West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1888-08-02
DANGERS OF THE DEEP.
LIABrLITY OF VESSELS RUNNING
INTO OCEAN DERELICTS.
Many Abandoned Vessels Drifting
About on the AtlRntic-A Naval

A derelict, writes Lieutenant Under
wood, OF the United States Navy, in the
Argonaut, is anything that has been
forsaken or abandoned, and, as applied
20 the sea, ii is vessel that has been
abandoned by her crew, and left float
ing on the ocean.
Derelicts are much more plentiful
than casual observer would imagine.
Besides vessels sunk near the coast in
sufficiently shallow water TO make their
protruding masts dangerous to passing
ships, there were, on an average, seven
teen floating derelicts in the North At
lantic reported to the photographic
Office for each month of the year 1886.
A larger number of them was sighted
in the late fall, winter, aud early spring
than during the other seasons OF the
year, no doubt because there were then
more dangerous storms on the ocean.
Some of these derelicts drift around,
month after month, at the will Of the
wind and current, and are reported time
after time by passing vessels.
The most interesting wreck that has
been reported for years is doubtless that
of the derelict schooner Twenty one
Friends. She was abandoned on March
"a, 1885, about one hundred and seven
teen miles east Of Cape Henry. Being
lumber-laden, she continued 10 float.
Her masts were carried away close to the
deck, so that there was but little surface
exposed to the wind, and her progress
was almost entirely due to the current OF
the gulf stream. Her track across the
Atlantic was directly in the route of the
European steamers, by whom she was
sighted many times, and whose captains
doubtless grew to regard her as worse
than twenty-one enemiesl The last re-
port received placed her about seventy
miles north of Cape Ortegal, Spain, on
December 4, 1885. She was probably
towed into some port by the Bay of Bis
cay fishermen, who must have regarded
her as q rich find. During her long
cruise, she covered some three thousand
three hundred miles, which made an
average of about four hundred and
twenty-five miles of progress each
month.
The bark Rowland Hill was abandoned
on February %, and last reported on
November -, 1886; the derelict schoon-
er Ida Francis zigzagged between Ber-
muda aud the coast of Florida for nine
months; the schooner Levin s. Nelson
was wrecked on February 81, about one
hundred and fifty miles east of Cape
Hatteras, and was last reported on
October 3, 1886, about two hundred and
fifty miles south of Cape Race, New
foundland.
Each of these vessels was lumber
laden; each has drifted hundreds of
miles and been reported many times, and
one or all may be sighted again. A
number of similar cases could be given
where derelicts have been reported
month after month in the highways of
commerce.
Fogs and icebergs are encountered
only at particular period OF the year,
and within certain limits of the ocean,
but derelicts are liable TO be met any
where or at any time.
A ship striking one of these water
logged wrecks would be apt to sustain
about as much damage as if she ran upon
a rock. An inhospitable coast is known
at night by its lights, the presence Of
iccbergs by the chill of the water In their
vicinity; but during darkness or fogs
there is nothing to indicate the presence
of a derelict.
Sometimes, when it is found necessary
TO abandon vessel, her Captain is
thoughtful enough to set her on fire.
Sometimes, if the sea be smooth and the
weather favorable, Captain, on meet
ing one of these derelicts, will lower a
boat and send some of his crew to fire
her, but this is also a rare occurrence.
Reports are occasionally received of
ships injured by striking wrecks, aud
no doubt some Of those that have left
port, and never been heard from after
ward. have been lost in Just this way.
Perhaps the most novel derelict on
record was that of the great raft which
~ rua a. pa oil 70 fcx I.
Canadian coast TO New York some
months ago. The attempt failed and
the great mass of logs was left TO float
about directly in the path of vessels
coming into New York Fortunately. the
raft was speedily broken up, and the
logs were scattered, and no serious
casualty is known 20 have occurred from
collisions with them
A word on the subject of buoys which
have gone adrift may not be amiss.
While most buoys are small and insig-
iiCsnt, few arc large and heavy. and
might do considerable damage to a sh D
il run into at full speed.
There Is a small number Of lighted.
whistling buoys, at important points on
our coast These are OF mammoth size.
and act rs beacons, and, ct the same time,
they give warning by the noise they
make. The whistle is automatic, and Is
sounded twenty or thirty times a minute
by the action Of the sea. There is n
chamber into which gas is forced, and il
is lighted by means of a lens lantern nj
the top OF the buoy. OF course the gas
must be replenisbed at regular intervals.
One Of these enormous buOys was driven
from its moOrings Oft Cape Hatteras. in
December, 1885, and, after taking an
involuntary journey Of about twelve
hundred miles, Il was, on the twenty
fifth Of the following May, captured and
towed into Bermuda by an English
steamer. IL was in good condition, but
Evidences Of its long trip were found in
the large barnacles adhering toit. when
Il started on this cruise the gas was soon
exhausted, causing the light TO become
extinguished, but doubtless the whistle
continued to pipe Justify with every rise
and fall Of the sea.
Imagine the dismay Of some supersti.
lions mariner, whose ears should be
greeted by a half-dOzen violent whoops
in the small hours Of the night. when ho
comfortably believed that no object was
within miles Of his ship.
Facts About Butter.
a New York dealer who knows
whereof he speaks said 10 a Mil 0ad Er-