SYNOPTICAL INDEX TO THE LAWS AND TREATIES

OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Boston, Little and Brown, 1852

Early in 1852 this oddly titled official publication was distributed to government offices around the nation, among them New London's Custom House.   At the top of the first page the Collector wrote the date and "Custom House New London," seen here. In short, this is a list of all the acts of Congress passed between 1789 and 1851, and is far more interesting than the title suggests.   Arranged by topic ("Appropriations," "Army," "Fisheries," "Lands,"etc.), this "synoptical index" is in effect a synopsis of more than fifty years of Congressional activity, and there nuggets of gold to be found in its 747 pages. Under "New London," for example, are two entries: "July 13, 1832 - Custom house to be erected," and "March 2, 1833 - Appropriation for same." Under "Lighthouses, Beacons, Buoys" some 850 separate acts to build lighthouses and other navigation aids fill sixteen pages; the section for "Connecticut" begins "April 5, 1794 - Buoys off the harbor of New London," followed by "April 29, 1800 - Lighthouse at New London rebuilt," and then on to items like "spindle on rock in Mystic River" and "Buoys in the Bay of Niantick." It is astonishing to see Congress concerning itself with such minutiae until you realize that each of these 850 items is part of Washington's push to light the nation's coastline in aid of safer shipping, one of the most important engines of the nation's economy. Years ago this volume wound up in the Coast Guard Academy Library and we welcomed it back last fall as a gift from their Special Collections Librarian, who spotted the connection with us. The leather binding has now been restored by our conservator, Eugene MacMullan.

Brian Rogers, Librarian