HARBORS AND PORTS, REPAIRS, HOLIDAYS, ETC.

Harbors and ports.-The most important places, either commercially or as harbors of refuge, are Delaware Breakwater, Wilmington, Chester, Philadelphia, Camden, Hampton Roads, Norfolk, Newport News, and Baltimore.

The only anchorage between New York Harbor and Chesapeake Bay entrance available for vessels of all classes bound along the coast is Delaware Breakwater. Cape May Harbor Inlet may be used by moderate size vessels (see page 72). Small local craft often seek shelter inside the other inlets, but they can not be entered in safety during heavy weather, and the unimproved inlets are often difficult for strangers even in good weather. Hampton Roads is the most important anchorage in the southern part of Chesapeake Bay, though vessels entering the bay for shelter often anchor in Lynnhaven Roads in southerly weather. The principal anchorges in Delaware Bay and River are described on page 75, and those in Chesapeake Bay on page 139.

The entrances to inlets on the coast of New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia are more or less obstructed by shifting sand bars. Some of the entrances are being improved by dredging and by jetties which extend from both sides of the entrance. At the improved inlets more dependence can be placed on the channel depths given in this volume than on those not under improvement. Vessels bound to the inlets along this coast should, in cases where the given depths approximate the draft of their vessel, inquire of local pilots what draft is being taken in and out over the bar at that time.

On many of the bars the buoys are moved from time to time to indicate the channel; but they are liable to be dragged out of position and cannot always be replaced immediately, so that a stranger must use the greatest caution. Generally, a stranger should, if possible, select a rising tide for entering an inlet.

The tidal currents have considerable velocity in all of the entrances, and their direction is affected by the force and direction of the wind; sailing vessels entering the harbors and sounds require a fair working breeze during the ebb.

Supplies.-Coal, fuel oil, gasoline, fresh water, and supplies of all kinds are obtainable at Wilmington, Philadelphia, Norfolk, Newport News, Richmond, Washington, and Baltimore. Coal in limited quantities can also be obtained at the other cities and many of the larger towns. Gasoline, provisions, and water are obtainable at practically all of the towns and villages. Further information is given under the different headings.

Repairs. Philadelphia, Camden, Chester, Wilmington, Norfolk, Newport News, and Baltimore are the principal places at which extensive repairs to the hulls and machinery of vessels can be made. Small vessels and motorboats can be hauled out, and minor repairs to machinery can be made at many other places, as mentioned under the descriptions of the different ports.

The principal docking facilities are listed below.

[New York Harbor.

Largest dry docks and marine railways

See page 5, U. S. Coast Pilot, Atlantic Coast, Section B, Cape Cod to
Sandy Hook.]

Port facilities. The principal facilities available at the various ports are described under the respective port headings. Fuller details regarding the facilities at most of the ports are given in the Port Series publications.

The Port Series, publications of the United States Army, Corps of Engineers, are complete reports covering the principal seaports of the United States; they are primarily of interest to commercial and industrial concerns. The volumes of the series are wide in their scope and treat the subjects of particular interest to the shipping world, such as the physical features of each port (includes list of piers, wharves and docks, with data), its organization and practices, regulations regarding the movement of ships and goods, port dues and charges, water and rail connections, and character and commerce of the hinterland.

The information in all of these reports is generally prepared along similar lines; the general subjects covered include the following:

Port and harbor conditions.
Port customs and regulations.
Port services and charges.
Fuel and supplies.

Port and harbor facilities.
Communications.

The freight-rate situation.
Commerce reports.

Complete information regarding the organization, administration and regulations of the port are given under "Port customs and regulations."

The following volumes of the Port Series sold by the Superintendent of Documents, Washington, D. C., are available for the ports within this Coast Pilot:

No. 4. Part 1. Philadelphia, Pa., Camden and Gloucester, N. J., and ports on the Delaware River above Philadelphia (Trenton, Bordentown, Roebling, Florence, Burlington and Delair, N. J., and Bristol, Pa.) Revised 1932, price $1.00.

No. 15.

No. 16.

Part 2. Wilmington, Del., and ports on the Delaware River below Philadelphia (Newcastle, Pigeon Point, Edgemoore, Bellevue and Claymont, Del., Marcus Hook, Chester, Eddystone, and Essington, Pa., and Paulsboro, Billingsport, Thompsons Point, Penns Grove, Carneys Point, Deepwater Point and Pennsville, N. J.) Revised 1931 price $0.25.

Norfolk, Portsmouth, Newport News and Hampton, Va., Revised 1934, price $0.80.

Baltimore, Md., Washington, D. C., and Alexandria, Va., price $1.10.

Part 1. Baltimore, Md., Revised 1933 price $0.50.

The publication, Port and Terminal Charges at United States Ports, Miscellaneous Series, No. 1 (edition 1936), price $1.00, also prepared by the United States Army Corps of Engineers and sold by the Superintendent of Documents, gives detailed information regarding all port services and charges (including dockage, wharfage, storage, handling charges, etc.) at practically all ports of the United States. This publication includes the more important governmental regulations affecting the movement of vessels, freight, and passengers. This information includes a digest of the more important regulations of the United States Public Health Service (quarantine and hospital services), the Customs Service, and the Immigration Service; it also includes a list of Federal documents which vessels are required to have.

