INVESTIGATIONS OF THE STEAMER ALBATROSS. 219 



were brought into requisition, followed finally by a boat beam trawl 

 which was devised for and first used on this work. The results of the 

 investigation will be found in the records submitted by Mr. Miller, 

 copies of which are hereto appended. 



The boat beam fcrawl was found so eminently successful that it seems 

 to be worthy of special notice. It may be described as follows (see 

 PI. I): 



Beam: Iron pipe; length, 3 feet o" inches; diameter, outside, If inches. 

 Runners: Size of iron, 1A by i inch, ilat bar; length, 2 feet 7 inches; height, 1 

 foot 1 inch. 



Net: Length, 7 feet; mesh, 2 inches; jacket, A-inch mesh; picket length, 24 feet. 



The bridles, of 9-thread manila, were seized to the front of runner 

 with three turns of seine twine and the ends lashed in with the tail 

 lashing, the intention being that the bridle stops shall part in case of 

 fouling the bottom and allow the net to come up tail first. 



We left the harbor of San Diego at 4 p. m., March 27, aud reached 

 Mare Island at 10.50 a. m. on the 30th, after a smooth, foggy trip. The 

 Albatross was docked from March 31 to April 5. Messrs. C. H. Town- 

 send and A. B. Alexander left for the Puget Sound region by rail on 

 the 8th, to prosecute Fish Commission work in advance of the arrival 

 of the ullbatross. 



On April 11, by direction of the Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries, I 

 reported by telegram to the Secretary of the Navy for assignment to duty 

 in connection with patrol service in Bering Sea during the approaching 

 season, and on the 18th I received instructions from the latter to pro- 

 ceed with the Albatross, when ready for service, to Port Townsend, 

 Wash., and there to report to Commander Clark, U. S. 1ST., in command 

 of the Bering Sea squadron. Leaving Mare Island navy-yard on the 

 14th, Port Townsend was reached on the 19th. 



Ensign W. R. Shoemaker, U. S. ST., reported for duty on the 29th, 

 and Lieut. Commander F. J. Drake, U. S. N., detailed as my relief, 

 visited the ship. 



On April 30, with the permission of the senior officer, got under way 

 at 9 a. m. and steamed out into the Straits of Fuca for the purpose 

 of showing to Lieut. Commander Drake the various apparatus and 

 methods employed in the process of submarine exploration. Keturniug, 

 we anchored in Port Townsend again at 5 p. m. 



At 1 p. m., May 1, 1 was relieved of the command of the Albatross by 

 Lieut. Commander F. J. Drake, U. S. N., who assumed command. I 

 signed the log book, and took receipts from Captain Drake for the ves- 

 sel's outfit, stores, and equipment, forwarding the latter at once to the 

 Fish Commission. I left the ship at p. m. en route for my home. 



