4. Resolved, That Professor A. D. Bache, Superintendent United States Coast Survey; Brevet Major J. J. Stevens, United States Engineers; Lieutenant M. Woodhull, United States navy; Mr. J. J. Ricketts, United States Coast Survey; and Passed Midshipman R. M. Cuyler, United States navy, be a committee to take the necessary measures to have erected, in the Congressional Burying Ground, a suitable monument, commemorative of the services and virtues of the deceased.

5. Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be communicated to the Navy and Treasury Departments, with a request that they be placed on the files; and also to the family of the deceased; and that they be published.

6. Resolved, That the officers of the coast survey will wear a badge of mourning for thirty days, in further testimony of their regard for the memory of the late Lieutenant Commanding Wm. P. McArthur.

Major Stevens, in seconding the resolutions, addressed the meeting as follows:

I rise, Mr. Chairman, in the name of one of the co-ordinate services associated on duty here, to pay a tribute to the memory of Lieutenant McArthur. I can add nothing to the remarks that have already been made. I simply propose to pay a tribute of feeling and respect.

It was not my fortune to know Lieutenant McArthur personally, but I feel that I know him through his works. They hold up his character as worthy of all respect and admiration. In prosecuting his labors on the Pacific shore, he exhibited a constancy, an energy, and a rare force of command, which enabled him to triumph over almost insuperable difficulties. These qualities would have made him conspicuous in any career. He possessed all the elements of the heroic spirit. Trials which bowed down the strength of strong men, gave his feeble frame almost superhuman strength; and he accomplished, in the midst of sickness and physical depression-of mutiny and desertion-labors that those most highly favored by health and appliances would have shrunk from. His example appeals to us with irresistible force. How can we yield to despondency, witnessing his lion heart accomplishing its great purposes-giving vigor to a worn-out frame, and snatching success from the elements of defeat.

McArthur was an ornament to both services with which he was connected to that larger service, the profession of his youth, in which he took such pride, and that other service, to which his maturer years have been applied. He has, in the words of the resolution, forever identified his name with the progress of the republic in the West. It has gone into history, and will henceforth be associated with those of Decatur and of Perry.

The resolutions having been agreed to unanimously, the meeting adjourned sine die. A. D. BACHE, Chairman.

THORNTON A. JENKINS, Secretary.

APPENDIX No. 41.

Report of the Superintendent of the Coast Survey to the Secretary of the Treasury, showing the most suitable site for a light-house at Point Conception, California.

COAST SURVEY OFFICE,
March 13, 1851.

SIR: I transmit herewith a sketch of Point Conception, California, furnished by the officer of the coast survey on that coast, for the purpose of showing the most suitable site for a light-house in that vicinity.

This is a steep, rocky point, projecting into the sea, 240 feet high; at the point selected for the site of the tower 286 feet broad, 533 feet to the pitch of the point; and the whole length of the projection 832 feet.

It has been ascertained, by a careful examination and inquiry, that the point Arguillo, to the northward, is not the best location. All who have been consulted on the subject agree in recommending the point marked on the sketch as the best position for the light. It will be seen from the accompanying tracing of the coast of California, on either side of Point Conception, that it trends about NW. and SE. A firstorder seacoast light, with a lantern thirty or forty feet from the base of the tower, will be seen, under ordinary circumstances, twenty-five to twenty-eight nautical miles from the deck of an ordinary merchant vessel.

It is deemed highly important that this should be a light of the first order, according to the European classification, illuminating two hundred and eighty degrees of the horizon, to subserve all the purposes of navigation.

The light on Point Conception should be made a revolving or flashing light, to enable the proper distinctions to be made in those on either side, and nearest to it.

Very respectfully, yours,

A. D. BACHE, Superintendent U. S. Coast Survey.

Hon. THOS. CORWIN,

Secretary of the Treasury.

APPENDIX No. 41, bis.

Report of the Superintendent of the United States Coast Surrey to the Secretary of the Treasury, on the latitude and longitude of Point Concep tion, California.

COAST SURVEY OFFICE,
March 22, 1851.

SIR: The latitude of the coast survey station at Point Conception, California, has been determined from observations by Assistant George

Davidson, to be 34° 26′ 56′′ north, and the longitude 120° 25′ 6′′, or in . time 8h. 01m. 43s. west of Greenwich Observatory.

Letter of Superintendent of Coast Survey to Secretary of Treasury, communicating a report of A. M. Harrison, esq., sub-assistant in coast survey, on a site for a light-house on Point Pinos, near Monterey, California.

COAST SURVEY OFFICE,
March 14, 1851.

SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith a sketch of Point Pinos, near Monterey, California, the site recommended in the accompanying report for the light-house near Monterey, for which an appropriation was made at the 1st session of the 31st Congress. I concur in the recommendations contained in the report. The choice of the site, between the three points designated, might be left to the engineer charged with the construction of the light-houses.

Very respectfully, yours,

Hon. W. L. HODGE,

A. D. BACHE,

Superintendent U. S. Coast Survey.

Acting Secretary of the Treasury.

CAMP, POINT PINOS, NEAR MONTEREY, UPPER CALIFORNIA,
January 28, 1851.

