like an umbrella,) and, with that range astern, stand on up the bay until the custom-house is on with Young's point, when haul to the east, and keep the last range on till nearly up with Young's point. Pass along the south shore, running by the lead, until up to Astoria.

To enter the south channel, bring the beacon on Sand island to bear north 40° east, (true,) and Point Adams on the peak, which can be seen east of Point Ellice, called "Jim Crow," upon which there is a notable tree,) nearly in range; the vessel will be then on the bar in the south channel, in the best water. Steer for the beacon, taking care not to sag to the eastward; rather keep close to the breakers on the Sand island shore. Pass close to Sand island, and fall into the range of the beacon with the trimmed tree on Cape Disappointment, and proceed as already directed.

The best time for entering is on the first or last of the ebb-tide. The last of the ebb-tide is preferable in either channel.

APPENDIX No. 52.

Correspondence of Superintendent of the Coast Survey with the Secretary of the Treasury in relation to two sunken rocks in the harbor of San Francisco, reported by collector of that port.

1.

TREASURY DEPARTMENT,

July 21, 1851.

SIR: The enclosed letters from the collector of San Francisco, re-. questing that buoys be placed over two sunken rocks therein mentioned, are transmitted for your views on the subject.

You will please return the letters with your report, and if any report shall have been made to you by the officers of the coast survey in California, I will thank you to furnish a copy to the department.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. L. HODGE,

Prof. A. D. BACHE,

Acting Secretary of the Treasury..

Superintendent Coast Survey..

2..

COLLECTOR'S OFFICE, CUSTOM-HOUSE;

San Francisco, June 7, 1851.

SIR: I have the honor to enclose a copy of a letter I have addressed to the Hon. Stephen Pleasonton, Fifth Auditor, requesting authority to procure two buoys to place on two sunken rocks, very dangerous to vessels navigating the waters of this bay. It is of great importance

that these dangerous rocks should be indicated to navigators; and I trust the requisite steps may be taken as promptly as possible.

I have the honor to be, with great respect, your most obedient

SIR: There are two sunken rocks in the straits between the bays of San Francisco and San Pablo, which are very dangerous to navigation, being directly in the track of vessels navigating these waters. Application has been made to me to have buoys placed upon them, and the officers engaged in the coast survey are ready to place buoys whenever they can be procured. Under these circumstances, please authorize some person to procure buoys to mark these dangerous hindrances to navigation.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

Hon. STEPHEN PLEASONTON,

T. BUTLER KING, Collector.

Fifth Auditor, Treasury Department, Washington City.

4.

C. S. STATION, MT. PLEASANT, ME.,

July 25, 1851.

SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your favor of the 21st instant, relating to buoys to be placed upon two sunken rocks in the bay of San Francisco, and requesting to be furnished with the information communicated to the superintendent by the officers of the survey.

In reply, I have the honor to state that Lieutenant Commanding Jas. Alden, U. S. N., assistant in the coast survey, and chief of hydrographic party on the western coast, under date of June 14, informs me that he has received numerous applications to place buoys on the Invincible and Blossom rocks, in the harbor of San Francisco, and that he considers it very necessary to the safety of navigation that buoys should be placed upon those dangers.

Fully concurring with Lieutenant Alden in his opinion, I would respectfully recommend that the necessary means may be furnished to the collector of the port of San Francisco, or to the superintendent of the coast survey, from any funds the department may have available for the purpose, to have the buoys procured and placed.

I return herewith the letters of Mr. King, the collector, as you request.

Yours, respectfully,

A. D. BACHE, Superintendent.

Hon. W. L. HODGE,

Acting Secretary of the Treasury.

APPENDIX No. 53.

Report of Lieutenant Commanding James Alden, U. S. navy, assistant in the coast survey, to the Superintendent, of the death of Passed Midshipman William De Koven, U. S. navy, assistant in the coast survey, on the thirty-first of May, 1851.

U. S. SURVEYING SCHOONER EWING,

San Francisco, May 31, 1851.

DEAR SIR: I have just time, before the steamer sails, to impart to you the melancholy news of the sudden death of Passed Midshipman William De Koven. His disease was apoplexy; and when I mailed my last letter to you, one short hour ago, he was not thought to be in any danger. I had known him but a few days, but in that time learned to honor and respect the noble qualities which adorned his character. This sudden and awful event has cast the deepest gloom over us all, and our thoughts turn with the saddest sympathy to those bereaved relatives and friends, whose hopes and affections are thus, in one short hour, made so desolate.

I enclose herewith Dr. Mitchell's report of the circumstances attending Mr. De Koven's death, and beg that, as there is not time before the steamer sails to do so myself, you will please to impart the sad intelligence to his friends, and to the Hon. Secretary of the Navy. With great respect, I am sir, your obedient servant,

Prof. A. D. BACHE,

JAMES ALDEN,

Lieutenant Commanding, U. S. Navy.

Superintendent U. S. Coast Survey, &c., Washington, D. C.

APPENDIX No. 54.

Letter of the Superintendent of the Coast Survey to the Secretary of the Treasury, communicating the loss of the steamer Jefferson on the coast of Patagonia; with documents relative thereto.

1.

OSSIPEE STATION, NEAR ALFRFD, ME.,

September 1, 1851.