În connection with the Customs Service, there is listed the Custom Collection Districts and the ports of entry for the United States. Within the limits covered by this volume are the following ports of entry with Offices of the Customs Service. The headquarters for Custom Collection Districts are indicated by italics. Marine documents may be issued at all of the ports with an asterisk preceding the name.

New York, N. Y.

* Albany, N. Y.

* Newark, N. J.

* Perth Amboy, N. J.

* Philadelphia, (including Camden, and

Gloucester City, N. J.)

Chester, Pa.

Lewes, Del.

*Wilmington, Del.

*Baltimore, Md.

* Annapolis, Md.

*

Crisfield, Md.

* Cambridge, Md.

* Washington, D. C.
*Norfolk, Va.

*Newport News, Va.
* Alexandria, Va.

* Cape Charles City, Va.
Chincoteague, Va.

Petersburg, Va.
Reedville, Va.
Richmond, Va.

A similar publication, Shipping Charges at United States and Foreign Ports, Miscellaneous Series No. 2, price $0.25, prepared by the United States Army Corps of Engineers and sold by the Superintendent of Documents, contains information relative to services and charges of the United States consular officers abroad, of foreign consular officers stationed at the various seaports of the United States, monetary systems, rates of exchange and passport rules.

Legal holidays.-The following are legal holidays in the District of Columbia and the States of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia :

January 1, New Year's Day.

January 19, Lee's Birthday (in Virginia only).

January 20, Inauguration Day (District of Columbia only in 1937 and every fourth year thereafter).

February 12, Lincoln's Birthday (not in Virginia, District of Columbia, or Maryland).

March 25, Maryland Day (in that state only).

Good Friday (Friday before Easter) (not in the District of Columbia or Virginia).

Easter (Maryland only) (First Sunday following the Paschal Full Moon which happens upon or next after the 21st of March. Date of Easter varies between March 22 and April 25th).

May 30, Decoration or Memorial Day.

June 3, Birthday of Jefferson Davis (in Virginia only).

July 4, Independence Day.

Labor Day (First Monday in September).

September 12, Defenders Day (in Maryland only).

October 12, Columbus Day (not in Virginia nor the District of Columbia).

General Election Day (not in the District of Columbia) (First Tuesday after first Monday in November).

November 11, Armistice Day (also in Delaware and Maryland by Governor's proclamation only; not in the District of Columbia).

Thanksgiving Day (Last Thursday in November).

December 25, Christmas Day.

Sundays (when a legal holiday falls on Sunday, the following Monday is observed).

In the ports described in this volume stevedores are not prohibited by law, union rules, or other regulations from working ships on holidays, and it is possible to make arrangements in advance for work on such days. In most cases workmen receive extra pay for work on holidays, Saturday afternoons, Sundays and nights in accordance with rates fixed by agreement between the labor unions and ship operators.

Communication is by regular lines of coasting and river steamers, by rail, by airplane, and by telephone, telegraph, and radio. There are regular lines of steamers operating from Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Hampton Roads ports to practically all parts of the world, either by direct sailings to the various ports or by transhipment services. There are excellent railroad and highway connections between the ports and to all parts of the country. There are regular air lines into Philadelphia (Camden), Atlantic City, Wilmington, Baltimore, Washington, and Richmond.

DISTANCES BETWEEN PORTS

The Coast and Geodetic publication "Distances Between United States Ports, Serial No. 444" is a compilation of numerous tables of distances giving, in a condensed and convenient form, distances between ports of the United States and its off-lying territories. The ports include all the important harbors and a sufficient number of minor ports so that distances can be given between points at short and fairly regular intervals along the various coasts. Each distance between two ports is along the shortest route marked by aids to navigation and affording a safe depth for the maximum draft that can enter both ports.

For ready reference and for use in combining these tables with those issued by other nations, a number of distances from United States to foreign ports are included.

This publication may be obtained from the Coast and Geodetic Survey, Washington, D. C., or from the sales agencies of the bureau at the various ports; the price is 10 cents.

The table of distances given on page 8 is typical of the tables given in the above publication; it is an abridgement of tables in the publication listing numerous additional ports. Distances in this table are given in nautical miles which may be converted approximately to statute miles by adding 15 percent to the distances given, and more precisely by multiplying the distance in nautical miles by 1.15155.

The Hydrographic Office publication No. 117 (1936), "Table of Distances Between Ports" gives distances (in nautical miles), via the shortest navigable routes, between the principal world ports, including the principal United States ports. This publication may be obtained from the Hydrographic Office, Washington, D. C., or from authorized sales agencies in the various ports, for $1.50.

A more complete tabulation of distances between ports on the Great Lakes will be found in the bulletin "Survey of the Northern and Northwestern Lakes," issued annually by the United States Lake Survey Office, Detroit, Mich.