The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1895-01-18
SCENE PROPOSED SURVEY IN THE BAY.
portion

bay, Suisun Bay and bay of San Pablo
alone there is a water surface of no less
than 40 square miles. This excludes the
Golden Gate and approaches, and does not
include the lower waters of the Sacramento
and San Joaquin rivers, which are really a
part of the bay, or the numberless estuaries
and navigable sloughs which flow into the
bay from all directions and are to be in
cluded in the present survey.
The task only of determining the depth
OF water in the wide expanse of the bay
would seem to be a sufficiently difficult
one for the surveyors, but in addition to
this a careful examination of the material
composing the floor of the bay, and the
position of rocks dangerous to navigation,
are to be charted, and the strength and
flow of the ceaSeleSs currents of the bay
are to be determined and fixed, together
with scientific observations of the tides,
altogether forming work which Will re-
qulrc time ana patience and high degree
OF ability on the part of those whose duty
will be to perform it.
Another question to be settled by the
new survey Is the effect upon the depth of
the bay of the detritus or slickens which
has been washed down the rivers from
the hydraulic mines. 1t is asserted that
the effect of these deposits has been felt
III d IlOllCedDle decrease III the OepUn OF
the upper part of the bay, but there are
those who emphatically deny this conten-
ton, and claim that the wash from
hydraulic mining never reaches so far
down. The new survey will settle this
matter.
There have been two photographic sur
Seys of San Francisco Bay and approaches,
the first by Captain James NJ. Alden in
1855 and a second in 1872-73, which was
completed by Professor Davidson with
Gershom Bradford assisting. The charts
of the survey of 1S72-73 is the one now in
general use among mariners but owing to
the lapse of time since the last survey was
made and III response to unanimous re-
quest of the mariners of the coast, Congress
appropriated $4,000 to begin the work and
the United States coast survey steamers
Gedney and Macarthur were designated
by the Secretary OF the Treasury to pro-
coed to this port and make such prepare
tons as were necessary in order that the
work should be speedily consummated.
The Gedney, which is commanded by
Captain L. Flynn, and the Macarthur,
under the command of Captain J. NJ.
Sears, are particularly strong and stanch
in build and were constructed exclusively
for surveying purposes. For two years
past both vessels have been employed in
the waters of the Sound and participated
In the survey which is to determine the
boundary DGGWeen our Alaska POSSESSIONS
and British Columbia. Each steamer is
about 145 feet long and % feet broad and
is, of course, fitted out with complete
paraphernalia of scientific Instruments
Each steamer IS provided with steam
launches and carries complement of
thirty officers and sailors. The work can
only be carried on in fine weather and
smooth seas, fog or storm rendering observa-
tons impossible, and as these are to be
anticipated in our changeable climate at
any time it is not thought that the survey
as contemplated can be completed much,
If at all, under two years.
Specific orders have not vet been re-
ceived from the Treasury Department, and
Captains Flynn and Sears are not fully in
formed as to the entire scope of the work
projected, though a portion of the survey
has been finished. Last March Captain
Sears of the Macarthur SURVEYED the coast
from Point Bonita to Lime Point and ex-
tending for perhaps one-fourth the width
of the channel. In pursuing this part of
the survey Captain Sears discovered and
located several rocks which are obstruc-
tions to navigation and carefully charted
them.
A visit was made to the steamer Gedney
yesterday, and though the rain fell with
great violence, the cabin of the steamer
was delightfully."- comfortable and afforded
an agreeable contrast to the GOODNESS and
dampness without. Captain Flynn was
absent on leave, but Executive Officer Lieu
tenant Clark was quite ready to afford
such information as he possessed regarding
the proposed survey.
The survey starts from the triangulation
of the bay which has already been done