128 
EDWIN SMITH. 
Coast Survey, to go to southern Europe to observe the solar 
eclipse of December 22, 1870. Mr. Eimbeck was assigned 
to the party of Prof. C. H. E. Peters, the distinguished 
astronomer, with whom lie observed the eclipse on Monte 
Rosso, near Catania ; in Sicily. His ability, acquirements, 
and enthusiasm displayed on these two expeditions led to his 
appointment on the Coast Survey July 1, 1871, and his 
connection with it continued for thirty-live years. 
His first assignment was to one of the triangulation parties 
on the survey along the 3hth parallel of latitude, which was 
operating in Missouri, extending the work westward from 
the base in the Great American Bottom opposite St. Louis; 
and later he was engaged in astronomical duties in connec- 
tion with determination of latitudes, longitudes, and azi- 
muths in Kansas, Texas, and Louisiana. 
In 1872 he was assigned to the Pacific coast, and for five 
years he was engaged in astronomical and primary triangu- 
lation work along that coast from Oregon to the entrance 
of the Gulf of California, one of his undertakings being a 
determination of the geographical coordinates and magnetic 
elements at thirteen stations between San Diego and Cape 
San Lucas for the control of the survey of the coast of Lower 
California, then in process of execution by the Navy Depart- 
ment. In 1872 in the Superintendent's report is an evidence 
of the thorough spirit in which he entered upon securing a 
thorough command of all the details of the scientific opera- 
tions upon which he was engaged, this being shown by his 
paper suggesting improvements in the Hipp chronograph, 
then used in connection with the telegraphic longitude 
operations. 
In 1877 he returned to the eastern coast, where he was 
assigned to an extensive astronomical and magnetic cam- 
paign for determination of latitudes, longitudes, and the 
magnetic elements in Kentucky, Illinois, Tennessee, South 
Carolina, and Georgia, and later, after making the necessary 
preparations, in 1878 he was again assigned to the western 
coast and began at Pah Rah, in Nevada, the extension of the 
primary work eastward from the coast triangulation, which 
