Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-07-02
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP,

S~.se survey Wo uaFo 0eQ on naD0
tho foilowipg communication Or some weeks |:
sprsssurs of "oopy" having prevented us from
socns. spreading 1t before our readers, We do
50 now, because In our original article that
called this forth, it might DO inferred that our
design was las it was not) to reflect on the
manner in which the predecessor of Professor
Bache discharged the duties committed to his
charge:
To the Editor Of ths Evening Star:
sIR-Your paper Of the 18th inst. contains
an article on the Coast Survey which deserves
from me little notice, not that those who
Know the work are not aware of the almost
overwhelming difficulties connected with its
crestion, but that many, who do not know il,
will take for proved as correct, that which
upon an Investigation would be found to be
an error The portions to which shall con.
fine myself are. first
=" Before he Professor Baohsl was called to
the head OF this important branch of the pub
lie service, the work is said to have been pros.
eouted on singls base line, requiring the
labor of nearly all engaged, ON tho coasts of
one or two States only for 80, cs twelve years
Thus its progress was slow and unsatisfactory,
evidently, to the navigation interest of the
country. He professor b however, adopted
the plan Of having many bare lines, connect
ing and verifying them as required
l quote from Report No. 43, House of Rep
resentatives, 9th Congress. Sd session. Select
committee on the Coast Survey. Committee
Hon. Messrs Mallory, Cushing, Wise, Aycrigg,
and Holmes:
THURSDAY, March "a, 1912 Examination of
r. K. Hassler continued:
Question No. 4. Ia there any objection to
| the publication of definite and succ essive parts
OF the work as they may be completed, as the
map of New YORK BOW in the eRgraver's hand +?
Answer. No, not in the lesst. so soon as the
engraving is finished.
@ s. Is it necessary to compIets the survev
| Of Delaware bay before it can be practicable
A. No
z 65 You have said tha. the latitude and
Longitude Of Cape Hatteras were erroneous in
the charts. How did you ascertain it?
A. BY having attempted, in 1928, to mako a
union of tho northern and southern maps,
which join at that place
Q. 70. What is the object of tho second base
line?
A. The verihcation Of the whole work, which
Is Ia the system of such works
2 II. If the object be to verify the survey,
and suppose 1t does not agree, what is the con-
sequence?
gated.
Q. rs. 1t is stated in one of your reports that
the survey extends over II 900 squars miles;
is that mapped?
A. Yes. to be sure.
O. So What distance from the coast have
they carried the soundings2
A. Until they were out of sight of land
mean the points given them as guides; those
points are made to be seen as far as possible.
We elevate signals 80 feet or moro.
@ S2 Won hara Id e., d..
to Egg Harbor along the coast; have the
souudlngs been extended as far az 700 intend
A. They are complete for the de Jailed msts,
but they Lave rot been carried out so far as |
intend
Q 81. How much further do you intend to
carry the soundiDgs?
A: Tothe Gall stream.
q 90. Do you regard the survey as a great
scientific enterprise, embracing delicate prob
lens of Geodetic research, beyond what is ne
cessary to an accurate survey Of the coast fer
nautical purposes
A. mere Is not single movement in all
do Which is not necessary for the honorable
and faithful execution of the work
q I0l. Cannot the surveys Of the bays and
rivers be postponed without injury to the gen
eral work, till tic survey Of the coast proper
is completed -
4. 1t is impossible, because ne accuracy
UO but buo OOaot.
"Profess0r B we hear, is Obtaining charts
the results of the l2bors Of his many assist.
ants and subOTjinatcs-much faster tn an they
can be published owing to the scarcity of
suitable engravers In the United States"
Q. los. How many eDgravers do you en-
ploy.
a. Two; l would have more If I had the
money.
Q I0S Cannot American engravers put on
copper all map engrayings which can be puL
on paper.
Q 120. Do you think that, under tho most
favorable circumstances, and with a continu
ance OF yearly appropriation Of SlG0, 600,
Che survey OF the coas. can be completed in
twenty years.
A. Perhaps the progress Is slower at frst
and the mce ~ increases az the work proc eeds.
1t will appea. from public documents tina,
the whole amount Of appropriations during the
creating of the coast survey from August,
1882, 10 November, 1543, (the dats OF 10y
father's ieath,) was, say $500 coo, averaging
for eleven years, say S75, 900 per yea--the
present annual appropriation applicable to
purpose. forming part or the Atlantic coast
survey:
Appropriation for 1858, say........s2so, 600
DO. 60 1904 200, OOO
~ uV. <oOJVVV
Equal TO-. 1852 coo
direct appropriation, including pay anu snol-
uments Of officers Of the army and navy, ana
petty otn:ers and men of the navy employed
in the work Granting that from July, 1874
to July, 1853, there was not over 500 ,OGO an
pually voted, we have
From 1874 10 1853 5000 OO)
From 1853 to 1855. s62, 600
Sl,611 600
which shows that of the twenty years dura-
tion Of the work at 500 600 per anuum, six.
teen years have been expended in thirteen
years. There is this year S3I5, 900 appropri-
ated, equal 10 the whole amount given in 1888,
"a, '35, '35, SO, '37, 80, 80, which was
$50 600, six years Of the eleven Of my fathers
superint tea dence.
In making these remarks, do not wish in
any way IT, dstraet anything from tho valu-
able laSofs OF all, or any, now engaged in the
coast survey employ; but deem it my duty,
when an error in print arises which Iosy re-
feet upon my fathers reputation, to correct
sts Ill u 4 Al