This is the biography of a man who made his greatest contributions to science in his reorganization of the U S Coast Survey Alexander Dallas Bache was appointed superintendent in 1843 and the Survey increased its scope and improved its methods in the study of wind tides currents and harbors under his charge This is the biography of a man who made his greatest contributions to science in his reorganization of the U S Coast Survey Alexander Dallas Bache was appointed superintendent in 1843 and the Survey increased its scope and improved its methods in the study of wind tides currents and harbors under his charge