4.-REP0RT ON THE WORK OF THE U. S. FISH COMMISSION 

 STEAMER ALBATROSS FROM JANUARY 1, 1887, TO JUNE 

 30, 1888. 



By Lieut. Commander Z. L. Tanner, U. S. Navy, Commanding. 



AWARDING OF CONTRACT FOR NEW BOILERS. 



The Albatross was lying at the navy -yard, Washington, D. C, at the 

 close of my report of 1S8P>, awaiting the awarding of« the contract for the 

 construction of new boilers, an appropriation for that purpose having 

 been made by act of Congress dated August 4, 1886. The old boilers 

 were not entirely worn out, but the contemplated trip of the steamer to 

 the Pacific coast of the United States made new ones a necessity. The 

 drawings and specifications haviug been prepared, advertisements were 

 published in the daily press inviting proposals, and on January 10, 

 1887, the bid of the Columbian Iron Works and Dry Dock Company, 

 of Baltimore, was accepted, the company agreeing to remove the old 

 boilers, construct new ones from designs of Passed Assistant Engineer 

 G. W. Baird, U. S. Navy, alter the deck house, extend the sky -light, 

 etc., for the sum of $13,439, the work to be completed and the ship 

 ready for sea in one hundred and twenty working days from the de- 

 livery of the contract, January 27, 1887. 



The expenditure of the appropriation for new boilers was placed 

 under my charge by the following order : 



U. S. Commission of Fish and Fisheries, 



Washington, D. (7., January 5, 1887. 

 Sib : You are hereby placed in charge of the expenditure of the ap- 

 propriation for the new boilers and refitting of the Albatross, and will 

 see the contractors and arrange with them as to commencing their work. 

 Before anything is done, however, they must execute a contract and 

 designate their bondsmen, and the Attorney-General will be called 

 upon to ascertain the ability of the bondsmen- to discharge their obliga- 

 tions. 



Respectfully, 



Spencer F. Baird, 



Commissioner. 

 Capt. Z. L. Tanner, 



Commanding Steamer Albatross. 

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