siderable traffic in rice, oil, and general merchandise between League City and points above it. The dredged channel at the entrance is marked by a light and beacons, and that across Clear Lake is marked by bush stakes. Dickinson Bayou empties into lower Galveston Bay on the west side, about 13 miles northwestward of Galveston. A channel 42 feet (1.4 m.) deep has been dredged across the bar at its mouth. After crossing the bar a depth of 10 feet (3.0 m.) can be carried up the bayou for 13 miles, and a depth of 6 feet (1.8 m.) for an additional 5 miles. Dickinson is a small town about 7 miles above the mouth. Four bridges cross the bayou at distances above the mouth of about 3, 7, 7, and 8 miles, respectively. The first is a drawbridge with opening of 60 feet; the second, third, and fourth are fixed and have 12 to 17 feet (3.6 to 5.1 m.) headroom at low water. The dredged entrance to the bayou is marked by several beacons on the south side. Moses Lake is a shallow, unimportant lagoon, south of the mouth of Dickinson Bayou. Prominent features.-Approaching the entrance to Galveston Harbor on a clear day among the first objects sighted will be the grain elevators, 165 feet (50 m.) high, on the channel front at Fourteenth and Twenty-eighth Streets, Galveston, the hotel near the sea wall, and the skeleton lighthouse tower on the south jetty. near its outer end. Bolivar Point Lighthouse (117 feet (35 m.) high) and a clubhouse on the north jetty show conspicuously on closer approach and are easily identified. Gas buoys are established outside the entrance and at frequent intervals on the sides of the channel between the jetties. They are shifted from time to time to conform to changes in the channel. Vessels approaching from the eastward near the coast will first sight High Island, and those approaching from the southwestward will probably first sight the hotel near the sea wall. Pilots will be found between sunrise and sunset outside the bar or at anchor near the end of the jetties. There are two classes of pilots stationed at the jetties, the Galveston pilots for the ports of Galveston, Texas City, and Port Bolivar, and the Houston pilots for the port of Houston. During thick or foggy weather the Galveston pilot boat when in open water blows four blasts of the whistle, and the Houston pilot boat blows two long and three short blasts. Steamers approaching the bar and hearing the whistles reply to the pilot boat they desire. This is repeated at intervals until the pilot boat arrives alongside the steamer. During clear weather steamers approaching the bar will hoist the "Galveston" signal AWVC, or the "Houston" signal AWVF, for the pilot boat desired. Pilotage is compulsory for foreign vessels and certain classes of coastwise vessels. (See extracts of State of Texas Pilot Regulations, on p. 4.) The rates of pilotage inward and outward for Galveston and Texas City are: The pilot rate for shifting vessels from dock to dock or anchorage to dock is $20 each. Towboats will come out to sailing vessels outside the bar or they may be had at Galveston. With a fair wind, sailing vessels under the direction of a pilot usually come in as far as the quarantine anchorage without the aid of a towboat. For Houston Ship Channel, ships of over 2,500 tons register usually have the assistance of one or more tugs from the entrance of the channel to the docks. Application for this service may be made when applying for a berth. Rates of towage prevailing are $300 per tug, Houston to Bolivar Roads, or vice versa, for assisting a steam vessel. For sailing vessels the rate per round trip is 70 cents per gross ton, with a minimum charge of $600. The rate for assisting steamer between Bolivar Roads and Galveston or Texas City, including on or off dock charge, is $80 for one tug. For the second tug, $80 at Galveston and $70 at Texas City. For shifting steamer from pier to pier, $55 for the first tug, $50 for the second tug, and $45 for the third tug. Sailing vessels, rate per gross ton Towage between Galveston Bar and Galveston Dock_. Cents 30 30 35 15 15 20 Anchorage.-Vessels outside of the bar, if prevented from entering by a norther, can anchor in about 5 fathoms (9 m.), with Bolivar Point Lighthouse bearing about northwest. The holding ground is good, and there is but little sea. The best anchorage for large vessels is in Bolivar Roads, between Bolivar Point and Pelican Island and Spit. The depths range from 3 to 8 fathoms (5.5 to 14.5 m.), and the bottom is good holding ground. The quarantine anchorage is northeastward of Fort Point. Anchorage grounds for Galveston Bay, Port Bolivar, and Texas City have been prescribed by the War Department. The limits are defined as follows: Vessels may anchor only in the anchorage basin known as Bolivar Roads, lying between Bolivar Point on the north and Galveston Island, Pelican Spit, and Pelican Island on the south, west of a line ranging from the north end of the United States concrete sea wall at Fort Jacinto to