Survey of California

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The government survey of California is being actively carried on after many difficulties from want of funds to meet the unavoidable expenses, the officials being divided into parties who take certain branches of the service. The Astronomical and Magnetic party undertook the determination of the prominent headlands and harbors on the coast, and especially those where lighthouses had been Ordered by Congress. In connection with this party is a top igraphical party for the execution of the topography of the country adjacent to the stations occupied. The jllan of operations embraced the determination of the longitude and latitude of those primary stations, and the connection with them of secondary points and harbors by means of chronometers, c. The magnetic declination and magnetic elements generally were to te determined, and whenever practicable tidal observations to be made." In pursuance 01 this plan, eight primary and thirteen secondary stations have been occupied, between San Diego and Admiralty Inlet, and the topography of the primary ones executed. The Triangulation party commenced its labors in San Francisco Bay, executed that of SanDiegoand Monterey Bays, and the Co-lamb ia River toward Cathlamet, and upon the return bt the assistant in charge to the States*, th* chief ol the astronomical party commenced the triangulation of the Santa Barbara channelbut the badness of the rainy season rendered it impolitic to prosecute it. The number ot stations occupied in the execution of the triangulation has been very great. The Topographical parties have finished San Diego and False Bays, part of Monterey Bay, the approaches, entrance, and part of San Francisco Bay, and are still at work on it, giving shore line and points to the hydrogra-phic party. The Hydrographic party commenced operations by a preliminary survey of Humboldt Bay. Then followed the reconnoissance of the coast from Punta de Los Reyes to the Mexican Boundary, and in order to render this as complete as such a work can be, afterward combined with the astronomical party for the more accurate determination of the longitude and latitude ot the harbors of the mainland and the Islands of the Sta. Barbara Channel. For this purpose two expeditions were made with twenty chronometers. The reconnoissance map has not yet been published, though it has been over a year at Washington, and much disappointment is expressed by those interested in our steamships and coasting trade at its non-appearance. All the harbors on the lower coast have been surveyed and sounded out and sailing directions given ; most of them have been published. The next work undertaken was the reconnoissance of the Coast from Columbia River to the en-tiance of Admiralty Inlet, and upon its completion Shoal water Bay an d the bar and entrance of Columbia River as high as Astoria, were surveyed and sounded, and the sailing directions given. The operations of this party cannot be carried on " outside " in winter, and it is now engaged in the sounding of San Francisco Bay and keeping up tidal observations. A colossal etatue, in bronze, ot the great composer, Beethoven, is making at Florence to occupy the niche in the New Music Hall, at Boston.

Scientific American Magazine Vol 8 Issue 32This article was published with the title “Survey of California” in Scientific American Magazine Vol. 8 No. 32 (), p. 251
doi:10.1038/scientificamerican04251853-251b

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