Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-08-27
THE UNITED STATES COAST SURVEY. GENERAL
ORGANIZATION AND FIELD WORK

among the articles colgregated IN the Crystal P6acs
few so much invite intelligent examination, mpera
lively require the aids Of clear descriptive illustration
the series of instruments and charts in the Coast Sur
yey department These are selected and arranged viii
view to exhibiting the principal methods and processes
employed on this extensive work; and though the col
lection is necessarily wanting in essentials il pre-
sens means Of readily comprehending the characters
leading features, and results Of this organization. MOI
doubling that work truly national and perfect will
possess positive interest for many Of our readers and
knowing that the instruments exhibited only be
dersood by being described in relation the entire sys
tenn Of operations in which they used we propose
now TO give such general of the history or
ganzaon methods and results of the Coast Survey
will enable ysiters duly TO appreciate the articles
hibited.
Accurate geography Is of quite recent date and eli
old maps ard charts especially are drawn with fancful
vagueness quite incompatible wiah present views and
necessities The surveys of the American coast ever
including Des Barress comparatively excellent charts
had been found donted and inadequate that the need
Of systematic, connected, and accurate survey Of the
entire coast United States distinctly felt On
such survey being proposed by Prof PATTERSON in
1906 Mr.. GALLATIN, the Secretary of the Treasury
strongly recommended it, and in 1907 law authorizing
it passed. Nothing Of much Importance was DONE
however until 1892, when the work systematically
undertaken and from that time to the present annual ap
preparations and steady progress have marked its his
tory. Mr.. HAssLER the first superintendent hold
ing thispos;ion FIRST from 1911 l8l8 and then from
1892 to his death in l843 He succeeded in l844by
Prof A. d Bsons who has continued to dischares TIE
duties CT this responsible position up to the present e
The annual appropriations have increased the week
by its expansion has made rapid progress desia
bic and atainable Prof Baches organization q the
entire coast into eleven distinct sections enables al the
successive operations Of the survey to 60 smutane
ousiy in many localities, if this be desired this Civ
ing to the whole work much more manageable narsc
ter and making attainabe the final results ay par
tcuar locality in comparatively short period. Some
work has been done in all these eleven sections though
only be regarded essentially finished. The
main original operations are tending rapidly tosomple
ton in four or five sections but even after all sdcne IN
the hrst survey, re-examnatons will continue be ne
cessary al localities undergoing change. It wprequre
present rates not arom fifteen years to conclude the
survey Of the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, and somewhat
longer period for that Of the Pacific coast though larger
appropriations would abridge this time if required The
immense development of our seacoasi gives the Coast
Survey unprecedented magnitude operations yet
there is portion of that long line which commerce
does not require to have accurately Defined and Turk
ing dangers exist in the adjacent waters without SUBJ
jectng formidable risk not only graf and rapidly
| increasing commerce, but also human lfe The intro
duction of into ocean navigation by causing
vessels to follow the coast without fear Of storms
them but the exposed to those Turing dangers
which thorough photographic examination uscloses and
defines Moreover, there IS kind OF immortality to the
results of accurate surveys for, except II few in
stances, the results Of correct first surveyremain APP
picabe through indefinitely long period And where
changes are progressing-as, for nstance at Sandy
HOOK Boston harbor, and the mouth Of the Columbia
the importance Of accurate surveys wherebyther laws
and tendencies be decsively made out, great
er than in those portions which experience change
1t is fact that the localities undergoing chnges are
very frequently just those of most importance to
merce. We cannot them too highly value thoroughly
accurate determination Of all photographic shore
lines fer future use IN commerce and hydraulic ngneer
ing. We need know once for all the ocean bottom
s.
tics Of the great deep ITSELF far beyond marine league
of domain. The commerce which contributes 50 large
part Of our national revenue rightfuly demands in re-
turn that protection which charts based accurate
yeys alone furnish. While England is espending |
millions upon surveys of foreign coasts in addition oil
she gives for home autobiography and topography
bound at least 10 urge vigorously forward this survey of
own coasts not only for national beseft hut
as matter Of international comfy and Justice The two
thousand charts Of the British Admiralty the innumer
able surveys and explorations Of France the coast charts
Of Prussia and Sweden, the great geode,c survey
STA, these and many Ike enterprises Of European ma
tons impose on as the duty Of reciprocaon far asto
give them in reliable charts Of seabounda
r!es We auspciously progressing IN this reci
procy, with the assurance gratifying 10 American
pride that in point Of style and general perfection no
foreign charts quite equal those now issued by our Own
Government.
The ultimate object proposed in the survey of
is the preparation Of series Of charts presenting the
complete photography Of entire seaboard with the
highest accuracy, the scales required by commerce
and local needs with the addition Of such topography
requisite present the characteristics and relations Of
the land adjacent. In order the requisite
racy the ATTITUDES and longudes Of numerous points must
be scrupulousy determined, and the relation Of many
other selected points to these must be asceraned that
al the various bodies Of soundngs be referred to
system Of fixed points, whose locations and mutual dis
ances thoroughly known Thus every line Of sound
ngs run s systematically assigned 70 its true locality,
and the resulting charts exhibit correct representation
Of the facts Of nature.
In carrying out this scheme network Of triangles
qulres 20 be thrown the entire of
its angles require to be Observed and its sides computed
by this means all the points observed upon become known
in position and in mutual distance.
The first operation in order, and Of the greatest
deicacy AID moment being indeed the foundation Of al
the accuracy TO be attained, is the Of the
base line straight line nearly horizontal and from FIVE
to ten miles long is selected and graded Then in
play the large and formdabeooking base apparatus one
tube Of which is mounted in the Crystal Palace pro-
per treses One might think II matter Of great ease
10 measure base line, but difficult enterprise is
rarely undertaken than such measurement becomes
when great accuracy is to be attained If did
for errors OF yard two in base Of several miles, its
measurement would be easy enough but when sx-enhs
Of an inch IN seven miles becomes the limit Of error sup
possible the matter Is Of transcendant skill and the
execution Of such measurement is one Of the most re-
fined operations ever conducted First of all the measur
ing bars must be accurately compared with and
ed 70 the legal standards OF linear measure to eliminate
al possible discrepancies between the two Without great
care and fidelity in this fundamental STEP as also in the
comparison Of cfeTent national standards Of length the
various independent surveys executed would give dscord
ant geodeic elements AMI the discrepancies arising FROM
imperfect comparisons would be peculiarly difficult OF de-
lection and correction But the element Of all de-