Treasury Department, 

 United States Coast Guard, 



Washington, January 13, 1928. 

 The Honorable the Secretary of the Treasury : 



Referrmg to the requisition of this office dated January 13, 1923, 

 for the printing of Bulletin No. 10, International Ice Observation and 

 Ice Patrol Service in the North Atlantic Ocean, 1922, I would state 

 that this publication is necessary in the conduct of the ordinary 

 routine business of this department. This service was begun by the 

 United States in 1914 at the request of Great Britain acting on behalf 

 of the various powers interested, under the conditions set forth in the 

 International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, which was 

 signed at London, January 20, 1914, by the representatives of those 

 powers. Under those conditions the several powers assumed the 

 obligation to contribute to the expense of the international service in 

 certain proportions, enumerated in article 7 of the said convention. 

 The Government of the United States pays about 18 per cent of the 

 cost of the service, the other powers interested paying the balance. 

 An Executive order was issued on September 20, 1916, creating an 

 interdepartmental board. Under the provisions of the Executive 

 order it is the duty of the board to — 



(a) Prepare a systematic program for the work in connection 

 with the mternational service of ice observation, ice patrol, and 

 ocean derelict destruction, undertaken by the United States, 

 especially that part which pertains to observations and related 

 scientific work. 



(&) Direct the scientific observers, receive their reports, and 

 prepare the same for publication. 



(c) Make recommendation for such special appropriations or 

 legislation as may be necessary. 

 It is desired to incorporate in the bulletin 12 photographs and 31 

 charts, which are necessary to illustrate the activities and conditions 

 connected with the service and will be of unusual interest to the 

 several powers and scientists who are watching the progress of this 

 work. 



Respectfully, 



(Signed) W. E. Reynolds, 



Commandant. 



Approved, 



Edward Clifford, 



Assistant Secretary. 



