The inspector of magnetic work, reporting to the superintendent, is charged with similar duties in regard to the magnetic work of the Survey. The assistant in charge of the office, reporting to the superintendent, has charge of the office at Washington, is responsible for the safety and arrangement of archives and property, and receives all money paid to the Survey for charts and other publications. As the official head of the office, the chiefs of the following divi sions of the office force report to him: Computing division, magnetic division, tidal division, draw ing and engraving division, chart division, library and archives division, and instrument division, Each of these divisions, under the direction of the assistant in charge of the office, prepares replies for the superintendent's signature to such parts of the correspondence as fall within its particular field, and also furnishes such in formation and equipment to field parties as it is within their power to furnish. In the com puting division, all computations in connection with triangulation, astronomical determinations, and precise leveling are made, appropriate regis ters of results are kept, and the results prepared for publication as rapidly as possible. The mag netic division and the tidal division deal simi larly with the computations and publication of magnetic and tidal results, respectively.
The drawing and engraving division is divided into five sections: (1) the photographing section, engaged in reducing, enlarging, and reproducing drawings for various purposes; (2) the drawing section, engaged in making from the original topographical and hydrographical field sheets, the office drawings, which are the original from which charts are produced, either by engraving on copper or by photolithography; (3) the en graving section, engaged in copper-plate engrav ing; (4) the electrotype section, engaged in pro ducing, from the original engraved copper plates by electrotype process, the copper plates actually used in printing the charts; (5) the printing section, engaged in printing charts from the copper plates (the lithograph printing is done by contract outside of the organization). The chart
division is divided into two sections. The hydro graphic section is engaged in completing un finished hydrographic sheets sent in from the field, corrections of charts especially with refer ence to aid to navigation (lights, buoys. etc.), preparation of Monthly Notices to -Mariners in regard to this matter, and the inspection of charts in their various stages of preparation. The chart section is engaged in applying such hand corrections to charts at the last opportu nity before issuing, as have become necessary on account of snch changes. principally in the aids to navigation, as have taken place after the chart was printed; and with the clerical work connected with the issue and sale of charts. The library and archives division has charge of the library of the Survey and the archives in which all hydrographic and topographic sheets and all the original records and computations are stored.
The instrument division has charge of all the instruments and general property. Many of the best of the new instruments for the Survey are made in this division and it is continually en gaged in the repairing and remodeling necessary to keep the instrumental outfit at a high stand ard of efficiency. The accounting division, at the head of which is the disbursing officer, is not a division of the office in the sense of reporting to the assistant in charge of the office. This dis bursing officer makes all disbursements on ac count of the Survey, with the approval of the superintendent, renders a quarterly account of all such disbursements to the first auditor of the Treasury Department for auditing by him, renders a statement of expenditures and balances to the superintendent whenever required to do so, suspends returns for correction or disallows all items of expenditure irregular in form or in con travention of law or regulations, and refers to the first comptroller of the Treasury, for de cision, all apparently excessive or unnecessary charges. The editor, reporting to the superin tendent, compiles the administrative part of the annual report and acts as editor in connection with all other publications of the Survey ex cept the charts.