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3,883 gallons 15 tuns. 151x £92 10s. £1433 15s. of the annual saving in oil.

NOTE. The annual consumption of an Argand burner, placed in the focus of a reflector may be taken at forty-one gallons; and the consumption of oil in a lamp of the first order of the dioptric system never exceeds five hundred and sixty gallons.

APPENDIX I.-No. 1.

Extracts from the reply of the Superintendent of Lights, &c., in the Wilmington district, North Carolina, March 1852, to a communication of the Light-house Board, relating to the lights, buoys, beacons, &c., of that district.

BALD HEAD LIGHT, CAPE FEAR, N. C.

Query. Is the light in the best location, and of sufficient height to answer the wants of navigation to keep clear of the "Frying Pan Shoals?" Answer. The light would answer better the wants of navigation by being placed down on "Cape Point," about four miles from the present location, and the lantern elevated about fifty feet higher than the present one.

Q. At what distance is the light seen at sea in ordinary weather?

A. From twelve to fifteen miles by day and ten to twelve miles by night. The old lantern could be seen at the distance of eighteen miles at night, and I am informed by the commander of the Railroad Company's mail steamers that they seldom see the light more than twelve miles since the new lamps have been placed in the lanterns.

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JOHN C. WOOD, Agent.

I.-No. 2.

Oak Island Lights, Cape Fear, N. C.

First lighted September 7th, 1849.

Query. What the condition of the towers.

Answer. Bad. The joints on the outside of the towers are much washed,. some one inch deep. They should be plastered with hydraulic cement, and whitewashed.

Q. What the condition of the lanterns?

A. They need painting. The front tower needs protection; the storms have blown the sand from the foundation, and it will soon be unsafe. JOHN C. WOOD, Agent.

I.-No. 3.

Price's Creek Lights, Cape Fear River.

Query. What is the condition of the towers?

Answer. Bad. The front tower needs plastering with cement, the foundation is very much exposed to the washing of the river during the storms, the sand is washed away down to the foundation on the water side, the back tower needs paint, and the walls of the dwelling plastering with cement. The front tower is in great danger of being washed away. It is located at the mouth of the creek just above high-water mark. Spring tides come up to the wall, and in a storm cut away the sand from the foundation. It is too much exposed, and will soon fall if not protected.

JOHN C. WOOD, Agent.

I.-No. 4.

Federal Point Light.

Query. Is the light of sufficient height for a guide to navigators bound in to the "Inlet?"

Answer. It is not. Vessels bound in to the Inlet often run by, the light being so low that it cannot be seen on account of the drifting sand, when it blows only a "wholesail" breeze. Vessels are often at sea eight or ten days and have to come in at the main bar, which would be avoided if the light was thirty or forty feet higher.

Q. What is the condition of the lighting apparatus?

A. Very bad. The lamps leak and the reflectors are badly scratched. Q. What is the condition of the lantern?

A. Very bad. The deck leaks and the sash is in bad order.

Q. When was the light last thoroughly repaired?

A. Not since the present keeper took charge.

Q. When did the present keeper take charge of the light?
A. In October, 1849.

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I. No. 5.

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JOHN C. WOOD, Agent.

Orton's Point Light.

Query. When was the light thoroughly repaired?
Answer. Not since the present keeper took charge.

Q. When was the house and tower last painted?

A. Not since the present keeper took charge.

Q. When did the present keeper take charge of the light?

A. In October, 1850.

Q.

What quantity of oil consumed during the fiscal year ending June

30, 1851 ?

A. The keeper cannot answer-made his returns to the collector and they cannot be found.

Q. What number of chimneys?

A. Cannot tell.

Q. What number of wicks?

A. Don't know.

Q. What is the condition of the site?

A. Very bad. The building is on piling, thirty feet deep; at the edge of the marsh, the tide is making a rapid inroad and cutting away the marsh from the piling. Something should be done at once to protect the building. Q. At what distance is the light seen on the river in ordinary weather? A. Six miles from below and eight miles from above.

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Query. At what distance is the light visible under ordinary circum stances?

Answer. (By the master,) five miles.-(By the pilots and navigators,) from one and a half to three miles, have often made the hull of the boat before seeing the light. (By residents at Smithville, four miles distant.) Often see the lights set in the shrouds of vessels at anchor two miles above the boat.-(Answer by residents at Federal Point, three miles.) Seldom ever see the light at night; the boat is plainly seen in the day time. Q. What is the condition of the boat?

A. In bad order, requires caulking, cleaning and painting; copper needs mending; the boat does not leak.

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JOHN C. WOOD, Agent.

I.-No. 7.

Buoys and Beacons.

Query. What notice, if any, is given before removing or changing the beacons or buoys, and what means are employed to disseminate the infor

mation?

Answer. No notice has ever been given when compelled to remove the buoys, or when they have broken adrift. There is a great complaint of the inefficiency of the buoys on the river and bars by the pilots and com

manders of the mail steamers; they say at the time they are most needed they are close aboard of them before they can see them, "that they lay like logs on the water." They recommend that the first class buoys be placed at the bars and can-buoys for the river.

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JOHN C. WOOD, Agent.

1st Session.

No. 115.

FOREIGNERS-CUBAN EXPEDITION.

MESSAGE

FROM THE

PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES,

TRANSMITTING

A report from the First Comptroller in reference to such of the Cuban prisoners as were foreigners, &c.

JULY 7, 1852.

Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and ordered to be printed.

To the Senate and House of Representatives:

By an act of Congress approved on the 10th day of February, 1852, an appropriation of six thousand dollars was made for the relief of American citizens, then lately imprisoned and pardoned by the Queen of Spain, intended to provide for the return of such of the Cuban prisoners as were citizens of the United States, who had been transported to Spain and there pardoned by the Spanish government. It will be observed that no provision was made for such foreigners or aliens as were engaged in the Cuban expedition, and who had shared the fate of American citizens, for whose relief the said act was intended to provide. I now transmit a report from the First Comptroller, with accompanying papers, from which it will be perceived that fifteen foreigners were connected with that expedition who were also pardoned by the Queen of Spain, and have been transported to the United States under a contract made with our Consul at an expense of $1,013 34, for the payment of which no provision has been made by law. The Consul having evidently acted with good intentions, the claim is submitted for the consideration of Congress.

WASHINGTON, July 2, 1852.

MILLARD FILLMORE.

TREASURY DEPARTMENT, COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE,
June 26, 1852.

It having been your pleasure, through the Department of State, to confide to the Fifth Auditor, under the revision of the First Comptroller, subject to the power conferred on the President by the act of February 10, 1852, the settlement of such claims as are provided for in said act, I deem it to be incumbent on me to inform the President that Horatio J. Sprague, esq., United States consul at Gibraltar, under instructions from Mr. Barringer,

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