entrance, although a shape distinction is being introduced for wood spar buoys.

Anchorage Buoys are painted white.

Quarantine Anchorage Buoys are painted yellow.

Certain Other Special Buoys are in use locally, such as white with green top for dredging buoys, and black and white horizontally banded for fish-net areas in the fifth district.

Coast and Geodetic Survey sono-radio buoys, used in radio acoustic ranging, may be found anchored on the continental shelf in areas being surveyed. Some of these buoys are fitted with mechanism to show a white light upon the approach of a vessel. When within about a mile of the buoy the sound of a ship's propeller, or other ship noises, produce the audio mechanical effect resulting in a fluctuating illumination.

Station Buoys, colored the same as the regular aids, are placed alongside of lightships and important buoy stations to mark them in case the regular aid is carried away. Lightship station buoys bear the letters "LS" above the initials of the station.

Colors of Lights for Buoys and Beacons.-Red or white lights are placed on the right or starboard side of a channel for the entering vessel, and white or green lights on the left or port side. White lights may be on either or both sides of the channel, but colored lights are only on the sides indicated respectively. The same rules apply to lights on fixed structures serving a purpose similar to that of buoys. Coast lights and lightships near channels or entrances may not conform to this system.

Lighted buoys are not at present uniformly differentiated as to shape, with respect to the side of the channel; they have bodies which contain the gas tanks or gas, and are usually surmounted by skeleton superstructures with lanterns; combination buoys have both light and bell, or light and whistle.

Caution Regarding Buoys.-Buoys are liable to be carried away, shifted, capsized, sunk, etc., lighted buoys may be extinguished, or whistling or bell buoys may not sound, as the result of storm, the accumulation of ice, running ice, or other natural causes, or collision, or other accidents. Buoys marking channels subject to frequent changes are moved as may be necessary and should be used only with local knowledge. Such buoys may not be charted.

Day Beacons are constructed and distinguished with special reference to each locality, and particularly with regard to the background upon which they are projected. Beacons on the sides of channels are, when practicable, colored to conform to the coloring of buoys, subject to the above conditions as to background.

Reflectors (red or white) are placed on some buoys or day beacons to enable the navigator, using a searchlight, to readily locate such aids.

Significance of light characteristics

Flashing characteristics are used on lighted buoys to distinguish their principal purposes, corresponding in part ot the color distinctions that are made on unlighted buoys.

NOTE.-While a thorough understanding of the significance of these features will be of material assistance to the navigator, it is not contemplated that they shall be implicitly relied upon without reference to the charts which should always be consulted for guidance. Many conditions do not permit of proper understanding in any other way.

The publications of the Lighthouse Service pertinent to this Coast Pilot are The Light List, Atlantic Coast of the United States (price $0.60); The Local Light and Buoy List, New York and Approaches (price $0.15); The Local Light and Buoy List, Cape May to Cape Lookout (price $0.20); and Notice to Mariners (free). The Light Lists may be obtained from the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, D. C., or numerous sales agencies.

Mariners are referred to the above lists for detailed information regarding the characteristics, power, visibility, etc., of lights, as well as a description of light structures and day marks, buoys, fog signals, etc. Such information is not given in this Coast Pilot volume except for a few of the more important aids.

The above light lists also contain (in the introduction) considerable valuable information to mariners. This includes a description of the character and power of lights and of light sectors and distances at which lights can be seen, information regarding the use of radiobeacon signals, distance-finding stations, and radio directionfinding stations and notes regarding sound-in-air fog signals, sub

marine oscillators and bells, whistle and bell buoys, lightships, and lighthouse tenders.

The Notice to Mariners (United States and territorial waters) gives all changes in aids to navigation as well as recent chart correction data. This publication will be mailed free to mariners who apply to the Superintendents of Lighthouses, or single copies may be obtained or consulted at the offices of the Superintendents of Lighthouses, or the Coast and Geodetic Survey Field Stations, or other agencies distributing marine information."

Defects in Aids to Navigation.-Aids to navigation are protected by law, and mariners in their own interest should use every precaution to avoid collisions with them. Mariners are requested to report defects in the aids to navigation using official designation identification in the Light Lists direct to the Superintendent of Lighthouses of the district concerned by commercial radio, by radio communication with lightships, or other prompt means.

Suggestions as to Aids to Navigation.-Mariners are also invited to send suggestions as to improvements or changes in aids to navigation directly to the Superintendents of Lighthouses, as listed below, or to confer with them, or to address the Commissioner of Lighthouses, Washington, D. C.

Dangers, Changes in Channels, Shoals, etc.-Mariners are requested to send important facts affecting the charts or other publications of the Coast and Geodetic Survey promptly to the Director of the Coast and Geodetic Survey, Washington, D. C., or to the nearest Coast and Geodetic Survey Field Station. The Field Stations are listed in the appendix of this volume.

Communication with outlying light stations.-All stations having radio communication facilities observe watch on 500 kilocycles during the first 15 minutes of each hour from 8 a. m. to 8:15 p. m. standard time for radiotelegraph communication. Information of importance in the maintenance of aids to navigation or other urgent matters from vessels may be transmitted at such times. Should the radio beacon be in operation for regular schedule, fog, or thick weather, it will not be interrupted for such communication except in matters of extreme urgency. Calling and brief communication can be carried on during the silent periods of the radiobeacons. (See Light and Buoy Lists, United States Lighthouse Service, for signal characteristics and operating times.) See page 29.

