Lazaretto Point is marked by Lazaretto Point Lighthouse (fixed red), white skeleton tower. Northwest Branch has depths of 20 to 35 feet (6.1 to 10.7 m) in the eastern end and 21 feet (6.4 m.) to the head, with a few areas of less depth near the shores. The best water favors the southwest side from the entrance to Locust Point, and the northeast side from Locust Point to the head. There are depths of 12 to 35 feet (3.7 to 10.7 m) at the principal wharves. The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad wharves, extending from Fort McHenry northwestward for 3/4 mile, have depths of 20 to 35 feet (6.1 to 10.7 m) and the Pennsylvania Railroad wharves, northward of Lazaretto Point, have depths of 25 to 35 feet (7.6 to 10.7 m). The wharves along the western side at the head of the harbor are used by passenger and freight steamers to points on Chesapeake Bay. The wharves from the northwest corner of the harbor eastward to Jones Falls are municipal wharves and have depths of 19 to 24 feet (5.8 to 7.3 m) alongside, the three easterly ones being public wharves and used for the discharge of lumber, sea food, and produce.

Ferry Bar Channel and Middle Branch of the Patapsco River (the branch is also called Spring Garden Channel) extends from southward of Fort McHenry westward and northward for a distance of 3 miles. It has been improved by dredging. Ferry Bar Channel, marked by a lighted range and buoys, leads westward through the middle of the river, with a reported depth of 35 feet (10.7 m) in September 1935, for 1 mile. At this point a channel leads northwestward to the Western Maryland Railway piers (Port Covington). Ferry Bar Channel continues westward to Ferry Bar Point, thence into Spring Garden Channel through Hanover Street bridge and to the Western Maryland Railway bridge. In 1935, the reported controlling depth to Hanover Street bridge was 27 feet (8.2 m). These dredged channels are all well marked by buoys. A dredged channel leads from just above the Hanover Street bridge to the docks in Smith Cove and has a controlling depth of 19 feet (5.8 m).

The principal wharves in the Ferry Bar and Middle Branch section have depths of 10 to 35 feet (3.0 to 10.7 m), the deepest draft being found at the Western Maryland Railway wharves (Port Covington). A fog signal (siren) has been placed on the southwest corner of Pier 8. The channel is used by many barges, large schooners, and steamers.

Directions, Ferry Bar Channel.-Enter between lighted buoy 3 and buoy 2, passing up the channel on a 270° true (W. 34 N. mag.) course between the buoys, range ahead, to east of the front range light, then 298° true (NW. 34 W. mag.) to the draw span of Hanover Street Bridge, then about 310° true (NW. 14 N. mag.) through Spring Garden Channel, passing close southward of buoy 4 to between buoys 6 and 9, then steer 4° true (N. by E. 1 E. mag.) through the draw span of the railroad bridge and on to the head of navigation, being guided by the chart.

To go to the wharves of the Western Maryland Railway Co., Port Covington, leave Ferry Bar Channel between lighted buoys 7 and 8, and steer northwesterly, being guided by the buoys.

Middle Branch is crossed by two bridges. Hanover Street Bridge, 3% mile above Ferry Bar Point, has a draw opening 150 feet wide and a headroom of 33 feet (10.1 m) at high water when closed. Western Maryland Railway bridge, 1 mile above Hanover Street

Bridge, has a center-pier draw, each opening 85 feet wide, with a headroom of 8 feet (2.4 m) at high water when closed. The draw of the Hanover Street Bridge will be opened upon notice by 3 blasts of a whistle or horn blown on the vessel at any time between 5 a. m. and 9 p. m. At any other time notice of intention to pass through the draw should be given the superintendent of the bridge by telephone or otherwise, either at the bridge before 9 p. m. or at his residence thereafter.

PORT OF BALTIMORE

GENERAL

Anchorage.-Vessels anchoring in Baltimore Harbor are subject to the rules and regulations of the harbor board and the orders of the harbor master.

The Quarantine Anchorage is on the southwest side of the main channel, opposite the quarantine station at Leading Point. It is 3,500 feet long and 600 feet wide outside of channel limits. Vessels carrying explosives are required to anchor within the limits of the quarantine anchorage and are subject to the regulations of the port governing the loading and discharging of explosives.

Fort McHenry Anchorage is located south of Fort McHenry near the upper end of the main channel and southward thereof. It is 3,500 feet long and 400 feet wide outside of channel limits. Riverview Anchorage is located west of the airport on the east side of the main channel. It is 4,500 feet long and 1,500 feet wide outside of channel limits. The above anchorages had reported depths, in September 1935, of 35 feet (10.7 m).

Anchorage No. 1 lies to the northwestward of the American Sugar Refining Co.'s wharf (west of Locust Point). It is a rectangular area approximately 1,300 feet long and 425 feet wide, covering about 1212 acres, with available depths of 10 to 17 feet (3.0 to 5.2 m).

