92,567 90 23, 518 01 1, 356, 314 60 Gas fixtures, furniture, fire-proof vaults, sundry repairs, and contingent services for various buildings.. SCHEDULE G. Table of disbursements made on Treasury extension from September 30, 1861, to September 30, 1863. In hands of disbursing agent September 30, 1861... $7,922 27 338,006 41 750,000 00 1,095, 928 68 985, 508 04 110,420 64 $579, 786 11 Office Light-House Board, Washington, October 31, 1863. SIR: I have the honor respectfully to submit, for your information and for that of Congress, the report of the operations and condition of the light-house establishment for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1863. In the first light-house district, embracing the coasts from the northeastern boundary of Maine to Hampton harbor, New Hampshire, the general condition of the service gives evidence of faithful performance of duty on the part of the employés. As complete inspection and renovation of the light-stations of this district have been made as time and opportunity would permit, and it is believed that but little is required to entirely complete the system of repairs. The walk connecting the Portsmouth light-house with the shore having been removed to facilitate operations on the fortifications at that place, it has been replaced by the engineer department. The fog-bell rung by machinery, authorized by act of Congress March 3, 1859, for Whale's Back light-house, has been erected, and is now in successful operation. Various and important repairs have been made at Boon island, Goat island, Wood island, Cape Elizabeth, Portland Head, Breakwater, Burnt island, Manheigin, White Head and Owl's Head light houses. The beacon heretofore placed on Logey ledge having been overthrown, measures have been taken for its re-erection. Similar steps have been taken to replace the beacon on Lower Middle ground in Lubec bay, which had been thrown down, and it is hoped that both of these important aids to navigation will be in position soon after the opening of the next working season. The buoyage of the district exhibits a gratifying condition. Through stress of weather and other causes, numerous buoys have been driven from their station, but they have been replaced with commendable alacrity. The necessity for re-buoying the approaches to Portland harbor has led to the mooring of the following new buoys: 1st class can (iron) on Hue and Cry rocks; 2d class nun (iron) on Vapor rock; 3d class nun (iron) on Taylor's reef; spar buoy on Catfish rock. The tenders in this district have been kept constantly and usefully employed, and one of them was sent to Beaufort, South Carolina, laden with the materials for constructing the range lights authorized by Congress for Port Royal entrance, the structures for those lights having been framed and fitted in this district. The second light-house district embraces the coasts from Hampton harbor, New Hampshire, to Goosberry inlet, Massachusetts. The different aids to navigation in this district have received careful attention during the past year, and their condition is as nearly complete as practicable. Extensive and important repairs have been completed at the following stations: Hyannis, a new cast-iron lantern has been erected on a brick parapet, tower lined, platforms repaired, &c.; Chatham, the southerly tower partly rebuilt, new lantern provided, new floor to watch-room, woodwork repaired; Long Island Head, new floor to watch-room, roofs, bridges, &c., repaired; Nobsque Point, new lantern provided, woodwork renewed, and outside shutters placed: Sandy Neck, woodwork renewed, platforms renewed, bulkhead repaired; Billingsgate island, cistern renewed and general repairs made; Brant Point, new floors, wharf, &c, repaired, tower repointed; Nantucket Cliff beacons, platforms renewed, enclosures repaired, &c.; Sankaty Head, tower repointed, chimney partly rebuilt, &c.; Great Point, fences, platform, and steps renewed; Plymouth, general repairs made; Cape Cod, ditto; Nansett Beach, tower repointed, new bulkhead built, out-buildings repaired; Race Point, tower partly taken down and rebuilt, new lantern provided, woodwork renewed, kitchen lathed, plastered and newly floored, roofs repaired, chimneys partly rebuilt, grounds graded, &c., fog-bell removed to a position nearer the dwelling; Boston Narrows, this structure, which had been run into by a vessel and materially damaged, has been repaired in iron and wood work, new ladder and tackle supplied; Cape Page, chimneys rebuilt, shutters provided, cistern repaired, painting, &c.; Palmer's island, new lantern provided and small repairs made; Dumpling Rock, new lantern provided, platforms renewed, &c.; West Chop, new lantern supplied, &c., new rain gutters provided, tower, &c., repointed; Bird