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


angles. would give at once the length Of the arc
the parallel.
The Investigations necessary in CARRYING out .
system Of Geographic differences Of Longitude are
beyond the usual calls made upon sea officers
The whole subject Of communicating signals by
telegraph is involved in it, and of the delay which
occurs in the transmission Of the telegraphic sig
mails.
The local attraction o the plumb line. found to
exist at near stations, and involving consequences
both in the theory and practice OF the work. is a
problem which requires for its solution the closest
training in mathematics and physics IL had been
admitted even by foreign authority that our coast
survey has taken the lead in this subject. This
question affects both the determinations of latitude
and azimuth
The theory Of the tides, so ably handled by
Whewell, Lubbock, and Airy, and the important
tables resulting from discussion of observations,
hnds it's place in the same grade of research. The
tides of the Gulf of Mexico, which have been OBJ
served for many years in detached surveys and by
nautical men, have received their first solution
from the superintendent of the coast survey, and
tables for the prediction of these tides will result
from his Investigations, important both in scen-
tihc and practical point Of view. No nautical man
has attempted with success this subject of the sin
gle day tides of the Gulf Of Mexico.
| The thorough investigation, such az has been
made ~ the coast survey, with the instructions
below the surface, involves scientific principles of
the same class.
| The thorough discussion Of observations made
requires the application of the highest principles
of mathematics. The peculiar Importance of this
subject has been expressly dwelt upon by Baron
humboldt and M Arago, in the letters to which
| have referred
These constitute a part only Of the problems
which it is desirable, for the credit of our country
for the success Of the survey, and for the practi
cal use to be made of them, should be dealt with
by the mathematician and experimental phiIoso-
pher
81 republication to execute particular work
was the test, according to which ii was to be as
signed to this or that bureau Of department, or
or this or that department Of the government, the
greatest confusion would reign.
! The army officers educated at West Point would
grasp ut the Observatory, the nautical almanac,
the casting and testing of cannon, the constrcc-
ton OF dry docks, the machinery Of navy yards,
the construction and regulation ofthe lighthouses
the surveys Of the public lands, the building OF
custom-houses, of all public buildings. They
would aspire to be the constructors of the ships
and ordnance of the navy, of steam engines for
national vessels. The corps Of typographical en-.
glneers would not only execute the land work OF
the coast survey, but its photography; and with
the strongest reason, since on the lakes they exc
cute both land and water work, and have made
some of the best photographic charts of the har
bors of our coast. Why have an army and q
naval ordnance corps, when the army do both
saving the personnel OF nearly whole corps
The Treasury Department, on behalf of the
coast survey, would claim the Observatory and
nautical almanac from the navy, the land surveys
from the Interior, and through it's revenue officers
would undertake to man and sail the vessels O
the navy.
The navy would grasp at the revenue service
the coast survey, the lighthouse arrangements
/ In conclusion, am convinced that on the score
OF accuracy, and economy of execution, as well
as of efficiency Of organization, the coast survey
should be left IN the Treasury Department, where
It is now by law placed, in which all the provs-
ions for progress are to be found, and under
which the men of science of the country, and Its
military and naval officers, are effectively com
bined; devotng their knowledge, skill, and indus
try to execute the survey in manner worthy OF
the country, and of the times in which we live.
Respectfully submitted,
THO. CORWIN,
Secretary d the Treasury.
Hon. w. r. KING, President Of The Senate.