Anchorage No. 2 is situated to the southeastward of Hendersons Wharf, Fells Point. It is an irregularly shaped basin, with a maximum length and width of 1,800 feet and 900 feet, respectively, covering an area of approximately 20 acres. A dredged depth of 16 or 17 feet (4.9 or 5.2 m) is maintained over the entire area.

Anchorage No. 3 is located in Canton Hollow, southeast of anchorage No. 2, in front of the piers along Boston and Clinton Streets. It is a triangular basin approximately 2,000 feet along the base, with an extreme width of 2,100 feet, covering about 50 acres. A part of the anchorage extends over the 35-foot (10.7 m) dredged channel in front of the Clinton Street piers, while a depth of 17 or 18 feet (5.2 or 5.5 m) is maintained over the remaining portion.

These three anchorages lie in sheltered sections of the inner Northwest Harbor. There is additional good but less-protected anchorage in from 18 to 24 feet (5.5 to 7.3 m) of water along both sides of the Fort McHenry Channel above Fort Carroll. Vessels using this must keep at least 300 feet from the dredged channel.

General regulations. The port is open at all hours for the transaction of business. Vessels are usually received between sunrise and sunset, but under extraordinary circumstances they are permitted to enter at other times. The official visits to the vessel are made in the channel opposite quarantine. Following inspection by Public

Health Service officials, the vessel is boarded by an officer of customs and an officer of the Immigration Service.

The usual hours for the clearance of vessels are between 9 a. m. and 4.30 p. m., but under extraordinary conditions a vessel will be cleared outside of these hours and on Sundays and holidays. The formal clearance is effected by the collector of customs within office hours, but the vessel is permitted to sail at any time during the day or night.

Quarantine. The quarantine station is situated at Leading Point, on the west shore of the Patapsco River at the mouth of Curtis Bay, about 7 miles below the center of the city. The station is thoroughly modern and is equipped with hospital facilities for the detention of contagious and infectious disease cases removed from vessels. Service is maintained from sunrise to sunset and is extended to midnight when necessary.

Hospitals. In addition to the quarantine station, the Public Health Service operates a marine hospital and a dispensary. The former is United States Marine Hospital No. 1 and is located at Remington Avenue and Thirty-first Street, in the northern section of the city about 3 miles from the water front. The dispensary is located in the basement of the customhouse, within a few hundred feet of the Pratt Street piers.

The city of Baltimore is amply provided with public and private hospitals and dispensaries.

Custom Service. The customhouse is located at the corner of Gay and Lombard Streets, less than 500 feet from the north shore of the basin, where, however, there is but little foreign shipping. The majority of foreign commerce is carried on at Locust Point, Port Covington, Canton, Lower Canton, Curtis Bay, and Sparrows Point, where the principal overseas terminals are situated. The customhouse may be reached from any of these sections by street-railway service.

The customhouse is open from 9 a. m. to 4.30 p. m. on all days but Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday it is open from 9 a. m. until the business of the day is completed, which is usually about 1 p. m. If business demands an extension of these hours for the benefit of the shippers and merchants, it is granted. The working hours established for customs inspectors are from 8 a. m. to 5 p. m. hours are extended upon request to any time during the night and Sundays and holidays, but extra compensation is charged by the inspector rendering the service.

These

Dry docks and marine railways.-There are 4 floating dry docks, 2 graving docks, and several marine railways at Baltimore, including 2 privately owned railways which are not available for general public use. Both graving docks are owned by the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, and the larger one can accommodate a vessel 576 feet long, 64-foot beam and 22-foot (6.7 m) draft. The largest floating dry dock in the harbor is located at Sparrows Point Works of the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation. It is 600 feet long over all and has a lifting capacity of 20,000 tons.

Of the numerous marine railways at the port, eleven have lifting capacities ranging from 200 tons to 4,000 tons and are equipped to undertake general woodwork, bottom painting, scraping, caulking, and ceiling.

Wrecking and salvaging.-Wrecking and salvaging facilities are limited. Several companies have equipment for this work, but as a general rule it is assigned to other work and is available for duty in wrecking and salvaging only in emergencies.

Railroads. The Pennsylvania, Baltimore & Ohio, Western Maryland Railway, and Canton Co. of Baltimore each have several piers. These railroads are interconnected by a municipal belt-line railroad. Commerce.-A large quantity of ore, petroleum products, and molasses form the bulk of the imports. Exports consist of grain, flour, coal, coke, iron, steel, copper, lumber, tobacco, and petroleum products. Domestic coastwise commerce is large in fertilizers, lumber, sugar, dry goods, petroleum, coal, iron, steel, and canned goods. Internal commerce with Chesapeake Bay ports consists of heavy shipments of general merchandise, and a large trade in vegetable food products and animal food products, principally oyster and oyster shells.

