Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-03-10
THE SCIENTIFIC BUREAUS.
Proposed Consolidation Of the Scieuti6,
Work OF the Governments.
RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE NATIONAL AcAp
ENVY OF sCTENCES-A NEW EXECUTIVE DE
PARrMENr rAvoREp-THE METEOROLOGICAL
SERVICE, ETC.

RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE NATIONAL ACAp-
ENVY OF sCrENCEs-A NEW EXECUTIVE DE-
SERVICE, ETC.
The Congressional commission 20 consider the
advisablity Of consolidating the several scien-
tine bureaus OF the government have held
several meetings TO consider the testimony
taken and discuss their forthcoming report
The commission intend TO proceed with DELHI
Grafton in making up their conclusions, and
therefore II is not probable that the report will
be presented to Congress for several months
yet The testimony aud opinions taken by the
commission cover about one thousand printed
octave pages BY request of the commission,
the National Academy OF Sciences appointed a
committee 10 advise and assist the former in
It's work, which was defined by the act creating
The commission to be to consider the present
organization OF the signal service, geological
survey, coast and geodetic survey and the
photographic Office of the Navy department.,
with the view To secure greater efficiency aud
economy of administration OF the public service
by said bureaus"
THE REPORT OF THE SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE
The committee OF the National Academy OF
Sciences consisting OF Gen. Meigs. w. r. Trow
| bridge, f. Z. Pickering, c. A. Young, Francis A.
Walker aud s. i. Langley. submitted a report
TO the commission, the main features of which
are follows:
"Your committee would call attention in this
connection to the report made by the National
Academy of Sciences to Congress in December.
1873, in which the advantages of a consoida-
ton Of the then existing surveys were pointed
out. In that report il was recommended that
the surveys should be two in mum berthe coast
and interior survey to he concerned with the
trianguiation and mapping OF the country and
dertake geological and economical investiga-
tions. Ii would be part of the duty OF the first
survey 10 supply the maps for the use Of the
geological survey, and i'm order TO secure the
coordination and harmonious cooperation OF
the two surveys 1t was recommended that the
coast and interior survey be transferred TO the
Interior department. Congress adopted the
advice oil forming a single geo.
the coast survey, as was recommended,
nor did If make provision for the topographic
work necessary for the geological survey. The
result has been that these two surveys do not
cooperate as they should The chief of the
geological survey has found it necessary TO cm-
ploy large corps of men in trigonometric
Measurements. Your committee does not feel
entire confidence that the union OF these two
surveys under either one OF the executive de-
partments would, without other measures,
necessarily lead 10 that unity oi work which is
desirable. 1t therefore recommends certain
further legislative measures, the occasion for
which will be made clear by a review OF the
work done by these several organizations: but
its members (of the coinmitteeD are entirely
clear In the opinion that some one of the exec
utive departments should control both. Ii is
tor Congress to determine which department
shall exercise this necessary authority and
control"
IN FAVOR OF SCIENTIFIC DEPARTMENT.
The committee call attention to the fact that
two distinct and independent trigonometric
surveys OF the United States, under two differ
ent departments, are now in process of execu-
lon-one 10y the coast survey and one by the
geological survey, while only one is necessary.
The committee recommend that the signal SER
vice be converted into weather bureau and
placed under civil control. The report declares
the general sentiment and wish OF scientific
men TO be the institution OF a branch OF the ex-
ecutive government devoted especially to the
direction and control of all the purely scientific
work OF the government.
THE NEXT BEST THING.
Should such department. continues the re-
port, be now impracticable. or should public
opinion not be ready for it, the next best meas
ure would be to transfer all such work or bu-
reaus to some one executive department., di-
vided into four bureaus, as follows:
l. The coast and interior survey to be con-
cerned principally with geology and hydro
graphy, and to consist Of the present coast aud
geodetc survey.
present geological survey with Its organization
unchanged.
3. The meteorological bureau, to which
should be transferred SO much of the present
personnel and functions OF the chief signal Office
rs are not necessary to the military duties OF
that office.
4. A physical observatory, to investigate the
laws of solar and terrestrial radiation and their
application to meteoroiogy, with such other in
vestgationS in exact science as the government
might assign to ii.
A PERMANENT COMMISSION PROPOSED.
In connection with this organization the
committee also recommend permanent COM
mission OF scientific men to prescribe general
policy for each of these bureaus that commits
sion to consist of the president OF the National
Academy of Sciences secretary of the Smith
sonian Institution, two civilians of high scien-
tifc reputation to be appointed by the Presi-
dent; one officer of the corps OF engineers, one
professor OF mathematics in the navy skilled
in astronomy, the superintendent of the coast
and geodetic survey, the director of the geoiogi-
cal survey and the officer in charge OF the
meteorological bureau.
This report, as will be seen, contemplated a
meteorological bureau under civil jurisdiction,
and the indications are that the commissioner
their report, will adopt the material portion of
that recommendation AT least. The other re-
commentators OF the committee Of the Ma
IionaI Academy OF Sciences will doubt
have weight.
The commission have been engaged for more
than year in making the review of the work
OF the surveys which the committee assert
would demonstrate the Importance OF carrying
out the measures they (the committee) recon-
mend. For years past scientific opinions have
united in advising a reorganization and con-
solidation of the scientific bureaus, and the
impression that this should be done has been
growing in Congress. The commission was APP
pointed to devise a plan to this end, and there
is every reason to believe that the forthcoming
report will submit such plan.
Present state Of Solar Activity.