The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-02-27
THE COAST SURVEY.
Chamber Of Commerce Opposes
Its Absorption.
REASONS ron PRESERVING n
Movement 70 Combine II With Geo
logical Survey Political scheme
Capt. GiIbert-s Views.

terday an exhaustive report submitted
By the committee on legislation on the
proposed abolition OF the coast and
geodetic survey and the transfer OF the
greater part OF ifs manifold and i'm
portant duties to the navy or 70 the In
tertor departments. 70 be performed by
ths United States geological survey,
was adopted The report was accom-
panied BY letter from Capt j. ]. Gil
bert. OF the survey, AZ Olympia, giving
reasons why friends OF the survey OBJ
1ect % q change tn it's organization
The committee on organization reported
forms for application for membership
and recommended reducing dues from
ESQ per month to 81. The board WAS
notified that q committee from the legis-
lature would be IN the city today 70 in
vestigate the s&ke u1xxerGS
In the report Of the committee on the
change In the coast. and geodetic sur
vey the section OF the bill aboIishing
the survey WAS quoted as follows:
"On and after the first day OF July,
1884, the bureau In the treasury depart-
ment known as the coast and geodetic
survey be. and the same II hereby. abol-
ished. and al the duties now performed
By the cosat and geodefic survey. relat-
Ing TO the survey OF the coasts OF the
United States and adjacent islands. in
Guiding the survey or rivers to the head
OF tide water CO ship navigation. with
such topography as may be necessary
thereto. and the preparation OF charts
ana nautical publications therefrona. and
ali soundings. examination of teInpera-
tune. and Of deep sea and tidal current
observations be. and the same are here
By. transferred to the department of the
navy, and the secretaries of the navy
and the treasury shall cause to be
transferred 20 the department of the
navy all the vessels, buildings now
owned or controlled by the United
States and occupied by the said coast
ard geodetic survey, and such Of the
records. materials, and employees OF the
z-eand geodetic survey as may be
necessary In order TO carry out the pur-
poses of this act
That ali of the duties now performed
by the coast and geodesic survey. relat-
ing TO the geodetic survey are hereby
transferred TO the department OF .nte-
rior. and shall be performed by the
United States geological survey at
=
the records and materials as belong to
or are used In said work. together with
such employees as may be necessary.
shall be transferred to the department
of the interior
The chief of the photographic Office
shall be an officer not below the grade
OF commander, and shall be entitled to
the highest pay OF his grade"
The committee reports that while the
clause Is presumably offered in favor of
the more economical administration of
the bureau, 1t is, unable to determ;ne
the wisdom OF the change for the fol-
lowing reasons.
Il. The bureau IL OF long and high
standing and has accumulated records
and materials OF essential Importance
TO the world as well as our own coun-
try. and Its duties are performed by
men of scientific attachments assisted
by corps Of skilled employees.
80. That the work commenced and
carried on for many years by the bu-
reau should be continued with the same
efficient service as In the past.
q. The means or sources of infor7na-
ton at the hands OF your committee.
from which the wisdom of the pro-
posed change can Be ascertained. are
SO very finGtef. and the interests in
volved so important. that the commit
tee Is unable to report that the abolition
or the bureau and the transfer OF its
duties. records and materials to other
departments would either be wise econ
orny or would not result in detrimental
results 20 the future usefulness of the
bureau"
The committee recommended one of
two courses. that the board take no
action IN the premises until better in
formed as to the merits OF the change,
or the passage OF the following resoiu-
ton:
THAT the Chamber OF Commerce OF
the city of Seattle deprecates any
change In the organization OF the coast
and geodetic survey OF the United
States whereby Its present efficiency or
usefulness would be hampered; that
the great benefits derived from its
operations In the past are OF manifest
Importance 10 the commerce OF our own
and other countries ard to the scientific
world. and that II would be unprogres-
s.ye To schacfSle its career by expert
mental changes; that the bureau as
now organized. with its present eff
Gent operative force, should be main
sasned.'
Accompanying the report was a letter
from Capt J. ]. Gilbert. OF the survey.
dated 81 Olympia, February /. in which
after telling Of the organization OF the
survey. he says the photography has
always been done by the younger naval
officers under the direction OF the SUI
periHsendent and the more scientific
work by the regular trained members
Of the survey. The service has been
practically under civil service rules. an
pointnaents being made after examsna-
ton. beg,ning from the bottom. with
slow advancement and an implied as
surance 90 life work Efforts have been
made TO abolish the resent organlza-
tioa and divide the work between the
army and navy. but more recently he
tween the navy ard the geological sur
vey; but has found champions in both
houses, among them jefferson Davis
and Gen Garfield
Capt Gilbert says be Is satisfied that
the hostility 20 the survey IS due TO
sposIs politicians who came from the In
terror with knowledge OF IL obtained
only from blue books and were enraged
az finding - offered no opportunity En-