G48 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [44] 



and when ho bad, iu addition to this, to remember the direction both 

 engines were moving in, it was a surprise that successful work was 

 done at all. 



GOVERNORS. 



The Svedberg governors have performed well during the year. They 

 have required no repairs nor alteration, and but little attention. 



On completing the repairs to the boilers at the Washington navy- 

 yard, in January, we put a cold-water pressure of 65 pounds in the 

 port boiler and 64 pounds in the starboard boiler; at which pressure 

 they appeared tight, but the soft patches on the front inboard corners 

 began to leak soon afterwards. 



The lj-inch screw (pipe) plugs we put in the boilers were tight. One 

 of the plugs began to leak on the 1st of March and the legs began to 

 leak soon afterwards. . On the 1st of April we discovered one of the 

 steel socket rivets broken off; we replaced it with an iron one. 



On our return to Washington (from the Bahama cruise) we replaced 

 five rivets in a patch on the back leg of port boiler ; and a soft patch 

 on a seam on the shell of starboard boiler; replaced a soft patch in the 

 forward inboard corner of No. 4 furnace; replaced two soft patches 

 in the port inboard corners of both boilers ; put a new stem in the 

 starboard main check- valve ; calked seams and rivets in No. 4 fur- 

 nace; a new rivet in a brace in the starboard boiler; replaced two soft 

 patches on the waist of port boiler and one on starboard boiler; re- 

 placed a soft patch on the bridge end, inboard corner of No. 1 furnace; 

 to accomplish this last job it was necessary to dig a portion of the 

 cement out of that boiler, which we replaced. We put several new 

 rivets in the front sheet of this furnace. 



On completing the repairs at Washington the vessel made her sum- 

 mer cruise, during which time leaks occurred as before, but we were 

 able to obtain fresh water at Wood's Holl and at St. John's — the only 

 ports visited — and we only accumulated scale while at sea after our 

 supply of fresh water was exhausted. Our stay at AVood's Holl was 

 longer and our voyages were of shorter duration than during previous 

 cruises, which enabled us to take better care of the boilers. 



During the year we have paid for repairs to the boilers : 



For labor, $516.21; for material, $494.15. Total, $1,010.36. 



NEW BOILERS. 



In obedience to the Commissioner's order the writer designed boilers 

 to replace those now in the ship, which were bid on by a number of 

 large engineering establishments; these bids were opened on the 23d 

 of this month and the Columbian Iron Works and Dry Dock Company, 

 of Baltimore, was found to be the lowest bidder. 



The new boilers are to be two in number, cylindrical in form, and are 

 specified to be of "the best American charcoal-hammered iron." 



