REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. XLVII 



James A. Smith, U. S. Navy, who commanded the Halcyon during the 

 first half of the year, was transferred to the steamer Fish Hawk in 

 July, and was succeeded on the Halcyon by Mr. William Hamlen. 



D. — Schooner Grampus. 



The fishing-schooner Grampus, which was under construction at 

 Noank, Conn., at the beginning of the year, was completed June 5, and 

 left for Wood's Holl the same day. She is the first of a new type of 

 vessel, designed especially for the offshore fisheries by Capt. J. W. Col- 

 lins, who superintended her construction and subsequent operations. 

 A description of her principal features and of her merits is given else- 

 where in this report. The signal letters G. V. Q. F. were assigned 

 to her by the Bureau of Navigation of the Treasury Department. 



The Grampus made her first cruise August 12 to the offshore fishing- 

 grounds south of Martha's Vineyard, where a week was spent in a fruit- 

 less search for the tilefish. Certain alterations in her fittings, shown to 

 be necessary by this trip, delayed the vessel in port until the last of 

 September, when she began a cruise to the vicinity of Le Have Bank, 

 Koseway Bank, and Seal Island Ground, for the purpose of securing 

 and bringing to the Wood's Holl Station, in her well, living specimens 

 of halibut and other food -fishes, the spawn of which was desired for 

 propagation. Returning to Wood's Holl October 12, a short trip was 

 made to the mackerel fleet operating at the western end of Vineyard 

 Sound, and during most of the remainder of the year she was engaged 

 in fishing for spawning cod, which were carried to the Wood's Holl 

 Station, and in investigating the fisheries of the western part of the 

 Gulf of Maine, Massachusetts Bay, and the Vineyard Sound region. 



Assignments of Naval Officers. 



The following changes in the assignments of naval officers to the 

 service of the Fish Commission were made during the year: 



Lieut. Seaton Schroeder, executive officer and navigator of the steamer 

 Albatross, was detached January 2, and was succeeded by Lieut. H. S. 

 Waring. 



Ensign W. J. Maxwell assumed command of 4 the steamer Fish Haick 

 January 10, relieving Lieut. L. W. Piepmeyer, but July 24 he was 

 transferred to the steamer Albatross, from which he was finally de- 

 tached August 28. 



Ensign W. S. Benton joined the Albatross January 13, and Eusign 

 W. S. Hogg on the lGth of the same month. 



Mate James A. Smith was detached from the steamer Halcyon and 

 took command of the steamer Fish Hawk July 31, and August 3 Mate 

 Hugh Kuhl joined the Fish Hawk as executive ofificer. Assistant En- 

 gineer S, H. Leonart] was detached from the Fish Hawk December 18, 



