442 PIONEERS OF SCIENCE IN AMERICA. 



fifteen years of that time, so that its work was but just begun. 

 The Atlantic coast line had been surveyed only from Point 

 Judith, on the coast of Rhode Island, to Cape Henlopen, at the 

 entrance of Delaware Bay. " The new superintendent," says 

 Prof. Henry in his memoir, " saw the necessity of greatly en- 

 larging the plan, so as to embrace a much broader field of 

 simultaneous labour than it had previously included. He di- 

 vided the whole coast line into sections, and organized, under 

 separate parties, the essential operations of the survey simul- 

 taneously in each. He commenced the exploration of the Gulf 

 Stream, and at the same time projected a series of observations 

 on the tides, on the magnetism of the earth, and the direction 

 of the winds at different seasons of the year. He also insti- 

 tuted a succession of researches in regard to the bottom of the 

 ocean within soundings, and the forms of animal life which are 

 found there, thus offering new and unexpected indications to 

 the navigator. He pressed into service, for the determination 

 of longitude, the electric telegraph ; for the ready reproduction 

 of charts, photography; and for multiplying copperplate en- 

 gravings, the new art of electrotyping. In planning and direct- 

 ing the execution of these varied improvements, which exacted 

 so much comprehensiveness in design and minuteness in detail, 

 Prof. Bache was entirely successful. He was equally fortunate, 

 principally through the moral influence of its character, in im- 

 pressing upon the Government, and especially upon Congress, 

 a more just estimate of what such a survey required for its 

 maintenance and creditable prosecution. Not only was a 

 largely increased appropriation needed to carry out this more 

 comprehensive plan, but also to meet the expenses consequent 

 upon the extension of the shore line itself. Our seacoast, when 

 the survey commenced, already exceeded in length that of any 

 other civilized nation, but in 1845 it was still more extended by 

 the annexation of Texas, and again, in 1848, by our acquisi- 

 tions on the Pacific. Prof. Bache was in the habit of answer- 

 ing the question often propounded to him by members of Con- 

 gress, * When will this survey be completed ? ' by asking, ' When 

 will you cease annexing territory ? ' ' 



Prof. Bache's policy of dividing the Atlantic and Gulf coast 

 (we had no Pacific coast in 1843) into sections, and carrying on 

 work in all the sections at the same time greatly allayed sec- 

 tional jealousies in States which the previous operations of the 



