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have been adopted schedules of the personnel and rates of pay, both in the district offices and in the field construction force. There has also been a revision of the complements of the lighthouse tenders. The force in the office of the Bureau at Washington has been rearranged to accord with the schedule authorized in the legislative appropriation act for 1912, the principal changes being the placing in statutory positions of members of the engineering force heretofore paid from general appropriations and the discontinuance of five minor positions which were all practically vacant at the end of the fiscal year.

Aids and cadet officers have been appointed, with a view to bringing technically educated young men into the Service and training them for the special work in lighthouse engineering and the duties on lighthouse tenders.

In connection with all the foregoing changes in personnel an effort has been made to avoid hardship to persons who have long been connected with the Lighthouse Service. Where it has been necessary to discontinue positions persons have, so far as their services could be utilized, been offered opportunities for employment elsewhere in the Lighthouse Service, or in other branches of the Government. Where reductions in compensation have become necessary, promotion where merited has been made as opportunity offered.

The number of lighthouse districts has been increased from 16 to 19, the new districts being Alaska, Porto Rico, and the Hawaiian Islands. As to the latter two, this was merely a change in organization, as these had heretofore constituted subdistricts under assistant inspectors. In the case of Alaska, however, the constitution of a separate district makes an important change in the management of aids to navigation in that Territory, and it is believed will greatly increase the efficiency of the work there. A temporary headquarters has been established in the Territory, and two lighthouse tenders are employed there during the season available for active work.

COOPERATION WITH THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT AND THE ENGINEER

CORPS.

Arrangement has been made with the Canadian Government as to the division of responsibility for the maintenance of aids to navigation in the lower Detroit River, and that Government has assumed charge of maintaining the aids in those portions of the channel which lie entirely in Canadian waters. These aids have heretofore been maintained by the United States under a contract system. This was not satisfactory, and, besides the economy to this Government, it is believed that the new arrangement will give an improved service on this important river.

Arrangements have been made for cooperation between the Engineer Corps engaged in river and harbor improvements and the Light

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house Service along several lines, particularly in the matter of furnishing assistance and information, which will be mutually useful, and in the matter of maintaining aids to navigation along the rivers where Engineer officers have been made lighthouse inspectors. In one of these districts the lighthouse tender has been laid up.

BUSINESS METHODS.

A plan has been arranged for a systematic inspection by an inspecter from the central office of the Lighthouse Service of the technical work of the lighthouse districts, and for an inspection by an examiner of the business methods, property accounts, and clerical organization in the various districts. The inauguration of these systems of general inspection will, it is believed, materially increase the efficiency and uniformity of the conduct of the work of the Service.

Nearly all of the business methods of the Service have been examined and rearranged during the fiscal year. All printed forms of reports and records have been gone over, and those not considered essential have been eliminated, and additional reports have been called for where required to give necessary information.

A cost-keeping system has been inaugurated throughout the Lighthouse Service, with a view to furnishing classified information as to the purpose for which all funds expended are applied. This system should in the future give correct information as to the cost of maintaining every unit of the Service, with the general subdivisions of those costs-as, for instance, the cost of maintaining each vessel and what part of this cost goes to salaries, supplies, and improvements; and similar information as to important light stations and lighthouse depots. The importance of this in checking and comparing the expenditures in various districts may be realized when it is stated that the Lighthouse Service maintains about 12,000 aids to navigation, has in operation about 110 vessels, maintains about 775 light stations having resident keepers, and employs about 5,500 persons.

A simpler form has been adopted for the employment of members of the field construction and depot forces, so as to permit district officers to employ such persons directly according to the needs of the Service, but under proper civil-service restrictions.

A complete revision has been made of the regulations affecting the Lighthouse Service, and these regulations have been put into operation since the close of the fiscal year. They comprise a compilation, in addition to the regulations proper, of all important laws, decisions, and orders particularly affecting the Lighthouse Service, and they will be a great convenience in the operation of the Service.

26321° —c & L 1911-7

A new form of estimates for general-maintenance items of appropriations was submitted to Congress and was embodied in the appropriation act. This combines all estimates of appropriation involving the purchase of supplies for the Lighthouse Service into a single item. This combination results in simplifying the office and depot work, while permitting a more correct and straightforward system of accounting than has been possible heretofore.

The publication of light lists and buoy lists intended for the benefit of mariners has been simplified in form and material, and there has been a consequent reduction in the cost of printing and the time required in preparation. An effort has been made to bring these publications up to date, and hereafter to have them reprinted promptly each year.

IMPROVEMENT OF APPARATUS.