island, new lantern erected, sea-wall repaired, planking of pier renewed. Repairs at Wing's Neck light-house, including the erection of a new lantern, are in progress. All of the light stations in this district have been thoroughly inspected, and each, except Edgartown and Clark's Point, is now fitted with a suitable lantern of approved construction. The illuminating apparatus has been thoroughly overhauled and repaired. Repairs are yet required at Cuttyhunk, Cape Ann, and Gay Head light stations, which will receive due attention during the next season. The several light-vessels of this district have been continued on their stations almost without interruption during the year-a fact in itself most gratifying, and demonstrating, moreover, the advantage due to rigid inspection by the board, and responsibility attaching to keepers who fail to comply strictly with the regulations. The buoyage and beaconage is in an effective condition, and seems to meet every requirement of commerce. The large quantities of oil and other supplies for the entire establishment are mostly provided in or distributed from this district, which duty, involving much attention and carefulness, has been promptly and satisfactorily performed. The duties of the third light-house district, which embraces the coasts from Gooseberry Point, Massachusetts, to Squam inlet, New Jersey, including Lake Champlain and Hudson river, have been carefully performed, and the various and highly important aids to navigation within its limits are in a condition of great usefulness. They have been brought under frequent and searching scrutiny, and the good effects are seen in their increased efficiency. The dwellings for light-keepers at Navesink have been completed, and the new station and structures present a highly ornate and substantial appearance. The board has heard no complaints on the part of mariners of the confounding of these two fixed lights with those on Sandy Hook light-vessel, as was appre hended The change of light at this station is believed, therefore, to have been followed with none but useful results. The light-house tower at Sandy Hook and the West beacon at that place have been thoroughly renovated, a new boat-house built, &c. The light-house at Princess bay was found to be in such a condition as to make its reconstruction a matter of necessity, admitting of no delay. The work of rebuilding it is now in progress and will be pushed forward to early comple tion, a temporary frame to secure the exhibition of the light during the work having been erected. Measures have been taken to insure the protection of the site from the erosive action of the water by the construction of crib-work piers. Important repairs have been made to the light stations at Robin's Reef and Sand's Point, new lanterns having been provided for both. The artillery practice at Fort Tompkins having seriously damaged the lantern glass of the light-house at that place, refitting was found to be necessary. Repairs more or less extensive have been made at the following light stations: Bergin Point, Passaic, Point Comfort, Waackaack, Conover, Stony Point, Four Mile Point, Saugerties, Stuyvesant, Coxsackie, North Dumpling, Morgan's Point, and Plum island. New dwellings for keepers have been provided at New London and Juniper island light-house stations. A new wooden spindle, surmounted by a cage, has been erected at Southwest Ledge to replace one carried away by ice. The spindles at Cow island and Coeyman's bar were both destroyed by the ice last winter, but have been replaced during the year by new ones. The beacon at Race rock having been thrown down, steps have been taken for its re-establishment, and no time will be lost in completing the work. The light-vessel at Bartlett's reef having been found in an unsafe condition, was removed from the station for repairs, which a careful examination found indispensable. These repairs were extensive and involved much expense, but the work was faithfully done, and the vessel, substantially new, is again on her station. The other light-vessels in the district have received careful attention and have been kept constantly on their stations. The vessels now marking Strafford shoals and Eel Grass shoal are old, and need such extensive repairs that it has been deemed advisable to submit a special estimate of appropriation required in each case. The general appropriation for this branch would probably prove insufficient to carry so heavy an expense. The buoyage of the district is in a most satisfactory condition. The buoys have been kept under watch as far as possible, and when through casualty any have been lost, they have been promptly recovered and replaced. The loss of material has, during the past