S i r :

1. I have the honor to report the following operations on shore of the crew of the PRINCETON while the force was under your command on patrol duty in the 6th Military District, San Francisco, California.

2. Immediately upon the arrival of the PRINCETON from San Pedro, Cal., we were directed by the Commander-in-Chief to moor alongside pier No. 7, (Pacific Street dock) and report to you for duty. This was done at 6 p.m. April 23rd, and in accordance with instructions we proceeded to discharge and distribute our load of 60 tons of provisions sent to San Francisco by the Chamber of Commerce Relief Committee of Los Angeles.

3. We began patrol duty at 8 a.m. April 24th, the district assigned to the PRINCETON'S crew covering the water front from pier No. 9 (Broadway dock) to the ferry dock at the foot of Clay street both inclusive. For protecting this space there were established twelve sentry posts to which were assigned three officers and 42 men. The district contained the Pacific Coast Steamship dock, the Oceanic S.S. Co. (Spreckels Line) and the wharves of the Stockton, Sacramento and numerous local bay steamers, also Wells Fargo Express Co. and a part of the North Shore Ferry lines. On all the wharves business was conducted as usual and little difficulty was encountered in carrying out the orders and regulations prescribed for the proper protection of the docks and the property thereon. The object sought to be attained was that all affairs of business should be assisted as much as possible to assume their normal conditions, as soon as possible, and the success of this policy was much appreciated by the superintendents of various docks, the Agents and others interested.

4. Only a few cases of drunkenness among the civilians occurred in th district and these were easily disposed of. One case of attempted looting of trunks was encountered and prevented, the looters running away. Two dead bodies were found, and on the Coroner being informed he took them away. One was a boy about 12 years old, named Rossi, killed in pier 3, by the falling of the shed during the earthquake, the other a man unknown, drowned, found at pier No. 9. In some cases dock officials would insist on their right to smoke on the dock, thus violating their own posted rules, but in all cases the observance of this rule was insisted upon by the officers of the guard and it was adhered to.

5. On may 6th the PRINCETON relieved the MARBLEHEAD at the foot of Main street and moored to the Santa Fe dock. The district to patrol extended from pier No. 24 (foot of Spear street) to pier No. 40 (foot of First Street) both inclusive and duty was continued here till May 10th when the forces were withdrawn. This section comprised the Pacific Mail Dock, the large lumber docks, and yards on Bryant Street, the Santa Fe dock and the Portland and San Francisco Steamer docks. For the patrol of this section 7 posts were established with 4 officers and 39 men. The particular danger in this section was from fire in the vicinity of such a large amount of pine lumber an the docks and warehouses being constructed of very inflammable material. Two docks caught fire, one from sparks from a pile driver and another from a cigarette careless thrown on the dock. In both cases damage was prevented by the quickness of discovery by sentries, who called the ships reserve force and formed bucket lines. The pile driver party was stopped working until they could fit a spark arrester to the smoke pipe.

6. In conclusion I am gratified to state that the officers were diligent and careful in carrying out their duty and not a case occurred of a sentry leaving his post, or being drunk, either on or off duty.

They seemed to take pride in their new experience and were always found on the alert.

Commander Chas. J. Badger, U.S. Navy,