The New York herald., 1873-12-08
nTLANTIc STEAM LANES"
Fhe Late Lieutenant Maury's Plan for
Avoiding Collisions I'm Steam Voyages
Aeroaa thA fIa..tic

Across tho Atlantic.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD:-
The necessity for the adoption OF definite lanes
Tor steamers crossing the Atlantic Is becoming
every day more pressing. When II Is reconected
that there are no less than $50 steamers plying TO
and fro between New York and the ports OF Great
Britain and the Continent and that this number
Is perpetually increasing, the late terrible collision
on the Atlantic may easily be the precursor OF
Others while all steamers and sailing vessels take
the same routes, Unfortunately, going and re-
turning The selection of definite steam lanes
might have another important advantage, besides
that OF diminishing the chances OF collision. 1t
would seem not impossible to adopt such routes
as would bring steamers into less perilous positions
than they occupy when indulging in the ambitious
process OF shaving Cape Race.
Nearly 20 years ago such routes were actually
projected and laid down by one OF the abest au-
th0rttes on such subjects. In 1855 letter was ad-
dressed by certain Leading underwriters and ship
owners Of Boston, including the well known X. b.
Forbes, to the late NJ. F. Maury, requesting him to
prepare chart with separate routes laid or one for
steamers going from the United States and another
Tor those returning, "with the view OF lessenng
che liability OF collision without materially length
ening the passage" Lieutenant Maury at once
addressed himself to the task proposed, and trans
mitted to his Boston friends the results OF his in
vesttgat0ns In communication, OF which digest
Is presented. recommending all persons concerned
In this matter to study the entire report and the
additional material which accompanies 1t. IL Is to
be found In volume OF Maury's Sailing Directions.
Ghe report is illustrated by plate showing the
proposed routes, which the reader interested IN
the subject may readily look up. Full details,
nh0wng the exact course to be steered In order to
keep In the steam lanes, likewise given with the
report.
Lieutenant Maury examined number OF the
logs OF both the Collins and Cunard lines and
ascertatned that the steamers OF the former line
used In their VOYAGES band OF 800 miles in width
those OF the latter, one OF $50 miles. "The Ameri
Can roadway overaps and includes the English.
Consequently there is breadth of ocean 300 miles
WIDE, In any part of which sailing vessel, by
night or In fog, Is liable to be brought into col
lision with the steamer"
1t is presumable, that since the addition OF 80
many new lines the breadth OF this band OF danger
has not been diminished. Lieutenant Maury OBJ
Berves, suppose we take this same breadth of
ocean and lay or lane 20 or 25 miles broad
near It's northern border and another Is or
20 miles broad near its southern border, and
recommend the steamers when coming west
wardly to use the former and Swhen going
eastwardly to take the latter, would not the ad0p
tiOn Of this recommendation contribute to the
safety OF both steam and sailing vessels do
not mean TO create the impression by anything I
Ray that the adoption OF these lanes will 40 away
with collisions or call for less vigilance the part
Of the shipmaster. On the contrary, he must never
relax his attention to the seaman's three LIS (he
log, lead and lo0kout). Nay, more; the adoption
pf these lanes will demand greater vigilance from
the shipmaster, because they are made only just
broad enough cover the probable errors in lati-
tude Of good, careful navigator after he has been
ew0 or three days without an observation. mar
ROVER lane would be forbidding from the diflicul-
Cles OF Keeping in 1t; broader one would be OBJ
Jecttonable because sailing vessels would not and
could not give it up to the steamers. Were these
lanes laid down." urges the Lieutenant, 'upon
the charts OF all seafaring nations. 'safllng
masters would make it rule to edge or from
Them, especially by night and In thick weather."
In view OF recent disasters upon the coast OF Nova
scotia 1t may be added that the westward route
proposed BY Maury, in addition to lessening the
chances OF collision, had this great advantage,
that It would take vessels so far to the south OF
Cape Race and the Nova Scotia coast as to render
the voyage far less perilOus than by the ordinary
routes.
It is sufficiently obvious that the one end OF the
Boston underwriters would be attained by the
adoption OF any definite steam lanes. 1t remains
10 be shown that the proposed lanes are better
khan the random routes ordinarily employed, or
That at least they do not materially lengthen the
passage. The proposed lane is a better route than
The average course adopted by the Cunard ana
Collins steamers, as determined from their logs.
This statement as to the comparative shortness
sf this route might, without some explanation,
BEEN paradoxical, for the nearer to Cape Race the
phorter the distance; yet practically it has not
proved So because vessels especially in the fog as
they near this Cape, have frequently to run one,
two, three or more hours to the southwark to be
sure OF clearing 1t. When they are so running they
IRE not making much headway toward their port.
30 that In the long run the attempt to shave Cape
Race makes the average distance practically
greater than 1t is by the proposed lane.
The shortest distance possible for steamer be-
tween Liverpool and Sandy Hook is 5000 miles;
The average distance actually accomplished is 30s9
miles. while the distance by the middle Of the west
ward lane Is 3,03S.
There is another recommendation OF this lane,
which is ths-it lies along the northern edge OF
the Gulf Stream, where there is an eddy setting
westward often at the rate OF q knot an hour. On
the average assume that the or this eddy will
amount to II miles day for 31s days, making
gain OF say 40 miles. This makes the distance by
the lane coming practically about 2,99s miles, or,
allowing 20 miles for det0ur, we shall have 301S
miles, which viii shorten the average time Of the
passage this way three or four hours. Lieutenant
Maury anticipates that this route for westward
bound steamers will meet with objection because
lt crosses the Grand Banks, and thereby imperils
the fishing vessels occupied there. 70 this he re.
plies that now the fishermen are in danger from
steamers both going and returning, whereas If the
lanes were adopted the danger would be from
those alone that are on the westward voyage, as
the eastward lane barely approaches the Grand
Banks. As to its being at times especially in May
winter but that "ths does prove it to be OF no
value; IL only shows that 1t, like this lane would
obstructed by Ice OF anything else."
There Is, Furthermore, an advantage for the wary
NAVIGATOR, In the fact Of the lane crossing the
Grand Banks. 'They afford a pretty good land
mark. which can be used In the thickest weather.
Generally the water thermometer Is found to iall
will, therefore, tell the sailor when he is upon
them. Now "Gne eastern edge OF the banks runs