The New York herald., 1872-12-28
Washington TycoOns Of Upper-Tendom IN
der the Lens.
Charming Affairs" and the Cost
Thereof.
Delightful Society and Pleasant Appropriations
by Ccmpiaisant Congress Men Of Sci
sncs and Their Distinguished Ways-
Something About the Gay Season.


firmly banded together than the Arch Perpetual
Tycoons OF the upper degrees OF Freemasonry.
Few strangers are ever admitted into the festive
gatherings OF these exclusive sets, and whenever
Congressman Is invited he Is made to understand
that he Is highly honored.
THE sOIENTIFIU RING
Is headed by the venerable Professor Henry, VINO
is high custodian OF that enlarged architectural
toy the Smithsonian Institution. TO make room
for his charming family and to have . spare bed
for q visiting savant, the Professor has had to
benevolentiy turn over tho library OF the estab-
iishment TO Congress- which has given 1t shelter ut
the Capitol and pays the librarian, and he has also
donated the chronological specimens to the De-
partment OF Agriculture, where tho bugs are cared
for without COST to him. The collections OF the
exploring expeditions OF the government are re-
tanned, Congress appropriates $l6 900 per annum
for their care, and has been asked this year to
donate $40 900 more to 1t up now museum
hail. with $l2, 900 to heat the establishment The
right-hand man OF the Smithsonian Professor
Baird, receives some $4,000 for prosecuting his
inquiries into the decrease or fo0d-nshes, and for
the Introduction OF shad into rhe Western waters,
and the Government Printing Once publishes the
annual report free so Professor Henry has ut his
disposal the $50, 900 per annum which Uncle Sam
has to pay, because of the investment In worthless
bonds OF old Smithson's bequest. But tho amount
OF knowledge "difYused among men" In return for
these large appropriations from the public treas
ury is so great that the pr0fane only dare allude
to 1T in whispers, especially those admitted to the
charming hospitalities Of the institution.
THE COAST SURVEY
Is another delightful nucleus around which may be
found some OF the most charming people In WASH
ingtOn, although the superintendent Professor
Peirce, Is domiciliated at Harvard College. His
prof rd hn tho
chine, has an attractive house on street; and
Of all the pleasant resorts In the suburbs,
none ts more delightful than brentwood"
where the hydrographic man OF the concern, Cap
tain Patterson, dispenses rural h0spitalitles But
the great social charm OF the Coast Survey is its
''parties" who go North In the Summer and South
in the Winter, ann on which young men out OF
health or business go, receiving the compensation
to civihans," which forms pleasant item in the
sum Of $732 900, which Professor Peirce estimates
his expenses at. In ante-oellum days some ignorant
barbarian would occasionally rise in Congress to
intimate that this survey the coast had cost
much money, and that 1t could have been done for
half OF the millions then spent 1t. But of late 1t
Is such a convenient haven OF refuge for impecuni-
GUS members Of the families OF those In power that
no member or Congress has the audacity to ques-
tion the value OF its geodetic connections its hy
geographic reconnaissances, its magnetic Observa-
tions, or the social pre-eminence Of It's officers.
True, the engineer corps is doing the same work
on tile great lakes and across the Continent better
anu for less money, but the social position OF the
Coast Survey people, you know, Keeps 1t unchai-
lenyed.
was the derlslve term applied by the democrats to
President John Quincy Adams project for ma
tional observatory, and 1t was denounced as an
unconstitutional expenditure. But finally q "Bu-
reau of Navigation" was established in the Navy
and this has grown into full pledged observatory.
There is full naval stafr with an admiral at its
besides CIVILIANS to do the work, the annual cost
being about $4,000 in addition to the pay and al
iowances Of the naval men: II Is charming spot
jacent low lands, and NJ f. Maury, who got II up
as iife. home, but went into secessla, must often
able for q gallant young Representative than
to take q hack paid for out Of the
couple Of fair friends to the observatory, where
they can Chamber up into the revolving dome and
take peeps at the pianessf There Is huge @ Dook
called "The American Ephcmeris." Just think OF
thati Who enyies the officers or the civilians at
the Observatory their places so long as the eStab-
lishment has to staRger under the responsibility OF
such work, which would have made Dominic
ANOTHER EUROPEAN NOTION,
which has recently cropped out on this same Bu
rsau o. Navigation OF the Navy Is HydrogrTapaic nr r
chantmen. The photographer Is Commodore Wy
man. the Assistant photographer Is Commander
shirk, and there are dozen subordinate officers
Last year, which was the commencement OF the
establish ment the bills, other than pay and allow
ances were $s7 800, but this year the jovia Robe
OTHER SCIENTIFIC MEN
are quArtered IN the ordnance Corps OF the army
Point, at the Marine Hospital and In the recesses
l. of the General Land once and OF the Patent Onlce
| Then we have the government explorers, who go
| forth each Spring with their appropriations, and
| who return in December with accounts OF wonder
travellers, who saw the Phoenix expire In her odo-
riferOus nest whence the regenerated chick soon
flew forth, or who had found dead lions slain by
the quills shot from its own body by some 'iretfl
pOrcuplne,r or who knew that the stare OF the
basilisk was deatl-even these who saw unicorns
Craze and heard mernaids sing-were Oracles OF
truth, compared with our explorers. But our
Marco Polos and Mendez Pintos are valuable in our
"scentinc society" as their romances iascinate
Congressman and aid in making the most stingy
Western members vote loudly AYE" on the items
THE ELEEMosYNARY INSTITUTIONS
which have established themselves here within the
past hve.andtwenty years are a part or the
sscentiic society ring,r and strengthen 1t much.
There is no more delightful drive in pleasant
weather than to the Government Hospital tor the
Insane,n where the courteous superintendent, Dr.
Nichols. exercises liberal hospitality, and yet he
has only asked Congress to appropriate $130,000 Tor
bis disbursement during the next fiscal year The
Columbia Institution Tor the Deaf and Dumb
located on Amos Kendalrs od estate, yhich y
another pleasant place to visit In the Summer,
only requires $4,000 year to run 1t, and the Co
asgaa @a ( sy modest 5a FGea Il rs Ss@ands Ss@ asnfa he
Reform school. located on the picturesque site
known as Fort Lincoln during tne war, gets along
with So, 100, while the Freedmen's Hospital needs
100000. Then there is the Seldlefr Home, that
lovely rural retreat north Of the city, maintained
by the fines imposed on living soldiers and the un
claimed pay OF those deceased, amounting to about
100000 a year or more, and an'ordng charming
home for a few veterans and . favored lot Of
officers All the 'aforesaid, retreats for talent
and respectability furnish
A UNITED STRENGTH
which no Congressman can resist and the million
and half or money which Is voted them is ac-
cepted as paltry Onerng to science, which brave
men and fair women acknowledge by dispensing
delightful hospitality. occasionally ARassz or
some other notable comes to old by his presence,
and on the whole this scientific wheel Ia q feature
OF the government machine.
CHRISTMAS CHEER
was abundant last night, and there were many
pleasant family gatherings, ascending in the social
scale from those OF the freedmen, in their little
shanties on the island, to that at the Executive
Mansion, where the young Grants had jovial time
with their cnusins. the Dents and the Sharps. while