New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-02-06

| the public, but In redllty W NO ooi" i"'
Z" consideration" which puts very large sum
of money into his purse year by year. 10 con-
sderation of the very valuable Information
thus furnished him, Mr.. Blunt might not un-
reasonably be expected to act as the agent OF
the Survey rittout charge, especially as the
agency would bring many navigators constantly
to his store, and must greatly aid bis business
If selling nautical instruments. We cannot,
therefore consider Mr.. Bluut's advocacy OF
system go profitable to him, altogether dis'n'
terested; nor consent to foregO our demands
in consequence of his remembrance. lie mas
we conceive, very good reason to plead Tor the
Survey himself, and to seek to Interest DINERS
in its defense; but we apprehend that ne mas
little reason to inquire what abuses may De
connected with the management OF that inSt-
tuition. nor with what wasteful proiusion
scheme so convenient for his business, and 80
directly profitable to him, is prosecuted.
The work, however, which tho Const survey
is carving on, is in it's own nature trah'ieh'i
and having now been in progress LOT man!
wears, is approaching its complexion Aireau!
the survey of our coast has been so far ex-
tended that every important harbor has BEEN We
believe thoroughly surveyed. The approaches
and channels which lead to our ports have been
explored and mapped. IT the work has been
carried on upon tie only judicous plan-that
Of surveying first the most important harbors,
ard the most dangerous shoals, as we presume
that it has, for any other would imply an IN
credible stupidity in those who have the man.
aCement Of tour readers will see at glance
how large q portion of the work must now be
completed, and of what slender and merely
nominal importance is the little that remains.
Ii has indeed been conspicuous for some years
that the very extensive operations OF the sur
yey upon our several coasts have been tending
rapidly 10 the completion OF the WORK. FOR
many years past, the Annual Reports nave
shown that every portion OF the Atlantic, "uI
and Pacific coasts has been under examination,
and in each of these departments the important
harbors and passages have received the earliest
and most careful attention Of those who were
charged with the exploration. We doubt If
there il a valuable harbor Of refuge, or an i'm
portant port Of entry, yet uuezplored. There
NAV be small inlets aud harbors not yet thor
ouchly examined; there may be work already
done which las not yet been prepared for pub
LEGATION. But the Annual Reports themselves
show that the great body of our harbors, en-
bracng all the most important of them, is sur
yeyed, mapped and published. If there are
any yet remaining, or if there are inlets and
reefs to be examined, shoals and rocks to be
laid down more exactly, that work OF direct
utility need not be arrested. In these partic-
uars. The Survey might perhaps be usefuly and
properly continued at no very great expense.
But around this work of direct utility the
Superintendent has gathered a vast body of
,cientifc observations, which should be looked
upon with very different eye. Numerous IN
yestieations are carried on in connection with
the Surrey, of much scientific interest, per-
hans. but certainly of no immediate importance.
The results of these obser atoms, arranged
with great labor, and at great expense, are
published in costly volumes, OF which thousands
are annually printed at the Government ex-
pense, to be given away to scientific gentle
men, and to literary institutions. Such persons
and institutions can make no practical use Of
them. while the very bulk Of these immense
and crmbrous volumes shuts them cut from
circulation among mariners, and renders the
information they contain Inaccessible to the
very class of men who are most in need of it.
Now, these extended and elaborate scientific
works-unob ectionabe perhaps in the prosperous
days OF pcace-are surely not so Indispensable
that thew mus. be continued at time when the
vast expenses of the war are calling for the
most decisive measures of economy in every
other direction. Let nice observations bearing
upon the theory of tides, be stopped let the
elaborate calculations which swell the annual
reports of the Survey DO arrested; let some
! Judgment be used in the publication every year
of the unimportant correspondence of subordi-
nates, which now enlarges and encumbers those
/ bulky documents: let fewer of these costly
books be manufactured and given away; and,
lest this should be thought to interfere with
the diffusion of useful intelligence LEI simple
abstracts in inexpensive form be printed OF
such matters as would tend to sase life and
prevent disaster at sea, aud given to mariners
in our ports. For all this, small funds would
suffice, and the country might save three
fourths of the expense of the Survey, with in
creased utility TO the public.
We are deliberately convinced that the vast
cost to which the operations and reports Of
tLis Rureau have reached IN unnecessary for