SCIENCE. 



FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1885. 



WHO SHOULD BE SUPERINTENDENT OF 

 THE UNI TED- ST A TES COA S T-S UR VE Y. 



The course to be followed at Washington 

 in the selection of a superintendent of the 

 U. S. coast-survey, will be watched with the 

 greatest concern b}^ all who are interested in 

 the conduct of that important bureau. Those 

 especially who believe in maintaining the civil 

 service in a high state of efficienc}^ and who 

 look to the present administration for the 

 faithful application of sound principles in the 

 selection of officials for positions of high re- 

 sponsibility, will form their opinion of the wis- 

 dom and honesty of those in authority by the 

 action which is about to be taken. 



We are informed that actually an appoint- 

 ment has already been made ; but we take it 

 for granted that it is oxAy an appointment ad 

 interim^ that the public service maj' not suf- 

 fer an}' detriment in the emergenc}' which has 

 arisen. In all probabilit}', the officer now in 

 charge of the surve}', however qualified he 

 may be to pronounce upon many of the ques- 

 tions which are brought to his notice, — and 

 we hear him spoken of in terms of great re- 

 spect, — would decline the responsibiUtj^ of 

 guiding, even for a few months, the work of a 

 scientific corps so numerous, so expert, and so 

 special, as the surveyors and hydrographers of 

 our coast. 



The head of the survey must not only be 

 competent to judge of results, as does the 

 secretar}' of the treasury-, or the observing 

 member of congress, but he must be compe- 

 tent to point out the methods, and select the 

 agents, and govern the various steps, b}^ which 

 the desired results are to be obtained. As 

 these results — the accurate desciiption of 

 the coast, and the careful observation of the 

 changes which are constantl}' in progress upon 

 the marine highways of travel and commerce 



No. 137. — 1885. 



— depend upon the most precise phj'sical 

 measurements, and the most accurate mathe- 

 matical discussions, the superintendent should 

 be a man who has been trained in mathematical 

 and physical science. Other qualities are also 

 essential, but they can be found in men who 

 have been trained to this particular kind of 

 scientific work. 



If there should be a vacancy in the supreme 

 court, none but a lawyer would be thought of 

 for the position ; if there should be need of a 

 surgeon-general for the army or the navy^ 

 none but a phj^sician would be appointed ; only 

 a military engineer would be competent to con- 

 duct the military engineering of the govern- 

 ment. What is true of the older professions 

 is true of the newer. The director of the 

 coast and geodetic surveys of this vast country 

 should be one who will command the profes- 

 sional confidence and respect of all who are 

 themselves expert in hydrograph}' and geod- 

 es3\ He must be survej'or-in-chief, or sur- 

 ve^'or-general. He should have high personal 

 character, acquaintance with the structure and 

 physics of the globe, skill in adminstration, 

 and the power of complete and lifelong devo- 

 tion to a work of great responsibility and 

 honor. 



It is not necessary to look for such a man 

 in the army or in the navy. Indeed, there are 

 grave objections to detailing an}^ officer of 

 either arm of the service to the conduct of the 

 coast-survey ; and it may be assumed, that no 

 one will resign from the army or navy to enter 

 upon the unpensioned and uncertain career of 

 a civilian. Fortunately, there are several men 

 in civil life whose pursuits and attainments 

 qualif}^ them for the superintendenc}', — men 

 who have alread}' won distinction in mathe- 

 matical and physical researches. Among 

 them are men of excellent business habits, of 

 administrative skill, of honest, faithful, and 

 industrious lives. Upon such a man we sin- 

 cerely hope the choice will fall. 



