94 
Totten, Chief Engineer of the United States Army, and 
Commander Charles H. Davis, of the United States Navy, 
who, with Professor Bache, formed the advisory council of 
the Commissioners. Animated by the single desire of pre- 
serving the port of New York in all its usefulness, they | 
brought to the consideration of the subjects referred to 
them the diversified experience of many years spent in the 
examination and improvement of harbors. The several re- 
ports they have made on the exterior lines, on the improve 
ment of Hell Gate, and on the preservation of Gowannus 
Bay, are profound dissertations on the forces and actions of 
currents, and, while they evince, in some degree, the extent 
“of the labors of those gentlemen, they demonstrate how just 
is the public estimate of their scientific attainments.” 
Following the example of New York, Massachusetts 
soon organized a similar Commission for the port and 
of Boston, on which the same gentlemen were invited 
serve, receiving similar testimonials of the high value of 
their services. 
Of the many scientific men of the country who were 
associated with him in such duties (of whom most usually 
was our eminent President), none exhibited greater neal 
and assiduity, few took a more prominent and useful part. 
The: resolutions of the Lighthouse Board, on the occasion 
of his decease, which are appended to this memoir, would 
be, with slight modifications, applicable in reference to all 
his connections of a similar nature. Inflexible in his 
tegrity, uncompromising in his notions of duty, and wateb- 
ful to the highest degree for all the interests of the goveT? 
ment in all that concerned his charge, it is not strange i 
the shameless Floyd soon found him an obstacle to his pee 
liar operations. He was virtually banished from his offices 
or at least relieved from its duties, which he did not resume 
