SESQUICENTENNIAL CELEBRATION COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY U. S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE m TON, D. c. EARLY OFFICES OF THE SURVEY Home office for nearly a century was on a site now occupied by the New House Office Building on Capitol Hill. The bureau moved, first to a rented building, then to the Department of Commerce Building, in the 1930's. For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U. S. Government Printing Office Washington 25, D. C. - Price 30 cents FERDINAND R. HASSLER REAR ADM. H. ARNOLD KARO, DIRECTOR DIRECTORS MESSAGE FIRST DIRECTOR, 1807-1843 Our Sesquicentennial year focuses attention on the efficient and dedicated service of a host of loyal public servants from almost the very beginning of the Nation. I am happy to pay tribute to the accomplishments of our predecessors which are reflected in the century and a half of progress being celebrated during 1957. Future progress is contingent upon intelligent and discriminating recruitment of personnel to insure adequate leaders in the dec- ades ahead. This message is especially directed to those inclined to seek a rewarding career in carrying on the vital services per- formed by the Coast and Geodetic Survey. u. A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE S. COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY In this year of 1 957, the Coast and Geodetic Survey celebrates a century and a half of service to the Nation. Born February 10, 1807, it was the first technical bureau of the Federal Government. It came about through necessity. Congress, recognizing the need for coastal charts for commerce, empowered President Jefferson to have a survey made of the coast. The American Philosophical Society, after examination of several plans for the work, recommended Ferdinand Rudolph Hassler, a Swiss geodesist, to head the task. Accordingly Hassler was chosen— he of the far-sighted principles and high standards of precision which have guided the Survey throughout its years. Hassler's Successor, Alexander Dallas Bache, great-grandson of Benjamin Franklin and one of America's all-time great scientists, expanded and organized the work, and developed new ideas to meet the needs of the rapidly-growing nation. Geodetic surveys, the basis of mapping and engineering work, grew far and wide. Coastal charts were made, tides and currents were recorded, magnetic observations were started, and the Gulf Stream was explored. Even before the gold rush, survey parties went to the new west, where George Davidson labored and became the father of science in California. Bache led the Survey through the strenuous years of the Civil War, lending its technical services and the efforts of its engineers to the conduct of many field campaigns. Following Bache, there came a succession of heads, some of them leading scientists— others strong admini- strators. Under the guidance of these men and their assistants, the Survey continued on its mission. The beginning of surveys in Alaska in 1 867, accelerated by the later discovery of gold, presaged a long and still unfinished story of charting in that austere land, in which all later Survey officers have had a part. Many of the peaks, bays, headlands, and glaciers now bear the names of Dall, Mendenhall, Faris, and others, and hundreds of places immortalize the visits of the famous steam-launch COSMOS and other Survey vessels. The Philippines, the other great overseas under- taking of the Survey, now have modern charts of the 7,000 islands as a result of more than 40 years of work in that tropical wonderland where working con- ditions were so good, and the problems of the work so varied, that it was considered a necessary training ground for a whole generation of Survey engineers. E. Lester Jones, the first great Director of the modern period, devoted the varied capacities of the Survey to participation in the First World War; he established the commissioned officer system for the organization of the bureau; and he initiated a far- reaching development and adoption of modern techniques and methods. From the beginning, the Survey has had to lead the world in the development of equipment and methods. In the last century, its engineers invented sounding machines and current meters, and undertook triangu- lation schemes across thousands of miles of frontier territory. In this century, it has pioneered in the wire drag which sweeps the sea for hidden rocks and shoals, in echo sounding, which has revolutionized hydro- graphic surveying, in radio acoustic position-finding which permitted work in darkness and fog, and more lately in numerous devices for the position-control of hydrographic work by use of radio signals. Charles Schott, John Hayford, and William Bowie developed new methods and enunciated new principles of geodesy. They effected the permanent adjustment of all geodetic data for North America, and they established the principle of isostasy, which has shaped subsequent geophysical thought. Louis Bauer and John Fleming established magnetic observatories and developed a program of investigation into the vagaries of magnetism. Rolin Harris developed the theory of the tides and constructed a tide predicting