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THE COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY ITS HISTORY, ACTIVITIES, AND

ORGANIZATION

CHAPTER I

HISTORY

The functions of the Coast and Geodetic Survey of the Department of Commerce comprise hydrographic and topographic surveys of the coasts of the United States and of coasts under its jurisdiction, and of rivers to the head of tide-water or ship navigation, and the publication of charts of the same; the determination of heights and geographic positions to furnish control points for surveys; and observation and research work in terrestrial magnetism, tides and currents and gravity.

The first suggestion of a systematic government survey of the American coasts was probably made by Dr. Robert Patterson of Philadelphia, who brought the matter to the attention of President Jefferson and some members of his cabinet.

In 1806 the President made a recommendation for a coast survey to Congress, which took favorable action, and on February 10, 1807, an act (2 Stat. L., 413), was approved authorizing the President to cause a survey to be made of the coasts of the United States, in which were to be designated "the islands and shoals with the roads or places of anchorage, within twenty leagues of any part of the shores of the United States; and also the respective courses and distances between the principal capes or headlands, together with such other matters as he may deem proper for completing an accurate chart of every part of the coasts." It also authorized a survey to be made of St. Georges bank and any other banks or shoals, and the soundings and currents beyond the above mentioned limits to the Gulf Stream.

Early Action for a Coast Survey. The work of carrying out the provisions of this act was entrusted by the President to the

Secretary of the Treasury. The latter, with the approval of the President, issued a circular setting forth a project of a survey, inviting the attention of scientists to it, and requesting plans for carrying it into effect.

In this project the proposed operations were to consist of: (1) The ascertainment, by a series of astronomical observations, of the true positions of a few remarkable points on the coast; (2) a trigonometrical survey of the coast between these points; and (3) a nautical survey of the shoals and soundings of the coast, of which the trigonometrical survey was to supply the basis.

Among the persons who responded to the invitation of the Secretary of the Treasury was F. R. Hassler, a Swiss engineer of considerable experience in practical triangulation work, at that time instructor of mathematics at West Point. Hassler's submitted plan was adopted, and he was appointed as the first superintendent of the "Survey of the Coast."

Owing to the absence of the necessary instruments and other facilities, no work was undertaken at once, but on July 27, 1811, Hassler was engaged to proceed to Europe to procure the necessary instruments, many of which had to be specially made. He was detained there by the War of 1812 and by other causes until 1815.

Creation of the Survey. On August 3, 1816, Hassler received a definite appointment in the Treasury Department as "Superintendent of Survey of the Coast," his compensation under this appointment dating from June 18, 1816, which is regarded as the date of the creation of the survey of the coast.

In 1816 a commencement of the coast survey was definitely made in the bay and harbor of New York. The work had barely begun when it had to be suspended in consequence of the failure of Congress to provide funds for its continuance.

Transfer of the Work to the Navy Department. The act of 1807 had given the President authority "to cause proper and intelligent persons to be employed," and the President had chosen to place the survey under civilian supervision in the Treasury Department. On April 14, 1818 (3 Stat. L., 425), however, so much of the act "as authorized the employment of other persons

in the execution of said act, than by persons belonging to the army and navy" was repealed.

The effect of this act was to cause a suspension, on April 29, 1818, of the systematic coast survey work that had been planned and begun by Hassler. The Survey ceased to exist as a separate organization and the work and instruments were turned over to the Navy Department.

In 1818 and for several years thereafter, the Superintendent of the Survey participated, with a number of army officers, in making the boundary surveys required under the treaty of Ghent along the northern boundaries of New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.

During the period from April 30, 1818 to July 9, 1832, some detached surveys of rivers and harbors and hydrographic reconnaissances of the coast were made by the Navy Department for naval purposes and by officers of the engineer corps of the army under special acts of Congress for specific localities, but no general or connected survey of the coast was attempted during this period.

Transfer of the Work to the Treasury Department. In 1828, the Secretary of the Navy, in reply to a resolution of inquiry from the Committee on Naval Affairs of the House of Representatives, recommended a revival of the act of 1807 and, after subsequent repeated recommendations of the Secretary of the Navy and petitions from other sources, Congress, by an act of July 10, 1832 (4 Stat. L., 571), revived the act of 1807, giving the survey work a somewhat more extended scope, making a small appropriation, and authorizing the President to employ in the conduct of the work such astronomers and other persons as he should judge proper in addition to officers in the land and naval services. The service was again placed by the President in the Treasury Department, where a bureau was established, and Hassler, the original Superintendent of the Survey, was reappointed.

Service of Weights and Measures. At this time, Hassler was engaged in the Treasury Department comparing the weights and measures to be used at the custom houses of the United States and ascertaining by experiment the proper hydrometer proofs of liquor. This work was continued under his charge and became one of the

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