Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1858-12-31
From the National Intelligencer of Dec. 16, 1858.

The Coast survey.
Seeing that attempts have been made recently to de-
cry and dsparage the operations of the Coast Survey
and the ability of its Superintendent take pleasure
in giving the remarks made by Sir Roderick INPEY
MURCH1soN in presenting the Victoria Gold Medal to
Professor Bache, at the Anniversary Meeting of May
a. 1858, and published on page 232 of the Proceedings
for the year 1853.
The Victoria or Patrons Medal has been adiudcated
to Professor Alexander Dallas Bache for his successful
labors in carrying out the great Coast Survey of the
United States of America. This noble work owes its
origin we believe to the suggestion of those enlightened
statesmen, Jefferson and Gaatin early 1907, and
supported in 1909 by the American Philosophical
Society, when Mr.. Hasslar, eminent geometer of
Switzerland then resident in the United States
trusted with its execution But war; and the time re-
qured for the manufacture of the instruments, delayed
the commencement of the work till 1916. Continuing
the survey, with brief interruption to 1874 Mr. Hass
Ter was then succeeded by our medallist.
Operations Of this nature will of course have been
made available for correct deineation of all the surface
OF the interior for it manifest that every triangle
terable to known unit furnishes three decided bases
with which others may be connected in any direction,
as long as there remains terra ra for the instruments
to stand on but these internal operations being
OF domestic nature DO not appear to the Council to
establish any distinct claim to the medal The case,
however is very different when to consider the
accurate delneaton OF such coast as that OF the United
States, commencing at the State of Maine, comprising
no less than eighteen States the Atlantic and Gulf of
Mexico besides Others the Pacific and extending,
crediby informed over not less than 10000 miles.
This number doubt includes all the wndings and in
dentatOns OF the coast and the interiors OF its harbOrs
the islands, &c. for it is to be remarked that by the
especial provision of the Government of America, the
duty not confined to class of persons but is shared
equally by military and naval and civilians, all
chosen for their fitness whereby not only is the field for
selection vastly expanded but greater facility of
recty akng soundngs and delineatng shoals harbors
and isolated rocks is afforded.
1t would be impossible to do justice to an extensive
work of this sort occasion like the present bu
the previous reports of this celebrated Coast Survey
from 844 to 1855 inclusive in library those OF
associates and of the public generally, who wish to
form estimate of their value do oat their leisure
and they will how vastly medast has pushed
this great work They will assuredly then rise from the
examination with the thorough conviction that whether
regard the science, Skill and zeal of the operators the
perfection of their Instruments the able in which
the Superintendent has enlisted all modern improvements
into his service the taken to have the observations
accurately registered, his modest and unpretendng de-
meanor, the noble beraity of the Government, tenn
pered with prudent economy all unpreudiced persons
must agree that the trgonOmerca survey of the United
States OF America stands without superior.
What then are we to say respecting the accurate de-
lineatOn of this immense tract of coast much fire.
quened by commerce. so important in every point of
view to mankind at large but that it is great and
universal boon conferred on all the inhabitants OF this
globe? We all benefit by the security of navigation ;
is not the government of the United States of Amer
alone which derives exclusive advantage from this
admirable series of operations but those who have most
frequent to the shores of the Atlantic and Pacific
chiefly participate therein and Great Britain stands
foremost amongst these, on whom deservedly
bestow Of our two royal gold medals this year,
| The President then addressed his Excelency the
American Minister, in these words
Mr.. Dallas Whilst can truly say that the Coun-
Gil and myself rejoice in this opportunity Of recording
our sense of the high merits of Professor Bache have
peculiar satisfaction in being permitted to place the
Victoria Medal of the Royal Geographical Society in
the hands of your Exceency with the request that you
will convey it to your eminent relative.
+" The grounds for making the award Of the highest
distinction which IN our power to confer have been
expressed in the terms sanctioned by the Council but
that document does not aude to other great qualities Of
man who besides his admirable Coast Survey, has so
largely extended knowledge on various subjects of
scientific Importance [ may here cite his deneation of
the isomagnetc curves both in Europe and America
his toral and deepsea soundngs, which, it is believed
will soon enable to read off the natural history of the
Gulf Stream and to calculate the perodcity and pertur
batons of the tides at given spots and his many nge
NOUS Inventions including method Of registering the
pulsatiOns of distant earthquakes.
British philosophers, sir have indeed long admired
the progress of your accomplished relative can per-
sonay testify for when he visited our country in 1847
had the qualification, on resignng the chair of the
British Association to my esteemed friend, Sir Robert
lngs to welcome Mr.. Bache our meeting at Oxford
where he presented to results of his great
vey, and we did honor to ourselves by enrolling him
among our honorary members.
Lastly, sir when know how successfully he has re-
Gently been aboring to aid the accomplishment of the
submarine electric telegraph which is to unite
tries; that this individual is the great grandson
the ilustrious Benjamin Franklin, as we'll as the near
relative of one of your leading statesmen and that bear
ing his honored he is your own nephew, feel, in
common with my associates, that there never an
occasion on which the sympathes and just pride of
kindred nations thoroughly united than they
are by the adjudication Of the Victoria Gold Medal to
Alexander Dallas Bache.'