618 



SCIENCE, 



[N. S. Vol. XI. No. 277. 



The Oeodetie work of the survey for the 

 fiscal year considered, is treated under the 

 subjects of reconnoissance, triangulation, 

 hypsometry, astronomical, and gravity 

 work. These have been carried on in all 

 three divisions of the United States, the 

 Eastern, Middle, and "Western, and also in 

 Alaska. Gravity work was done on the 

 Pribilof Islands, with a standard set of 

 pendulums. 



The magnetic work has been generally dis- 

 tributed over Maryland, District of Colum- 

 bia, Virginia, West Virgina, Ohio, Iforth 

 Carolina, California, Washington, and 

 Alaska. The magnetic survey of Mary- 

 land, made by Dr. L. A. Bauer, under the 

 auspices of the Geological Survey, is noted 

 in connection with the regular work of the 

 Coast and Geodetic Survey. This work 

 was carried out with instruments loaned by 

 the Survey, and in return for their use the 

 Government was to have access to the re- 

 sults, when desired. 



Of Special Operations may be cited the 

 location of buoys, the establishment of 

 speed trial courses for ships of the Navy ; 

 magnetic ranges and dock lines ; State 

 boundary lines, and detailed hydrographic 

 surveys. Observers have been sent with 

 exploring parties, where there was prospect 

 of securing valuable geographical knowl- 

 edge. 



In the Division of Publication a descrip- 

 tion is given of the processes employed in 

 chart production. The plane-table sheet, 

 as it comes from the hands of the field of- 

 ficer, is followed through the different 

 stages of reducing, engraving and printing, 

 until it appears as a finished chart, ready 

 for distribution. More than 100,000 charts 

 were issued during the year. 



Of the textual publications there are the 

 annual reports and scientific appendices, 

 the bulletins, notices to mariners, tide 

 tables, coast pilot, and special publications. 

 A bulletin, entitled, ' Tables of Depths for 



Channels and Harbors on the Coast of the 

 United States,' has been issued. The reg- 

 ular notices to mariners, over 4000 copies 

 of which are sent out monthly, and tide 

 tables, which now include about 3000 ports 

 throughout the world, were published dur- 

 ing the year. The predicted time of every 

 high and low water, throughout the year, is 

 given for 70 principal ports, of which 25 are 

 within the territory of the United States. 

 As a special publication may be noted, 

 ' Magnetic Ranges for Determining Devia- 

 tion of the Compass in San Francisco Bay.' 

 The catalogue of charts published by the 

 Coast and Geodetic Survey at present con- 

 tains a list of about 500 charts and maps. 



Under the general head of ' Administra- 

 tion,' may be noted a table giving the de- 

 tails of field operations, followed by a sum- 

 mary of the work accomplished in the Of- 

 fice of the Assistant in Charge of Office and 

 Topography, as well as in the Oifice of the 

 Hydrographic Inspector and the Ofiice of 

 Standard Weights and Measui-es. 



Under the title Assistant in 'Charge of Office 

 and Topography, the routine work and the 

 results obtained in the following divisions 

 are described : 



(1) Computing. 



(3) Tidal. 



(3) Drawing and Engraving. 



(4) Chart. 



(5) Instrument. 



(6) Library and Archives. 



(7) Miscellaneous. 



(8) Disbursing. 



In the report of the Hydrographic Inspec- 

 tor appear statements in regard to vessels 

 and officers ; the hydrographic section, and 

 the coast pilot party. 



The important work of the Offixie of 

 Standard Weights and Measures is given only 

 in outline. Much time was given by Mr. 

 Braid, the officer then in charge, to the 

 consideration of questions relating to sugar 

 importation. Standard bars of length were 

 supplied to the Ordnance Department of 



