[101] WOEK OF FISH COMMISSION STEAMEE ALBATEOSS. 217 



Case 7J.— While sounding at about 7 a. m., May 1, a meridian altitude 

 of the moon was observed, showing the latitude to be 36° 41' 05" IST. 

 At the same time a single altitude of the sun was observed and worked 

 out for latitudes 26° 30' and 36^ 40', The ship was therefore at the 

 intersection of the two lines thus found, AA, BB. While trawling two 

 more sights of the sun were taken, at 10.09 and 10.49; and being- 

 worked out with the same latitudes as before, placed the ship on the lines 

 CC, DD. Finally a meridian altitude of the sun wiis observed, which 

 placed the ship in latitude 36° 43' 54" at noon. EE. The drift while 

 trawling, until the last time sight, was to NW., 2^ to 3 knots in all ; and 

 then, after bearing in NW. by W. I W., 2^ miles to noon. No current 

 noticeable. Plotting the track, the ship was found to have been in the 

 positions 1, 2, 3, 4. 



Case III. — At 3 and 5.45 p. m., August 1, single altitudeis of the sun 

 were observed and worked out for latitudes 39° 40' IS", and 39° 50', giving 

 lines A A and BB. At about 7.30 an altitude near meridian of * Antnres 

 was taken, which placed the shij) at that time on the parallel of 39^ 39' 

 23", line CC. The drift in trawling during the afternoon was SW., and 

 the distance estimated at 4 knots between the first and second sights 

 and f to 1 knot from the second to the third. No current observed. 



Whenever circumstances have been such as to warrant sufficient cer- 

 tainty in the position to give hydrographic value to the soundings taken, 

 lists of them have been furnished to the Hydrographic Office of the 

 Navy Department and the Coast and Geodetic Survey Office of the 

 Treasury Department. 



CONCLUSION OF THE YEAE'S WORK. 



The work of refitting for our winter's cruise was commenced at once 

 and pushed forward as rapidly as possible. There was but little to do, 

 outside of the ordinary cleaning and painting, except in the engineer's 

 department ; there the work was mostly confined to the boilers, which 

 continue to give us trouble. 



Paymaster Charles D. Mansfield, U. S. N., reported for duty on the 

 15th, relieving Paymaster George H. Eead. 



Hon. W. E. Chandler, Secretary of the Navy, visited the ship on De- 

 cember 20 and inspected the vessel and scientific apparatus. The Naval 

 Advisory Board and other prominent professional men also inspected 

 the vessel and apparatus during her stay at the yard. 



At 7.20 a. m., December 28, we left the navy-yard for Baltimore; ar- 

 rived at 7.45 a. m. the following day, and made fast to the wharf at 

 William Skinner & Son's Marine Eailway. We expected to haul out 

 at high water, between 8 and 9 a. m., but as the tide was unusually low, 

 showing 3 feet below mean high water, this was impossible. 



On Monday, December 31, there was ample water, and the vessel was 

 taken up without delay. The condition of the submerged portion of 

 the vessel's bottom was very good, considering the nature of the service 

 and the length of time since she was docked. 



