J WORK OF riSH COMMISSION RTEAMET? ALBATROSS. 119 



wards evening. At 10.10 a. m. we passed Point Lookout and entered . 

 tlie Potomac River. At 3 p. m. we met the Fi.sli Hawk bound down, 

 and at 7.10 p. m. anchored for the night off Alexandria, Va. We got 

 under way at 8.20 a. m. on the 25th and steamed to tlie navy-yard, 

 Washington, D. C. 



The sounding and dredging during the trij) was for the purpose of 

 testing the apparatus, which was found to work satisfactorily with the 

 exception of a few matters of detail, which were easily remedied. Ex- 

 periments were also made with the submarine electric light by Messrs. 

 Moore and Britton of the Edison Company, who made the trip for the 

 purpose. The apparatus consisted of three incandescent lamps fixed to 

 a l)rass plate which formed the base of a double glass globe enveloping 

 them. The lamp failed to act satisfactorily ; water entering when it was 

 lowered 200 feet. An ordinary 16-candle B lamp was used successfully 

 at a depth of 150 feet, this being the length of its cable. 



We remained at the navy-yard until April 24, making preparatioi^s 

 lor the season's work of deep-sea exploration. Boiler-makers were at 

 work on tbe boilers most of the time while we were in port. In fact 

 there has been more or less work on them whenever fires have been 

 hauled. 



At 8 a. m., on that date, we left for a'cruise under the following or- 

 ders, viz : 



U. S. Commission of Fish and Fisheries, 



Washington, B. C, April 10, 1883. 



Sir : As soon as you can be ready for the service (of which you will 

 give me a week's notice), you will go to sea for the purpose of investi- 

 gating the conditions which govern the movements or the mackerel, 

 menhaden, blueflsh, and other migratory species along the coast of the 

 United States in the spring, commencing your investigations offHat- 

 teras, or in the region where these fish usually make their first appear- 

 ance, and following up the schools in their movements. 



The special work to be performed will be to determine the rate of 

 progress of the fish along the coast, their comparative abundance and 

 condition, the places where they first show themselves, the physical 

 condition of their surroundings as to temperature and currents of the 

 water, its chemical and biological peculiarities, &c. 



You will endeavor to ascertain whether the appearance of the fish at 

 or near the surface depends upon the condition of temperature, wind or 

 sky, and also, by the use of the apparatus at your command, what 

 character of food in the water seems to determine their movements 

 You will cause examination to be made of the stomachs of such of these 

 fish as you can capture and carefully preserve a portion at least of the 

 contents of the stomach for immediate or future examination. 



Should you deem it expedient you w'ill cruise oif the coast a sufficient 

 distance to determine the outward line of motion of the fish, and you 

 will communicate to such fishing vessels as you may meet any informa- 



