"Should you deem it expedient you will cruise off the 

 coast a sufficient distance to determine the outward line of 

 m.otion of the fish, and you will communicate to such fishing 

 vessels as you may meet any information that may enable 

 them the more successfully to prosecute their labors. The 

 time of this work is left to your discretion. You will when- 

 ever you touch at any port of the United States send a tele- 

 gram to me and await instructions as to further operations, 

 if there be nothing to detain you. 



"You will give to the naturalist of the expedition all 

 possible facilities for collecting and preserving such specimens 

 as you may meet during the cruise. 



Very respectfully, 

 Spencer F. Baird, Commissioner 

 P. S. --The operations of dredging and trawling should be 

 carried on as frequently as opportunity offers; and if no 

 suitable bait can be had, the trawling line should be used 

 for the purpose of determining the currents of desirable 

 fishing grounds. " 



Baird considered that explorations in the sea should be 

 conducted simultaneously with the laboratory studies on repro- 

 duction, development, behavior, and growth of commercially 

 important marine species. He was proud to explain the signifi- 

 cance of such research and to demonstrate its methods to other 

 scientists, government officials, and laymen. Being well known 

 and highly respected both in the Congressional and administrative 

 circles of Washington, he was in a position to invite the highest 

 officials to visit Woods Hole . The report of the commanding 

 officer of the Fish Hawk for 1882 (Tanner, 1884b, p. 9-10) 

 contains the following interesting references: "At 9:00 on the 

 morning of the 28th (of June, 1882) the U. S. Steamer Tallapoosa 

 arrived, having on board the Hon. W. E. Chandler, Secretary 

 of the Navy, and chiefs of bureaus. At meridian we left the 

 harbor with Prof. Baird, the Secretary, and the chiefs of bureaus, 

 for a short trip to show the manner of working the various apparatus 

 used on board. Three casts of the dredge and trawl were made in 

 Vineyard Sound, and at 4:30 p. m. we returned to Woods HoU. The 

 Tallapoosa left the harbor at 9:15 the next morning. " 



On September 6 of the same year. Woods Hole was visited 

 by the President of the United States, Chester A. Arthur. The 

 official report of the Commanding Officer records this event in 

 the following words: "At 9:3 a. m. , September 6, The United 

 States Steamer Despatch, having on board the President of the 

 United States, and accompanied by the Fish Commission steamer 

 Lookout, arrived in the harbor. At meridian we left the harbor 

 with the President, Professor Baird, and others on board. To 

 show the former the manner of working the various apparatus, 

 three hauls of the trawl and dredge were made in Menemsha Bight. 

 We reached port at 5:55 p. m. , when the President returned to 



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