New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-06-15
SURVEYING THE HARBOR.
NO soUNDINGs MADE FOR THIRTY YEARS
THE ILL-FArED YACHT MOHAWK UNDER A NEW

isa"a trlui, scnOOber lies aI
with the United States flag flying at her stern Her
fine lines distinguish her at from other craft of
similar rig that moored quarter of a mile to the
southeast of her. She is the old yacht Mohawk, made
sadly famous nine years ago. by the disaster in which
her owner Commodore Garner and several of his
guests were drowned. The Mohawk lay at anchor Oh
Staten Island and had her canvas spread. gay
party were in the saloon, both ladies aud gentlemen.
sudden squal seized the sails and lore the yacht
upon her side, with her mass along the top of the
water Her cabins and her saloon filled at once.
Several persons were imprisoned below; few others
escaped When the wife of Commodore Garner was
found her body lay the larboard side of the saloon
whittier she had been flung by the overturnng of the
yacht under mass of rugs and other articles Of furni
ture.
Yesterday TRIBUNE reporter stood in this
cabin and those terrible memories recalled to him
by Lieutenant Hawley Of the United States Navy who
pointed to barred SIX ght overhead through
which a young lady had been pulled by on
the deck. her lite being thus saved The Mohawk is
no the Eagre, the sgniiyng III the Scandinavian
tongue the rOh produced by the motion OF liquid,
hnece sort of SYNONYM of foam. She IS the prop
erty OF the Federal Goyerument and is used by the
Coast Survey. As dapper and luxurious yacht she
never looked snugger brighter and in better trim than
she does now. Her decks CLEAN with their very
Wilderness and her mahogany upper works have rich
and glossy ustre produced by many and faithful
rubbings The Eagre does not carry much canvas
as formerly, but she still has enough TO enable her to
outstfip any sailing vessel Of her class not kept for
pleasure only She has only been in the harbOr two
| three weeks, and came here from Baltimore On the
way up along the coast there was nothing coming her
way not propelled by that she did pass and
| leave tar behind her. Lieutenant Hawley commands
| her. and is proud of her.
Lieutenant Hamley is engaged in conducting an i'm
portant part of the survey Of Neviork harbor,
ordered in compliance with petition OF the CT amber
OF Commerce. aud this Is Why the Eagre lies oil GOV
ernors Island IL thirty years since the East River
| al fttun
changes have taken place IN its bottom IN that lime.
The survey OF the harbor comprises three different
kinds Of work each which is distinct from the others.
Tho first the triangnlation this is the determining
OF the exact latitude and longitude OF certain prominent
| landmarks visible from the water such as Trinity
Church the Robins Rect Lighthouse, etc. This task,
dO1e, does not need To be revised except when
the LANDMARKS have undergone general revolution.
The old trangulations for this harbor serve the pnr
pose OF the present surveyors Second, there L. the
| typographical survey, when consists in precisely
locating the coast line, natural and artificial, and
showing upon charts. lhis work is being performed
| by Mr. Hergrshelmer civil assistant III the Coast
Survey service The present outlines and position OF
all the Wharye- along the water fronts ao determined
by hm lie has proceeded far east and north the
Bridge. The results of his survey show thus far great
and numerous changes IN the positions OF the ends oil
wharyes on the East River. Many have been length
encfl and some have been shortened, and many have
been built where existed when the last survey
was made The outlines OF the islands in the harbor
| show the most characteristic variation
Governors leland, since the sea wall was built has
gained on the southern sae about 10 feet in breadth
The shore has grown from "a point near the " Cable
House,. whore the telegraph wires landed nearly
Hamilton Ferry in Brooklyn, all around To tho
log bell Castle William. The third part OF tho
work is the photographic survey the most laborlons
and minute OF all. and the one by which practical
application made for the beneht OF nl'gatOIs oil the
rcsus the others. Three divisions are made OF the
| photographic work in thee waters The Lower bay
and ts entrance surveyed By Lieutenant lanus. IN
command Of the United States steamer Endcavor The
| Narrow, aud the region OF the Upper Bay III the
vicinity OF Staten Island are in charge OF Lieutenant
| Ifv.fr 10 nj NRln
ialnurus The field Of operations OF the Easro. Lieu
tenant ilawley, begins at line one-qnarter OF mile
| ton'h OF Bellows Island. and extends TO Throggs
| Neck IN Long Island sound
Lieutenant HawIey has seen much service IN the
| Coast Survey, aud II an experienced ana Wen
instructed officer The crew of the Eagro consists Of
eighteen men and five officers Lnsgn +. H. Sherman
/. second IN command after him ranks Ensign Arthur
| w Dodd Ensign X. .. Blcr. aud tie commander :
clerk, H. NJ Cornwall. The Engre should have stun
officer but hi has not yet been assgne TO her.
