INVESTIGATIONS OF THE ALBATROSS. 13 



Letters were written the same day to the Secretary of the Xavy, 

 CoiDuiissioner of Fish and Fisheries, and tlie Chief of the Bureau of 

 Navigation, tlie hitter as follows: 



Your comninnication of September 12, -with reiVrenco to the Alhalross having been 

 placed under the Department's orders lor the ])urpose of sounding ont a route for 

 the proposed telegraphic cable between San Francisco and Honolulu, is received. I 

 wired you this morning in relation to the matter as follows: 



"Letter of 12th received. Will need wire, sinkers, cylinders, spare-reel, addi- 

 tional coal-bunker, docking, and painting bottom. Time, 15 working days, following 

 onr usual methods. Letter by mail."' 



The sinkers, sounding-cylinders, spare reel, etc., can be procured from the yard. 

 The additional bunker will increase our coal capacity about 40 tons. The docking 

 and painting can probably be done at the yard; if not, I can do it at San Francisco 

 without delay, although the expense will be greater. Our sounding-machine is 

 now placed forward, and the ^vire is held vertically after sounding, until it is all 

 reeled up, as in our work other oiieratious prevent steaming ahead while the wire is 

 coming in. "VVe purpose to put the machine on the stern in such a position that we 

 can start ahead as soon as the sinker reaches the bottom, thus gaining a mile or more 

 on every sounding. 



The estimate of 15 days to prepare the ship for the work is, as stated in the mes- 

 sage, on the snpposition that we will follow our usual methods, which enable us to 

 procure everything required promptly without the routine of retxuisitions. I can 

 give no estimate of the time which would be re(|uired to do the work under the 

 ordinary navy-yard methods. 



It would facilitate preparations very much if 1 had a general idea of the jiroposed 

 scheme of the work. 



A word of explanation nuiy not be out of place regarding the refer- 

 ences in the foregoing letter to '• our usual methods" and "the ordiuary 

 navy-yard methods.'' In refitting, small articles will be required from 

 time to time as the work progresses, and it has been our custom to pro- 

 cure them at once by open purchase without the delay incident to the 

 makiug of requisitions, sending out proposals, and getting competitive 

 bids. On the other hand, the navy-yard methods are controlled by 

 the necessity of following the indicated routine, with the frequent and 

 uncertain delays attending it; hence the difficulty of estimating the 

 time required to com[)lete a job with any degree of accuracy. 



On September 21, liear- Admiral John Irwin, commandant of the 

 navy-yard, received the following telegram, a copy of which he for- 

 warded to me. 



Fit out Albatross for sounding between San Francisco and Honolulu. 



F. M. Ramsay, 

 Acting Secretary Kavy. 



I received instructions at the same time to make requisitions on the 

 navy-yard for everything needed for the survey. The work of prepara- 

 tion was pushed forward as fast as possilde. Tlie vessel was docked 

 the following day, September 22, and her bottom cleaned and painted, 

 work on needed changes and repairs proceeding at the same time. 

 Everything required for the survey, except wire, was furnished from 

 the navy-yard or purchased at San Francisco. 



