64 AITNUAL EEPOETS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGEICULTUEE. 



Vessel reporting. — Cape Henry is one of tlie most important 

 vessel-reporting stations of the service, 19,706 vessels having been 

 reported during the year. Also, 12 wrecks were reported from 

 various Coast Guard and Weather Bureau stations to Cape Henry, 

 from which point the information was given out and assistance dis- 

 patched to the scene of the wrecks. 



Key West-Sand Key section. — The submarine telephone cable 

 connecting Key West with Sand Key, Fla., was broken October 5, 

 1914, and repaired October 16, at a cost of $172.50. The damage 

 was done, apparently, by the tank steamer Sioux, which, during a 

 strong wind squall, dragged her anchors and fouled and broke the 

 cable. 



Alpena-Thunder Bay and Middle Island (Mich.) section. — 

 During the year past the total time of interruptions to the telephone 

 line was 4 days and 19 hours on the Middle Island line, and 1 day and 

 4 hours on the Thunder Bay Island Hne. The interruptions were 

 almost entirely due to damage by lightning in the city telephone 

 system with which our lines are connected. While the condition of 

 these lines belonging to the Weather Bureau is fair, it has been 

 21 years since they were constructed and the question of gradual or 

 complete reconstruction wdl of necessity arise in the near future. 

 Vesselmen use the hues constantly and the revenues thus derived are 

 turned into the Treasury as miscellaneous receipts. 



The Beaver Island section from Charlevoix to St. James, Mich., 

 was uninterrupted during the year and was maintained without 

 expense. 



Glen Haven-South and North Manitou Island section has worked 

 uninterruptedly throughout the year without expense. 



Point Reyes — San Francisco section. — This line is in a fairly 

 satisfactory condition, and if the station at Point Reyes is to be 

 maintained action wiU be taken to put the whole hne in good repair. 



Port Crescent — Tatoosh Island section. — Communication 

 between Port Crescent and Tatoosh Island was interrupted for a 

 total of 22 days during the past year. This was about 4 days more 

 interruption than last year. The interruptions were the result of 

 logging operations and wagon-road and railroad building, rather 

 than the result of stormy weather. During the same period com- 

 munication between Port Crescent and Seattle via the Western 

 Union wires was interrupted for a total of 45 days and 9 hours, and 

 by the Postal Telegraph the total interruption was 56 days and 23 

 hours. It will be noted that, notwithstanding the rough country 

 through which the Government maintains and operates this line, 

 it is kept in more efficient condition than the commercial lines. The 

 line has been of great benefit to shipping, fishing, and other commer- 

 cial interests during the year, and the telegraph business must neces- 

 sarily increase as the country is settled and new industries open. 



FORECASTS AND WARNINGS. 



For a number of years the issue of forecasts and warnings has been 

 most satisfactorily accompHshed by subdividing the territory of the 

 United States into several lar^e districts and placing each district 

 in charge of a specially trained and competent forecaster. District 