Pilots.-Pilotage for the port of Baltimore is compulsory for foreign vessels, vessels from a foreign port, and all vessels sailing under register, except those employed in and licensed for the coasting trade and American vessels laden either in whole or in part with coal or coke mined in the United States. Pilotage fees are given on page 139. Two vessels are operated by the Maryland pilots, and one of these will usually be found cruising outside the entrance of Chesapeake Bay.

Airports. The Municipal Airport is located about 7 miles southeasterly from the center of the city. Other airports, in the vicinity, are the Curtiss-Wright, the Glenn L. Martin, and the Baltimore Airport, Inc., at Rutherford Field, respectively, 7 miles northwest, 912 miles northeast, and about 8 miles west, of the city.

Supplies. All kinds of supplies are obtainable in Baltimore Harbor. Coal in unlimited quantities can be obtained from wharves equipped for rapid coaling or from lighters, and water can be obtained from the wharves or from water boats.

Storm warnings of the United States Weather Bureau are displayed from the American Building and from the Anchorage Building, corner of Broadway and Thames Street.

A United States Branch Hydrographic Office is established at the customhouse. Bulletins are posted here giving information of value to seamen, 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.

The United States Lighthouse Service. The headquarters of the Fifth Lighthouse District is in the New Federal Building, Norfolk, Va. A suboffice is maintained at Baltimore in the customhouse.

Ice.-Baltimore Harbor and Patapsco River are frozen over during severe winters, but steamers and ice boats keep the dredged channels open so that self-propelled vessels rarely are unable to enter the harbor. The smaller tributaries of Patapsco River are often closed by ice for extended periods. Ice in the main channel is most often met with in the vicinity of Seven Foot Knoll Lighthouse, where ice packs are of frequent occurrence.

Tides. The mean range of tides is 1.1 feet. Daily predictions for Baltimore are given in the tide tables published by the Coast and

Geodetic Survey. Prolonged winds of constant direction may cause substantial variation in the tide.

Regulations for passing floating plant working in channels (such as dredges, survey boats, etc.) are given on page 347 in the appendix. Speed regulations.-No vessel shall move in the harbor at a greater rate of speed than 7 nautical miles an hour westward of a line from Hendersons Wharf (Fells Point) to the foot of Hull Street (Locust Point), and 9 nautical miles an hour eastward of said line, and no vessel shall move in the Patapsco River or tributaries within a distance of 300 feet from any pier or bulkhead at a greater rate of speed than 8 nautical miles an hour.

EASTERN SHORE, CAPE CHARLES TO CHESCONESSEX CREEK

(Charts 1222 and 1223)

The eastern side of Chesapeake Bay from the entrance northward to the south end of Pocomoke Sound is indented by numerous small creeks, most of them obstructed by bars at the entrances. The creeks are frequented by many small craft engaged in oystering and fishing and the transportation of produce, and a few of them by passenger steamers engaged in the bay trade. Strangers seldom enter except in small boats. The shore is low and without prominent natural landmarks except Butlers Bluff, about midway between Fisherman Island and Old Plantation Flats Lighthouse, which shows bare, bluff faces when viewed from the bay. Cape Charles, Harborton, and Onancock are the principal towns, and there are numerous other post villages and landings. Fish weirs are numerous in season. Fish-trap limits are shown on Charts 1222 and 1223.

The whole of the northern point of the entrance to Chesapeake Bay is generally known as Cape Charles. It includes Smith Island, Fisherman Island, The Isaacs, and the south point of the mainland.

Smith Island and Cape Charles Lighthouse are described under "Coast from Cape Henlopen to Cape Charles," on page 122.

Fisherman Island is low. Several low buildings and a flagstaff are on the northwest side. A flashing white light is exhibited from the end of the wharf.

The Isaacs is a bare, marshy island.

The south point of the mainland is low and bare on the extreme south end but high and wooded back of the point.

Fisherman Inlet is described under "Inside waters, Cape Henlopen to Cape Charles," on page 137.

Old Plantation Creek, 212 miles southward of the town of Cape Charles and 111⁄2 miles eastward of Old Plantation Flats Lighthouse has a depth of 112 feet (0.5 m) across the bar at the entrance and for a distance of 2 miles above, and is frequented by local boats of 312 feet (1.1 m) draft at high water. The channel is narrow, and there are many bars and middle grounds, which usually show discolored. It is usually marked by bush stakes, but is difficult without local knowledge. The best water across the flats is about 3 mile southward of the mouth. The opening in the thick woods at the mouth and a shanty on an island inside the mouth are the only marks visible from outside. There are no supplies available in the creek.