404 SURVEY OF THE COAST 



Latitudes were observed on various stations, for temporary 

 use in tiie determination of time, ^c. The longitude was 

 taken from the general acceptation of the longitude of New 

 York ; but all this to determine accurately, was of course re- 

 ferred to regular observations in the temporary observatory 

 built for the jiurpose. 



The organisation of the detail surveysalwaysdependsupon 

 the administrative views according to which the work is to be 

 executed. Its details must therefore he omitted in the present 

 papers. Regular and lull instructions must be given to the 

 detail surveyors in writing, both on the principles wliich they 

 shall make use of in their works, and on the objects to be 

 attended to. 'I'he nature of the tirst is indicated to tiiem by 

 the instruments which tiiey are to employ, and by the papers 

 containing the triangulations which are given them to till up, 

 with the detail notices which shall accompany them. Tiie 

 mere elementary mathematical part is sufficiently treated of 

 in a number of works. The latter must be reduced into regu- 

 lar tables forming the questions, which they sliall answei by 

 filling them up ; and in an extensive work they should be in 

 printed formulae. "I heir nature, in the survey of the coast, 

 is evident, from what has been said before upon this subject. 

 1 intended to plan such instructions, after my summer's work 

 was finished. 



The plane table is the most appropriated practical means 

 that can be used for actual surveying in this case. It is 

 also the most accurate and expeditious. Every other means 

 will be found to require more labour, and to multiply the 

 chances of disadvantage and error. 



This part of the work is nmch more expensive and te- 

 dious than the triangulation. The surveys must be laid down 

 on a larvae scale, j^Vo- at least. The ports and harbours 

 ought to be at t^tot- And all may be brought to an assem- 

 blage with convenience and propriety in the scale of is-sos at 

 least. 



If the governments of those States through which tlie sur- 

 vey of the coast was to go, could be induced to take an inte- 



