The
Superintendent announces with great regret the death of Henri
Louis Francois Marindin, for many years an Assistant
in the Coast and Geodetic Survey, and a distinguished member
of the field force.
Mr. Marindin was born in Lausanne, Switzerland, July 2, 1843,
and received his early education in the Swiss schools. He came
to the United States before attaining manhood, and finished
his scholastic education in the Owego Academy at Owego, New
York, 1860-1863.
He entered the Coast Survey as aid on November 26, 1863, and
was soon assigned to duty in a party engaged in the survey of
Roanoke River, North Carolina, made at the special request of
Admiral S. P. Lee, flag officer of the North Atlantic blockading
squadron, the party being quartered on the Gunboat SEYMOUR for
that purpose. In 1864 he served in a topographic party at work
in the vicinity of Bermuda Hundred, Virginia, under the orders
of Major-General Butler, with Brigadier General Weitzel in immediate
charge of the work, and later in the same year, and in January
1865, he served in a topographic party engaged in work along
the Potomac River under the direction of Major C. S. Stewart.
He thus began his service to the nation of his adoption by aiding
in the perpetuation of the Union, and continued to serve his
country faithfully until death ended his long and honorable
career.
In 1865 he was engaged in special surveys for a canal route
through Nicaragua, and in 1870 he was engaged in similar work
on the Isthmus of Darien.
His special work in the Coast Survey was in the field of Physical
Hydrography, and many important features in the currents and
in the development of harbors and bars along the Atlantic and
Gulf coasts of the United States have been made known to commerce
as the result of his systematic and careful investigation of
the complex problems presented as the result of the action of
winds and tides on the waters of the sea. He spent more than
18 years in command of vessels of the Survey while engaged in
this work.
On March 24, 1897, he was appointed by President McKinley to
represent the Coast and Geodetic Survey on the Mississippi River
Commission, and after that date devoted much time and attention
to the duties thus imposed upon him, but continued his regular
work on the Survey whenever it was possible to do so. His particular
ability was recognized by numerous special assignments to duty
in connection with harbor boards to establish harbor lines,
and in the establishment of speed trial courses for vessels
of the Navy, and is shown in several scientific discussions
of various physical problems relating to Hydrography which have
appeared from time to time as appendices to the Annual Report
of the Superintendent. At a meeting of the members of the Coast
and Geodetic Survey, held at the office on March 25, 1904, the
following resolution was one of those unanimously adopted: "Be
it resolved, That the members of this service desire to express
their sense of the irreparable loss suffered by the Survey in
the death of so able and efficient an officer, who, in the course
of his service of more than forty years, had distinguished himself
in many branches of their common labors, and their own sorrow
in thus parting from a friend endeared to them by many charming
traits of character and respected by all for his steadfast devotion
to duty."
Signed by O.H. TITTMANN, Superintentent.
C&GS
BULLETIN, 3/26/1904
