I -REPORT ON THE WORK OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COM- 

 MISSION STEAMER ALBATROSS FOR THE YEAR ENDING 

 DECEMBER 31, 1884. 



By Likut.-Cojimandku Z. L. Tanner, U. S. N., Commanding. 



TliG Albatross was ou Skinner & Son's Marine Eailway, Baltimore, 

 Md., at tbe close of my last report ending December 31, 1883, for the 

 l)urpose of cleaning and painting her bottom. 



The weather on January 1, ISSl, was unfavorable for our work, being 

 rainy and misty, followed ou the 2d by severe cold, which not only in- 

 terfered with putting ou the paint, but delayed its drying on the frosty 

 surface of the iroB. We succeeded, however, in getting on two coats, 

 the first of red lead, followed by one of white zinc; and lowered her from 

 the railway into the water on the evening of the 5th, although the last 

 coat of paint was not thoroughly dry. The ice was forming rapidly in 

 the bay and harbor, and we feared it would cause us serious delay if Ave 

 remained longer on the dock. As it was, we found it between two and 

 three inches thick when we left the harbor the following morning, and 

 were obliged to force our way through it, scraping the fresh paint from 

 the vessel's sides and bottom several feet below the water-line. 



Arriving at Hampton Eoads at 12.20 a. m.'on the 7th, we anchored 

 till daylight, then steamed up to the navy-yard, Norfolk, Va., and 

 moored to the coal wharf at 8.40 a. m. We went to Norfolk to escape 

 the ice, to fill up with coal, and to meet the naturalists, who joined us at 

 that port. The coal was on board on the evening of the 9th, and the 

 vessel ready for sea. 



Our destination was the West Indies, where, under the direction of 

 the Bureau of Navigation, Navy Department, we were to be employed 

 in surveying, deep-sea sounding, «&c. The Hydrographerand the Chief 

 of the Bureau of Navigation considered it desirable to have the Carib- 

 bean Sea sounded, its currents and temi)eratures observed, besides 

 other investigations in that region which could be made only by a 

 steamer completely fitted for the work. The Navy had no available 

 vessel at the^time, and knowing that the Albatross was eminently 

 qualified to perform the rather diflicult task, the Chief of the Bureau re- 

 quested her services for the winter. 



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