New-York tribune., 1878-12-03


The great good which this service has accomplished In
EecenS ssty tbis extension Of its powers and
sources and promise stu greater ~ s ,e , @
ture, corresponding 10 the au ~ may RECEIVE on Ao'
tering legislation
LIGHTHOUSE ESTABLISHMENT.
During the last fiscal year. eight new lighthouses loi
riyer-ights one fog-sgna ffty-one day-beacons ana
fortyseven buoys have been established and one lght
house. ixtyfour rverlights, and two nghtshlpS nave
been discontinued.
The total at the close OF the year ego lighthouses,
$50 rver-lights twenty-five gbtships, hftyhve steam
fog signals All day -beacons, and 3,002 buoys.
The board has commenced using the mineral oil In the
smaller lights on the New-England coast, and by
the end OF expected thatths oil VIII boused
in all The lights Of the fourth, fifth, and sixth orders 10
Gated on land.
The Fogey Rocks light house has been completed, aud
is now in operation IL the anticipated lroect9n
TO Shipping in the dangerous part or the fiOrda
reefs When the light house for American Shoal Is CON-
pleted, these reefs will be thoroughly nghled .,,
The lights on the Western rivers give great satsiac
on TO ali interested in the river commerce. They are
economically and thoroughly kept new IanieFh s na
been introduced which protects the light from WIND ana
rain and at the same time lessons the observation.
The lighting Of these rivers has now fairy passed
thought the stage OF experiment. and may now DC con-
siiered as forming parC of the light house system
The Department. as well as the whOle sclentne WoIu
has suffered great loss by the DEATH DURING tne past
year, of Professor Joseph Henry, chairman OF the
board. Rear-Admral john Rodgers mas peon seieeteu
hll the chair thus vacated.
COAST SURVEY.
An abstract Of tue report of the Superintendent for
the present year, shows that the work in its several
branches has been advanced at upward OF 100 localities
on the Atlantic Gulf of Mexico and Pacific coast of the
United States, and at geodetic points on land
The results OF this important National survey include,
amongst many intricate details, the accurate marking
ON charts the dangers that beset navigation and of
the sOundngs generally in our sea approaches OF all
lighthouses buoys. sea-marks, and fesaving stations
in true position aud the variation Of the compass and
the giving OF exact Information respecting tides and
currents and OF the position and aspect from the sea OF
objects that aids to the mariner Information
respecting variation OF the compass Ike all marine
represented on the charts deptnds Srea upon
neld-wOrk The determination OF the curves OF eqal
compass variation for the Of mariners along the
coast be well ascertained only by combination OF
the results obtained by Observatons al sea ana a sta-
tOns I'm the interior the country SO also, coast lines
for charts of considerable extent can be correctly traced
only from inland points precisely known IN relation 10
each other; and OF these upward of 10000 have been
finally determined in latitude and longitude f0r pres
ent and future the positions are marked In the
ground and the locality Of each Is described III the rec
Ords of the survey. d. ,o,ou
ment serves very important purposes In the interior.
that quarter calls are frequent Tor exact geOSraPh
ical positions which future State surveys may De
Mncn of the heldwork involves computation requiring
I'm the office the CHEST mathematical ability From long
continued the daily tides are computed at the
office, ami published year In advance IN each year
data OF special importance for public uses are supplied
from the computing division.
The coast topograpny as far as COMPLETED mas oeen
OF navigation but for nearly all cases OF engineering,
enuSpe9 on $50 sheets Many Of the typographical
and photographic sheets are yearly In request when
As heretofore close relations are maintained between
this and other branches OF the public service especa
with Navy, the Engineer Department aud the Light
The Coast Survey office is the deposary OF the stand
ard weights and OF the United states Copies
there constructed have been supplied to many aud are
being supplied to Others OF the states ana territories,
and TO tile Custom Houses rapidly as the appropra-
ton FOR the purpose will permit Tue comparisons
made with the originals DY methodS winch meet every
requirement for exactness
THE MARINE HOSPITAL SERVICE.
The Surgeon Geueral OF the Marine Hospital Service
repors 223 sick and disabled cared for dur
ing the year ended June 80 1S7Sthe number exceed
ing by l415 the largest number relieved in any pre-
yiOus year. As IN the preceding year, there was again
small surplus OF receipts over expenditures as shown
by the statement Of the Register OF the Treasury the
receipts covered in the Treasury being S36967s 67
and tho expenditures 1865 292 9O leaving unexpended
S4.3s5 ~.
On the basis OF expenditures here stated the aver
age per capita cost of the relief furnished was $50 o.
which by - IS than the lowest average cost for
1870 At the time the character OF the RELIEF rur
nished has steadily improved.
The National Quarantine Act, with the execution OF
which the SURGEON General Is charged was passed 50
ton necessary carry out It's provisions could not DO
made Notwithstanding this fact, everything has Deen
the act which could be accomplished without the
expenditure OF money.
By the aid OF voluntary contributions, investga-
,o as 10 the cause OF the yelOwfeyer epidemic 1878
undertaken under the direction OF the Surgeon
General, by "a commission or experts, whose report Will
he submitted to Congress lhe attention Of Congress
is called to the expedcncy OF requiring by law exami
OF the officers OF tnis service s REQUISITE to their
appointment The Secretary renews the recommends
The system Of weights and measures has been
adopted Tor medical and pharmaceutical purposes IN the
service during the year No embarrassment has resulted
from It's adoption.
PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
The report Of the Supervising Architect shows salts
factory progress In the construction OF the public build
ings During the year. four buildings have been COM
menced, seven have been practically completed, and
five others far advanced that they will be COM
peted by spring-some OF these latter considerably
within the and appropriations made therefor
In addition to the work OF construction. necessary
pairs have been made upon various public buildings
under control of tnis Department., OF which there
are 134 besides those IN course OF erection.
storage OF silver dollars the subreasurles in New
York, Philadelphia, and san Francisco, the aggregate
cost OF which will be about SOS, 600.
The details pertaining TO the rental OF buildings and
rooms for officers OF customs supervising and local in
spectors OF steam vessels ana assistant teasuers are
under charge OF the Supervising Architect, aud lie
ports that the number OF buildings and portions OF build
ngs rented for these purposes Is 1885, the aggregate
rental OF which Is Sl40,S7S per annum.
OFFICIAL SERVICE.
In closing his annual report, the Secretary deems
it proper 10 call attention to the great
riety OF Jurisdiction imposed by law upon the
Treasury Department. Since its organization by ap
proved September q 17s9 1t has been placed in charge
OF the commerce aud navigation OF the country; OF
revenue marine consisting OF thiry-seyen steam and
sailing vessels engaged in the prevention OF smuggling
and the distressed and wrecked vessels OF
the engraving, printing and redemption of United States
notes of the collection and ohOr Gtatls
ties and OF the construction and custody OF public build
ings IL bas also the exclusive supervision OF the Ma
tonal Banks. of the Lighthouse Establishment the
Coast Survey, the LfeSavDg Service and the Marine
Hospital Service-tOgether constituting diversity OF
duties requiring the highest skill learning hdety and
enterprise the part Of ITS officers The laws relative to
these matters have been supplemented by regulations
aud decisions all combined form an admirable sys-
fem for the administration Of the business of the Depart
mill inlIN. M