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United States Coast and Geodetic Survey (view source)

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Ever since it began operations, the Coast Survey had faced hostility from politicians who believed that it should complete its work and be abolished as a means of reducing U.S. government expenditures, and Hassler and Bache had fought back periodic attempts to cut its funding. By 1850, the Coast Survey had surveyed enough of the U.S. coastline for a long enough time to learn that – with a few exceptions, such as the rocky coast of [[New England]] – coastlines were dynamic and required return visits by Coast Surveyors to keep charts up to date.<ref name="bache4"/> In 1858, Bache for the first time publicly stated that the Coast Survey was not a temporary organization charged with charting the coasts once, but rather a permanent one that would continually survey coastal areas as they changed over time.<ref>[http://www.lib.noaa.gov/noaainfo/heritage/coastsurveyvol1/BACHE3.html#RUNNING Theberge, Captain Albert E., ''The Coast Survey 1807–1867: Volume I of the History of the Commissioned Corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration'', "BACHE's GOLDEN YEARS 1850–1860," no publisher listed, NOAA History, 1998.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131014180315/http://www.lib.noaa.gov/noaainfo/heritage/coastsurveyvol1/BACHE3.html |date=October 14, 2013 }}</ref>
Ever since it began operations, the Coast Survey had faced hostility from politicians who believed that it should complete its work and be abolished as a means of reducing U.S. government expenditures, and Hassler and Bache had fought back periodic attempts to cut its funding. By 1850, the Coast Survey had surveyed enough of the U.S. coastline for a long enough time to learn that – with a few exceptions, such as the rocky coast of [[New England]] – coastlines were dynamic and required return visits by Coast Surveyors to keep charts up to date.<ref name="bache4"/> In 1858, Bache for the first time publicly stated that the Coast Survey was not a temporary organization charged with charting the coasts once, but rather a permanent one that would continually survey coastal areas as they changed over time.<ref>[http://www.lib.noaa.gov/noaainfo/heritage/coastsurveyvol1/BACHE3.html#RUNNING Theberge, Captain Albert E., ''The Coast Survey 1807–1867: Volume I of the History of the Commissioned Corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration'', "BACHE's GOLDEN YEARS 1850–1860," no publisher listed, NOAA History, 1998.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131014180315/http://www.lib.noaa.gov/noaainfo/heritage/coastsurveyvol1/BACHE3.html |date=October 14, 2013 }}</ref>


Another significant moment in the Survey{{'}}s history that occurred in 1858 was the first publication of what would later become the ''United States Coast Pilot'', when Survey employee [[George Davidson (geographer)|George Davidson]] adapted an article from a [[San Francisco]], California, newspaper into an addendum to that year{{'}}s ''Annual Report of the Superintendent of the Coast Survey''. Although the Survey had previously published its work indirectly via the Blunts{{'}} ''American Coast Pilot'', it was the first time that the Survey had published its sailing directions directly in any way other than through local newspapers.<ref name="coastpilot"/>
Another significant moment in the Survey{{'}}s history that occurred in 1858 was the first publication of what would later become the ''United States Coast Pilot'', when Survey employee [[George Davidson (geographer)|George Davidson]] adapted an article from a San Francisco, California, newspaper into an addendum to that year{{'}}s ''Annual Report of the Superintendent of the Coast Survey''. Although the Survey had previously published its work indirectly via the Blunts{{'}} ''American Coast Pilot'', it was the first time that the Survey had published its sailing directions directly in any way other than through local newspapers.<ref name="coastpilot"/>


On June 21, 1860, the greatest loss of life in a single incident in the history of NOAA and its ancestor agencies occurred when a commercial [[schooner]] collided with the Coast Survey [[paddle steamer]] [[USCS Robert J. Walker (1844)|''Robert J. Walker'']] in the [[Atlantic Ocean]] off [[New Jersey]]. ''Robert J. Walker'' sank with the loss of 20 men.<ref>[http://www.history.noaa.gov/ships/ship22.html#walker NOAA History, A Science Odyssey: Tools of the Trade: Ships: Coast and Geodetic Survey Ships: Robert J. Walker]</ref><ref name="story">[http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/RobertJWalker/The%20Story%20of%20the%20Robert%20J.%20Walker.pdf noaa.gov The Story of the Coast Survey Steamer Robert J. Walker]</ref>
On June 21, 1860, the greatest loss of life in a single incident in the history of NOAA and its ancestor agencies occurred when a commercial [[schooner]] collided with the Coast Survey [[paddle steamer]] [[USCS Robert J. Walker (1844)|''Robert J. Walker'']] in the [[Atlantic Ocean]] off [[New Jersey]]. ''Robert J. Walker'' sank with the loss of 20 men.<ref>[http://www.history.noaa.gov/ships/ship22.html#walker NOAA History, A Science Odyssey: Tools of the Trade: Ships: Coast and Geodetic Survey Ships: Robert J. Walker]</ref><ref name="story">[http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/RobertJWalker/The%20Story%20of%20the%20Robert%20J.%20Walker.pdf noaa.gov The Story of the Coast Survey Steamer Robert J. Walker]</ref>
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In 1901, the Office of Weights and Measures was split off from the Coast and Geodetic Survey to become the separate National Bureau of Standards. It became the [[National Institute of Standards and Technology]] in 1988.<ref name="timeline19001969">[http://www.history.noaa.gov/legacy/time1900_1.html noaa.gov NOAA History: NOAA Legacy Timeline 1900–1969]</ref>
In 1901, the Office of Weights and Measures was split off from the Coast and Geodetic Survey to become the separate National Bureau of Standards. It became the [[National Institute of Standards and Technology]] in 1988.<ref name="timeline19001969">[http://www.history.noaa.gov/legacy/time1900_1.html noaa.gov NOAA History: NOAA Legacy Timeline 1900–1969]</ref>


