INVESTIGATIONS OF THE ALBATROSS. 13 



Letters were written the same day to the Secretary of the Xavy, 

 Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries, and the Chief of the Bureau of 

 Navigation, the latter as follows: 



Your commmiication of September 12, with reference to tlie .iJbaiross having been 

 placed under the Department's orders for the purpose of sounding out a route for 

 the proposed telegraphic cable between San Francisco and Honolulu, is received. I 

 wired j'ou this morning in relation to tlie matter as follows: 



"Letter of 12th received. AVill need wire, sinkers, cylinders, spare-reel, addi- 

 tional coal-bunker, docking, and iiaiuting bottom. Time, 15 working days, following 

 onr usual methods. Letter by mail." 



The sinkers, sounding-cylinders, spare reel, etc., can be pi'ocured from the yard. 

 The additional bunker will increase our coal capacity about 40 tons. The docking 

 and painj:ing can probably be done at the yard ; if not, I can do it at San Francisco 

 without delay, although the expense will l)e greater. Our sounding-machine is 

 now placed forward, and the wire is hold vertically after sounding, until it is all 

 reeled up, as in our work other operations prevent steaming ahead while the wire is 

 coming in. We xiurpose to put the machine on the stern in such a position that we 

 can start ahead as soon as the sinker reaches the bottom, thus gaining a mile or more 

 on every sounding. 



The estimate of 1.5 days to prepare the shijj for the work is, :is stated in the mes- 

 sage, on the supposition that we will follow our usual methods, which enable us to 

 jjrocuro everything required promptly without the routine of requisitions. I can 

 give no estimate of the time v»'hich would be re(|uired to do the work under the 

 ordinary navy-yard methods. 



It would facilitate i)reparatious very much if I had a general idea of the pro}iosed 

 scheme of the Avork. 



A word of explanation may not be out of plaice regarding the refer- 

 ences in the foregoing letter to '• our usual methods" and ''the ordinary 

 navy-yard methods." In refitting, small articles will be required from 

 time to time as the work progresses, and it has been our custom to pro- 

 cure them at once by open purchase without the delay incident to the 

 making of requisitions, sending out proposals, and getting competitive 

 bids. On the other hand, the navy-yard methods are controlled by 

 the necessity of following the indicated routine, with the frequent and 

 uncertain delays attending it; hence the difficulty of estimating the 

 time required to complete a job with any degree of accuracy. 



On September 21, Rear-Admiral John Irwin, commandant of the 

 navy-yard, received the following telegram, a copy of which he for- 

 warded to me. 



Fit out Albatross for sounding between San Francisco and Honolulu. 



F. M. Eamsay, 

 Acting Secretary Navy. 



I received instructions at the same time to make requisitions on the 

 navy-yard for everything needed for the survey. The work of prepara- 

 tion was pushed forward as fast as possible. The vessel was docked 

 the following day, September 22, and her bottom cleaned and painted, 

 work on needed changes and repairs proceeding at the same time. 

 Everything required for the survey, except wire, was furnished from 

 the navy-yard or purchased at San Francisco. 



