New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-04-03

A CHAMPION FOR THE COAST SURVEY.

VIGOROUS OPPOSITION TO THE SCHEME FOR
ABo1isIr1NG An IMPORTANT BUREAU.
Ithaca, y. Y. April 2 (SpecaD.-A long. energetic
but courteous letter has been sent by Professor
T. A. Fuertes who fills the chair Of civil engineering
IN Cornell University. TO President Cleveland. pro-
testing against the scheme now before Congress
for abolishing the United States Coast and Geodetc
Survey. and dividing up its records and duties be
tween the Hydrographc Bureau Of the Navy De-
partment and the Geological Survey.
He argues that scientific work requires specially
trained experts; that the Bureau now has ana can
get them from the ranks OF civil life that the
Naval Academy mot for want Of enterprise, but
lack OF appropriatione does train its students
for such work as this bureau is engaged In; that
the whole tendency OF things in this country Is TO
ernancpate scientific bureaus from military control
as was done with the Weather Bureau, and not TO
put them back into military departments ana that
IN Europe It has been shown that, without eXcep-
ton In those countries like England, for example
which are freer and less under the stress OF mill
tarsm the scientific merit Of their surveys Is the
greatest This IS especially conspicuous In the IN
dian Survey II am sure" says Professor Fuertes
THAT the rank of supremacy now held by US IN
this branch OF the National service will assume
position Of medocrity. # not worse, by the aboli-
ton OF the best OF prosecuting the ground
work carried admirably by our COAST sur
vey." The Naval observatory Is referred to as an
illustration of the paralysis inflicted on scientlhc
research by military control rather a system Of
merely giving places 70 officials without regard to
special fitness; and the proposed scheme - pro-
nOunced retrogrcssive.
Professor Fuertes continues: Taking for granted
that the Geological Survey may do such violence 10
Its natural instincts that It's future work IN good
ssy may become independent Of the natural geo
logical bias that Will tend 10 subordinate geodeSY
10 geology taking for granted also that as CIVIL
organization that survey may eventually employ
proper scientific exper,s-what advantages Will result
hat not
bv the present Coast Survey? Many Of the pur-
poses Of geology be effectively served by simple
approximate delineations OF the earths crust; IN
fact approximate sketches viii be sufficient Tor geo.
logical purposes in a vast majority Of IT'S topo-
graphical needs. Is ii then to be expected thdt a
geoIogist will spend the money necessary for geo
detic accuracy, which IS not Indispensable for his
purpose, TO the prejudice OF the geological preui-
lections which give enthusiasm TO his lfe-work?
Again. there are stored in the Coast Sur
vey Office tons Of notebooks and interviewer data
some OF them not yet worked up. the value oil
which is equally important TO the geodetic ana ny
geographic work Upon what sytem or DIVISION
can the share Of this valuable and expensive data
be distributed between the Geological survey anu
the photographic Office? My experience In cases
OF this kind indicates that these notebooks VIII be
mixed up or thrown away thus rendering them
useless even with great expense ana FISK OF mis-
takes in recopyng. and losing all the ADVANTAGES
for which the expense Of collecting them was III
CURED.
in my judgment based upon no little expert
ence in matters of this nature. we'll as with men
and with affairs am led TO believe that such
transfer is now proposed will deprive the Gov
eminent of perhaps its most brilliant Snd plo',h nc
scientific activity without beneiiting the Navy or inc
Geological Survey. 1t seems also. an injustice 10
deprive the Coast Survey from reaphs tne D7n Nv.
fts of its scientific laDors since tle unle o' WY,
great Hassler Presidents and ConsresSmtn nav H,
not adequately appreciated the heroic WORK uone
BY the Coast Survey in triangulang the vast eN
tent OF territory. 1t seems 10 nave Deeh -
foundation for the truthful topography of cur
country, and the study Of the actual shape OF the
possible value should have taken the place Of the
early empty sheets, with chains OF UiaigteS o T
such work is absolutely indispensa bic to MAKE
useful the Genfa eat sc SI e purposes Of an
Importance that cannot be eXaggeIateea, Us ~ Is
tons. we have to-day more accurate knowledge
OF the surface of the visible half Of the moon than
believe that the proposed transfer will make our
present topographca confusion worse G0nd3uruoos;
years the fruits of The labors which the Coast
l which any nation might well be proud; ami which,
II lost cannot be recovered without heavy A nseS
!. discoveries which have been brought TO stand
still for lack OF sufficient knowledge IN some a.
recons, like electricity. the force Of gravity, Inc
fate of the earth upon is course about the sun;
etc. The settlement OF these open Questions Is t oi
denzens of the earth; and many Of these questions
%orE w 9a the COAST ' Survey
throw light upon the very dark corners or our
present knowledge of physical science.
20 believe that have no prejudlces. ] have no
interests of any nature whatever in reference TO
the subject, beyond a desire TO see our scieltihc
work respected among other nations by its sodlty,
truthfulness and ever-ncreesing usefulness. be
ieve have had sufficient knowledge and have had
sufcient contact with the three interests involved
viz: The Geological Survey. the Navy ana the
coast Survey. by critical study personal expert
ence and scientific training. to believe that am
Competent 10 Judge that the proposed change II
unwise and needless. l can also say that # were
mistaken or utterly incompetent 70 pass judgment
tar my /
certainly be mistaken In the statement or the fact
that do not know one person capable OF judging
,Inon the true import of the Coast Survey whose
opjnon does not coincide with mine further be
Ieve that Il would be exceedingly easy, and the
dutv Of Congress before such an important change
Is made to obtain the expert opinion OF the scien-
finc bodies in this country, or at least OF the
Academy of Sciences or to summon before them
such disinterested experts, as | have no doubt
could he obtained by the hundreds. whose names
and Judgment would be guarantee OF their fit
ness to testify upon the merits OF this question,
and who, venture 10 say, will oppose such
hans