DEAR SIR: This report accompanies a tracing of the plane table map of Point Pinos, including the extreme end of the point and the vicinity towards Point Cypress on one side, and Monterey on the other, on a scale of 10000. It gives the ground in the region of the most suitable position for a light-house, showing its character, elevation, &c.

Point Pinos is a pine-covered, rock-bound projection of land, extending in a NW. direction from Monterey to the distance of about three miles, rising gradually from the water's edge, and, from its position, affording complete shelter from the SE. winds to vessels at anchor off the town. The whole shore of the point from near Monterey to Point Cypress is very rocky, and, except in the calmest weather, there is a heavy surf from the swell of the ocean, rendering a landing in the boats exceedingly dangerous, if not impossible.

I have marked upon the tracing three positions, (a, b, c,) in each of which a light-house may be placed, each having its advantages.

(a) as shown in the tracing, is in the pines, its advantage over the other two being its elevation; but, in order to be seen to the seaward, and by vessels leaving the harbor, it will require a great deal of clearing. The ground is sandy and pretty firm

(b.) This position is in the small sand-hills. The site commands a fine view to seaward, and requires little if any clearing.

Judging from the nature of the point, it is to be presumed that beneath the sand there is a rocky substructure for a foundation, although it may be at a considerable depth.

(c) is the level surface of the rocks, covered with wild shrub. Its foundation is good, but it is cut off from the main shore at high-tide; the distance being 103 metres (112.6 yards.) The islet is about 80 square metres (95 square yards) in area, and about ten feet above highwater mark. The main objections to it, as a site for a light-house, consist in its small size, its isolation from the main-land at high tide, and an uncertainty as to how long it will stand the force of the sea. It is exposed to the full violence of all seaward winds, and many of the rocks in the vicinity have been undermined and have fallen. It is also possible that in severe gales the sea washes over it.

The distance at which the light from the lantern of a light-house 40 feet in height would be visible if placed on

(a) would be..

(b).....do...
(c).....do....

The sector of visibility of the light from seaward would be 110° from the south, round through the west, to north.

The line (x) shows the general run of the shore towards Monterey, and (y) towards Point Cypress.

I have before spoken of the difficulty of landing on the point, but the town is only about three miles distant, and there is a good road running to the end of the point.

Fine spring-water can be obtained in the immediate neighborhood, and the land is sufficiently rich for the purposes of cultivation almost anywhere on the western side of the point.

There is a quarry of coarse limestone near the town, but whether suitable for building purposes or not I am not informed.

If it is proposed to erect a fog-signal here, (and the fog is very frequent and thick in the winter,) there are many places on the rocks equally suitable for the purpose, as may be seen by a reference to the map. I have inserted the true and the magnetic meridian-the former given me by Assistant Davidson, and the latter obtained approximately by the compass attached to my plane table.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

Prof. A. D. BACHE,

A. M. HARRISON.
Sub-Assistant U. S. Coast Survey.

Superintendent U. S. Coast Survey, Washington, D. C.

APPENDIX No. 43.

Report of the Superintendent of the Coast Survey to the Secretary of the Treasury, recommending a light-house at Point Loma, near San Diego, California; with the report of Sub-Assistant A. M. Harrison on the

same.

COAST SURVEY OFFICE,

November 22, 1851.

SIR: In conformity with the instructions of the Treasury Department, I have caused a survey to be made for the sight of a light-house at Point Loma, near San Diego, California, for which an appropriation was made by act of Congress approved September 28, 1850. I send herewith a sketch, showing the locality proposed for the light, and its relations to the harbor of San Diego and its approaches; also, a subsketch, on a large scale, giving the character of the site more in detail. In a few weeks an engraved harbor chart of San Diego will be transmitted, to take the place of these sketches, or as supplementary to them.

The light which is recommended is one of the first order, or a seacoast light, to be placed on the bluff in the position marked, in a tower (say) twenty feet high. The range will thus be 31.7 statute miles, and the light will be visible beyond the Coronados, and over a sector of the horizon of about 187°.

A small harbor-light is further recommended on Ballast point, at the place marked in the sketch, as a leading light up the bay. Its elevation may be fifteen feet.

I append the report of Sub-Assistant A. M. Harrison, by whom the plane table survey of Point Loma was made. The survey of the harbor was made by Assistant R. D. Cutts, of the coast survey.

The considerable height of the point at which this light-house is to be placed induced me to withhold the report of Mr. Harrison, and any recommendation concerning it, until I had consulted him as to the probability of interference from fog. He reaffirms his opinion of the propriety of the site, after considering this objection.

In recommending lights for the western coast, I have not advised that any of them be revolving lights, except in the case of Point Conception, conceiving that at present, until facilities for repairs of machinery and the number of lights are increased, it is inexpedient and unneces sary to resort to such a distinction.

Very respectfully, yours,

Hon. THOMAS CORWIN,

A. D. BACHE,

Superintendent United States Coast Survey.

Secretary of the Treasury.

LA PLAYA, NEAR SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA,

June 2, 1851.

DEAR SIR: This report accompanies a tracing from the plane table map of the bay of San Diego, including Point Loma, the proposed