SECTION III. 



ASTRONOMICAL RESULTS OP PUBLIC SURVEYS, 



VERY extensive surveys have been undertaken, at the 

 expense of the general government, and some by State 

 governments, which have indirectly contributed very much 

 to the science of astronomy. Of these, the survey of the 

 coast of the United States is the most important. 



The survey of the coast was proposed by Mr. Jeffer- 

 son, and was authorized by Congress in 1807. Mr. 

 Grallatin, then Secretary of the Treasury, sketched the 

 plan of a magnificent geodetic work in which the prin- 

 cipal headlands of the coast should be fixed by astro- 

 nomical observations. Jn consequence of the unsettled 

 state of the country, no active steps were taken toward 

 carrying this plan into execution until 1811, when Mr. 

 Hassler was placed in charge of this work, and was sent 

 to Europe to procure the requisite instruments. He did 

 not return with the instruments until the fall of 1815. 

 In 1816 he commenced the survey ; and in 1818, Con- 

 gress not being satisfied with the progress of the work, it 

 was stopped. 



In 1832, the work was revived by an Act of Congress, 

 and placed under the direction of Mr. Hassler, in whose 



