Duration of fog, characteristics of signal, and expenditure of stores at the fog-signal stations in the third district for the year ending June 30, 1875.

2. South Point of Rose Island, Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island.-This beacon, consisting of a granite structure and iron spindle and cage, was carried away by the ice during the past winter. As a temporary mark, an iron spindle and cage have been erected at the site.

It is estimated that it will cost, to rebuild the granite structure and surmounting spindle and cage, $4,000. Au appropriation is recommended.

- "Rhode's Folly," Pawcatuck Bay, Rhode Island.-A day-beacon should be established at this place. The estimate of cost, $2,500.

14. West or Wicopesset Rock, entrance to Fisher's Island Sound by Lord's Channel, northwest of East or Catumb Reef, two-thirds of a mile.—This spindle was carried away during the winter, and has been replaced by another spindle and cage-work.

24. Sand's Spit, Sag Harbor, New York.-This beacon has been entirely destroyed by ice during the past winter.

Measures have been taken for temporarily marking the spit by placing a large granite block on the riprap foundation of the old beacon, and placing in the block an iron spindle and cage-work. The cost of rebuilding the beacon on a granite pier and protecting the same by a proper enrockment is estimated at $3,500, for which an appropriation is asked.

37. Success Rock, near Sand's Point.-This day-mark has been destroyed during the year by the ice. The spindle has been overthrown, splitting the rock where it was pierced by the spindle.

A party has been engaged for some time in drilling a new hole in the rock, and it is expected the spindle will be replaced some time during the month of August.

BUOYAGE.

During the past winter, navigation was much interrupted by the ice, which in extraordinary quantities filled the bays, harbors, and waterroutes of travel. Perhaps in no preceding year were more buoys displaced than during the protracted cold weather of the past winter. But the constant employment of the steam-tenders resulted in the recovery of

the greater number. The value of buoys and attachments lost was about $9,000. In the majority of cases the buoys were found to have parted their chains or mooring-loops, proving them to have been well moored, and that their displacement was the result of the resistless force of the moving fields of ice, sweeping down upon them with the full force of the tide. During the year there have been purchased, to supply losses, 270 iron buoys and their appendages, at a cost of $59,996.21, the cost of buoy service in this district alone being $69,884. There is now on hand a sufficient stock of buoys to supply all ordinary losses.

TENDERS.

The tenders in this district are i fair condition, and are sufficient to properly perform the work required.

DEPOTS.

Light-House Depot, Staten Island, New York. The general work of repairs and grading of the grounds has been continued during the year. A duplicate engine for the use of the lamp-shop has been put up during the year, and an additional building for its housing. The roadway outside the northern wall became so bad as to seriously impede travel for the teams, &c., having business with the depot. Repairs were therefore made to some extent. Additional facilities and improvements have been made in the testing-room of the lamp-shop for experiments. Repairs of the wharves, where urgently needed, have been made. At present the barrels of oil, when received, are placed on skids in the yard. This exposure causes loss of oil. The enlargements recommended would increase the room for storage, which is inadequate. Many articles of second hand, or condemned, or bulky nature, which are now put in store with the supplies, embarrassing the work going on there, might be stored in the oil-shed if enlarged as recommended. The water continues to come through the roof of the oil-vault during rainy weather, and particularly when the frost leaves the ground in the spring. One of the storage-tanks has been repaired during the year. They are now all in good order.

In consequence of the improvements made upon the land adjoining the depot on the south, and the consequent changes to be made in the grad ing of portions of the depot-grounds, referred to in the last annual report, the recommendation then made for an appropriation of $10,000 is herein renewed.

The estimate for commencing the enlargement of the basin and for renovating the wharves, &c., and for a brick addition to the oil-shed, viz, $50,000, is also renewed.

New London depot.-It is recommended that the passage-way from Bank street to the water lot, purchased by the Light-House Establishment, at New London, Connecticut, and which is the right of way secured to the United States in connection with that purchase, be walled along the east side. The passage-way should also be properly paved. The estimated cost of these improvements is $3,000.

This depot, in view of its central position, and of the facilities it affords, is invaluable in its service to the district, and its enlargement is a matter of necessity; for frequently there are assembled there the three tenders, relief light ship, and two or three other vessels; besides this, the num ber of fog-signals is constantly increasing, and a depot for fuel required by them is here almost indispensable.

Manufactured. Repaired...

Total.

Received.
Delivered

Received.
Delivered

Total

Cases received.

Cases delivered..

Total cases..

Lens-apparatus, &c., received at and delivered from light-house depot, Staten Island; also number of cases in which the lenses were received and delivered from July 1, 1874, to June 30, 1875.

List of boxes, barrels, bundles, packages, cans, kegs, &c., exclusive of lenses, received at and shipped from light-house depot, Staten Island, from July 1, 1874, to June 30, 1875.

List of articles manufactured and repaired in lamp-shop at light house depot, Staten Island, from July 1, 1874, to June 30, 1875.

The fourth light-house district extends from Squam Inlet, New Jersey, to and including Metomkin Inlet, Virginia. It includes the seacoast of New Jersey below the highlands of Navesink, the bay coasts of

Total.

New Jersey and Delaware, the sea-coasts of Delaware and Maryland, and part of the sea-coast of Virginia.

Inspector.-Commander George B. White, United States Navy. Engineer.-Lieut. Col. W. F. Raynolds, Corps of Engineers, brevet brigadier general, United States Army.

