APPENDIX.

TORPEDO STATION, NEWPORT, R. I.

OCTOBER 27, 1888.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following account of the work done at this ation during the past twelve months:

Since the date of the last annual report the station has lost, through detachment, e valuable services of Lieut. J. B. Murdock. Mr. Murdock's term of duty here was arked by a great development of the applications of electricity to naval purposes. revious to his coming the station was of little or no moment in the electrical world; is now widely recognized as an important laboratory of practical research. I can ot speak too highly of his happy combination of theory and practice.

The officers at present are:

Lieutenant Commander G. A. Converse, principal assistant inspector of ordnance, structor in high-speed engines.

Lieut. W. I. Moore, assistant inspector of ordnance, just arrived and preparing to elieve Lieutenant Rohrer.

Lieut. Karl Rohrer, assistant inspector of ordnance, superintendent of the gunotton factory.

Lieut. G. F. W. Holman, assistant inspector of ordnance, instructor in torpedoes. Lieut. Hamilton Hutchins, assistant inspector of ordnance, instructor in electricity. Lieut. C. McR. Winslow, assistant inspector of ordnance, assistant to torpedo officer. Ensign J. A. Dougherty, assistant inspector of ordnance, assistant to electrician. Surgeon John C. Wise.

Passed Assistant Paymaster F. H. Clark.

Prof. Charles E. Munroe [S. B. Harv.], chemist to Torpedo Corps, instructor in xplosives.

Gunner A. A. Phelps.

BUILDINGS AND PLANT.

The principal wharf at the station has been reconstructed and the crane repaired. The extension of the electrical laboratory was completed last fall. This important uilding is now large enough to permit of lectures at one end and practical exercises at the other, simultaneously. A well planned and equipped room in the basement acilitates photometric work and the comparison and standardizing of various forms of glow and are lamps. The tower of the laboratory has been most convenient for structing officers and men in the use of the search-light in all weather.

The island is now well lighted at night. Besides the glow and arc lamps, mensioned in last year's report, a 400-candle-power incandescent lamp has been mounted Dear the stable which will afford valuable protection to public property.

The station has been connected with the Newport water-works by a 3-inch main running across the northern entrance to the harbor.

Much work has been done on the sea-wall, under special appropriation; but the magnitude of the undertaking was not fully realized at the outset, or a larger sum would have been asked. The work as done will leave nothing to be desired from the stand-point of utility, being strong though rough. It is very doubtful whether the complete repairs can be effected in a proper manner for the sum appropriated. The estimate of last year was closely made, but the money requested was not granted.

GUN-COTTON.

A new set of dies has been made, so that each block of gun-cotton is stamped with the date of its manufacture and the number of the "run" or charge. By this device any block may be traced back to the particular materials used, and even to the general atmospheric conditions prevailing at the time of its making; a valuable aid to obtaining stability tests ranging over a long period of time.

The more expensive waste on hand up to the present moment is now exhausted and a trial is making of cheaper material, which is believed to be equally good.