The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1873-06-28
NUMBER 81
Atlantic Voyages.

| Mr.. James Anderson writes As follows in
the Daily Telegraph respecting the new
route OF the CuDard steamers SIR-lf a
word Of praise is given now and again in
the columns of the London press to those
who manage and those who command the
great steamers nov crossing the Atlantic,
it will only be pleasing variety to the
censure which they never fail 10 receive
when loss Or accident occurs TO one
Of that great fleet IF ocean steamers, now
numbering three OF four per day, sailing
from each side Of the Atlantic ] think it
should be known as widely as possible that
the Cunard Company have this month rs
sued instructions to their captains to adopt
well-dehned tracks between England New
York, which will lead outwardbound steam
ers sixty miles north Of the steamers bound
hOmewards at that point where fog and ice
are prevailing features There are many
reasons in the public interests why the
plan of defined tracks should be supported
by the popular voice as a principle worthy
Of general adoption | venture to affirm
that in the fogs which prevail on and about
the banks Of Newfoundland human judg
ment Is almost worthless. The best dis
ci Jhne must be favored with quick ear
and something like accurate instinct to
avoid the dangers of collision with ships
and ice, which occur far more frequently
than the public ever hear of There are
new ships continually being placed upon
the Atlantic both by the Cunard and sew
eral other companies, and no captain Of
energy can afford t. take a more careful
track in new ship than the shortest 1ss-
lble route ever adopted by the most sue
cessful commander Unless the track be
defined, he must adopt the shortest, run
all risks, and do his best assert that
steamers have been lost, and many more
nearly lost from no other cause than the
desire to du all that man dare do. Per
haps, with some, there may be apprehen-
slons Of losing reputation by not selecting
the safer track IN preference to the shorter,
even though the latter Is admitted to be
crowded with risks The distance by way
Of Cape Race, 4 route which has been fatal
and disastrous 10 many, Is about 10
miles shorter than the outward bound
track nov adopted by the Cunard line
but there Is SO much necessity for sound
ing u insure safety IN passing Cape Race,
besides the necessity for carrying less
pressure Uf steam on account Of the dense
fogs IN the neighborhoOd Of ice and fishing
vessels, which at any moment may necessi-
tate the instant reversal Of the engines to
avoid disaster, that more time is frequently
lost than would suffice to run the extra
dista@ee upon the safer track, where the
fOgs and ice are very much prevalent, and
which track can, BY a simple order, be
freed from the danger Of meeting home
tNu Il aF.4 'h. aaIs f..N
for the hOmeward- bound steamers has the
advantage ~ a favorable current, often
strong, 50 that the loss ot time will gener-
ally be unimportant. and the gain to the
safety Of the passengers and vesse!
50 great, that nu well built and we'll
equipped steamer should ever be lost be-
tween England and New York ! attach
81 much Importance tO the danger which
exists IN the absence nf this plan of we'll
defined tracks that never would willingly
" a. a pass. niger tn America unless knew
the captain wuuli avoid the neighbOrhoOd
IF Ice ana cape Race. and keep upon
track where IT, skill and Judgment would
really count tor something. instead Of
trusting merely ~ an accidental deNJerity
should danger be encountered ln the midst
" Toy ANA midnight darkness can at
ford nov ~ sp-sA plainly W these matters,
having run All thr r-As. aui having had
ample time tn reflect upun the uerdlessness
aud sbsurdity of the effort made 90 gain
an advantage ~ few hours over some
other vessel UT commander Ii Is only
fair T. say that III the Cunard service We
Were never encouraged to make any need
less effort never remember any com
mander being blamed for long voyage
uur praised for a short one There WAS
everything w those fine ships which man
could 4, sir, Z ensure safety. ana ] trr uue
always felt that j the ship | commanded
was lost. II would be my fault, and that
no blame could attach to the owners, and
hardly any 10 rocks. currents. pr tempests
| confess, then, u feeling Of satisfaction
az seeing the service in which ] han 90
long telt great pride, foremost III adopting
a plan 50 much IN the interest Of human
Ity, and ] have been tempted 10 ask the
insertion of this letter as illustrating that
the old discipline still prevails, ana per
haps | have some pleasure IN seeing one ~
my OLD Cunard comrades conspicuous for
his manly bearing am, sir, yours, truly,
JAMES ANDERSON