United States Survey of the Coast revived

Background. The Survey of the Coast had been suspended since 1818 when Congress removed it from the Department of the Treasury and prohibited civilian surveyors. During the fourteen years from 1818 to 1832, the Survey existed without a superintendent or workforce. The revival in 1832 restored the original 1807 law's provisions, returning responsibility for coastal surveying to the Treasury and allowing the hiring of civilians to conduct the work.

Legislative Revival. On July 10, 1832, Congress passed a law renewing the original 1807 statute and extending its scope. This legislation placed coastal surveying responsibility back in the Survey of the Coast, returned it to the Department of the Treasury, and permitted the hiring of civilians. The administration of President Andrew Jackson subsequently expanded the Survey's scope and organization based on this new authority.

Operational Resumption. Following the legislative revival, the Survey resumed field work in April 1833. Operations returned to the New York City area and its maritime approaches, where initial surveying had begun in 1816. The organization began depth sounding operations in October 1834, leading to significant discoveries such as the Gedney Channel in New York Harbor.