New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-11-11
PRANKS OF THE COAST LINE.
,o,,r OF THE DIFFICULTIES HYDRoGRAPH1

eoNr OF THE DIFFICULTIES HYDRoGRAPHIC
SURVEY OFFICERS HAVE TO DEAL WITH.
The old Yacht Mohawk the Coast Survey schooner
Farer droppcd anchor OF East Twenty cghthst on Fri
6.v after an eyentul bound cruise and sea
con OF work IN photographic survey OF the shoals
which afford such an unpleasant feature OF the navigation
OF Nantucket Sound. When it is considered that the
entire appropriation the Coast Survey does not exceed
onethri Of invested capital which every day passes
over Nantucket Sound and that the shippers OF the
merchant vessels which represent this capital rely I'm
rllcty on the published charts tho data OF which are
drawn entirely from the results OF the photographic coast
survey idea may be gained OF the Importance OF the
work Eager and her steam consort the Daisy
This summers survey has developed the fact that the
line has acquired ecccntrices which are to say
the least startling. The swlrllng tides which the full
OF the tidal sends UP into Nantucket Sound
play the rangest pranks with the shoals and the sandy
shores OF the An example Of this is Skps Island
OF Marthas Vineyard Island Late In
the season Lieutenant Paine. commanding the Eager
sent Ensign Swift in the Daisy to assist Lieutenant
Moser. Of the steamer Blake, who wrestling with
that particularly hard nut to crack the Muskeget
Channel.
Skrs Island years had made It's appearance
after southeast storm The gulls hal sought 1t as
particularly desirable place fer residence and fifteen
acres OF coarse waved in the brcezes.
year ago IT proposed build a hotel OF
large proportions 1t. When Daisy
assist in the survey OF the Muskeget Channel par
ucuarly unpleasant fall morning there only three
acres OF Skins Island left The day day OF
wind and storm, and when the day after that Ensign
Swift got his steamer under way and having rounded
stormy promontory Of Cape Page his eye over the
waters TO the south, not vestige Of SkiTs Island
could be seen
The next day another storm. which lasted for
two days and when the third day the his
little steamer, tossing and pitching to the working
grounds there Skifs Island smiling as serenely in
the sunshine as 1t had been there all time These
frivoltes Of shore are sources Of much sorrow 10
the Coast Survey officer Over at Nantucket there is
way 1t is custom which has bccC law there that
when the sea decides TO build land the Of the
property from which the land out" becomes
the owner OF the land aforesaid.
Now there adjacent farmers and from the
lands OF began to form long points acres in
extent which grew every day. Early in the morning
these landed PROJECTORS used 70 Town the seabeach
and the whose point had grown during the night
would put airs and exat himself gruvously his
rival Finally day there came great storm and
when. after temptestuous night which seemed
the island to its foundations the two rival farmers
to the beach. the point which had been making from
the land OF wal found to have been of completely
by deep channel and Joined at It's outer end to the
rival point OF y. Then there war; for Farmer
swore that Farmer X. had right his point
and Farmer said that the whole thing made
out from his land 1t all his property Now the
lawyers have hold OF the and therein great
chance for display OF the law OF riparian rights
The party under command OF Lieutenant Paine has
run nearly g. 900 miles OF soundlngs this and
II is the first photographic made in this region for
nearly forty years II is regarded i'm
porance. 1t May 10 when Eager left the Navy
Yard and when she dropped anchor of East Twenty
eghth-st yesterday. with her homeward bound Dennan
flying a work ended the result Of which
will guide commerce worth millions and millions Of dollars
in the way 1t should 60 the Nantucket shoals.