The evening times., 1900-09-19
AN IMPORTANT WORK.
Results Accom- pIisied by tae Coast
and Geodetie survey

One of the most important departments
of the Government. aud one of those of
which little ever is heard, is the United
States Coast and Geodetie Survey. The
work of this department is OF the greatest
Importance to mariners. for it is the charts
issued by the Survey which enable the
mariners 10 enter harbors in safety
1t was established In 1907 by an act of
Congress. and r. F. Hassler was appointed
the first superintendent IL WAS not, how
ever. until 1911 that he sailed for England
to procure ii supply of instruments, and in
1915 he returned. New York was designat-
ed as the basis OF operations and field work
began there in 1916. This was the begin
ming of the vast scheme to measure the ma
tional domain. Between 1913 and 1882 the
work was in the hands of the War Depart
ment and in 1923. 1924. 1925 the Navy made
an attempt to establish a photographic
corps. The transfer of the service to the
War Department was due 10 the action of
Congress in passing an act repeating the
provisions of the act establishing the Sur
yey as far as they permitted the employ
ment of persons outside the Navy or Army
In 1892 n bill was passed making the
original law Of 1907 effective, and Hassler
was again appointed superintendent. In
1884 the Survey was transferred from the
Treasury Department TO the Navy Depart
ment, but in 1896 it was transferred back
again to the Treasury Department, which
has continued 10 have charge of it.
The positions in the Coast and Geodet-
ic Survey are obtainable through the
Civil Service Commission, and are under
the civil service rules. Applicants file
| their applications with the Civil Service
Commission and are notified when ex-
amnations occur. The salaries range
from S720 TO s., 600 per annun, the form
cF being for the position of aide and
the latter for the Superintendent OF the
| Survey.
The examination for positions in the
| Survey is very hard and thorough. 1t
| comprises mathematics. including the
/ elements OF calculus and descriptive ge-
| ometry. TO and including projections; as
| tFonomy including the determination OF
| latitude. longitude, aud aZimuth, and the
| use OF telescopes in field work; physics.
! including the elements of optics, mag
! netism, etc; surveying, including topo-
! gTaphy and the use or ordinary field in
struments and the calculation of re-
| suits; geography of the United States;
modern languages, including translations
| into English from any two European
| langua ges-
Examples of the questions asked fol
/ low:
| Matheslaa ties-What angle does 1-16th
Of an inch subtend at a distance Oi
! 1000 feet2
| Astronomy-Deriye the azimuth factor
| and show how it is applied in the reduc-
! tion of meridian observations
! Phi Jsiee-What is the pressure in
| grams of the atmosphere On a square
meter of the earth's surfce at sea level
assuming the density of the mercury 10
! be 1862
! Suryeying-When does the sum of the
/ azimuth and back azimuth of two inter
| visible stations differ from 1Se degrees
| Geogra phy-Giye the heights of the
! highest fve mountain peaks in the Uni
! ted States and their location, excluding
|