Annual Report of the Librarian of Congress, 1914

]> http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.mss/eadmss.ms007077 A. D. Bache Papers A Register of His Papers in the Library of Congress Prepared by Marilyn ParrRevised by Brian McGuire Manuscript Division, Library of Congress

Washington, D.C.

2003

Contact information: http://lcweb.loc.gov/rr/mss/address.html

Finding aid encoded by Library of Congress Manuscript Division, 2007 Finding aid written in English. 2009 OctoberAdministrative information revised Collection Summary A. D. Bache Papers1828-1863 (bulk 1836-1863) MSS11494 Bache, A. D. (Alexander Dallas), 1806-1867 2,000 items 18 containers 7.2 linear feet 5 microfilm reels Collection material in English Manuscript Division Library of Congress

Washington, D.C.

Scientist, educator, and superintendent of the United States Coast Survey. Correspondence, a journal, and miscellaneous material reflecting Bache’s service with the United States Coast Survey, his work at the Dudley Observatory, and his European trip to study educational methods. Selected Search Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the Library's online catalog. They are grouped by name of person or organization, by subject or location, and by occupation and listed alphabetically therein.

Personal Names Bache, A. D. (Alexander Dallas), 1806-1867. Crittenden, John J. (John Jordan), 1787-1863--Correspondence. Dahlgren, John Adolphus Bernard, 1809-1870--Correspondence. Dana, James Dwight, 1813-1895--Correspondence. Davis, Charles Henry, 1807-1877--Correspondence. Dean, George W. (George Washington), 1825-1897--Correspondence. Dudley, Blandina Bleecker, 1783-1863--Correspondence. Gould, Benjamin Apthorp, 1824-1896--Correspondence. Henry, Joseph, 1797-1878--Correspondence. Peirce, Benjamin, 1809-1880--Correspondence. Silliman, Benjamin, 1816-1885--Correspondence. Waring, George E. (George Edwin), 1833-1898--Correspondence. Organizations Dudley Observatory. Girard College--Presidents. United States Coast Survey. United States. Light-House Board. Subjects Astronomy--Research. Discoveries in science. Education--Europe--Methodology. International relations. Navigation--Atlantic Coast (U.S.) Weights and measures--United States. Locations Atlantic Coast (U.S.)--Maps. Europe--Description and travel. Occupations Educators. Scientists. Administrative Information Provenance:

The papers of A. D. Bache, physicist and administrator, were deposited in the Library of Congress by Caroline Henry, daughter of Bache's colleague, Joseph Henry, in 1914. A small addition was given by Alice Scoville Barry in 1981 and transferred to the collection from the Miscellaneous Manuscripts Collection in 2003. One item was purchased in 1973.

Processing History:

The A. D. Bache Papers were processed in 1975. The finding aid was revised and expanded with the addition of a few items in 2003 and revised again 1n 2009

Additional Guides:

The deposit of 1914 has been briefly described in the Annual Report of the Librarian of Congress, 1914, pp. 59-60.

Transfers:

Items have been transferred from the Manuscript Division to other custodial divisions of the Library. Some maps have been transferred to the Geography and Map Division. A photograph has been transferred to the Prints and Photographs Division. All transfers are identified in these divisions as part of the Bache Papers.

The status of copyright in the unpublished writings of A. D. Bache is governed by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U.S.C.).

Access and Restrictions:

The Bache Papers are open to research. Researchers are advised to contact the Manuscript Reading Room prior to visiting. Many collections are stored off-site and advance notice is needed to retrieve these items for research use.

Microfilm:

A microfilm edition of part of these papers is available on five reels. Consult a reference librarian in the Manuscript Division concerning availability for purchase or interlibrary loan. To promote preservation of the originals, researchers are required to consult the microfilm edition.

Preferred Citation:

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: Container or reel number, A. D. Bache Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.

Biographical Note Date Event 1806, July 19 Born, Philadelphia, Pa. 1821-1825 Attended United States Military Academy, West Point, N.Y. 1825-1826 Assistant, Department of Engineering, United States Military Academy, West Point, N.Y. 1826-1828 Assigned to the Army Corps of Engineers, Newport, R.I. 1828 Married Nancy Clarke Fowler 1828-1836 Professor of natural philosophy and chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pa. 1829 Elected member, American Philosophical Society and the Franklin Institute 1833-1836 Member, Board of Trustees, Girard College, Philadelphia, Pa. 1836 Elected president, Girard College, Philadelphia, Pa. Went to Europe to observe educational institutions, methods, and discipline 1839 Published Report on Education in Europe. Philadelphia: Lydia R. Bailey Appointed principal, Central High School, Philadelphia, Pa. 1840 Resigned as president of Girard College to be superintendent of schools, Philadelphia, Pa. 1842 Professor, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pa. 1843-1867 Superintendent, United States Coast Survey 1850-1851 President, American Association for the Advancement of Science 1855-1857 President, American Philosophical Society 1861-1865 Vice president, United States Sanitary Commission 1863 Planned the defense of Philadelphia, Pa., against Robert E. Lee's advance into the North 1863-1867 Charter member and first president, National Academy of Sciences 1864-1865 Visited Europe to recover his health 1867, Feb. 17 Died in Newport, R.I. Scope and Content Note

The papers of Alexander Dallas Bache (1806-1867) span the years 1828-1863 and include six series: General Correspondence, Special Correspondence, Journal, Scrapbook, Miscellany, and Addition. The bulk of the material is concentrated in the years 1836-1838 and 1857-1863.

