192. Sandy Hook Light-ship, No. 16, off the entrance to New York
Bay.--From the general appearance of the vessel, outside and
inside, she is in good condition. She does not leak, and needs no
repairs at present. Last year she was furnished with new bedding and a
new boat, ship-chandlery, and medicines. She is kept in good order.
193. Wreck of the Scotland Lightship, No. 7, off Sandy Hook,
entrance to New York Bay.--when Light-ship No. 20 was brought in
for repairs in the beginning of the last fiscal year, Light-ship No.7
was put on the station in her place, and, as she gave more satisfaction
to the officers and crew, the inspector decided to keep her on the
station, and Light-ship No. 20 will be used as a relief-ship.
Light-ship No.7 is in good condition, requiring only slight repairs to
the copper on her bows, which was somewhat damaged by the heavy ice of
the past winter. She is kept in excellent condition.
Relief Light-ship No. 20, is at present at the light-house
depot, Staten Island. Her lamps were so changed as to use mineral oil.
During the year she was thoroughly rebuilt, and is now in condition for
a service of many years.
Relief Light-ship, No. 15.--After serving as a barrack for the
men employed in building Great Beds light-house, this worn out vessel
was brought to the depot, and, pursuant to instructions of the board,
was sold at public auction to the highest bidder, and the proceeds
covered into the Treasury.
| Light-houses and lighted beacons | 39 |
| Light-ships in position | 3 |
| Light-ships for relief | 1 |
| Day or unlighted beacons | 1 |
| Fog-signals (steam or hot air) | 2 |
| Whistling buoys in position | 3 |
| Other buoys in position | 163 |
| Steamer Arbutus, buoy-tender, and for supply and inspection. | 1 |
This district is well supplied with aids to navigation. When the light on Joe Flogger Shoal, to take the place of the Fourteen-foot Bank light-ship, shall have been built, no new light-stations will be required in this district.
240. Barnegat, south side of Barnegat Inlet, New Jersey.--Repairs
were made to the storehouse, the chimneys of the dwellings were
repointed; and the boat-house was repaired. Nothing was done during the
year to protect the beach, the water-line having changed but little of
late.
241. Tucker's Beach, near the entrance to Little Egg Harbor, New
Jersey.--Slight repairs were made to the revolving machinery.
242. Absecon, south side of Absecon Inlet, Atlantic City, New Jersey.--The
beach remains nearly he same as when the last annual report was made.
The roofs of the dwellings were repaired and painted and other slight
repairs made.
251. Brandywine Shoal, Delaware Bay, Delaware.--The lower iron
pile of the ice-fender, broken by the ice during the winter of
1874-'75, was replaced by a new one. The surface of the shoal and
foundation of the structure were protected by forming mattresses of
brush-wood and sinking them on the shoal around the structure, and
depositing stone on them to protect the surface from being washed away.
The structure was painted inside and out, the small storehouse on the
platform received a new shingle roof, and the structure covering the
fog-bell machinery was repaired.
257. Ship John Shoal, Delaware Bay, New Jersey.-Repairs to the
iron gate on the gallery and slight repairs to the striking machinery
of the fog-bell were made. The painting of the house inside and out,
and repairs to the fog-bell machinery, will be attended to during the
present season.
274,275,276. Tinicum Island and Fort Mifflin Bar Range-beacons,
Delaware River, New Jersey.--These stations were ready for lighting
on December 30, 1880, and were then occupied by the light-keepers. In
accordance with Notice to Mariners, No. 47, of 1880, these lights were
exhibited for the first time on December 31, 1881. After their
completion all these sites were fenced in.
278,279,280,281,282,283. Horseshoe Shoal Ranges, Delaware River.
