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Show APPENDIX NN. 1249 PUBLICATIONS. During the year the following maps have been published: Progress map of 1877. Profile map ( continental divide from Gray's Peak to latitude 35°.) Topographical atlas- sheets 53 0, 6L D, 65 D, 69 B, 70 A, 70 C, 77 B. The natural resources of five of these sheets, in colors, will be found accompanying the edition of the annual report, printed and placed at the disposal of this office. Maps in color showing the natural advantages of the area delineated in sheet 61 Cc, ( San Juau,) and 61; ( B,) Upper Arkansas Valley, are also added. The volume numbered four ( Paleontology) has passed through the press. Proof of nearly half of volume II has gone to stereotype. The proof of a portion of the " Star Catalogue" mentioned in my last report has been read, and this valuable catalogue will be in the hands of observers during the coming season, should longitude and latitude observations be prosecuted. Two thousand copies of my annual report ( Appendix J J, annual report Chief of Engineers for 1876,) have been published, with a folio of the regular atlas- sheets issued during the year ending June 30th, 1876. The following atlas- sheets, seventeen in number, are in various stages of completion, viz : 47 B, 47 D, 48 C, 48 D, 52 D, 62 A, 62 C, 69 A, 69 C, 73 A, 73 B, 73 C, 73 D, 77 C, 77 D, 78 A, 84 A. A number of sheets, enumerated below, have been plotted in various scales, and have either been published or are awaiting publication, as follows : Lake Tahoe region, 1 inch to 1 mile; route of party No. 1, California section, 1875, 1 inch to 4 miles; map of Virginia City, Nev., and vicinity, 1 inch to 500 feet; three plane- table sheets, Virginia, Nev., and vicinity, 1 inch to 1,000 feet; preliminary map of portions of northern • Utah and southern Idaho, ( for field use;) sketch of cave in Nevada; sketch of personal- equation apparatus; plan of Ogden observatory; three sheets giving positions of astronomical monuments; detailed topographical sheet showing results of Colorado River and Grand Canon exploring party of 1871. CONCLUSION. As regards the progress toward completion of the topographical atlas of the area of territory west of the 100th meridian, the progress- map, herewith, shows the advance made in that direction. The possibility of a more or less minute topographical survey of all of this extended region has not yet been made mandatory by legislative act, but Congress has appropriated money for a number of years. The use of this fund is limited to a fiscal year, and hence, unless an additional appropriation is each year made, which is often unknown uutil the current year has nearly expired, the project of operations, as a part of which the reteution of skilled employes is requisite, cannot be made, until a date often later than the period terminating their office- work which is needed in the reductions of the previous season's field- work; and this is usually so late that full advantage canuot be taken of the entire summer- season. By an increase of assistants enlisted in the general service and the detail of a lumber of engineer aud other officers requisite for the command of the tiumber of field- parties each year engaged, the expenditure for additional service can be limited to the small number of scientists engaged in special 79 E |