The General Correspondence series relates mainly to the United States Coast Survey when Bache served as superintendent, 1843-1867. During his administration the Coast Survey published detailed maps of the East Coast of the United States. Its navigation charts of the Carolina and Georgia coasts were used during the Civil War to assist in enforcing the blockade of Southern ports.

Bache devised new instruments and methods to improve the work of the Coast Survey. While with the Survey, he also served on the Light-House Board and was superintendent of weights and measures, coordinating these activities to produce detailed navigation charts. Correspondents include John Jordan Crittenden, John A. Dahlgren, Charles H. Davis, Benjamin A. Gould, Joseph Henry, Benjamin Peirce, Benjamin Silliman (1816-1885), and George E. Waring.

The Dudley Observatory in Albany, New York, was established in 1856 for the advancement of astronomy. Bache was a member of the Scientific Council which directed the Observatory’s research and controlled daily operations; other council members were Benjamin Gould, Joseph Henry, and Benjamin Peirce. A conflict of interest between the Scientific Council and the Board of Trustees, which almost destroyed the Observatory, is detailed in the Special Correspondence series. Principal correspondents were Blandina Dudley, main financial supporter of the Observatory, and Benjamin Gould, Joseph Henry, Thomas Olcott, Benjamin Peirce, and C. H. F. Peters.

A scrapbook of newspaper clippings reflects Bache's interest in scientific developments of the period. The Miscellany series consists of a partial index of correspondents between 1857 and 1860, and the Addition contains photocopies of letters from George W. Dean to Bache, 1860-1861.

Related Materials

In addition to the correspondence in the Bache Papers, there are Bache letters in other collections in the Manuscript Division, including the papers of Lewis Reeves Gibbes, Matthew F. Maury, Samuel F. B. Morse, and Simon Newcomb. Other repositories holding collections relating to Bache are the Henry E. Huntington Library, San Marino, California; the American Philosophical Society, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.

Arrangement of the Papers

This collection is arranged in six series:

General Correspondence, 1828-1863, n.d. Special Correspondence, 1855-1859, n.d. Journal, 1836-1838, n.d. Scrapbook, 1829-1843 Miscellany, 1857-1860, n.d. Addition, 1860-1861 Container List

Available on microfilm. Shelf no. 16,511

Container Contents 1-9 1-4 General Correspondence, 1828-1863, n.d.

Bound volumes of letters received and sent by Bache.

Arranged chronologically and therein alphabetically by name of correspondent.

1 1 1828, May 29-1857, Sept. 10 2 1 1857, Sept. 18-1858, June 4 3 1-2 1858, June 5-Dec. 23 4 2 1858, Dec. 24-1859, Aug. 2 5 2 1859, Aug. 5-1860, May 30 6 3 1860, May 31-1861, June 10 7 3 1861, June 11-Nov. 28 8 3-4 1861, Nov. 29-1862, Apr. 19 9 4 1862, Apr. 21-1863, Apr. 10, n.d. 10 4 Special Correspondence, 1855-1859, n.d.

Bound volume of letters sent and received concerning the Dudley Observatory.

Arranged chronologically.

10 4 Dudley Observatory, Albany, N.Y., 1855-1859, n.d. 11-16 5 Journal, 1836-1838, n.d.

Bound volumes of a journal kept by Bache on a trip to Europe to study educational methods.

Arranged chronologically with undated notes at the ends of volumes 15 and 16.

11 5 1836, Nov. 2-16 12 5 1836, Nov.17-Dec. 10 13 5 1836, Dec. 17-30 14 5 1837 14 5 Jan. 1- Feb. 5 15 5 Nov. 19-Dec. 9, n.d. 16 5 1838, Jan. 1-Mar. 29, n.d. 17 5 Scrapbook, 1829-1843

Newspaper clippings on scientific developments and other subjects of interest to Bache.

Arranged chronologically.

17 5 Newspaper clippings, 1829-1843 18 5 Miscellany, 1857-1860, n.d.

Partial index to Bache correspondence and a note.

Arranged by type of material.

18 5 Partial index 18 5 1857-1858, D-H 18 5 1858-1859, A-H 18 5 1859-1860, H-K 18 5 1860, A-Z 18 5 Note, n.d. 18 Addition, 1860-1861

Photocopies of letters from George W. Dean to Bache.

Arranged chronologically.

18 Photocopies of letters from George W. Dean to Bache, 1860-1861