which was completed on the 18th OF July
last. The line was run throughout ts whole ex,
tent, (about 80 miles,) and is artiflcialy marked
| by appropriate and permanent monuments.
marble monument seventeen feet in height was
placed at the "initial point on the Pacific coast
| and six monuments OF cast iron were located at
| other poipts along the line, as follows, viz one
the point OF junction of the ella and Colorado
rivers, one at the crossing of the Colorado, one
where the line crosses the Emigrant trail on the
desert, one where it crosses the bed of New river
and two where it crosses the two main rQads lead
| ing into Lower Califoi MIA.
The duty of running and marking the eastern
section of the line, commencing at the Rio Grande
and extending thence to connect with the line at
| the junction 81 the ella and Colorado, was con-
fded, on the part of the United States, TO John r.
Bartlett, esq, who was appointed commissioner
! for that purpose on the l4th OF June 1850.
Shortly after his appointment, Mr.. Bartlett or
ganized his party and proceeded to the scene oil his
duties. He arrived at lndianoa, Texas, on the 3ls
August, 1850. He there detailed company to
! make chain and compass survey, and to carry
line Of levels to determine profile of the route from
| Indianola to FL Paso. At Indianola he was met by
great and unexpected difficulties arising from the
scarcity of provisions and deficiency in the means
of transportation By the terms of the adjournment
agreed upon by the Commissioners, they were re-
qured to meet at FL Paso on the first Monday IN No
vember 1850; but, in consequence of the obstacles
referred to, Mr. Bartlett was unable to reach that
1 place before the 18th Of that month. Fortunately
| however, his delay caused no pr actical inconveni-
| ence, as the Mexican Commissioner did not arrive
until the LIST OF December. The first meeting of the
| Commissioners was held on the Sd day of December
| 1850 Tho Instructions to Mr.. Bartlett required him