XVI -REPORT OF OPERATIONS AT BATTERY STATION, HAVRE 

 DE GRACE, MD., FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 188G. 



By W. de C. Eavenel. 



This year was ushered in at Battery Station by a continuance of work 

 on the breakwater at west end of carp pond. This was interrupted early 

 in January by bad weather and ice, so that but 12 feet were added to 

 the work of December, making 92 feet to the end of January. One 

 hundred and fifty tons of ice were cut and stored in this mouth; 20 

 iron cots were finished, which completed the 30 originally intended. 

 The boilers and engines of the lauuches were thoroughly overhauled, 

 as also the pumps. One of the station carpenters assisted in work on 

 steamer Halcyon for fifteen days during January. On the 30th, at 9.30 

 p. m., 200 feet of the crib at the outer end of the wharf were carried 

 away to low-water mark by ice and overthrown into the carp pond. 

 The damage is estimated at $1,000. On 31st, the entire force was at 

 work cutting ice to move pile driver to a place of safety. The presence 

 of ice made it necessary to use sledge -boats in trips to Havre de Grace 

 for mail, provisions, etc. 



Avery small portion of February was suitable for outdoor operations, 

 it being generally too cold. But very little work was done to the new 

 breakwater; the piles pushed oft* the main wharf by ice were recovered, 

 and such timbers from the broken wharf as could be got at and wedged 

 apart were saved. The general and routine work was carried on ; repairs 

 to launches were made in the way of stanchions, fenders, scraping, and 

 sand-papering. The barge kite hen and mess-room were given two coats 

 of paint inside, and tinware used in hatching operations was painted 

 outside. 



Ice covered the head of the bay all the first portion of February. A 

 heavy movement of ice occurred on 13th at 4 p. m., lasting thirty min- 

 utes, crushing about 20 feet of the sheet-pile dike erected during the 

 winter. At midnight, same date, a movement lasting ten minutes 

 crushed about 25 feet of the southern end of the same work. The 

 damage by ice this month is about $180. The ice piled 15 feet above 

 wharves on north side of island. 



During the early part of March, work on the machinery, etc., of the 

 launches was pushed to completion, and, as soon as the weather per- 

 mitted, all of the boats, scows, etc., belonging to the station were over- 

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