EEPORT OF THE SECRETAEY. 29 



in co-ordinating the items so as to refer tlieui all to a common base, the 

 mean level of the sea, while another source of incoherence remains from 

 the nou-retnrn of answers from numerous railroad corporations, which 

 have been applied to with all possible courtesy and with expression as 

 to the value of the results sought. Unfortunately, many corporations 

 and engineers have lost or taken no pains to preserve the record of 

 their surveys. 



These collections of heights have been copied in twenty-five quarto- 

 volumes, for iireservation and convenience in collation. The heights 

 are arranged under the names of places alphabeticallj', under the 

 headings of the individual States, «&c., for convenience of reference 

 when published — giving county, specification of locality, and authority, 

 with notes where required. 



This large mass of material is, in greater part, copied in manuscript 

 directly from the returns — the individual names to be finally cut off in 

 slips and arranged alphabetically for printing. While this is being pro- 

 ceeded with, a map has been projected, to represent the mean results of 

 these data, on a scale of five-millionth, size of mai> 52 inches by 39 inches, 

 which will embrace the large area from 15° to 58° latitude, and, from 

 east to west will take in Newfoundland, the Bermudas, the larger 

 West India Islands, (to St. Thomas,) and on the northwest coast, Van- 

 couver's Island and Queen Charlotte's Island, extending thus well up 

 into Hudson's Bay and down to Central America." . 



This work will form the basis of a physical map, and will be useful 

 for many purposes of reference other than that of hypsometry. 



The report of the Institution for the year 1871 was presented to Con- 

 gress, and ordered to be printed. A resolution was offered as usual order- 

 ing an extra number of copies ; and the House of Eepreseutatives directed 

 an edition of 20,000 copies. This number was reduced in the Senate to 

 12,500, and unfortunately, before an arrangement satisfactory to both 

 branches of Congress could be made, the adjournment took place. Up 

 to this time, however, no further action has been taken, and the Insti- 

 tution is still without extra copies for distribution. 



As an offset to this disappointment, we are gratified to bo able to 

 state that a resolution passed Congress at the last session, directing 

 that an edition of 2,000 copies of all the reports of which there were 

 stereotype plates be printed for the use of the Institution for distribution 

 to public libraries and especially to colleges and higher academics. The 

 series of eight volumes thus reproduced includes the reports from the 

 years 18G3 to 1870, inclusive. 



We doubt not that Congress before the close of the present session 

 will order the Public Printer to strike off the usual number of copies 

 from the stereotype plates of the report of 1871, and that we shall thus 

 be enabled to gratify in some measure the increasing calls upon the In- 

 stitution for copies of this document. 