Continuous effort has been made to improve the various kinds of apparatus used. The incandescent oil-vapor lamp has been further perfected, increasing the intensity of the light. The use of this light has been greatly extended. The use of acetylene gas for lighted beacons has also been extended, particularly in Alaska, resulting in considerable economy, as these lights do not require the continuous services of a keeper. Acetylene-gas lights and arc lights inclosed in lenses have been introduced on light vessels. Steps have been taken for the improvement of fog signals, particularly with a view to having them sounded promptly on the approach of fog. Progress has been made in this line by a more extended use of the oil engines and compressed air, in place of steam plants, by the introduction of electric ignition for engines, and by the storage of compressed air. Mantles have been introduced for use in connection with Pintsch gas buoys, giving a greater intensity in the lights.

INCREASE IN AIDS TO NAVIGATION.

During the fiscal year ended June 30, 1911, there was approximately the following net increase in the number of aids to navigation maintained by the Lighthouse Service: Lights above the order of post-lantern lights, 49; fog signals, 8; daymarks, 175; buoys, 110; post-lantern lights, 106.

The illuminant of 29 lights has been changed to incandescent oil vapor, and the illuminant of 16 lights has been changed to acetylene. There have also been constructed 16 oil houses and 3 light keepers' dwellings.

During the fiscal year light vessels No. 64 and No. 65, occupying stations at Limekiln Crossing South, Mich., and Limekiln Crossing North, Mich., respectively, and Bush Bluff light vessel, Va., were discontinued. The stations formerly occupied by light vessels

No. 64 and No. 65 are now under the jurisdiction of the Canadian lighthouse service. The Bush Bluff light vessel was discontinued, owing to the establishment of more efficient aids in the vicinity.

Light vessels No. 28, No. 63 (relief), No. 64, and No. 65 were sold, they being of no further use in connection with the work of the United States Lighthouse Service.

Light vessel No. 56, formerly assigned to the White Shoal station, Mich., was removed elsewhere during the year, owing to the establishment of the White Shoal light station, Mich.

The following are some of the more important aids which have been established:

Cape Hinchinbrook light and fog-signal station, Alaska.
White Shoal light and fog-signal station, Lake Michigan.
Rock of Ages light and fog-signal station, Lake Superior.
Split Rock light and fog-signal station, Lake Superior.
Woods Hole, Mass., Nobska Point fog signal.

Boston Harbor, Mass., 7 gas buoys in Broad Sound Channel.

Stratford Point, Conn., compressed-air siren fog signal (in place of bell). Potomac River, Md., buoys rearranged and range lights established.

Beaufort Harbor Entrance, N. C., 2 sets of range lights.

Fernandina Entrance, Fla., 2 sets of range lights.

Florida, east coast, inside passage, 100 daymarks.

Detroit River, Bar Point Channels, 10 gas buoys and 10 spar buoys.
Punta Gorda, Cal., fog signal.

Pauwela Point, Hawaii, light.

On account of constant demands for additional aids to navigation in Alaska and the great extent of dangerous waters in that Territory, the Bureau has given special attention to increasing the efficiency of its service there. Thirty-seven lights (including 14 acetylene lights, 1 third-order light, and 22 minor lights) and 22 buoys have been established in Alaska during the fiscal year. Two of the acetylene lights were initially established as oil lights.

LIGHTHOUSE VESSELS.

Plans are in preparation for the new lighthouses and vessels for which appropriations have been made, the most important of these being the establishment of aids to navigation along the new Livingstone Channel, in the Detroit River.

Active steps have been taken to have overhauled the floating equipment of the Lighthouse Service, and to arrange the stations of tenders and light vessels so that they may be used to the best advantage. Changes in the limits of districts have permitted of some transfers in the stations of tenders. The act of Congress which repealed the restriction on the Lighthouse Service as to the stations of light ships has permitted the Service to place the more seaworthy vessels in the more exposed positions, and this has been done in several cases.

One new light vessel and one new tender heretofore appropriated for have been constructed and have been placed in service since the close of the fiscal year.

ECONOMY IN APPROPRIATIONS.

As a result, in part, of the reorganization, the estimates for the maintenance of the Lighthouse Service for the fiscal year 1912 were $428,000 less than the appropriations for the preceding year, and the appropriations were made nearly according to the estimates. In addition, for important new lighthouse works about the average annual appropriations were made.

Appropriations heretofore made of $200,000 for a tender for the First district, $30,000 for a tender for the Sixth district, and $60,000 for a tender for the Thirteenth (formerly the Fifteenth) district have not so far been used, as under the reorganization the vessels were not considered immediately necessary. On account of the size of the fleet. of the Service, however, it will soon be essential to construct new vessels to take the places of those worn out in service, and additional tenders should be built in the early future under these appropriations, with some modifications as to their use, recommendations for which will be submitted to Congress.

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