Below is a message I sent to NOAA (OCS) requesting information --- and providing a bit.
I'll post any useful replies I get. Jim ---------- Forwarded Message ---------- Subject: Metrication of coastal charts---200 years since the first metric coastal survey Date: Sunday 03 July 2005 13:13 From: "James R. Frysinger" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: --- Dear Sir: I am inquiring about the NOS plans regarding metrication of paper coastal charts. Does NOS have any stated policy or plan to metricate them? I scanned with pleasure the NOS Specifications and Deliverables document and was delighted to find that NOS works in metric units for everything from data collection to chart printing. I look forward to the day when our printed coastal charts will be available with depth data and so forth on those charts given in those units. Decades ago I used, along with HO charts, BA charts which were metric in navigating submarines I served on. It would be nice to see us take this last step toward progress. Not too many people realize that at about the same time Lewis and Clark were navigating across the continent (using celestial navigation techniques of the day) the first coastal survey of our new country's coast line was surveyed using the standard meter. This was done (in 1805, or so) with one of twelve copies of the original meter standard. This copy was sold to the American Philosophical Society by Ferdinand R. Hassler. He had been selected by President Thomas Jefferson to conduct the first survey of the east coast of the United States and he borrowed it back for the survey. It is a shame that we did not issue a postage stamp to commemorate that survey! regards, Jim Frysinger (LCDR, USN-Ret.) -- James R. Frysinger Lifetime Certified Advanced Metrication Specialist Senior Member, IEEE http://www.cofc.edu/~frysingj [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Office: Physics Lab Manager, Lecturer Dept. of Physics and Astronomy University/College of Charleston 66 George Street Charleston, SC 29424 843.953.7644 (phone) 843.953.4824 (FAX) Home: 10 Captiva Row Charleston, SC 29407 843.225.0805 ------------------------------------------------------- -- James R. Frysinger Lifetime Certified Advanced Metrication Specialist Senior Member, IEEE http://www.cofc.edu/~frysingj [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Office: Physics Lab Manager, Lecturer Dept. of Physics and Astronomy University/College of Charleston 66 George Street Charleston, SC 29424 843.953.7644 (phone) 843.953.4824 (FAX) Home: 10 Captiva Row Charleston, SC 29407 843.225.0805