machine which is still in use after 45 years. In World War II, the Survey participated in count- less ways and its officers distinguished themselves by their many accomplishments. Today, once more devoting itself to peacetime pursuits directed toward the economic welfare of the country, the Survey con- tinues its efforts to be of service to the nation, under the same principles and standards given us by Hassler 150 years ago. ALEXANDER DALLAS BACHE, SUPERINTENDENT 1843-1867 Great scientist, organizer, and leader — he built firmly on the foundations laid down by Ferdinand Hassler, first head of the Bureau. GEORGE DAVIDSON, ASSISTANT 1845-1895 Tireless worker and brilliant mind — he was leader of scientific thought in the new West. A geographic pioneer, he authored a voluminous description of the Pacific Coast which stands as one of the best Coast Pilots of all time. E. LESTER JONES, DIRECTOR 1915-1928 Farsighted administrator — he raised the sight of the Survey and fitted! it for the demands of the new scientific age. SHIPBOARD OPERATIONS Charting our waters is a never-ending job, as men and nature make new channels and alter shorelines. On ships such as this, the Survey sounds the waters and makes other hydrographic and oceanographic investigations. The resulting nautical charts pro- vide guidance for water commerce and protect the Navy from striking ground. EARLY SURVEY SHIP EXPERIMENT This sailing vessel, one of the first ships used by the Survey, performed hydro- graphic work in New York Bay in 1835. A PIONEERING SERVICE The work takes the Survey's engineers into the remote corners of the land. A basic framework of surveys from end to end of the country — even to the limits of Alaska — is necessary for the coordination of all the work. n the early days the instruments were crude and progress was slow. The quality, however, was very high. Formal clothing and great dignity character- ized the early field parties. frrf CONTROL SURVEYS Geodetic surveys of the bureau comprise a basic framework for the coordination of all the work, as well as for general mapping and all kinds of engineering activities. Within this framework are fitted the National topographic maps and aeronautical charts, land and property surveys, and surveys for construction undertakings such as highways, irrigation, and flood control. TRIANGULATION This is a method of long-distance measurement by observing the value of the angles between lines joining a network of stations, then computing the lengths of the triangle sides. Precise theod- olites, or angle-measuring instruments, often have to be elevated on temporary towers for this purpose. TRIANGULATION NET TRIANGULATION OBSERVER Every Coast Survey engineer must be- come a skilled user of the theodolite. Chains of triangles have been extended throughout the country. Latitudes and longitudes of all points are computed accurately for general use. Control surveys were the first undertaking of the Survey. They have always preceded other opera- tions. Before the development of towers, the work was done frequently from housetops. ARCTIC OPERATIONS Hydrographic and topographic surveys based on an extension of the National triangulation system are performed along the Arctic coast of Alaska. ALASKA HAS REQUIRED MUCH SURVEY WORK The Survey began opera- tions soon after the acqui- sition of our vast northern outpost. One of the early great undertakings was the demarcation of the bound- ary with Canada — all the way from Dixon Entrance to the Arctic Ocean. I t i Jt 1 MODERN SURVEY VESSEL PATHFINDE One of the major vessels of the Survey fleet. , She is equipped with all modern devices for her work. With her sisters and cooperating shore units, 85,000 miles of shoreline and over 2 million square miles of waters in the United States, Alaska, and the Hawaiian and Virgin Islands are kept safely charted. U.S.C.P.— GUL. 1— 1M Ililllllllli ^J'-^y.J'-ATLAXiM COAS1 -SEC TION D— ] -i^KiC^i^J^' ! OASJ-^U'TION C-IU47 as. a p.— a ^LASKA-.^U-^; U.S.C.P.-ALASKA-1943 COAST PILOTS Much essential information can- not easily be shown on charts. Descriptions of landmarks and port facilities, operating regula- tions, recommended courses and other nautical advice — all are provided in these guidebooks. They treat our entire coast and are kept up to date by frequent field checks. ELECTRONICS IN HYDROGRAPHIC SURVEYING While the leadline and sextant still have a place in hydro- graphic surveying, they have largely been replaced by modern methods. Continuous echo-sounding profiles of the ocean floor are drawn by fathometers. Electronic position- finding equipment helps locate the soundings on the chart. o- »■:« THE PASSING OF OLDER CHARTS New instruments and methods have permitted operations day or night, in fair weather or fog, at greater speed and in more detail. Old charts with less accuracy and fewer soundings are a thing of the past. WIRE DRAG Even modern methods may fail to find all submerged pinnacles. To remove all doubt, the Survey uses the wire drag to sweep rocky waters as in northern New England, Long Island Sound, the Florida Keys, and Alaska. Many a shipwreck on such hidden dangers has thereby been avoided. EARLY SOUNDING Historic methods preceding elec- tronic and sonic apparatus were simple and reasonably accurate, but the spacing between sound- ings involved danger of missing sharp pinnacle rocks. ^Ss=pr^ 11 TIDAL INVESTIGATIONS At many points along the coast the rise and fall of the tide is recorded by automatic gages. The resulting data are used in the adjustment of hydrographic surveys and pro- vide the necessary information for the setting of a machine which can predict future tides years in advance, talcing account of as many as 37 astronomic factors. ■:,;% m 1 EARLY TIDE OBSERVER The rise and fall of the water was observed more than 100 years ago at a limited number of places by crude but effective methods. 