BEVERLEY TUCKER, PRINTER TO THE SENate.
1854.

REPORT

OF

THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY,

COMMUNICATING,

In compliance with a resolution of the Senate, the Report and Charts of Lieutenant S. P. Lee, commander of the United States surveying brig Dolphin.

MAY 5, 1854.-Read, and ordered to be printed; motion to print 2,000 extra copies referred to the Committee on Printing.

MAY 9, 1854.-Reported in favor of printing 2,000 extra copies, which was agreed to.

NAVY DEPARTMENT, Washington, May 5, 1854. SIR: I transmit, in compliance with the call of the Senate of the 4th instant, the Report and Charts of the cruise of the surveying brig Dolphin, Lieutenant S. P. Lee, commanding.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. C. DOBBIN, Secretary of the Navy.

To the Hon. D. R. ATCHISON,

President of the Senate.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

Dolphin is commissioned-Released from confidential orders-Swing brig at Sandy

Hook for deviation of compass-Departure-List of officers-Objects of the

cruise-Errors of ordinary marine thermometers-Incorrectness of the usual

method of trying currents from boats-Enter the Gulf Stream; fresh and stale-

looking sea-weed there-Unsuccessful search for "Potomac soundings" and for

"Field's vigia"-Leave the Gulf Stream...

Page.

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CHAPTER II.

Unsuccessful search for "Anfitrite breakers"-See land birds, drift-wood, and flying

fish-Make unsuccessful search for "Dyet's rocks," the "False Bermudas,"

the "Vigia of 1827," "Gandaria's rocks," "Gombaud's rock," and " Emily's

rock and shoal"-Pass through the Sargasso sea, finding less sea-weed in it than

in the space west of it-See but little sea-weed after leaving the eastern limit of

the Sargasso sea, and none just after entering the tropics-Westerly winds change

into NE. trades at the place assigned by Lieutenant Maury-Arrive at Port

Praya; find the African squadron and a provision ship there.....

CHAPTER III.

....

Rate the chronometers-Sickness at Porto Praya-Receive wood, water, provisions,

and stores-Growing importance of the Cape de Verde Islands to commerce-

Leave Porto Praya-Touch at Brava-Slave vessel-Current bottles-the NE.

trades die out on the parallel mentioned by Lieutenant Maury-Unsuccessful

search for "French shoal"-Luminous sea, resembling shoals-Pandora's sound-

ing-Doubtful sounding by Captain Denham, R. N.-Wire unfit for sounding-

Sounding with small waxed fishing line, from a boat kept over the lead, recom-

mended-Take many deep-sea soundings..

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CHAPTER IV.

Enter the volcanic region; pass through it three times-Make unsuccessful search for

"Krusenstern's volcano," "Triton's shoal," " Bouvet's Sandy island,'
"" Aquila

reef," "Le Pacifique, shock,” and “Crown reef”—Take many deep-sea sound-

ings, and find no signs of volcanoes or other dangers....

CHAPTER V.

Observations for variations at sea-Touch at Fernando de Noronha twice-Measure

difference of longitude between it and Pernambuco-Yellow fever in Brazil-Un-

successful search for "Vigia south of Fernando de Noronha"-Land on the Rocas

reef; determine its position, &c.-Serious errors in some previous authorities

shown-Current off Cape St. Roque-Suggest explanation of the difficulty of

getting round that point.