HYDROGRAPHIC OFFICE. .1 Govern nalit institution fr r the preparation, publica tion. anddi.-tributinn of (-harts. and nautical information. It is a bureau, or office of a bureau, in the Na‘y Department. The principal hydro• graphic offices of the world are the British, French, United States, Russian. German, Italian. Japanese. Netherlands. and Spanish. The United States Ilydrographie office is third in the her of different (-hurt. published. It was estab lished by act of Congress approved dune 21, Istftl. Before that date both the navy and mer chant marine depended upon foreign offices for their supply. Charts for the navy were supplied through a depot of charts located in Washington, which purchased and kt pt on hand the charts needed for use. The Navy Department published a few charts prior to the establishment of the Ilydrographie (ffilett—notably those of the Wilkes Exploring Expedition—but such publications exceptional.
The present Ilydrographic (Uwe was for a tinge a branch of the Pun.au of Navigation of the Navy Department, but some years since it was transferred to the Bureau of Equipment. 11 is composed of the divisions of Chart Supply. Chart Const ruction. wiling Direct ions, and :Meteorology. The head of the Office, a captain or commander. is styled the 11 ydrogra phi r to the Bureau of Equipment. The chiefs of divisions except that of Chart Construction are naval officers: the chief of the division of Chart Con struction is a hydrographie engineer, and in 1901 was an ex-naval officer. On July 1, 1901, the number of engraved chart plates on hand was 1169, in addition to which there were 2S pho tographic plates. Besides these a considerable number of charts are produced by photolithog raphy for temporary use until the engraved plates can be prepared. The total number of charts published and sold or issued to United States vessels or for governmental purposes dur ing the preceding fiscal year was (3•,19-1.
In addition to charts of the usual character there were published about 50.000 copies of the Pilot ('hart (see PIT.OT C IIA of the North Atlantie oeean. and 21,0uo copies of the Pilot ( hart of the Pacific Oman. The Office also issues
weekly a pamphlet of several pages •alle.I Notices to Mariners. which give accounts of all newly dis covered dangers and changes in lighthouses. buoys, and aids to navigation reported during the week. and other information of importance to navigators: of these pamphlets SS5.725 copies were published during the fiscal year 1900-01. The pilot charts are only issued monthly, and a weekly supplement called the II ydrographie tin serves to bring the information up to date. The ()dim publishes lists of lighthouses, buoys. etc.. throughout the world. and volmnes called sailing directions. which eontain full in formation in regard to ocean currents, weather. character of the seacoasts of different parts of the world. descriptions of harbors. aids to naviga tion• and other matters 1. f interest to navigators and mariners generally. The other publications of the Office are Brarditeh's Practical Navigator (q.v.). Azimuth Tables, and similar books for the use of mariners.
For the purpose of gathering and disseminat ing information of interest to mariners and as sisting them as much as possible, branch hydro graphic offices have been established in the ports of Baltimore. Boston. Buffalo, Chicago, Cleve land, Duluth, Galveston, New ( trleans, New York, Norfolk, Philadelphia, Portland (31e.),, Portland (tire.), Port Townsend. Sault Ste. :\larie, San Francisco, and Savannah. Additional branches are contemplated in l'orto the°, Ilawaiian Islands, and the Philippines. The charts published by the Ilydrographie ((hive cover the Great Lakes and their coasts and har bors. the Philippines, Samoa. Hawaiian Islands, Guam, Porto Rico, foreign territory, and the oceans. Only general sailing charts of the United States' own (-oast are published by it. the detail (harts being published by the United States Coast Survey.
For further information, consult; Hughes, Found i tip and II, lopno nt of the (1/fire (Washington. 1Ss7 I : and Inn nal ll, ports of the Ilydrographer to the Burean of Equipment ( Washington ). Ste 1 i ; CHART ; and section on Navy under 1...N ITED STATES.