1882. | ENGINEER’S REPORT. 85 
oyster industry, and the survey for us of many oyster buoys. 
At each of the buoys located a specimen of the bottom was taken, 
placed in a bottle and marked. The depth of water was noted, 
and also the time. The effect of the presence of the vessel, and 
the recognition accorded to us, has been helpful in establishing 
confidence, among the oystermen, as to the character of the work 
likely to be done by the commission. 
The Palinurus arrived in New Haven harbor on July 29th. 
She remained until October 4th, when she sailed for Montauk 
Point, to locate a rock which was dangerous to navigators. Re- 
turning on the 29th, some three weeks were spent at Milford, and 
then outside operations were suspended for the winter. It is 
greatly to be hoped that the superintendent may permit the work 
to be resumed in the spring. The scientific comparisons which 
will be deduced, at Washington, from a full investigation of the 
oyster industry as carried on in the Chesapeake and in Long 
Island Sound, will be of much value. I asked Assistant Bradford 
for the triangulation of the Branford Beacon, and also for the 
location of the oyster buoys off New Haven harbor. This work 
is accomplished. 
THE NEW HAVEN HARBOR SURVEY. 
The mapping of the oyster claims off the New Haven harbor, 
has long been regarded as a very bugbear. An intelligent review 
of the records on file at the offices of the town clerks of New 
Haven, East Haven, and Orange shows the folly of attempting a 
survey based primarily on such records. Ranges are sometimes 
taken over reefs. If the reef is of considerable size, then it is 
apparent that the range is uncertain. In some instances the desig- 
nation appears to depend on the area, and yet it is apparent that 
the data for determining that area has never existed. Again 
an owner is bounded on all sides by the land of his neighbors, by 
name, without further explanation. 
I am certain that when the ground has been duly designated 
the oystermen can in most instances go exactly to the corners of 
their claims as they understand them. That their interpretation 
of their claims is the same as the record would produce, is quite 
another matter. I mean no disrespect to any of the surveyors 
who have made maps of the oyster grounds. Without doubt 
some of the records are very good. The work has been done in 
