39 



Iii September of this year preparation was begun in the Preparation be- 



. ", iii e> g un f a new 



Office or a new series of meteorological charts of the North series of meteoro- 



_..„„ , t . i i -i ,,,. . logical charts. 



Pacific, from data which had accumulated during previous 

 years from the reports of merchant vessels and logs of our 

 men-of-war. 



The publications of the year were "Sailing Directions 'Publications of 



1 & the Office. 



for the Coasts and Ports of the Bay of Biscay," and for the 

 "Coasts of Chile, Bolivia, and Peru; " also fifty-two charts 

 •were published, of which five were engraved, and forty- 

 seven produced by the lithographic process. Among those 

 engraved were a set lor the Bay of Fundy, and a number of 

 coast and harbor charts for Lower California, from surveys 

 by the officers of the Narragansett. 



The absence of adequate appropriations for hydrographic 

 work greatly hampered the operations of the Office. Many 

 of the results of surveys sent in by \essels, after having 

 been verified and put into shape for publication in the Office, 

 remained unissued for want of funds. Such new charts as 

 were engraved during the year were limited to those impera- 

 tively demanded by the immediate necessities of the navy or 

 of the commercial marine. Although the successive Hydro- 

 graphers, in their annual reports, had regularly asked for 

 means for prosecuting the work of the Office, and for the 

 continuance of the survey of the Pacific, the necessary 

 appropriations had been as regularly refused. 



But a gratifying interest in furthering the objects of the interests the 



° " ° Office shown by 



Hydropraphic Office was manifested by the people at large, the people at 



large. 



and prominent citizens of New York, Philadelphia, and other 

 seaport cities, united in their appeals to Congress in its be- 

 half. 



To a letter announcing such an action on the part of mer- 

 chant captains, ship owners, underwriters, and others, in the 

 city of Philadelphia, the Hydrograpber sent the following 

 reply, whrch clearly indicated the condition and wants of 

 tbe Office at this period : 



U. S. Hydrographic Office, 



Washington, D. C, October 16, 1876. 

 Gentlemen : Tours of October 13, informing me that a Letter of n> 



. drographer t o 



request was being signed by the leading merchants, msur- merchants, &c 

 auce companies, &c, urging upon Congress a liberal sup- 

 port of the U. S. Hydrographic Office, is received. 



