60 



improvements Much time and labor were saved by changes introduced 

 Boots. in the Division of Books, where were kept the nautical works 



issued to vessels, as well as nearly a thousand volumes of 

 books of reference. The issuing-list of books furnished to 

 ships was revised ; the books to be issued to vessels were 

 placed upon separate shelves, and systematically arranged, 

 and the work was begun of making a complete catalogue 

 aud abstract of the books of reference. 



Previous to this year the want of proper printing facili- 

 ties made it necessary to send to the Government Printing 

 Office, for publication, all Notices to Mariners, &c, and the 

 pressure of other public business in that office frequently 

 Purchase of a caused unavoidable delays in their issue. The acquisition 

 pre^Ke'wOf a cylinder printing-press in March, 18S5, greatly facili- 

 flce - tated the work of the Hydrographic Office, and enabled the 



prompt issue of Notices to Mariners, and other urgent nau- 

 tical information. 



Ship-masters were not slow in perceiving the practical 



value of such information, and the demand for it rapidly 



increased. 



in I tte r qnai™.y 1 of The Notices to Mariners were also printed on an improved 



Notices e to°Mari e - quality of light paper, in order to increase their durability 



ners - and lessen the expense of postage ; and, to bring them into 



contact with a still larger circle of merchant captains, 



weekly < cii- weekly editions of the notices were kept on file in all United 



tiCeftaMaHtu ^States Consulates and in the business houses of the princi- 



on SU me In 1 r e s! pal shipping-merchants in every prominent sea-port of the 



consulates, &c. i j 



world. 

 New and greatly improved chart-lists for each squadron 



were issued during the year to all cruising naval vessels, 



and proved to be of much utility to navigators in handling 



and keeping a record of the ship's charts. 

 data 1 begun 11 r° e - Data regarding the use of oil to lessen the danger to ves- 

 of r oif1n th heavy sels in heavy seas was collected, as was hydrographic in- 

 seas- formation of every kind that could in any way be of service 



to sea-faring men. 



Computations were made in the Office, and the work of 



engraving begun, for a set of gnomonic charts, covering the 



great oceans of the globe. They were designed by Mr. G. 



Herrle, and afford the navigator unusual facilities for finding 



the Great Circle course and distance between any two points. 



A Great Circle protractor, designed by Commander Sigsbee v 