--the deeds and title-papers for the purchase of the site at Howell's
Cove, New Jersey, having been approved by the Attorney-General, and the
right to build on Fort Mifflin reservation having been obtained,
advertisements were issued for the frame structures necessary to form
two ranges for passing the Horseshoe Shoal, Delaware River, and bids
were opened on February 14 and forwarded to the Light-House Board. The
bid of Bachman & Forrey, of Columbia, Pa., was accepted and the
contract duly approved. The contractors are at work and the buildings
are nearing completion. The site of Howell's Cove was fenced in.
Repairs, more or less extensive, were made at each of the following
named light-stations:
240. Barnegat, New Jersey.
241. Tucker's Beach, New Jersey.
242. Absecon, New Jersey.
251. Brandywine Shoal, Delaware.
255. Cross Ledge, New Jersey.
257. Ship John Shoal, New Jersey.
244. Five-fathom Bank Light-Ship, No. 40, about five and a half
miles from Five-fathom Bank, off entrance to Delaware Bay, New Jersey,--December
26, 1880, during a gale of wind, the vessel slipped three heavy seas,
which flooded the cabin and forecastle, stove one boat, and parted the
mooring chain. On the 2d of January, 1881, after a very rough time at
sea, the vessel arrived off the Capes of the Delaware, where, meeting
heavy ice, a tug was employed and she was towed into the Delaware
Breakwater. The slight damage to the lantern, house, &c., was
repaired, a chain and anchor were supplied, and she was returned to her
station January 7th, by the tender Arbutus. A 4,000-pound mushroom
anchor and 120 fathoms of chain were lost when she broke adrift. On the
18th of June she was removed from the station, and Relief Light-ship
No. 24 took her place. She is now under repairs at the works of the
Pusey & Jones Company, Wilmington, Del.
252. Fourteen-foot Bank Light-ship, No. 19, 700 yards east of
Fourteen-foot Bank, Delaware Bay, New Jersey.--On December 30,
1880, this vessel was driven from her station by the ice, and was towed
into a safe position behind the Delaware Breakwater. On February 3,
1881, the ice being very heavy in the harbor, the vessel was dragged
outside and against the breakwater, where the ice piled up around her.
She remained in this dangerous position until the morning of February
7, when she was hove off by officers and crew into deep water. On
February 8, she was towed to the ice harbor, at New Castle, Del., where
she remained until February 14, when she was towed to Wilmington, Del.,
and taken our on the railway to examine bottom, repair metal where
needed, and stop leak around hawse-pipe. The only damage sustained by
the vessel, while on the stone pile, was the breaking of the bilge-keel
on the starboard side, which was repaired. The hull was calked from
metal up, new standing rigging, except fore-stay, of wire rope was
fitted and other slight repairs were made. On the 5th of March the
vessel resumed her station in the Delaware Bay.
Relief Light-ship No.24.--She was in service on Winter-Quarter
Shoal station until October 12, 1880, when she was taken to the
Christiana Depot, and remained there until June 18, 1881, when she was
placed on Five-fathom Bank station, relieving Light-ship No. 40. Slight
repairs were made to No. 24 during the month of May. She is now in good
condition.
Barnegat, New Jersey.--The buoy-shed and boat-house, in one,
on the south side of the inlet, about half a mile from the light-house,
is built upon property owned by the heirs of John A. Brown, and no rent
is paid. There is no suitable location for the depot upon the
light-house site. The shed, which is in fair condition, with its
contents, is in charge of the contractor, who attends to the buoyage of
the inlet.
Tucker's Beach, New Jersey.--The buoys-shed and boat-house are
in one building, located on the light-house site, at the end of the
road leading to Little Egg Harbor beach. The shed is in good condition
and is in charge of the buoy-contractor.
Absecon, New Jersey.-It is built on the rear of the light-house
site. It is in god condition and is in charge of the buoys-contractor.
It is difficult of access and is too small for convenient use.
Great Egg Harbor Inlet, New Jersey.--A shed, erected for the
purpose was rented of Israel S. Adams, for the sum of $40 a year. It is
well located, well suited for the purpose, and is in charge of the
contractor for keeping buoys.