lie will probably be recent graduate OF the Naval
in tic winter The for begins tho LIST OF May.
and cnds the ist OF November The Eagre began her
sotndings May %, but good deal OF preliminary
work had been performed before that All OF the work
il performed her steam launches. OF which there are
two One however, Is undergoing repairs. II VIII be
ready soon. Each sounding party consists OF two
officers, recorder. two leadsmcn, n coxswain and n
mnchinsi. They usually leave the ship at Z n. M
ai,er having taken only an eye-opener of coffee and
return ne room 10 breakfast. Then they go again
and DO return until halfpast q. when dinper Is
served The proximity of the anchorage to Gosernors
ties oi the island are extremely accommodating toward
the officers OF the Eagro The waer-boat of the War
Department supplies the schooner every day. and com
muncaton Is frequently had with the mainland by
means of the Gov ernOrs Island ferry.
The Lieutenant thinks that two seasons Will be
needed 10 complete the survey. The work Is being
done more minutey than before The scale OF the
present working charts is as 10 1000 and this VIII be
much increased when Hell Gate il approached. The
moderate Of speed the waters as nearly IN
a straight line possible Every four minutes exact
bearings upon " trisnguation points that Is. land
marks of accurately determined position-are taken
Small circles on the working chart indicate tue loca
tons thus ascertained and line Is drawn from one
circle TO another. The depth is fixed by soundings and
il recorded with the time to second. between the
four minute points. they may he called soundings
are taken at stated intervals time, without attempt
water the lead II dropped every hall or quarter minute
in deep water every minute only. Tho same speed IL
| maintained nearly IA possible throughout. The
lines followed about an eighth OF mile apart The
survey of The upper part tho Bay excepting Butter
| milk Channel between Governors Island and the
| Brooklyn shore. and the flats between Bedlows
Island and Ne wJersey has been virtually accom-
plished The latter only he surveyed IN small
boats. the water being in many places but two feet
deep, and the work. being OF least Importance, VIII
| be deferred probai ~ until the last
The surveying party Is just now working to tho
northeast OF Governors Island and Is getting fairly
into the swift eddes and sweeplng currents OF the
East River This expected to prove the most inter-
esng part OF the task Soundngs are to be made not
only in the stream but also IN all the docks or sips,
and their depth will be determined and IN Heated On
the charts mp to the bulkheads. This VIII be
notable gam Tor the masters OF merchantmen VINO
when coming to this port aud knowing ut what wharf
they To unload may thus learn at once by their
charts whether they need to wait for the tide before
| entering the slip. ,
In the last survey made thirty years ago. said
Lieutenant lIawley to the reporter, the observations
! for position taken about 600 feet apart Our
points of observation are only 800 feet apart. Tho
old survey did not determine the depth Of the slips
We shall study also the cbara teristics OF the bottom
| wherever we cast n lead and the chart will show
whether it is composed OF rock. gravel sand or soft
mud and whether il Is bare or grassy. We have nof,
thus far found any great changes in the bottom OF the
harbor We are unable as yet. OF course, TO adjust
the results OF our soundugs t. the stages OF the tides
We have automatic. self registering tde gauge on
the shore OF Governors Island and shall average ts