596 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 193 8 



available for study in the Watercraft Collection of the United States 

 National Museum. The sources of information for the records were 

 in most instances old vessels still in existence and in other cases the 

 authenticated models, plans, and tables of dimensions in collections 

 not readily available for study. The distribution of the sources indi- 

 cated a national set-up, and regional offices were established wherever 

 the supervisory and operating personnel could be organized to func- 

 tion within the limited time originally determined upon as the life 

 of the project. Regional offices were established at Portland, Maine: 

 Boston; New York; Wilmington, Del.; Baltimore; Hampton, Va. ; 

 Jacksonville; Tampa; Chicago; and San Francisco. Though the 

 life of the project was extended from time to time, it is unfortunate 

 that no single extension was for a sufficient length of time to justify 

 creating new regional offices other than those originally established. 

 It is obvious that many localities where there have been important 

 developments of watercraft were not reached by the Survey. 



The actual operation of the Survey fell largely upon the regional 

 supervisors, many of whom were authorities on the subject and were 

 persuaded to undertake the work out of a spirit of public service, 

 while others were selected upon the recommendations of museums, or 

 students of watercraft in the localities. These men in turn selected 

 their personnel from local unemployed pools and organized field sur- 

 vey parties and drafting offices. The supervisors, upon suggestions 

 from the Director, made preliminary surveys of their localities and 

 submitted reports upon vessels and material available for survey and 

 in return received instructions as to the order in which the work should 

 be undertaken. Priority in most cases was given to vessels or material 

 in immediate danger of being lost or destroyed and to desirable vessels 

 due to be hauled out for painting or repairs. The drawings, photo- 

 graphs, and reports were completed under the direction of the regional 

 supervisors and sent to Washington with the original field notebooks 

 for^ the approval of the Director and acceptance by the National 

 Museum. The surveys accepted total 270 vessels, 677 drawings, and 

 545 photographs which, with field notes and reports, are readily 

 available for examination and study at the Museum. Negatives of 

 drawings and photographs are kept on file and prints of both are dis- 

 tributed upon order at nominal cost. 



The file of well-executed drawings and supporting material produced 

 by the Survey is beyond question one of the outstanding compilations 

 of designs of American watercraft. Descriptions of a few surveys 

 will indicate the scope and character of the work. 



Typical of the surveys of local types are those of the scow schooners 

 of San Francisco Bay. These vessels are descended from the first 

 boats built in California after the gold rush and several, converted 

 to power, are in use today in much the same trade as the first ones. 