The numbers preceding the names of stations correspond with those of the "Light-house List of the Atlantic, Gulf, and Pacific Coasts of the United States," issued January 1, 1875.

231. Barnegat, sea-coast of New Jersey.-During the very cold weather of last winter, the mechanical lamps which had been in use at this station for many years became unserviceable, and their place was supplied by new lamps of the Funck pattern. Electric bells for calling the reliefkeeper have also been placed in position.

232. Tucker's Beach, entrance to Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey.-The tower at this station has been cement-washed, and the lantern painted. A boat and buoy house is now being built. The dwelling is a one-story brick building, outside dimensions 35 by 20 feet, and contains but two rooms besides the attic. The accommodations for the keepers are entirely inadequate, and a new one should be built. An appropriation of $8,000 is asked for this purpose.

233. Absecum, sea-coast of New Jersey.-The semi-monthly measurements of the beach have been continued. No important changes have occurred. Electric bells for calling relief or assistance have been placed in the tower, and add greatly to the efficiency of the station. The front site has been raised to the city grade, and new curbing put down along the sidewalk.

234. Hereford Inlet, north end of Fire-mile Beach, coast of New Jersey.— On August 9, 1874, John March, the keeper of this station, was drowned by the capsizing of his boat, on returning from the main-land to his station. Repairs only of a general nature have been made during the past year.

237. Cape Henlopen, entrance to Delaware Bay, Delaware.-This tower has been repainted, new pumps for the cistern supplied, and workmen are now engaged in making repairs to the keeper's dwelling, and tower. The lantern is of the old style, and obscures a large quantity of light. It is the only one of this kind in the district. The light being a very important one, a lantern of the most modern construction should be sup plied. An appropriation of $8,000 is asked for that purpose.

238. Cape Henlopen Beacon, Cape Henlopen, Delaware.-Complaint having been made of the want of brilliancy of this light, a double-wick buruer was placed in the apparatus with satisfactory results. The repairs authorized by act approved March 3, 1875, for this station, are now being made. An appropriation of $12,000 was made by the same act for establishing a steam fog-signal here, which work is now in prog ress. It is proposed to place duplicate sirens at this station.

240. Mispillion Creek, Delaware Bay, Delaware.-At the date of the last annual report designs were in preparation for additions to the pres

ent structure under an appropriation made by act approved June 23, 1874. This work has been completed. The keeper's dwelling has been entirely remodeled, four good rooms having been added, and a good brick cistern built. This site is subject to overflow by the tide, and can only be protected by a properly constructed dike, which would cost about $4,000.

Joe Flogger Shoal, Delaware Bay, Delaware.-The channel between Joe Flogger Shoal and Miah Maul Shoal is about 14 miles broad, through which careful navigation is required at night, and a light on the lower end of the former would enable vessels to go through safely. There is a small bank, with 14 feet of water on it, southeast by compass, and distant about one mile from Joe Flogger Shoal, which can be removed for much less than it would cost to properly mark it. About seven miles above the lower end of Joe Flogger Shoal and on the opposite side of the channel is Cross Ledge Shoal, on which is now being constructed a light-house to take the place of the light ship. It is suggested that when the light is established at Cross Ledge, authority be given the Light-House Board to place the light-ship near the lower end of Joe Flogger Shoal.

241. Brandywine Shoal, Delaware Bay.-The fog bell-striking machinery has been repaired and adjusted, and additional motive-weight supplied. This structure stands in the middle of Delaware Bay, and has to resist the action of large fields of moving ice. It is an iron screwpile structure, surrounded by additional piles, which serve as ice-breakers. It was built in 1849. The original number of fender-piles was 30, made of wrought iron, 5 inches in diameter, and screwed about 10 feet into the shoal, braced and tied together above water. In 1857 an outer row, consisting of 38 piles, was added, and a substantial wooden platform built over the entire space occupied by them. Since 1857, the structure has remained in substantially the same condition, without important repairs until the season of 1874, when the wooden platform was renewed. During the past winter, which was one of the most severe ever known, the down-stream pile of the ice-fender was broken off by the ice at flood-tide. The structure having stood eight years without the outer row of piles, it is not thought that the loss of one of them endangers its stability to such an extent as to cause apprehension for its safety. Iron piles, as a rule, are not suitable where they are subjected to the force of large masses of moving ice. In the case of this light-house, the fender-piles being only 5 inches in diameter, have necessarily become considerably weakened by rust. Ultimately the structure will doubtless require further additional protection, either by a renewal of the iron piles, or by a riprap of loose stone thrown in around them.

242. Maurice River, New Jersey.-This station has been supplied with new lamps and a new oil-house has been erected. A water-tank and pump have been supplied, a small store-house and boat-house built, and supplied with blocks and rigging for hoisting the boat.

This work was done under the appropriation made by act approved March 3, 1875, for general repairs at this station.

243. Egg Island, Delaware Bay, New Jersey.-This station is in need of slight repairs. The site is washing away, so that ordinary high tide comes within a few feet of the building. It should be protected with stone, or additional land purchased, the cost of which, together with repairs required, would be $1,500, and an appropriation therefor is asked. 245. Cross Ledge, Delaware Bay, New Jersey.-Contract for the erection of the foundation-pier of this structure was entered into on the 8th of September, 1874, after having duly advertised for bids. Work was