DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND LABOR,
COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY,
WASHINGTON, D. C., June 1, 1909.

This volume covers the coast from Point Judith to New York, including Block Island Sound, Gardiners Bay, Fishers Island Sound, Long Island Sound, East River, the south coast of Long Island, and New York Bay and Harbor.

This publication is based mainly upon the work of the Coast and Geodetic Survey, including the results of special examinations and investigations, by a party on the Coast and Geodetic Survey steamer Hydrographer in 1908, in connection with its preparation.

The system adopted in this publication includes—

I. A tabular description of all lighthouses, light-vessels, and fog signals; lists of lifesaving stations, Weather Bureau storm warning display stations, and seacoast telegraph stations; and information regarding tides, tidal currents, variation of the compass, etc.

II. General information concerning the several bodies of water and harbors, including notes relative to pilots and pilotage, towboats, depth of water, draft of vessels entering, harbor and quarantine regulations, supplies, facilities for making repairs, usual or best anchorages, and other matters of practical interest. In each case the information of this nature precedes the sailing directions and is printed in smaller type.

III. Sailing directions, with subordinate paragraphs treating of prominent objects, dangers, aids to navigation, etc. In the arrangement adopted the aim has been to conform, as far as practicable, to the order in which these matters would be considered in practice, and to render available such information as may be wanted promptly. For this purpose, and to afford a ready means of reference from one part to another, the sailing directions, where long, are divided into numbered or lettered sections, printed in large type, each followed by its own. subordinate remarks in smaller type.

IV. Appendices.

The first edition of this volume was prepared by Lieut. George H. Peters, U. S. N., assisted by Ensign Edwin H. Tillman, U. S. N., and Mr. John Ross. In the present (fifth) edition the text has been revised and brought up to date by Mr. John Ross and Mr. Herbert C. Graves, under the direction of J. J. Gilbert, Assistant, Coast and Geodetic Survey, Inspector of Hydrography and Topography.

Great courtesy has been shown by the Corps of Engineers, U. S. A., and by local authorities in furnishing information desired for incorporation in this work.

The aids to navigation are correct to June 1, 1909.

As absolute accuracy in a work of this class is scarcely possible, navigators will confer a favor by notifying the Superintendent of the Coast and Geodetic Survey of errors which they may discover, or of additional matter which they think, for the good of mariners, should be inserted.

O. H. TITTMANN,

Superintendent.

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NOTE.

The courses and bearings given in degrees are true, reading clockwise from 0° at North to 360°, and are followed by the equivalent magnetic value in points in parentheses.

All distances and current velocities are in nautical miles, except where otherwise stated. Except where otherwise stated, all depths are at mean low water.

In winter when whistling buoys, bell buoys, gas buoys, can buoys, and nun buoys are in danger of being carried away by ice, they are taken up and replaced by spar or spar-shaped buoys.

All charts referred to in this volume are published by the Coast and Geodetic Survey, and can be obtained at the agencies, a list of which is found on pages 7-8.

SYSTEM OF BUOYAGE ADOPTED IN UNITED STATES WATERS.

In conformity with section 4678 of the Revised Statutes of the United States, the following order is observed in coloring and numbering the buoys in United States waters, viz:

1. In approaching the channel, etc., from seaward, RED BUOYS, with EVEN NUMBERS, will be found on the STARBOARD side of the channel, and must be left on the STARBOARD hand in passing in.

2. In approaching the channel, etc., from seaward, BLACK BUOYS, with ODD Numbers, will be found on the PORT side of the channel, and must be left on the PORT hand in passing in.

3. BUOYS painted with RED and BLACK HORIZONTAL STRIPES will be found on OBSTRUCTIONS, with channelways on either side of them, and may be left on either hand in passing in. 4. Buoys painted with WHITE and BLACK PERPENDICULAR STRIPES will be found in MIDCHANNEL and must be passed close-to to avoid danger.

All other distinguishing marks to buoys will be in addition to the foregoing, and may be employed to mark particular spots, a description of which is given in the printed list of buoys.

Perches, with balls, cages, etc., will, when placed on buoys, be at turning points, the color and number indicating on what side they shall be passed.

Nun buoys, properly colored and numbered, are usually placed on the starboard side, and can buoys on the port side of channels.

Day beacons, stakes, and spindles (except such as are on the sides of channels, which will be colored like buoys) are constructed and distinguished with special reference to each locality, and particularly in regard to the background upon which they are projected.

Wherever practicable, the towers, beacons, buoys, spindles, and all other aids to navigation are arranged in the buoy list in regular order as they are passed by vessels entering from sea.

The positions of the buoys mentioned in this volume are shown on the charts of the Coast and Geodetic Survey, which are kept corrected from information furnished by the Inspectors of the Lighthouse Districts, for the changes in the aids to navigation rendered necessary from time to time to indicate the best channels.

Under the name of each harbor, channel, fairway, or other navigable water mentioned in this list, is given the numbers of all the charts showing the aids to navigation described.