the east end of the United States concrete sea wall in front of Fort Travis (Bolivar Point), and east of a line ranging from the triangulation beacon "M" on the east end of Pelican Island to the Port Bolivar front range light near the north edge of Port Bolivar turning basin, and only in those portions of said anchorage lying outside of the Galveston Channel, the Texas City Channel, and the Port Bolivar Channel and turning basin. On account of the amount of traffic Galveston Channel can be used only for temporary anchorage by steamers preparing to haul into berths at the wharves or after leaving the wharves before going to sea. In Galveston Bay small craft can anchor anywhere outside of the dredged channels where the depth is sufficient. The water in the bay may be lowered as much as 3 feet (0.9 m.) by a norther, and vessels should make due allowance for it when selecting anchorage during the winter months. Vessels are prohibited from anchoring in the Houston Ship Channel or turning basin except in cases of great emergency, and under such circumstances. shall be placed as near the edge of the channel or turning basin as possible, so as not to interfere with free navigation nor obstruct the approach to any pier. Three mooring places have been provided, consisting of 4 clusters of 16 piles each. Two of these are in Galveston Bay 8 and 14 miles from the entrance to the Houston Ship Channel, and the other in San Jacinto Bay, 1 mile above Morgan Point. At Texas City there is anchorage space within the harbor with 30-foot (9.1 m.) depth at mean low water for five standard ships. This anchorage is protected by dikes on the east, south, and north sides and by land on the west side. Vessels are forbidden to anchor in any part of the channel. Quarantine is enforced in accordance with the regulation of the United States Public Health Service, with some additional local requirements at times. (See also the information relative to quarantine on p. 5.) The State quarantine station is located inside of Fort Point, on the east side of the channel; the national quarantine station is nearly opposite, on the north end of Pelican Spit. Vessels are boarded by the health officer between sunrise and sunset, at the quarantine anchorage northeastward of Fort Point. Hospital. Relief is furnished at Galveston as provided in the United States Public Health Service regulations for stations of Class II. There is also a Public Health relief station at Houston. Each of these stations have a marine ward in some local hospital. The nearest marine hospital is at New Orleans. Customs officers in Galveston are located at the customhouse, five city blocks south of Pier No. 25. At Texas City, a branch of the customhouse is located 100 feet west of the main slip bulkhead between warehouses A and B. There is no customhouse at Houston. The customs department maintains an office in the Federal building, with a suboffice on the wharf No. 1 at the turning basin. Supplies.-Bunker coal, either anthracite or bituminous, in large quantities can be had at the wharves in Galveston and Manchester, and in limited quantities at Texas City. Oil for bunkering purposes can be had at Galveston, Texas City, and at several places along the Houston Ship Channel. Fresh water of excellent quality for drinking or boiler purposes can be had at the wharves or from barges. Provisions and ship chandler's stores can be had at Galveston, Texas City, or Houston. Repairs.-There is one large dry dock and three marine railways at Galveston. The dry dock has a capacity of 10,000 tons dead weight; length, 525 feet; width, 80 feet; and depth over sills, 23 feet. The largest marine ways has a capacity of 1,200 tons; length, 196 feet; draft, forward 12 feet and aft 14 feet. There are good machine shops at Galveston and Texas City. At Harrisburg there is a marine railway of 400 tons capacity; length, 120 feet; and draft, 6 feet. At Clinton and Lynchburg there are marine ways of 600 tons capacity; length, 150 feet; and draft of 8 feet. Storm warnings are displayed on the Loan & Trust Co. Building, Galveston; Quarantine Station, Galveston; Texas City Terminal Co.'s elevator, Texas City, Ninth Street and Ninth Avenue; Anahuac; Laporte; Morgan Point; Harrisburg; and Seabrook. A United States Branch Hydrographic Office is located in the City National Bank Building. Bulletins are posted here giving information of value to mariners who are also enabled to avail themselves of publications pertaining to navigation and to correct their charts from standards. No charge is made for this service. Tides and currents.