The daily union., 1856-01-11

spective duties proceed individually in Investigating
the subjects which their attention is called by the
with much advantage the iuitess routine OF calling
oyer the roll Of the House not going on ~ a
For The Union
THE SCIENTIFIC EXPEDITION TO CHILE
The United States Naval Astronomical Expedition to the
Southern Hemisphere during the years l849, 52,
Lieutenant j. H. Gilss, superintendent; Lieutenant A.
MacRae; Acting Master s. L. Phelps and captains clerk
L. r. Smith, assistants. Vols and quarto. Published
by order Of Congress. 1856.
According to the better construction of the federal
stiution the American government directly pro-
mote the advancement of science and the liberal arts by
founding establishments for their general cultivation
by granting peeunary rewards honorary distinctions
to those who by the successful pursuit Of speculative
experimental studies enlarge the bounds of human knowl-
edge and human power.
But though tie cultivation of the intellect and the taste
and the extension ofmans dominion over Nature are not
abstractly legitimate objects Of congressional action yet
science in its FORMS far it has practical
bearing the operations of the different departments
the government may lawfully be promoted and in fact is
literally and judioousy patronised by orr national
Legislature as by any of the powers of Christendom
W::IA then, Congress maintains no popular seminares
for general instruction in the rudimens of knowledge and
unds no national university for the prosecution of higher
the practice of initiative or constructive art establishes
spscia schools of law medicine theology, or Of any
branch OF practical or economical knowledge offers no
prizes for the solution OF seeAtac problems confes no
stars or ribands upon the inventor OF machine the
discoyerer of chemical process and grants PEN
sons at once reward and sustain lives of literary esue
it. nevertheless by other and unobjectonable meth
DDS contributes largely the cultivation of every know
edge susceptible Of tangible practical application, and
cludes from sharing in is bounty science but those
purely speculative studies which, not depending obser-
vaon experiment require not the aid of material means
fos their successful prosecution
Thus the arts Of design in their highest FORMS called
in contribute 10 the decoration Of governmental
structures and commemorate the wisdom of states
men and the exploits of heroes and tie painter and
the sculptor find in government their most munihcent
patron. .@. .
Tbs science Of natural history not indeed, fosered
under that by grants in the annual appropriation
bills but the officers charged with the direction of
widely-exended system of toral and internal survey,
with the command Of frontier posts with the expora
ton ofroues for water communication highways aud rail-
roads with the medical service Of army and navy
with naval expeditions TO unfrequented coasts are en-
couraged matter Of direct practical interest TO- the
government and people Of the United States to make and
report observations meteorological phenomena geo
logical formation and mineral resources physical geog
raphy, on indigenous botany and sology, on Indian
ehnology and collect and forward to the seat Of
eroment illustrative specimens n all these departments Of
natural knowledge The reports of these officers from the
expedition OF Lewis and CLARK TO the present day copst
ue series OF volumes Of immense value contributions
10 our knowledge Of the globe and the creatures which In
habit H. and their united collections at the Patent Office
and the snithsonian Institution not only form Ameri-
can museum almost gnrvalled in richness and variety,
but by the system Of exchanges udcously conducted
by the latter establishment most eectuny aiding in
the diffusion Of knowledge among men,"
Agricultural and mechanical and chemical arts the
most essential and honorable OF the achievement Of
material greatness justly thought worthy Of even
higher consideration and they find appropriate shrine
in that noble temple Of industry, the Patent Office.
For the cultivation and promotion Of science
admirable facilities are furnished by tho military and ma
val schools West Point and Annapolis and few nations
ntrus their defence by land or sea- to more thoroughly
trained or better educated corps than those which com
pose the OF army and navy The nOs con-
sructons upon lines OF internal very
generally been the work Of West Point graduates and the
structures rising at either end Of the avenue under the
superintendent Of Engineer officers 70 end abundant evil
dence that the sudiespusued at their Aiq Mater eminent
y qualify their vories excel 10 the nobest peace
Our National Observatory, wholly conducted by officers
and mathematical professors Of the navy under the charge
Of lis distinguished head Lieut. Maury Il comforting
Unable benefits upon navigation and commerce. by more
fully revealing the paths Of the luminares which
troll the and guide the mariner across the ocean,
and by unfolding the laws which govern the greater
ments of the winds and waters
In the field Of geographical exploration Fremont Of
the army and Kane Of the navy have sgnaly illustrated
the branches Of military service to which they respect
lively belonged, and have for themselves lasting re-
by the exhibition Of all those rare attanments and
moral qualities the union Of which is 10 day,
essential 10 the character Of the great traveller.
The Coast Survey which Is conducting hydrograpbicnl
and geodetca measurements and establishing deena-
ops Of fasironomica and geographical position with an
accuracy inferior the precision OF the exact
operations Of European gcodesy and upon scale which
throws quite into the shade all former like surveys for