The Civil War practically stopped the survey, although many of its officers were assigned to service on Federal war vessels, where their knowledge of the coast waters proved of great service in the various naval operations which were conducted by the Northern fleets. In 1867 Professor Bache died and was succeeded by Prof. Benjamin Pierce, of Harvard University. who served until February 17, 1874. Since then the successive heads of the Survey have been: Car lile Patterson. who served until his death in ; Prof. Julius E. Hilgard, who resigned in 1885; Frank M. Thorn, who resigned in 1889: Prof. T. C. Mendenhall, who resigned in 1894 to become president of Worcester Polytechnic Institute; Gen, W. W. Duffield, who resigned in 1898; Prof. Henry S. Pritchett, who resigned in 1900 to become president of Massachusetts Insti tute of Technology, and 0. H. Tittman, who was appointed superintendent in 1901.
Turning now to the present organization of the Survey, the original and the principal purpose of the organization is a survey of the coasts of the United States primarily for the benefit of commerce. It is charged with the duty of pub lishing all results of such a survey that may be useful to the public. There has been added to its original duty, by legislation, that of determining the magnetic elements, exact ele vations. and geographical positions of the inte rior. In 1878 the name of the organization was changed by Congress from Coast Survey to Coast and Geodetic Survey, in recognition of the extension of its functions to include triangula tions in the interior.
The Coast and Geodetic Survey is a bureau of the Treasury Department; the head of the bureau. known as the superintendent, reports to the Secretary of the Treasury. The superin tendent is charged with full responsibility in every respect for all the work of the bureau. He is aided in such of his duties as cannot be delegated to officers of lower rank by all as sistant superintendent, who acts as superin tendent in his absence. Eight officers or groups of officers report directly to the superintendent and assistant superintendent, viz.: (1) The as sistant in charge of the office; (2) the inspec tor of hydrography and topography; (3) the in spector of geodetic work: (4) the inspector of magnetic work; (5) the disbursing officer; (6) the editor; (7) the chiefs of field parties; (S) the heads of sub-offices. The first four of these officers have a general supervision over all the operations of the Survey both in the field and office, each acting as an advisory officer to the superintendent in regard to specified portions of the work. The functions of the fifth and sixth officers are stated fully further on. The officers in groups seven and eight have direct charge of all operations in the field. Each field party is
a temporary organization which is created for a specific operation by an order of the superin tendent, which makes one of the officers of the field force the chief of party, and, if necessary, assigns to him as subordinates one or more other officers from the same force. The party is dis banded when the work assigned to it has been completed. If the party is for duty on land the remainder of the organization of the party, the hiring of recorders, laborers, drivers. etc.. is left entirely to the chief of party. If the party is for duty on a vessel, the assignment of an officer of the field force to command the vessel carries with it, necessarily, the command of the whole force on board the vessel, including watch and deck officers as well as crew. There were, in 1901, Olt officers on the field force. These officers are subject to office duty between field seasons. The Survey has its own fleet of 12 steamers and 6 sailing vessels, aside from launches and other small crafts. There are at present three sub offices, each in charge of a field officer reporting directly to the superintendent, viz.: at Seattle, Wash.; San Francisco, Cal.; and Manila, P. 1. The purpose of these sub-offices is to aid in the prompt dissemination of information, to serve as storage depots, and to save traveling ex penses by providing points at which field officers may be temporarily assigned to office duty be tween the seasons. At the Manila sub-office the publication of preliminary charts is authorized.
The inspector of hydrography and topography, reporting directly to the superintendent, has a general supervision over the classes of field work indicated in his title, places before the superin tendent plans for such work, makes the neces sary inspection in the field to insure that the superintendent's orders are carried out economi cally and effectively, and is especially charged with the supervision of all matters relating to the ships and their personnel. The Coast Pilot, a publication giving full description of the coast from the mariner's point of view, sailing direc tions, warnings as to dangers to navigation, and other information of special value to navigators. is prepared under his direction. The inspector of geodetic work, reporting to the superintendent, is charged with the duty of preparing plans for the field operations of triangulation, astronomi cal determinations and precise leveling, and of making inspections of parties in the field. and of records and correspondence received at the of fice from field parties, with a view of insuring that the field operations are in accordance with the superintendent's orders. are of the desired de gree of accuracy, and are efficient and economical.