The Sttrvey of the Coast. 69 



and bring their mighty influence to protect, improve or maintain 

 that which we originally had. Many harbors have suffered in- 

 calculable injury through the recklessness of these who live upon 

 them, and whose daily bread is dependent upon their preserva- 

 tion; until the evil has become so great that commercial cities 

 have now " Harbor Commissions," whose special function is the 

 preservation and improvement of the harbors. The original sur- 

 veys made by Coast Survey are the foundations on which they 

 very generally must build, while re-surveys point out to them 

 the obstacles that must be overcome. And thus it will ever be; 

 and future generations endeavoring to meet the demands of com- 

 merce for increased facilities, will have still greater cause for 

 thankfulness, that the wise men who inaugurated the work of 

 the Coast Survey, determined that it should be executed with 

 every improvement that science could devise; and that the able 

 men who conducted it, did not yield to the clamor for quick 

 returns and cheap i^esults, of only momentary value. They will 

 realize by the benefits they will derive from it, as do those now 

 living who have watched its progress and development, that the 

 best is the cheapest as it will be useful through all time. 



In 1871 Congress authorized the execution of a Geodetic tri- 

 angulation across the continent to connect the great primary 

 triangulations along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, and pro- 

 vided that the triangulation should determine positions in those 

 States that made requisite provision for topographical and geo- 

 logical surveys of their own territories. Each year since then, a 

 small sum has been expended on these works with gratifying 

 results to the States that have availed themselves of the assist- 

 ance. But it was not until 1878 that Congress designated the 

 Bureau as the " Coast and Geodetic Survey," the official title it 

 bears at this time. Many comments have been passed upon the 

 action of Congress in extending the field of the survey to the 

 interior in the establishment of a " Geodetic Survey," which has 

 Ibeen looked upon as a purely scientific research for which the 

 people had no immediate use, and could well afford to wait. But 

 if the tree can be judged by its fruit, there will be no lack of 

 testimony to the economic value of the Geodetic Survey in the 

 near future; aside from its scientific and practical usefulness in 

 perfecting the Survey of the Coasts. It will eventually be the 

 basis for a precise survey of the whole country, determining 

 boundai'ies, settling disputes, and furnishing incontrovertible 



