REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. XVII 



bad been made for the special purpose of determining certain points 

 relative to ocean temperatures, the Speedwell left for Gloucester on Oc- 

 tober 1st, there stowing the apparatus and returning to Provincetown. 

 On October Cth the vessel took on board the stores and supplies to be 

 carried back to Washington, as also the collections of natural history, a 

 portion of which were to be left at New Haven, under Professor Verrill's 

 care, the rest being destined for the National Museum. October 12th tb e 

 Speedwell reached the navy-yard, Washington, and closed finally its 

 relationships with the Fish Commission. 



The full details of the work of the Speedwell will be found in an ac- 

 companying report by Lieutenant Tanner. Prom this report it will be 

 seen that the vessel was in commission 116 days; was detained in port, 

 on account of bad weather, for 28 days, and was actually engaged in 

 dredging and trawling 24 days. The total number of hauls made with 

 dredge and trawl was 148, averaging 6 per day. One hundred and eighty 

 soundings were also made. The total distance traveled during the sum- 

 mer trip by the steamer was 3,122 miles. 



As usual the commission had a large number of visitors during the 

 summer interested in the general operations, or in some special branch 

 of its work. Among these may be mentioned Prof. Asa Gray, of Cam- 

 bridge, Dr. Thomas Brewer, of Boston, Mr. Isaac Hinckley, of Philadel- 

 phia, Mr. John Foord, editor of the New York Times, Mr. Charles Aldrich, 

 of Iowa, Mr. May, Fish Commissioner for Nebraska, and others. 



A great many specimens were gathered in the course of the summer's 

 work, embracing numerous duplicates desired for distribution among 

 the various educational establishments and museums of the country. 



Eeference is made in another part of this report to the work con- 

 nected with the investigation of the American fisheries, undertaken in 

 behalf of the census of 1880. 



Mr. G. B. Goode, who was in special charge of this department, also 

 had his headquarters at Provincetown with a sufficient corps to carry 

 on his work, and was there enabled to obtain much of the statistical and 

 other information required for the completion of his plan. The general 

 results of the sea-coast work of the summer of 1879, in connection with 

 the statistics of the fisheries, will be embodied in the fishery reports of 

 the census of 18S0, and therefore, need not be repeated here. 



After his return to Washington Lieutenant Tanner was transferred by 

 the Secretary of the Navy to the supervision of the construction of the 

 Fish Commission steamer Fish Hawk, of which mention is made else- 

 where. 



In the report for 1878 mention was made of the fact that at the sug- 

 gestion of the Commission a display station of the Signal Office estab- 

 lishment was put into operation at Gloucester. Finding no such sta- 

 tion at Provincetown, and being well satisfied of its importance, I made 

 application to General Myer for a similar service, which was granted. 

 S. Mis. 59 ii 