In 1903, the Coast and Geodetic Survey was transferred from the Department of the Treasury to the newly created [[United States Department of Commerce and Labor]].<ref name=archivescatalog/> By the time of its transfer, the Survey had established suboffices at [[San Francisco]], [[California]], and at [[Manila]] in the [[Philippines]] and had expanded the scope of its operations to include [[Lake Champlain]], the [[Pacific Ocean|Pacific]] coast of [[North America]] from [[San Diego]], California, to [[Panama]], a transcontinental triangulation between the United States [[East Coast of the United States|East]] and [[West Coast of the United States|West]] Coasts, the [[Hawaiian Islands]], [[Alaska]], and "other coasts under the jurisdiction of the United States," which by then included also included the Philippines, [[Guam]], [[American Samoa]], and Puerto Rico.<ref>''Organization and Law of the Department of Commerce and Labor'', pp. 98–99.</ref> In 1903, the ''Organization and Law of the Department of Commerce and Labor'' stated that from the time the Survey began scientific activities in the early 19th century it had produced "a stimulus to all educational and scientific work. The methods used by the Survey have been the standard for similar undertakings in the United States, and many commendations of their excellence have been received from abroad. The influence of the Survey in the various operations resulting from the advancing scientific activity of the country can hardly be overestimated."<ref>''Organization and Law of the Department of Commerce and Labor'', pp. 97–98.</ref>
In 1903, the Coast and Geodetic Survey was transferred from the Department of the Treasury to the newly created [[United States Department of Commerce and Labor]].<ref name=archivescatalog/> By the time of its transfer, the Survey had established suboffices at San Francisco, [[California]], and at [[Manila]] in the [[Philippines]] and had expanded the scope of its operations to include [[Lake Champlain]], the [[Pacific Ocean|Pacific]] coast of [[North America]] from [[San Diego]], California, to [[Panama]], a transcontinental triangulation between the United States [[East Coast of the United States|East]] and [[West Coast of the United States|West]] Coasts, the [[Hawaiian Islands]], [[Alaska]], and "other coasts under the jurisdiction of the United States," which by then included also included the Philippines, [[Guam]], [[American Samoa]], and Puerto Rico.<ref>''Organization and Law of the Department of Commerce and Labor'', pp. 98–99.</ref> In 1903, the ''Organization and Law of the Department of Commerce and Labor'' stated that from the time the Survey began scientific activities in the early 19th century it had produced "a stimulus to all educational and scientific work. The methods used by the Survey have been the standard for similar undertakings in the United States, and many commendations of their excellence have been received from abroad. The influence of the Survey in the various operations resulting from the advancing scientific activity of the country can hardly be overestimated."<ref>''Organization and Law of the Department of Commerce and Labor'', pp. 97–98.</ref>
[[File:Wiredrag boat in Puerto Rico in 1921.jpg|thumb|A wire-drag boat in [[Puerto Rico]] in 1921.]]
[[File:Wiredrag boat in Puerto Rico in 1921.jpg|thumb|A wire-drag boat in [[Puerto Rico]] in 1921.]]
In 1904, the Coast and Geodetic Survey introduced the [[Hydrographic survey|wire-drag]] technique into hydrography, in which a wire attached to two ships or boats and set at a certain depth by a system of weights and buoys was dragged between two points. This method revolutionized hydrographic surveying, as it allowed a quicker, less laborious, and far more complete survey of an area than did the use of lead lines and sounding poles that had preceded it, and it remained in use until the late 1980s.<ref>[http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/hsd/hydro_history.html noaa.gov History of Hydrographic Surveying]</ref>
In 1904, the Coast and Geodetic Survey introduced the [[Hydrographic survey|wire-drag]] technique into hydrography, in which a wire attached to two ships or boats and set at a certain depth by a system of weights and buoys was dragged between two points. This method revolutionized hydrographic surveying, as it allowed a quicker, less laborious, and far more complete survey of an area than did the use of lead lines and sounding poles that had preceded it, and it remained in use until the late 1980s.<ref>[http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/hsd/hydro_history.html noaa.gov History of Hydrographic Surveying]</ref>
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