t pair. Lieut. Davidson, who,
with the "Teaser" and her crew, has assisted me with the most hearty
good will, has dragged for the tanks, but without success, they rest on
the bottom. Could they be found it was my intention to raise the four,
examine them and if in good condition, place them lower down.

Lieut. Wm. L. Maury, assisted by Acting Master W. F. Carter, and R.
Rollins, was charged with the duty of proving the tanks and packing them
in casks. There are eleven others, each containing 70 pounds of powder.
When tested in the barrels and found ready for use, they will be held in
reserve in case of accident to those already down. A larger number was
not prepared for want of powder. There are a quantity of admirably
insulated wires, a number of shells for anchor or torpedoes and a
sufficient quantity of chains for the wires remaining. They will be put
in the navy store for safe keeping.

The galvanic batteries, viz.: 21 Wollaston and one Cruickshank (the
latter loaned by Dr. Maupin of the University of Virginia), with spare
acids are at Chaffin's Bluff in charge of Acting Master Cheeney. He has
also in pigs a sufficient quantity mixed to work the batteries, and
ready to be poured in for use.

It is proper that I should mention to the department, in terms of
commendation the ready and valuable assistance afforded by Dr. Morris,
president of the Telegraph Company, and his assistants, especially Mr.
Goldwell.

My duties in connection with those batteries being thus closed, I have
the honor to await your further orders.

Respectfully, etc.,

M. F. MAURY,

Commander C. S. Navy.

Hon. S. R. Mallory,

Secretary of the Navy, Present.

Shortly after, Captain Maury was ordered to London on secret service for
the Navy Department, and that he might avail himself of laboratories and
workshops for experiment and improvement of his new science, in which he
was now regarded as supreme authority. He was to report progress and
improvement in this new means of making successful war from time to time
to the Navy Department, which was constantly done during the next two
years, and thus the result of his labours and inventions communicated to
the officers in charge of the torpedo stations now established along our
Atlantic Coast. His devices and inventions, which have not since been
surpassed and some of which are still in use, had reference chiefly to
exploding the torpedo; to determining with certainty from a distance the