-The maximum normal range of tide is 1.4 feet at the end of the jetties, 1.3 feet at Galveston, and 0.8 foot at Morgan Point, and occurs near the time when the moon's declination is greatest, north or south. At such time there is but one high tide daily. When the moon is near the Equator there are two high tides daily, though small. For the intermediate declinations the tides are irregular in character. The tide is influenced by the wind to such an extent that the high tide of some days is frequently lower than the low tide of other days, or vice versa. It is not an uncommon occurrence for the wind to blow from the east and southeast for a number of days, banking the water up in this part of the Gulf and filling the bays to from 2 to 4 feet above mean low tide. The wind then suddenly changes to the north and blows steadily and with considerable violence for several days, blowing the water out of the bay and reducing the level of the Gulf and the bay to 2 or 3 feet below mean low water. The currents also are largely dependent on the force and direction of the wind. Easterly and southeasterly winds cause the current to set inward between the jetties, sometimes continuously for three days; northers then cause an outward current of great velocity. The normal tidal currents, unaffected by wind, also have considerable velocity at times on the bar at the entrance, along the wharves, and in the dredged cuts in the bay and tributaries. Winds. The prevailing winds are northerly from November to March, throughout which time "northers" occur frequently. These gales, although occasionally blowing with a velocity of over 40 miles, are not dangerous to vessels anywhere close to the coast, as they blow offshore and the sea is not heavy; the Weather Bureau warning of their approach gives vessels ample time for preparation. From April to October the prevailing winds are southerly, and hurricanes occur occasionally; these are dangerous to shipping near the coast because the wind is on-shore. Hurricanes of marked violence at Galveston have occurred as follows: September, 1875; September, 1877; September, 1900; and August, 1915. During the hurricane of August, 1915, the wind attained a velocity of over 100 miles per hour, DIRECTIONS, GALVESTON Approaching from northeastward, vessels should make High Island and then follow alongshore, taking care to be far enough off to clear the end of the jetty. The bottom is fairly regular and there are no known dangers within 15 miles of the coast. Approaching from southwestward, keep in 5 to 6 fathoms (9 to 11 m.) in winter and deeper water in summer, because of the prevailing southerly winds and swell. The hotel near the sea wall at Galveston will be the first object readily distinguishable from any distance offshore. The bottom is regular and there are no known dangers. Coming from Straits of Florida. From a position 8 to 10 miles southward of Dry Tortugas Lighthouse on Loggerhead Key, a course of 295° true (WNW. 12 W.), made good for 666 miles leads to Heald Bank Light Vessel (described on p. 168). Thence a course of 300° true (WNW. mag.) for 27 miles leads to Galveston bar gas and whistling buoy. Eastbound from Galveston bar gas and whistling buoy a course of 120° true (ESE. mag.) leads to Heald Bank Light Vessel. Thence a course of 115° true leads across the Gulf to the vicinity of the Tortugas. During the winter months when northers are frequent it is well for westbound vessels to keep a little northward of the 295° course, but go southward of the light vessel in passing. In either direction verify the ship's position as often as possible, because no sailing directions can be given which will suffice for all of the varying conditions of current encountered. For 300 miles before reaching Heald Bank westbound vessels frequently overrun, especially during the winter months, and eastbound vessels overrun for the last 300 miles before reaching the Tortugas. Depend upon the lead westbound, but upon observations eastbound. The following hints regarding currents apply to the general conditions which may be looked for, and are based mainly on reports received by the United States Hydrographic Office: During February, March, and April the current runs southeastward with varying strength, and will be directly against a vessel most of the way on the 295° course until within about 100 miles of Heald Bank, when it sets southwestward with considerable strength. During May, June, and July the current runs southward and southeastward for 200 miles west of the Tortugas. Then for 200 miles it often sets slightly northward. For the next 150 miles the current runs northeastward and eastward, and when approaching Heald Bank it sets southwestward. During August, September, and October (the hurricane season) the current is very irregular and uncertain. For the first 200 miles west of the Tortugas it runs southward and southeastward with varying velocities, depending much upon the direction and force of the wind in the Atlantic and the Gulf. For the second 200 miles it sets north-northwestward and northward, often with greater velocity than during the preceding three months. For the next 150 miles the current runs northeastward and eastward. When approaching Heald Bank, it frequently sets southwestward. During November, December, and January, the season when northers occur most frequently, the current runs southward and |