the u.s. fish commission steamer albatross- a history

8/22/2019 The U.S. Fish Commission Steamer Albatross- A History

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The U.S. Fish Commission

Steamer Albatross: A History

Papers from a Symposium

Introduction

At her launch on 19 October 1882in Wilmington, Del., theAlbatross wasthe worlds first large deep-sea oceanographic and fisheries research vessel,and she would go on to have a distinguished 40-year career, ranging fromthe north Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf ofMexico, around Cape Horn in 188788,and into the North Pacific.

By 1908, Deputy Fish Commissioner Hugh M. Smith reported that

TheAlbatross has contributed more tothe knowledge of marine biology thanhas any other vessel. And, of course,her career continued for another 13years, being decommissioned in late1921, serving later as a training vesselfor nautical cadets, and disappearingfrom the records in Hamburg, Germany,in late 1928.

Besides her work in biological andphysical oceanographic research, the

Albatross served the United States during two wars, and in the North Pacificshe mounted many seal protection

cruises and Pacific salmon surveys, aswell as carrying investigative commissions (two established by presidentialorder).

As scientist Charles H. Townsendreminisced in 1934, Her career as adeep-sea exploring ship has been a notable one ... [that] extended from the

shallow waters of the coast to almost origin of theAlbatross, was covered inthe greatest known depths of the sea.... a symposium held on 30 June 1997 atIf ever the American people received the University of Washington in Seattle.the fullest possible value from a gov- Organized by Mark Jennings and Kurternment ship, they received it from this Dunbar, several papers from that symone. posium are presented in this special is-

Much of the above, as well as the sue of theMarine Fisheries Review.

TheAlbatross in the Galapagos Islands, 1891. Reproduced with permission ofthe MCZ Archives.

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Above: The Albatross with a port gangplank down and one of her small steampowered runabouts which was carried on

the deck like the other boats and raised andlowered by winches. USFC photograph.

Left: The elegantly curved stern held theplatform for a sounding machine, shownhere in operation. NEFSC historical photograph archives.

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Above: A ship of the highlatitudes as well as theequator, the Albatrossdropped anchor in Southeast Alaska during anorthern cruise. NEFSChistorical photograph archives.

Right: At home in WoodsHole, the Alb atross isseen from the USFC residence. NEFSC historicalphotograph archives.

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Left: The smoke stack at mid-ships. Although usually powered by her strong, twinscrew engines, the Albatross could sail ifnecessary. NEFSC historical photograph archives.

Below: Artists rendition of the Albatrossunder steam and sail in heavy weather.Drawing is by C. B. Hudson in The Cen-tury Magazine.

Opposite page: Working while the ship

rocked on ocean swells was standard fare.Clockwise from upper left: Sounding theabyss with piano wire; Tangles from thesea-lily grounds, Gulf of Mexico; The deckand sounding equipment as depicted in action above; and Landing the beam-trawlon deck. Drawings are by W. Taber in TheCentury Magazine; photograph is from theNEFSC historical photograph archives.

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On deck, the men worked in the all kinds of weather, and are shown here exam

ining the contents of a sieve by electric light. Drawn by W. Taber for The Cen-tury Magazine.

The mess. NEFSC historical photographarchives.

Below deck, the science room was a floating laboratory stocked withsupplies and equipment. NEFSC historical photograph archives.

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Upon decomissioning in 1920 after nearly40 years of service, the Albatross hadworked a full decade past her retirementdate. Both images are from the NEFSC historical photograph archives.

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the u.s. fish commission steamer albatross- a history

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