The evening times., 1899-11-04
TIE DOLPHIN'S MISSION
Ordered to Venez Iela % Survey the
OFinOco River Delta.
Ready to Depart on Time Toner
row MorninE-A Description of the
Work to He Done-May Be Gone Six
Months or MOre-The Omcers and
Men ComprisinE the Expedition.

The gunboat Dolphin will leave the
Washington navy yard at 6 o'clock tomor-
row morning for the purpose Of Surveying
the mouth and surrounding waters of the
Orinoco river in Venezuela. The coast
area to be scrutiuized and mapped COM
prises 4S6 square miles, and it is estimated
that the work will require from three to
six months, depending considerably upon
the weather conditions.
1t is the custom of the Navy Department
to send surveying expeditions into such
waters as are comparatively little known.
but which are of considerable commercial
Importance, even though they may belong
to foreign countries This is true mainly
in such countries as Venezuela. which has
no navy. and is not able to make extensive
explorations OF her own waters in the in
terest of commerce.
The Dolphin has been equipped after this
custom and the work outlined for her Is
considered necessity arising out OF Amer
ica'S increased commerce with Venezuela.
The cruise is in no sense a pleasure trip.
Both the officers and crew will be en-
gagged for thirteen hours each day. when
ever the weather will permit. A large part
of the time will be spent out in the open
sea with few opportunities for going ashore.
End the extreme accuracy required in the
work will often make the task quite ardu-
Gus.
The work will, in part consist of erect
ing stations on the shore upon which the
triangulation will be based; erecting bee-
cons In the water by hydraulic methods
or by piledriving to be used as points for
continuing the survey over the surrounding
area: determining geographic positions and
the magnetic elements at each point, and
the hydrography of the water space. All
the results will be fixed Cn an immense
chart twelve feet long and six feet wide.
Several American war vessels, notably
the Enterprise. Kearsarge, and Whining
ton, have entered the Orinoco and assembled
10 distance of over 1000 miles. The re-
ports of the commanding officers of these
vessels have indicated the need OF a COM
plete survey of these waters.
The Dolphin is one of the first four ves
sells built for the new navy, the others be-
ing the Boston, Atlanta. and Chicago. She
was designed as a despatch boat, and her
speed CT fifteen knots was. at that time,
considered fast. She has proven herself
splendid sea boat by her voyage around
the globe some years ago.
1t is probable that no larger survey than
the one now to be undertaken has ever
oeeh aiianseu ior d Single Nessei, anu eN-
cry enCrt has been made by the department
to fully equip the boat for Its important
undertaking The officers and men have
been selected with care, and all are of ro-
bust physique and in good health. A list
Of the officers follows:
Lieutenant Commander W. H. II. South
erland. commanding; Lieut.. Thomas Snow
den, executive officer: Lieut.. W. c. Cole,
Lieut.. ". H. Alderdice, Lieut.. ]. r. Edie,
Lieut.. J. P. J. Ryan, Ensign n. L. Jones,
Ensign W. NJ. Falconer, Surgeon ]. F. Uric.
and Assistant Paymaster VI. R. Goldsbor-
ough.