296 AIcDiorial of George Brinvii Goode. 



petent judges abroad, and the commendation bestowed upon it was of no 

 little importance in the wakening of sentiments of national pride, which 

 had considerable influence in assisting the passage of the act authorizing 

 the renewal of the .survey in 1832." 



With the appointment of Bache as Superintendent in 1843, the Survey 

 entered upon a new period of prosperity, the discussion of which is not 

 within the province of this paper, and it seems appropriate to close this 

 notice of the origin and early history of the organization by quoting from 

 the first report of his successor an estimate of the value of Hassler's 

 services. 



The coast survey [wrote Bache] owes its present form, and perhaps its existence, 

 to the zeal and scientific ability of the late superintendent, who devoted the energies 

 of a life to it; and who, but for its interruption at a perici when he was in the 

 prime of manhood, and its siispension for nearly fifteen years, might have seen its 

 completion. The difficult task of creating resources of practical science for carrying 

 on such a work upon a suitable scale, required no common zeal and per.severence for 

 its accomplishment, especially at a time ( 1807) when our countrj' was far from having 

 attained her present position in scientific acquirement, and when public opinion was 

 hardly sufficiently enlightened to see the full advantages of thoroughness in executing 

 the work. For his successful struggle against great difficulties, his adopted country 

 will, no doubt, honor his memory as the pioneer of a useful national undertaking.' 



The history of the Coast Survey under the successive superintendent- 

 ships of Bache [1843-1867] , Peirce [1S67-1874] , Patterson [1874-1881] , 

 and Hilgard [1881-1887], w^ould make a volume in itself. Under its 

 present Director, Professor Mendenhall, it is growing into renewed vigor 

 and efficiency. 



The Coast Surve}^ was the last of the great .scientific enterprises begun 

 in JefTerson's Administration. If the Sage of Monticello were now 

 living, what delight he would feel in the manifold scientific activities of 

 the nation. The enlightened polic}- of our Government in regard to 

 .scientific and educational institutions is doubtless to a considerable degree 

 due to his abiding influence. 



Nowhere in all the long course of Mr. Jefferson's great career [writes Henry 

 Adams] did he appear to better advantage than when in his message of 1806 he 

 held out to the country and the world that view of his ultimate hopes and aspira- 

 tions for natural development, which was, as he then trusted, to be his last bequest 

 to mankind. Having now reached the moment when he umst formally announce to 

 Congress that the great end of relieving the nation from debt was at length within 

 reach, and with it the duty of establi.sliing true republican government was fulfilled, 

 he pau.sed to ask what use was to be made of the splendid future thus displayed 

 ])efore them. vShould they do away with the taxes? vShould they apply them to the 

 building up of armies and navies? Both relief from taxation and the means of 

 defence might be sufficiently obtained without exhausting their resources, and still 

 the great interests of humanity might be secured. These great interests were 

 economical and moral ; to supply the one, a system of internal improvement should 

 be created conmien.surate with the magnitude of the country ; "by these operations 

 new channels of communication will be opened between the States, the lines of 



'Report of Alexander Dallas Bache, Sui)erintendent of the Coast vSurvey. 



