﻿20 
  KEFORT 
  OF 
  COMMISSIONER 
  OF 
  FISH 
  AND 
  FISHERIES. 
  

  

  included 
  the 
  tracing 
  of 
  the 
  size 
  and 
  shape 
  of 
  the 
  insular 
  shelf 
  out 
  to 
  

   the 
  1,000-fathom 
  curve; 
  and 
  the 
  survey 
  was 
  extended 
  westward 
  along 
  

   the 
  chain 
  of 
  reefs 
  and 
  islets 
  which 
  reach 
  out 
  from 
  the 
  main 
  group 
  

   in 
  the 
  direction 
  of 
  Japan. 
  The 
  vessel 
  went 
  as 
  far 
  westward 
  as 
  La3'san 
  

   Island, 
  whei'e 
  collections 
  of 
  fishes 
  and 
  other 
  aquatic 
  animals 
  were 
  

   made, 
  and 
  opportunity 
  was 
  afforded 
  for 
  observation 
  and 
  study 
  of 
  the 
  

   vast 
  rookeries 
  of 
  albatrosses 
  and 
  other 
  sea 
  birds 
  which 
  breed 
  upon 
  

   this 
  small 
  island. 
  On 
  the 
  return 
  from 
  La3^san 
  visits 
  were 
  made 
  to 
  

   several 
  other 
  islets, 
  including 
  French 
  Island, 
  Frigate 
  Shoal, 
  Necker 
  

   Island, 
  and 
  Bird 
  Island, 
  and 
  valuable 
  collections 
  were 
  secured. 
  

  

  The 
  results 
  of 
  the 
  dredging 
  and 
  other 
  operations 
  were 
  exceedingly 
  

   prolific, 
  and 
  have 
  added 
  largely 
  to 
  the 
  knowledge 
  of 
  the 
  aquatic 
  fauna 
  

   of 
  the 
  Hawaiian 
  Islands. 
  As 
  opportunit}^ 
  offered, 
  hydrographic 
  notes, 
  

   with 
  charts 
  and 
  sailing 
  directions, 
  were 
  made 
  by 
  the 
  ship's 
  officers 
  

   and 
  transmitted 
  to 
  the 
  United 
  States 
  Coast 
  and 
  Geodetic 
  Survey. 
  A 
  

   full 
  report 
  of 
  the 
  expedition 
  and 
  of 
  what 
  was 
  accomplished 
  thereby 
  is 
  

   now 
  in 
  course 
  of 
  preparation. 
  

  

  The 
  amount 
  of 
  hard 
  cruising 
  the 
  ship 
  had 
  been 
  called 
  on 
  to 
  perform 
  

   made 
  it 
  necessary 
  to 
  give 
  her 
  a 
  thorough 
  overhauling 
  as 
  to 
  both 
  hull 
  

   and 
  machinery, 
  the 
  latter, 
  especially, 
  requiring 
  considerable 
  repairs 
  and 
  

   alterations, 
  and 
  a 
  new 
  electric 
  plant 
  and 
  searchlights 
  being 
  needed. 
  

   Congress 
  provided 
  for 
  this 
  purpose 
  a 
  special 
  appropriation, 
  approved 
  

   March 
  5, 
  and 
  the 
  Avork 
  was 
  undertaken 
  at 
  once 
  and 
  completed 
  June 
  11. 
  

  

  By 
  direction 
  of 
  the 
  President, 
  a 
  special 
  commission, 
  with 
  Dr. 
  David 
  

   Starr 
  Jordan 
  as 
  executive 
  head, 
  was 
  appointed 
  b}^ 
  the 
  Commissioner 
  

   to 
  make 
  investigations 
  concerning 
  the 
  condition 
  and 
  needs 
  of 
  the 
  

   Alaska 
  salmon 
  fisheries, 
  and 
  as 
  these 
  investigations 
  necessitated 
  visits 
  

   to 
  the 
  numerous 
  remote 
  salmon 
  streams 
  and 
  canneries 
  and 
  salteries 
  in 
  

   Alaska, 
  the 
  Albatross 
  was 
  detailed 
  for 
  the 
  use 
  of 
  the 
  commission. 
  

   The 
  ship 
  sailed 
  on 
  June 
  1 
  1 
  from 
  San 
  Francisco 
  for 
  Seattle, 
  whence, 
  

   after 
  having 
  been 
  joined 
  by 
  the 
  various 
  members 
  of 
  the 
  party, 
  she 
  

   proceeded 
  northward 
  June 
  18. 
  The 
  next 
  few 
  daj^s 
  were 
  devoted 
  to 
  

   dredging 
  at 
  various 
  places 
  in 
  Georgia 
  Strait 
  and 
  Queen 
  Charlotte 
  

   Sound. 
  

  

  February 
  12, 
  1903, 
  Commander 
  Chauncey 
  Thomas, 
  U. 
  S. 
  Navy, 
  who 
  

   had 
  been 
  in 
  command 
  of 
  the 
  Albatross 
  somewhat 
  over 
  a 
  year, 
  during 
  

   which 
  he 
  displayed 
  great 
  efficiency, 
  was 
  detached 
  by 
  order 
  of 
  the 
  

   Secretary 
  of 
  the 
  Navy, 
  and 
  was 
  succeeded 
  by 
  Lieut. 
  Franklin 
  Swift, 
  

   U. 
  S. 
  Navy, 
  retired, 
  formerly 
  in 
  command 
  of 
  the 
  steamer 
  J^lsh 
  Ilaioli. 
  

  

  Steamer 
  Fish 
  Hawk. 
  — 
  During 
  the 
  months 
  of 
  Jul}^, 
  August, 
  and 
  

   September 
  the 
  Fish 
  Ilawh 
  was 
  detailed 
  for 
  biological 
  work 
  in 
  connec- 
  

   tion 
  with 
  the 
  laboratory 
  at 
  Beaufort, 
  N. 
  C. 
  Five 
  lines 
  of 
  soundings 
  

   and 
  dredgings 
  were 
  made 
  at 
  right 
  angles 
  to 
  the 
  trend 
  of 
  the 
  coast 
  out 
  

   to 
  the 
  inner 
  margin 
  of 
  the 
  Gulf 
  Stream, 
  to 
  develop 
  the 
  character 
  of 
  

   the 
  fauna 
  of 
  the 
  region 
  and 
  to 
  determine 
  the 
  possibility 
  of 
  establish- 
  

  

  