21 
Eneimecrs Keport 
= 
To the Commissioners of Shell Fisheries of the State of Connechcul: 
GENTLEMEN :—The usual activity has prevailed in the Engineer 
Department throughout the year. Outside work began March Ist, and 
continued till December Ist. The number of buoys set was 347. Buoys 
surveyed, 431. Rocks and trees whose position was determined with 
the sextant, 9. Total positions determined by sextants, 787. 
I observed on the buoy work until June 3oth. Mr. R. G. Pike, Jr., 
then began observing, and continued through the remainder of the 
season. Mr. D.C. Sanford observed the entire season. The successful 
meeting of all the demands for buoy work is in a great degree due to 
the punctual and faithful work of Mr. Sanford and Mr. Pike, Jr. Buoy 
setting was called for, for shelling purposes, in the towns between Nor- 
walk and Old Lyme. From Norwalk westward the shelling was con- 
fined by understood ranges. 
During the shelling season it is necessary that the buoying party be 
in communication with the office daily, and this involves not a little 
traveling. The buoy work was grouped as much as possible, but a day 
unfit for observing often caused serious complications of arrange- 
ments, which were definite for every day for weeks ahead. A lost day 
had to be made up, in some way; for the disappointed party could not 
lose a year in getting his ground started; neither could those next in 
order be disappointed. The management of this part of the work will 
become easier as the maps are perfected. 
August 13th, your party moved to South Norwalk, and by taking 
board at a hotel became accessible to all the oystermen. Excepting 
three weeks spent at Greenwich, the party remained at South Norwalk 
until December Ist. The maps show a very creditable amount of work 
performed by Messrs. Sanford and Pike, Jr., during the time spent at 
South Norwalk and Greenwich. All the buoys surveyed were proof 
plotted during the field season, and thus the work was checked and 
made safe for final adjustment during the winter season. 
During the past year I have drawn descriptions for the deeds of 174 
applications; the mapping of these applications and the drawing of 
descriptions which are mathematical in character, were no easy task. 