season, been rather less than usual. Pending the construction of a beacon for Race Rock, a first-class iron buoy has been placed to mark that danger. This buoy thus far answers the demands of commerce, but it may be expected that at that exposed point the drifting ice will, during the coming winter, drag it from its station. The bell buoy which formerly marked Shagwong reef has been renovated and prepared for service. The condition of the various aids to navigation throughout this district is generally efficient, but there still remains much work of renovation to be done, to meet the larger expense of which special estimates of appropriation will be submitted. The fourth district embraces the coasts from Squam inlet, New Jersey, to Metomkin inlet, Virginia, including Delaware bay and tributaries. The aids to navigation within its limits have been maintained in an efficient condition and with but few unusual casualties or expenses. Repairs have been made at Barnegat, Absecum, Cape May, Fort Pier, Chris tiana, Reedy Island, Bombay Hook, Delaware break water, and Cape Henlopen light stations. At Cape Henlopen a new dwelling for the keepers has been completed in a position calculated to avoid the course of the large moving sand hill at that place. The sites of the light-houses at Cohansey and Egg island having been found to require considerable protection, the amounts necessary to complete the works have been asked for in a special estimate. The Five-Fathom Bank and Cross Ledge light-vessels have undergone extensive repairs, found to be necessary, and are now in good condition. The buoyage of the district has received careful attention, and is in a state of efficiency. In the fifth light-house district, embracing the coasts from Metomkin inlet, Virginia, to New River inlet, North Carolina, including Chesapeake bay and tributaries, Albemarle and Pamplico sounds, circumstances have not permitted the board to make many improvements beyond those mentioned in the last annual report. The new illuminating apparatus ordered for Cape Hatteras main light, combining the latest and highest improvements, has been placed in its position, and various repairs to this station have been completed during the year. The light-houses at Roanoke marshes, northwest point of Royal Shoal, Croatan, Cape Lookout, and Ocracoke have been refitted and the lights re-exhibited. The light-house at Wade's Point was also re-established, but early in May last it was visited by a guerilla force from the main land and again destroyed. A new light-house has been established at the mouth of Neuse river, showing a fixed light of the 5th order, and a 500-pound bell, to guide mariners during foggy weather, has been provided and put in operation. The light-vessel stations at Long shoal and Brant Island shoal have been marked by suitable vessels and apparatus, and are now in effective operation. The vessel marking the latter station being old and defective, measures are in progress for the erection at that site of a screw-pile structure, and it is confidently expected that in the course of the coming winter the new light will be completed. The light-houses at Craney Island shoal, Back river, and Cape Henry have been repaired, renovated, and refitted, and are now in operation, the important light at Cape Heury being protected from the enemy by a military guard detailed by the general commanding at Fortress Monroe. Upon the exhibition of Cape Henry light-house, the light-vessel placed at the tail of the horseshoe to facilitate entrance into Chesapeake bay, during the extinction of that light-house, being no longer necessary, was discontinued and removed. A new fog-bell, frame, and machinery has been placed at Old Point Comfort light-house, and extensive general repairs made at that station. Important repairs have also been made at Watt's Island, Fog Point, Point Lookout, Piney Point, Blackiston's Island, Bodkin Point, Fishing Battery, and Lazaretto Point light stations. It having been deemed necessary to establish a depot in this district for lighthouse property and supplies, the old wharf at Lazaretto Point, which had been for many years unfit for service, was reconstructed, and the large warehouse at that point belonging to the Treasury Department having been placed at the disposal of the board, was repaired and refitted, and will now afford to the operations of the light-house establishment the greatest facilities. A fog-bell, to be rung by machinery, authorized at the last session of Congress, for Sandy Point, Chesapeake bay, Maryland, has been completed and put in operation. The light-vessels in this district have received careful attention, and with but one or two exceptions have remained securely at their stations. The light |