REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. XLVII 
James A. Smith, U. a Navy, who commanded the Halcyon during the 
first half of the year, was transferred to the steamer Fish Hawk in 
July, and was succeeded on the Halcyon by Mr. William Hamlen, 
D.—SCHOONER GRAMPUS, 
The fishing-schooner Grampus, which was under construction at 
Noank, Conn., at the beginning of the year, was completed June 5, and 
left for Wood’s Holl the same day. She is the first of a new type of 
vessel, designed especially for the offshore fisheries by Capt. J. W. Col- 
lins, who superintended her construction and subsequent operations. 
A description of her principal features and of her merits is given else- 
where in this report. The signal letters G. V. Q. F. were assigned 
to her by the Bureau of Navigation of the Treasury Department. 
The Grampus made her first cruise August 12 to the offshore fishing- 
grounds south of Martha’s Vineyard, where a week was spent in a fruit- 
less search for the tilefish. Certain alterations in her fittings, shown to 
be necessary by this trip, delayed the vessel in port until the last of 
September, when she began a cruise to the vicinity of Le Have Bank, 
Roseway Bank, and Seal Island Ground, for the purpose of securing 
and bringing to the Wood’s Holl Station, in her well, living specimens 
of halibut and other food-fishes, the spawn of which was desired for 
propagation. Returning to Wood’s Holl October 12, a short trip was 
made to the mackerel fleet operating at the western end of Vineyard 
Sound, and during most of the remainder of the year she was engaged 
in fishing for spawning cod, which were carried to the Wood’s Holl 
Station, and in investigating the fisheries of the western part of the 
Gulf of Maine, Massachusetts Bay, and the Vineyard Sound region. 
ASSIGNMENTS OF NAVAL OFFICERS. 
The following changes in the assignments of naval officers to the 
service of the Fish Commission were made during the year: 
Lieut. Seaton Schroeder, executive officer and navigator of the steamer 
Albatross, was detached January 2, and was succeeded by Lieut. H. S. 
Waring. 
Ensign W.J. Maxwell assumed command of the steamer Fish Hawk 
January 10, relieving Lieut. L. W. Piepmeyer, but July 24 he was 
transferred to the steamer Albatross, from which he was finally de- 
tached August 28. 
Ensign W. S. Benton joined the Albatross January 13, and Ensign 
W.S. Hogg on the 16th of the same month. 
Mate James A. Smith was detached from the steamer /Zalcyon and 
took command of the steamer Fish Hawk July 31, and August 3 Mate 
— Hugh Kuhl joined the Fish Hawk as executive otfiver. Assistant En- 
_ gineer 8, H. Leonard was detached from the Fish Hawk December 18, 

