292 Memorial of Gcoro^c Bi'ozvii Goodr. 



and a vast amount of good scientific work ; while to mention Hayden, 

 Wheeler, King, and Powell is to leave the field of history and to call up 

 the early stages of the development of that magnificent organization, the 

 United States Geological Survey, which is still in the beginning of its 

 career of usefulness.' 



The history of the Coast Survey began with the earliest years of the 

 century. It has been thought by some that the idea originated with 

 Albert Gallatin, and by others that it was due to Professor Robert Pat- 

 terson,- wdiile Hassler, whose name is vSO intimately associated with its 

 early history, seems to have supposed that it was suggested by his own 

 advent, in 1805, bringing with him from Switzerland a collection of math- 

 ematical books and instruments.^ 



Passing by the question as to who was the originator of the idea, with 

 the simple remark that it is doubtful whether such an enterprise should 

 not have for long years been in the minds of mau}^ Americans, it may be 



'The United States Geological Survey was organized March 3, 1879, and Clarence 

 King was appointed its first director. Major J. W. Powell, his successor, was ap- 

 pointed March 18, 1881. 



^The committee of twenty, appointed in 1857 by the American Association for the 

 Advancement of Science t t report upon the history and progress of the Coast Sur- 

 vey, made the following statement : 



It is believed that the honor of first suggesting a geodetic survey of the Ameri- 

 can coast, is due to the elder Professor Patterson, of Philadelphia; who, as earl}' as 

 the year 1806, availed himself of his intimacy with the President, Mr. Jefferson, and 

 the gentlemen who formed his cabinet, to impress them with the feasibility and 

 policy of the measure. (Report on the History and Progress of the American 

 Coast Survey up to the year 1S58, by the Committee of Twenty, appointed by the 

 Association for the Advancement of Science, at the Montreal meeting, August, 1857 

 (pp. 1-126), p. 23.) 



3 1 arrived in this country in October, 1805, having relinquished my public sta- 

 tion in my native country, Switzerland, foreseeing the turn of political events which 

 have since come to pass, and from a taste for a rural life with completely different 

 views and means quite sufficient for them, but which I have failed to claim. Hav- 

 ing arrived in Philadelphia, the late Professor Patterson, Mr. Garnet, of New Bruns- 

 wick, and several other gentlemen, on seeing the books, mathematical instruments, 

 etc., I had brought with me for my private enjoyment, were so kind as to show me 

 some attention. I had occasion to show them, in conversation, by the scientific 

 publications of Europe, that I had been engaged ia an extensive survey of Switzer- 

 land, which was interrupted by the revolution. Professor Patterson sent to Presi- 

 dent Jefferson an account of my former life, which I furnished at his request ; and 

 Mr. Clay, the Representative to Congress from Philadelphia, before setting off for 

 Congress, in 1806, asked me if I should be willing to take a survey of the coast, to 

 which I assented. (Letter published in the New York American, probably in Feb- 

 ruary, 1S27. Principal Documents Relating to the Survey of the Coast of the United 

 States since 1816, published by F. R. Hassler, Superintendent of the Sur\-ey. New 

 York: William Van Norton, printer, 1834, Octavo, pp. 1-180, i-iii: folding map. 

 Second Volume of the Principal Documents Relating to the Survey of the Coast of 

 the United States, from October, 1834, to November, 1835. Published by F. R. 

 Hassler, Superintendent of the Survey. New York: William Van Norton, printer, 

 1835. Octavo, pp. 1-156, i-iii (i).) 