SIR: It is my unpleasent duty to report officially-what has already been communicated to you informally by the assistant in charge of the

coast survey office-the wreck of the steamer Jefferson, and her abandonment after survey, at Port Desire, Eastern Patagonia.

The whole of the circumstances are described in the letter of Lieutenant Commanding F. K. Murray, United States navy, a copy of which is herewith transmitted, together with a copy of the report of the officers who made the examination of the vessel at Port Desire; and recommended her abandonment as beyond the means accessible for repairs. Such was the violence of the storm to which the vessel was exposed, that there appears more cause for thankfulness that the lives of the of ficers and crew were preserved than of regret that the vessel was disabled. The commander, and his officers and crew, appear to have done all that was practicable under the circumstances.

I transmit herewith a copy of the letter of Lieutenants Alden and Jenkins, recommending the sending of the Jefferson to the western const; and of that of Lieutenant Commanding Murray, in reply to inquiries addressed by me to him before leaving port. The departinent will see from them that the best professional advice was had before sending the vessel to the western coast, and that she was fully equip‐ ped for the voyage.

I have not yet received advices of the arrival of the officers and men of the Jefferson in the United States. It will be seen that their return may soon be expected, and that such portions of the machinery of the steamer as it may be possible to ship will be brought with them.

Very respectfully, yours,

Hon. THOS. CORWIN,

A. D. BACHE, Superintendent, &c.

Secretary of the Treasury.

2.

Letter of Lieutenant Commanding F. K. Murray, United States navy, to Superintendent of Coast Survey, reporting the loss of the Coast Surveying Steamer Jefferson.

U. S. S. STEAmer Jefferson, Port Desire, East Patagonia, June 3, 1851. SIR: It becomes my unpleasant duty to inform you of the disasters which have befallen the Jefferson since leaving Montevideo, and driven us into this port, a complete wreck. After our sailing, the weather continued good until the 23d ultimo, when its threatening appearance, and the low state of the barometer, gave warning of a heavy gale. It overtook us upon the 24th, from the northward, and as it increased, all necessary and usual precautions were taken to make the vessel secure; the top-gallant yards and mizzen-topmast were sent upon deck; the hatches battened down; relieving tackles hooked, &c.; and until the morning of the 25th, the steamer scudded safely before the wind, which hauled on that day to WNW., and blew with terrific violence, raising a mountainous, irregular, and cross sea, which con

stantly threatened our destruction. To keep ahead of this, all sail that could be carried in addition to full steam was necessary; and at 3 o'clock,. p. m., she had, on the close-reefed foresail; close-reefed maintop-sail, and reefed fore storm-staysail. At about that time, a heavy cross sea from the northward broke over the port-gangway, and threw the vessel upon her beam-ends, when she instantly broached to and lay exposed to the heavy sea following us. I was on deck, as I had been, without interruption, during the gale, and immediately gave the order to let everything fly but the staysail sheet; and quickly afterwards, finding she did not recover, that the sea continued to break over her, and the vessel to settle, to cut away her masts. To the promptness and coolness with which this order was obeyed, we are indebted for our lives. Relieved of the masts, she righted and fell off before the wind; but, for some moments before their fall, there appeared no earthly hope that the vessel could remain above water a minute, so fast and far had she settled into the sea. Fortunately, both masts fell clear of the wheel-houses, but for some time we lay exposed to the fury of the waves, until their rigging could be disentangled from the leewheel. This accomplished, I directed the vessel to be hove to under low steam and the reefed spanker, the only sail left; for, fortunately, the mizzen-mast was retained when the fore and main fell.

At about six o'clock, while laying to, another heavy sea broke on board, on the port-bow, and swept fore and aft, staving in the bulkheads of the engine-room, wheel-houses, &c., and carrying the steering-wheel overboard. This shock strained the steamer's hull terribly from bow to stern, and she afterwards worked and labored so much that I was apprehensive she would break in two. As soon as the hatches could be opened, I ordered water, provisions, stores, everything that could possibly be spared, to be thrown overboard, which was done with excellent effect; but, though relieved, the working of the vessel's frame continued to such a degree that it appeared doubtful whether she could hold together to reach port. To add to our misfortunes, the vessel had begun to leak badly; the bilge-pumps, choked by the coal, would not work, (no uncommon occurrence with them;) and the frames of the engines had started from the hull, and, though instantly secured by chain, were momentarily expected to break down, and under full steam could make but six revolutions. It appeared that nothing but a miraculous interposition of Providence could save us, and we have great cause for gratitude that this was accorded us; for in a few minutes. after the shock which disabled the vessel, the wind hauled to the southward and westward, and began to die away, and the sea to subside. A continuance of the gale, or another of even ordinary strength, before we reached here, would have caused our destruction. We continued to lay to until noon of the 26th, when we found ourselves, by obervation, distant 110 miles from Sea Bear bay, bearing SW. by S. The sea having gone down, and a jury-mainmast been rigged, I steered for that port, but, owing to the state of the engines and hull, our progress was slow, and we did not arrive until the 28th, in the afternoon. Yesterday I brought the vessel to this port, (which is in sight from Sea Bear bay,) finding it to be better protected from the gales which prevail at this

season.