The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-05-14
VAGAB0ND ICE.
GLACIAL BERGS WHICH MAKE
OCEAN TRAVEL DANGEROUS.
Greenland is the Great Factory for
the Formation Of Icebergs-
Studying the Movements
of Floating Floes.

Ensign Hugh Rodman, of the United
States Navy, has just returned from a
trip tu Labrador and Newfoundland +,
where he went for the purpose of obtain
ing more accurate knowledge in rela.
ton to the movements of ice within the
lines of regular ocean travel. He says in
the Washington Star: Newfoundland,
and the mouth of the st. Lawrence River
yearly send out miles of ice that is ex-
tremely dangerous to navigation. In
deep waters the course of ice can be easily
traced, but in shoal water this becomes
difficult. The movements of the ice de-
pend in great measure upon the various
currents that traverse the ocean in this
vicinity, as we'll as upon great variety
of other forces, and little can be said
with any degree of defniteness as to the
probable movements of ice beforehand.
Hundreds of vessels have been lost from
ignorance of the local path of ice, and
many are damaged severely yearly on the
same account.
Greenland is the great factory for the
formation of icebergs and the most of
those that make an annual appearance in
the northern waters are from this region.
1t is large island, entirely covered by
ice, that flows down to the sea and,
breaking off, forms bergs and fields.
Each glacier produces from ten to twenty
bergs year, an annual output of ice
that has been estimated at ESQ, 900, ,000,-
0U0 of cubic feet, or, calculating at the
rate of five pounds day for every man,
woman and child in the United States.
enough to supply this country for at
least hundred years. But only small
proportion of the years production of
bergs ever reach the transatlantic
steamer lines, for many are melted, but
more are broken up before they get into
the navigable waters. OFF the Grand
Banks the bergs are tie most plentiful
during the spring months. There is
great difference in the rates at which
be1gs travel. One may reach the south
ern waters the same year in which it is
produced, while another may be several
years going the same distance. The ice
fields are great obstacle to the progress
of the bergs, smashing them up and caus-
ing their disintegration. The ice of the
bergs is very brittle, and sometimes the
sharp blow of an axe will shatter berg,
and they are often demolished by the con-
cussion of the report of cannon. They
break up with loud reports that can be
heard some distance. Water often melts
in crevices Of the bergs, and then by
some change of temperature freezes again,
and then it often happens that by reason
of the expansion and contraction due to
the change in the condition of the water
the ice is split, and thus bcrgs are fire.
quently destroyed. They melt away as
they get into the warmer water OF the
south, and are ground against the fields
and broken ice that they meet on the
way. Some of them last for several
years. They quite often have long, out
lying spurs projecting under the surface
of the water that are very dangerous to
ships, for they are invisible and may
pierce the side of a vessel. Bergs are, as
a rule, nicely balanced, and are quite
apt to tumble over if disturbed. On a
clear day berg can be seen for long
distance on account of its brilliant white
ness, and at night from its refulgence.
In a fog bergs may be detected by their
apparent blackness, but more often by the
echo which they throw off from any such
sound as fog horn or whistle. An in
strument on deck catches the echo waves,
and by a perfected mechanism their
lengths may be measured, thus giving
the mariner some idea as to the distance
be is away from his danger. Field ice is
constantly drifting and seems to have
motion within itself that is always carry
ing it on in some direction. 1t often breaks
up, drifts and freezes again the same
day. Two vessels, caught in the ice near
to each other, may, in few days, be
many miles apart, although there is not
lime when one could not walk from one
10 the other. The Arctic ice takes several
reasons to make, while that made further
south forms each season. The latter is
softer and does not last as long as the
other sort. Only an average sized berg
can get across the banks, owing to the
great depth of water which they draw,
md many are grounded there to melt
slowly away.
The cod follow the ice down and feed
under it, while the seal, the sort that is
hunted for its leather and not its fur,
makes the ice its breeding ground. Fhis
furnishes lively industry to many fish
srmen of the north, who go out in fleets
as soon as the ice begins to come down
and race for the bergs and fields. The
catch averages about 1000, 900 worth
each year, but the business is perilous
and the risks are great. 1t is peculiar
fact. that has been lately demonstrated,
that all the ice does not form on the
surface of the water, but often makes in
from ten to fifteen fathoms down. Arti-
cles that have been lost overheard
have been found in cakes OF ice
months OF years after. AS they are
heavier than the water and could not
hoat, this is accounted for by the expla-
nation that there are spots in the under
current of the water that are colder than
on top, and ice forms when it could not do
50 above. The present year has been un-
usual in the number and the size of the
beres that have been sighted, their ap-
pearancc having been much earlier than
ever before. It is estimated that fully
800, 900 year would be saved in coal
alone if steamers could sail in such
courses that they would not meet ice in