The district offices of the Lighthouse Service in the area covered by this publication are:

THOMPKINSVILLE, STATEN ISLAND, N. Y., Superintendent of Lighthouses, Third District.-Includes the waters of Rhode Island west of Point Judith, Connecticut, New York, and part of New Jersey.

PHILADELPHIA, PA., Superintendent of Lighthouses, Fourth District.-Includes Delaware Bay, River, and coast.

NORFOLK, VA., Superintendent of Lighthouses, Fifth District.-Includes the waters of Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina, from Fenwick Island Light Station to and including New River Inlet. Suboffice, Baltimore, Md.

Radio broadcasts.-The United States Lighthouse Service makes official announcement from time to time of the more important Notice to Mariners data, covering the establishment of new aids to navigation, changes in existing aids, or emergency happenings relat

ing to aids to navigation which shipping interests should receive without delay.

Broadcast announcements are preceded by the introductory words "Lighthouse Services-Notice to Mariners" and are concluded by a signature as "Lighthouse Superintendent Norfolk" and are transmitted by the stations listed in radio reference (b) page 22 and at the time and on the frequency designated. Emergency broadcasts announcing unusual happenings are made at any time using the 500-kilocycle frequency. Lighthouse Tenders also make emergency broadcasts in this manner when necessity therefor occurs. These radio broadcasts are supplemental to other established means of disseminating Notice to Mariners and are not in lieu thereof. Hydrographic Office Publication No. 205, Radio Aids to Navigation, gives a schedule of hydrographic broadcasts. The Hydrographic Office also publishes from time to time a schedule sheet of marine broadcasts from United States Naval Radio Stations convenient for posting in the ship radio room; this covers the transmitting schedules for Time, Weather, Navigational warnings, and Ice. See radio references page 22.

Determination of Compass Error by the Use of Navigational Ranges.Navigational ranges provide a convenient means of determining compass error for the headings along the ranges when a vessel is entering or leaving a port or harbor. However, extreme caution should be exercised in the matter. Definite information as to the correct azimuth of any particular range is absolutely necessary; also, the permanency of the range should be taken into consideration.

The azimuths of channel ranges, which have been determined with sufficient accuracy for compass error determination, will be indicated in degrees and minutes in the Light Lists and in the Notice to Mariners. Azimuths given only in degrees should not be used for this purpose.

Channel ranges that are subject to changes in location may lead to serious misinformation if used for the determination of the compass error. If a change has taken place, the exact data relating to the change in azimuth may not be made immediately available in the Notices to Mariners or otherwise.

It is not considered good practice to derive the azimuth of a channel range from the chart. The scale of the chart and other considerations will usually prevent cartographic plotting of the azimuths to a degree of accuracy desired for the purpose of determining compass error. Furthermore, the chart may not show the latest known positions of the objects of the range (this will not affect the safe navigation of the channel, if the vessel follows the existing range beacons actually marking the channel).

Along short reaches of the channel ranges, sufficient time may not be available for the requisite steadying of the compass along the course of the range and this will cause inaccuracies in observing for compass error.

When a known area of local magnetic attraction would interfere with such use of ranges, a note describing local attraction will be found on the chart.

THE UNITED STATES HYDROGRAPHIC OFFICE

The Hydrographic Office of the United States Navy exists for the improvement of the means for navigating safely the vessels of the United States Navy and of the mercantile marine by providing accurate, cheap nautical charts, light lists, and sailing directions (pilots) of foreign navigable waters, navigators, and manuals of instruction for the use of all vessels of the United States, and for the benefit and use of navigators generally.

The charts and coast pilots pertaining to the territorial waters of the United States and its possessions are published by the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey.

Among the publications of the Hydrographic Office are monthly pilot charts for the various oceans, a weekly notice to mariners (domestic and foreign waters), a weekly hydrographic bulletin and a daily memorandum of information of interest to navigators. These publications can be secured by mariners who cooperate with the bureau by furnishing certain desired marine data. It also publishes numerous special charts, books, manuals, and tables of interest to navigators and aviators. Navigational warnings for the Hydrographic radio broadcasts are prepared.

Branch Hydrographic Offices within the area covered by this volume are located in the Customhouses at New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Norfolk. In these offices, bulletins are posted giving information of value to mariners who can also avail themselves of publications pertaining to navigation and facilities for correcting their charts from standards. No charge is made for this service.

THE UNITED STATES ENGINEERS

The improvement of the rivers and harbors of the United States and miscellaneous civil works are under the charge of the Corps of Engineers, United States Army.

The miscellaneous civil works under the Corps of Engineers include the administration of the Federal Laws enacted for the protection and preservation of navigable waters of the United States, the establishment of regulations for the use, administration, and navigation of navigable waters, the approval of plans of bridges, the alteration of obstructive bridges, the establishment of anchorage grounds and harbor lines, the removal of sunken vessels obstructing or endangering navigation, the granting of permits for structures or operations in navigable waters, etc.

The attention of navigators is called to the various publications of the United States Engineers relative to matters of nautical interest, which are listed under Publications in the appendix of this volume. The area with which this Coast Pilot is concerned lies within the North Atlantic and the South Atlantic Divisions of the United States Engineers with offices in New York City and Norfolk, respectively. Likewise within this area, District Offices of the first mentioned Division are at New York City and Philadelphia, and of the other Division at Baltimore, Washington and Norfolk. Information concerning the various ports, improvements, channel depths, navigable waters, and the condition of the Intercoastal Waterway in the