New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-05-18
ICE IN THE TRACK OF SHIPS.
PERLs FROM FLoEs AND BERGs.

| PERILS FROM FLOES AND BERGS.
DANGERS TO NAVIGATION ON THE BANKS OF NEW
FoUNDLAND-TwO VESSELS SUNK AND OTHERS
| DAMAGtD-INTEREsTING OBSERVATIONS BY A
| CAPTAIN.
For month nearly all the ocean steamships
and many OF tue sailing vessels which have crossed the
Banks Of Newfoundland have reported encOunterinG
immense fields Of pack Ice and towering icebergs. Sew
eral vessels have been damaged by contact with the ice
aud two steamships from this port have recently arrived
in Europe having sustained injury to their hus from
the ce The iceheds reported varying greatly in
extent and the cebergs varying in size from 80 feet
in height and 100 feet In length to four and five times
those dimensions. As iceberg the average shows
only oneeRhth Of It's above water and the weight
OF cubic foot equal to 57a pounds the weight OF an
iceberg OF given size may be approximately computed
Take for instance OF the nine bergs passed by the
British steamship Lepanto May on the Banks OF
Newfoundland. This reported as $50 feet in height,
one and One-half miles In length, and half mile in
breadth II this Of regular form, the cubical
tents above water would be 385 600 900 feet and sub
merged 2i,259,2O0,00O feet. making the estimated
weight 607,452,000 tons. This weight may seem i'm
probable but there instances record where larger
icebcrgs have been from the deck OF a vessel.
Among the disasters to vessels during the last
two months from Ice the Banks OF Newfoundland, the
following are the most important: The steamship
Fcrnvlle from West HartlepoO Eng, for Boston, was
cut into by the Ice March &C. and sunk, tho crew be-
ing Rescued few hours aitcrward. The Spanish steam
ship Vlscaino, from Halifax for Antwerp, broken
in by the Ice April 8, and sunk. The steamship
Rhiwindda, from NowYOrk for Cardiff, encountered
fields Of ce for $50 mes the Banks. March 25 aud
broken In and her forward compartment filed
with water. The steamship Thinvalla, from Shields,
Eilg lor neh i0IA los. ner pTopgor III tho Hc hnu
was lowed into Boston MAY D. The steamship Coslno-
pOtan also lost OF the blades OF her propeller by
been caught IN the cedrlds and delayed for several
hours on their passage Sailing vessels have been de-
lDyed much longer time lately By being caught ID the
WHERE TIIE ICEBERGs AND ICE-FIELDS COME FROM.
Ice and ceberRs appeared the banks Of Newfound-
land earlier this season than usual. They are most
commonly met in the early part Of the Summer, after
the cessation Of nOrtherY gales which drive them from
their location In the latter part OF March April. The
icebergs come chiefly from Greenland being formed By
rvulets, elc The vast icefelds upon the Banks
brought there by the currents Of the and the
wind. They come mostly from the coast OF Labrador,
and parts Of the fields which formed during the
Winter in the great bays and nsts OF the Labrador
coast lcebergs arc continually changing their lne OF
floating OWING part TO the breaking of NJ pieces OF the
upper mass and Ahe melting away OF the subme ged
rarely happen from them TO prudent mariners AT this
season u ne year they are brought down by the
Oundland. and finally striking the warmer waters OF the
Gull Stream. soon disappear The movement OF n field
OF leo Is accompanied by much crashing and Is often
Obscured By dense i0g, through when rise
ExpcdifIon that vessel barely escaped destruction
by rebergs ore OF these was In the middle Of July
1873. During dense fog AT midday. of Cape Farewell
Grccnant immense berg suddenly seen TO loom
up the fog not more than ships length direct
ahead Fortunately the vessel was running at slow
speed. aud her course quickly changed, and she
cleared the mountain by ABOUT 100 feet On another
sion, of Fskernaer, In dense fog another very
large uerg lle on the port bow. and ledge
distauI. The engines stopped and reversed, and
the vessel escaped destruction bJ only few feet.
AN EXCITING EXPERIENCE IN THE ICE.
An officer OF one the which encountered the
great fields and bergs few days ago on the Banks,
and whose vessel was closed in for several hours gave
the following statement Of his observations to TEIB-
UNE reporter: ITO the windward OF us, forming lee
shore, vast plain OF undultg Ice, In no wise
different from thht which sometimes see In Winter on
tie Norh River when the Hudson IL breaking except
in its extent There was the cracking and grind
ing and splasbng, but tho indefinite extent multiplied
the sounds to "a tremendous din, and with It came a
strauge uudertone accompaniment The hummocis
piled them .cvcs up on the edge OF the foes sci OF
rugged walls several feet IN height great number OF
bci OF Shapes the most simple and most complicated
culors blue. white AMI carthstlihed were cntlnglrd
ia this great floating fed Office they ranged from %
$50 ioct height, AMI werr Of various lengths We
could not help brng Impressed 10y the majesty OF these
leo mountains. WIN brrgs, foes ani humn0ck ridges
the great mSS looked Ike an icJDOund coast. on when
were sjOa firmly fixed. Tncso Ice mountains fire.
quohy traye IN opposite directions from tue wlnd
bud the surface ice. which gave us good index Of
Nr1t was nn Toe hill at least 200 feet in height ts
face being 300 feet IN leLg th and irregular In shape No
iceberg scenery unless he De an eyewitness. The gen
color Of berg may be compared 10 frosted silver
aud IT'S frurturC- very extensive the exposed
nrs have very bri liant lustrc. But the enjoy ment
~ glory ~ such scenery II somewhat Modified when
we consider IT. dangers As the berg reaches warmer
winters It's submerged mass II acted upon, ana as u
gradually me- the berg Incomes tcphtnNy ana rolls
over and breaks hundreds OF p;ecrs First the In.
clutd taco rises. then hear EIndlng noise, aud
then its basr In. cracked with sound Ike thunder. II
rse. and throws tho water mp from subi"1rne eN-
po,ion, and you next observe hundred smLdcr brrgs
formed from this great mass. After remaining last for
several hours IN open canal and headed our
rlIn toward n. A. moved on, COnRratulAtnE our
selves that we would be Out. canal suddenly
grew narrower and were damned between two great
ict fields After being delayed In this way for nearly
furiy-cght hours hunily oXtrlcated our snip nom
its cobOund position, and In few hours were ID clear
open water" -,
Dr. Hayes mentions experience In the ship United
States IN 1890 which nearly ended tho expedition.
The weather and the vessel making very little
hcadwny In tho leo Being caught by CUR nj the YES
sci WIS tanned against au iceberg, the equilibrium OF
which was disturbed AMI II began to lean over toward
the chip. The motion slow aud very n'armns.
hont lowered aud line taken To another 1ccbrrg'
and the snip was hauled from her dangerous pusltn.
Just ms the stern clear the lcemOunthli topped
over great OF lee lOOSenrd by the B0rk fell
mo the Ara throwing volumes OT waller.