56 

 Consolidation ^q Hydrographic Notices and Notices to Manners were 



ot Hydrographic v ° L 



Notices and No- consolidated under the name of the latter. Prior to the 



tices to Manners. 



establishment of the branch offices many of these notices 

 had failed to reach the persons most concerned ; but they 

 were now brought into direct contact with the commercial 

 .marine, and their value was thus greatly enhanced. The 

 demand for them was consequently increased, while the 

 number issued and the field over which they extended were 

 enormously expanded by the establishment of a system of 

 mutually exchanging such notices with every office or de- 

 partment of other countries in any way likely to receive 

 hydrographic information. 

 issue of month- On December 1 of this year the monthly issue of "Pilot 



lv Pilot Charts i 



begun. Charts of the North Atlantic Ocean," was commenced, 



information These charts show graphically all information relating to 



fnarts/ ep ° navigating the North Atlantic, collated irom the reports 

 received at the main Office during the preceding month — • 

 such as the positions of all wrecks and drifting buoys; the 

 number and locality of icebergs, waterspouts, whales, &c. ; 

 the limits of the N. E. trade winds; the prevailing winds, 

 their force and direction; the locality of calms and their du- 

 ration; the position of fishing fleets; the prevailing cur- 

 rents; the tracks of cyclones, and directions for avoiding 

 their centers. Upon these data predictions for the en- 

 suing month were based, and represented graphically upou 

 the charts, showing the routes steamers should take in order 

 to keep clear of fishing fleets and icebergs; the best sailing 

 routes between New York and the Equator, also between 

 the Equator and Europe; and a resume of the Notices to 

 Mariners issued during the preceding mouth. The latest 

 editions of these charts give, also, testimony in regard to 

 the use of oil to lessen the effect of very heavy and danger- 

 ous seas, with a description of the man uer of employing it. 

 Experience has shown the issue of the Pilot Charts to 

 have been one of the most felicitous works of the Office. 

 Merchant captains, as they recognized the value of these 

 charts, began to co-operate heartily in the labor of collect- 



Weekly supple- i n g and forwarding information. The demand for the charts 



ment to the Pilot b " 



Charts issued, increased enormously, and to supply the growing want for 

 such a bulletin, corrected to the latest practicable date, it 

 was soon found necessary to issue a weekly supplement. 



Other changes and improvements were introduced in the 

 various divisions of the Office during this year. 



