These soundings are made from the launches. The launches take a measuring line marked at every 100 feet, stretch it between the planted buoys, and take the soundings at every 100-foot point. The soundings are recorded in a blank book showing the number of the corresponding mine and state of the tide. It may be found more satisfactory to hold one end of the measuring line at the buoy and circle across the line of mines with the launch, getting the sounding at the point of crossing. =Preparing mooring ropes.=—The mooring ropes are cut off with square ends, and the ends passed through the holes in the mooring sockets. The strands and wires are untwisted and spread out for a length equal to the length of the socket hole. The rope is pulled back until the ends are about flush with the top ends of the hole; a piece of marline is tied about the rope below the socket. If necessary to hold the socket, a piece of burlap may be wrapped around below the socket, and a fold allowed to fall over the hand. Generally, means can be found to set the socket upright while pouring full of alloy. The alloy consists of 9 parts of lead and 1 part of antimony melted together. A melting pot heated by a plumber’s furnace, or preferably a Khotal lamp, is used for this purpose. Great care must be taken to see that there is no oil or water on the socket or mooring rope before pouring the alloy. The length of the mooring rope for buoyant mines No. 32 equals the depth at low tide, less 15 feet. This allows 5 feet for the length of the mine, anchor, and shackles, and 10 feet for submergence. When thimbles and clips are used the mooring rope is cut 3 feet longer and is bent back a foot and a half at each end for the thimbles and clips. For the larger mine cases, an additional allowance must be made for the length of the cylindrical part of the case. Each mooring rope is carefully tagged at each end with the number of the corresponding mine. CHAPTER V. ASSEMBLING AND PLANTING MINES. NOTE.—The instructions to be observed by the master of a mine planter in marking out a mine field and in planting mines are to be found in Appendix No. 6. =The planter detail.=—This consists of the chief planter and 3 noncommissioned officers and 16 privates, distributed in three details, as follows: One noncommissioned officer and six privates on each side of the planter and one noncommissioned officer and four privates aft. =Tools and supplies.=—The tools and supplies to be taken aboard for the work described are: On the planter.