12 CURRENT INVESTIGATIONS The tidal currents in the coastal waters must be observed, their routines estab- lished, and predictions made for the fu- ture, in order to assist pilots and naviga- tors in controlling the movements of their ships. BUOY IN A CURRENT Swift currents are often caused by tides or storms. ^V 13 SURVEY SHIPS LEAVING SEATTLE FOR WORKING GROUNDS IN ALASKA LEVELS Height differences are carried forward by such a party as this. Elevations above sea level have been so determined for hundreds of thousands of points everywhere. As in many other cases, the precise instruments were developed in the Survey. LEYATION MARKER TRIANGULATSON MARKER Results of the Survey fieldworlc are per- manently preserved and made publicly available by the setting of permanently marked survey monuments. Metal plates convey the necessary information. 16 No other method of surveying can match the wealth of information, fullness of detail, speed, and effi- mm^m I* * ciency provided by the aerial camera. The Survey " >~ 2 maps large land areas along the coast needed on ~ the nautical charts. ' r ; .;...■; ;;-;^ ;;/; "' * NINE-LENS CAMERA A Survey photographer at 14,000 feet with this Survey-developed mapping camera can record all the details of !25 square miles of the earth in the flick of a shutter. PLANETABLE Formerly the standard instrument for mapping the shore detail needed on nautical charts, the plane table is now reserved for occasional small jobs. 18 PLOTTING INSTRUMEN1 The stereoplanograph is one of several types of instruments de- signed to make maps from the air photographs. By stereo- scopic inspection of pairs of such pictures, the relief of the land and the heights of objects can be drawn upon the chart. Chart detail from air photographs is precise and complete. CHARTS CONTAIN MUCH IMPORTANT INFORMATION 19 FnTwInU^ra^ EOPHYSICS The Survey formed ge.,,.., for the provision of co lateral information. Ge magnetic investigatioi provide compass-use it formation in navigatic and many other types < information. Seismolo cal studies help prote life and property frc the destructive effects earthquakes. MAGNETIC OBSERVATORIES | * t, ADMINISTRATION BUILDING, FREDERICKSBURG OBSERVATORY TUCSON Li , t SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO 21 EARTHQUAKE INVESTIGATIONS Because of its special skills and facilities, the Survey was assigned this work more than 30 years ago. Main objects are to gain scientific knowledge of these devastating events of nature, to map their areas of greatest occurrence, and to provide data to help engineers in designing safe structures. Seismic sea waves, which arise from submarine earthquakes, are detected and warn- ings broadcast. SEISMOGRAPH DESTRUCTIVE EFFECTS OF EARTHQUAKE SEISMOLOGY This instrument waits patiently on its assigned station for an earthquake to rock the ground locally, when it will measure and record the character and violence of the motion. Engineers require this knowledge. 23 INTERNATIONAL TRAINING ACTIVITY The Survey has cooperated since World War II with our National foreign-aid activities by training foreign students in the various phases of cartography and related subjects. About 300 stu- dents from many countries have re- ceived such training. Technical mis- sions have been sent by the bureau to other countries to assist in the devel- opment of mapping and geophysics programs. Other aspects of interna- tional cooperation activities have in- cluded continuous consulting services rendered the Inter-American Geodetic Survey. FOREIGN TRAINEES AT WORK INTER-AMERICAN GEODETIC SURVEY IN COLOMBIA 24 CHART ENGRAVING :: S m ^*tfft>»- * Field records after processing are used by cartographic drafts- men who construct the familiar Coast and Geodetic Survey nau- tical charts showing the channels, shoals, fishing banks, and other navigational information. Aeronautical charts are also compiled and published. 25 A SINGLE CH The Caws \ SECTION OF AIR-CONDITIONED PRESSROOM Large multicolor presses print the charts. Some have as many as nine different colors. More than 45,000,000 nautical and aeronautical charts are issued by the Survey each year. PRECISION PROCESS CAMERA DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE BUILDING Since 1931 the Coast and Geodetic Survey offices have been in this building. They occupy the basement and first three floors of the wing facing Constitution Avenue, opposite the Washington Monument. U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1957— O-^ PENN STATE UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES ADDQQ7DTD1771