Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1871-12-15

nation which had yet scarcely nwake1 to |
the necessities of the ease.
Mr.. Hassler was succeeded by Prof. A.
D. Bache, of Philadelphia who brought to
the duties of his Office scientific qualifica-
tons equal, If not superior to those of his
predecessor, while he had greater execu-
tive ability, and far more power TO impress
upon others the need of this great work.
Under his guidance Congress and the coun-
try began to appreciate, and supply more
literally the means to prosecute It, And
the work itself grew. BY the Mexican war
more than two thousand miles were added
to our Pacific scacoast, making a seaboard
for the whole country exclusive OF all but
the largest indentations, Of not less than
twelve thousand six hundred miles. In
addition to surveying this and mapping
the land and charting the contiguous wa
ters, the plan, as extended by Professor
Bache, proposed long and accurate obsor-
walton of the tides, so as to ascertain their
laws in every individual place accurate
observations in regard to the wind, so as TO
learn all that could be known of their pre-
vailing course, and of storms; investiga-
tons also in regard to the variations OF the
needle; in regard to the Gulf Stream, and,
| in word, every thing which could throw
light on the course which shipping should
take, or contribute TO the safety of our COM
merce. TO accomplish this Professor
Bache divided the entire coast into eleven
sections nine on the Atlantic and two on
the Pacific, placing separate parties in each
com pletely equipped for that particular
| 4 Inc, tom ti,ae
ing TO the previously concerted plans. AT
times sixty or more of these parties were
engaged in the different departments ofl6c
work. The result was that it proceeded
RAPIDLY, and within fourteen years after
Professor Bache's appointment, forty-one
thousand square miles had boon covered
by his triangles twenty-seven thousand
miles of coast line had been surveyed, near
ly five million soundings had been taken,
seven thousand specimens of the bottom
preserved, and more than one hundred
thousand maps have been distributed or
placed in the hands of sale agents. These
are only few of the figures which help to
convey an idea of the amount of work
done. Among the valuable results might
be mentioned six dangerous shoals discov-
cred in one year, near Nantucket, lying
directly in the track of our European COM
merce and of a large coast trade; danger
Gus shoals at the entrance of Chesapeake
f bay, and along the coast of Virginia and
Carolina; new channel with two fee
more Of water than any other for entering
New York harbor, and the fact that the
entrance of Delaware bay had before beer
laid down in charts eight miles out OF it
true position.
t This great work is not yet completed
, Professor Bache died in 1867, of soitenint
3 of the brain, induced by his excessive men
tai labor. But his place is now ably fille'
, by Professor Pierce, who is as ambition
, as his predecessor, TO enlarge the scope o
, the survey, and gather everywhere knowl
edge which shall be OF advantage to on
commerce. Notwithstanding the vast a
mount Of work we have done, it has cos
t comparatively little. Great Britain ha
Y been far in advance of us in this respect
, though she goes to any part OF the wor
g for the knowledge which she is trying I
0 gain and distribute. During the ten year
e proceeding 1913, she spent seven and ha
| million dollars for this purpose while, u
!. TO that time. our entire expenditure ha
been only eight hundred thousand.-Dfel
| camille .TouyunL