, 1875-12-08
CONSTITUENCY,

TIE REPORT or THE SUPERINTENDENT or TIN
CoAHr-HUnvRY
shows that during tho past year npeciaI activity
waa maintained ln that work. Ia each OF ths
Eeatoard Statoa Of The Atlsntto and Pacific salts.
factory progresn Ia reported In short.l,ne sur
vryn and ertcnslous Of coahs topography; In nd-
dissonal determinations OF latitude and 1ongi-
tide. ard IN tcsearrlses relative 10 tides cur
rcEla, mil the magnetic elements. The hfdrng-
farhy of tho coaat approaches hss been ad-
satccd by means of tho proraIou made by Con-
Ercss for several Etcnm-vessels. Among special
7ecostls Of tho ycar are thoso brought by oxpc-
rlcHcrd a1ironotarrs III tho HorvicO from stations
I" which tllng f1atl brcn assigned, by hovcrn-
nlcnt authority, to observe tho late transit OF
Venus.
Tho inception Ct . syatematc survey Of tllo
Atlantic, Gull, AND Pacific cnasta OF tho United
otacs, at tino when requirements for COM
inerco aud navigation werc not a. they now are,
but largely prospective. Lts been fully justified
by resulta rhlcll present atsikinc proof Of the
fore.hougflt Of those who protocled tho system.
Within single gcncrntion tho results OF tho
work arc such thpt representative foseignors
may compare, with their own, charts Of all our
chief and secondary harbore, unsurpassed Ia
either precision or styie IIleao local charte.
soWcySr. represent only tho most important areas
In gcot1ettc hurveT. which has been prosecuted
from the outset With tho nsmost caro-. and by tho
best methods. That tie aJstcrn for defining tho
approaches OF our oxteusige coRsta, uiaoly adopt
ed originally. ana austniuod BY Congrsss 1t the
present ki1no. IL now recognized ~ yielding also
hure bhsia for tho future aclo1 Of tho Htates OK
tlln Union In rcFanti 70 their final BuryosB and
nIa.s, affords additional e'idonco Of tho sound
ileHd Ut tle policy that has marked sucGcaB!ye
administrations in ctr first contury ~ nation.
At certain localities along tue seaboArd, pnr-
tcHla1lS tbout tho 1orte, lighthouse nitea, and
enaht defersc.. maps Of great precision arc
Importance dvta,ls arc generalizod in tho repre-
tenta.or. but tho 'Esiabo sca-bottom Of tho
c1art holds dangers 40 widely distributed. and
60 greht. thtt no generalization is admissible.
Tho interests Of commerce aud tho safety Of
naFiKat,ou AEko require the exact development
Of all the ntsecn ground over which vessels
NAV Taps, ahd ttect.e knowledge OF each eepa-
! ratio danger. taugcr-matkp, as at hidden
r'cas for example, insignificant though they
may he in pictotihi effect ou maritime charts,
aro often found 10 bo anything but ipsisnifIcaut,
in tho relation WHICH they bear 10 other develop.
ments, NJ nlohua for tho aafetJ OF lifo and the
preservation OF property.
Information Of much Importance Is obtained
by tho SURVEY concerning fcntuHeA on land
whore OF necessity stations aro occupied. For
| the great undertaking now in progress, to IN.
creaEc the depth OF wafer On one Of tha bhrn of
the allRs'naprt. tnauv deeaila Of ths work rest
VI tH6 ACCURACY VI lnhps, ClaFtB, ana cpuputa-
tions resulting from a enrvey ordered by tha
last cougrcao. Taslca computed in tho Coast.
| survey uace, arc nov regularly iteued In print.
| 10 shoW for Il year iu advance tho houra of high
| md low water and the haight Of tide III each oj
nur Asaports. The variation OF the cuMpABs al
| places lu tito intcrior-which variation for e1-
| tended periods OF limo Ia known only BY refer
euee to otservations recorded X points near tus
| cosHt--1s now subject OF frequent inquiry.
| Within tie present year information bas been
suprsl from the hrchiveso Of tho survey boanpg
on unsettled boundaries between sonlo OF the
older States, on tho action ol Legislative Com.
mittees in regard to natural aud artificial re-
sources in navigation, Oh decisions concerning
questions In admiralty, on projects for defense,
stcs for the construction OF llRhs.houAeS. and
on rlnna for the preservation Of laEbor chanIela
! aud auchorageB.
All Of which sufficiently mapifcsts Alike thu
national char1ctnr Of tho work aud tho sntereni
and tnrortsncs attaching to itu psogreaslys mad
its ultimate results.