Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1890-09-26
ATLANTIC ICE ASKS.
Some of the DanEers from IceberEs In the
Early Months Of the Year.

Transatlantic Steamship owners have
become quite exercised over the frequent
reports made Of ice during the past ten
days. The Rotterdam, Scandia and P.
Caland are the most recent arrivals that
have sighted these dangers, which were
encountered during their last voyages
across the ocean between latitudes 45
degs. and AZ degs. and longitudes "A
,legs. and 40 degs. The most definite de
scription Of any of the icebergs ehcoun-
tered was that at a distance of three
miles they appeared to be about 100 feet
high.
Next to fogs. or perhaps together with
fogs, there are no more disastrous expe-
riences related than those we hear of in
connection with ice encountered during
passage across the ocean, and it can
not be wondered that in these months.
when fog is at a minimuIp and COM
manders of vessels have time to devote
their whole attention to battling with
the elements and trying to reach port on
/ time in the face of the tremendous gales
that sweep over the ocean, the report Of
ice should arouse their fears and re-
double their caution.
With the low temperature of the sea-
son, both of the air and the water, one
great means of detecting the presence of
ice is to a considerable extent denied the
navigator, and the deafening gale dead
ems sound from a distance as it whistles
through the cordage ard smokestack
guys, so that the roaring Of the sea at
the base of an iceberg cannot be heard
until ii is almost too late 70 avoid con-
tact with it. The ice blink, which fire.
quently renders ice foes visible, even in
the darkest night. can perhaps be relied
upon to Indicate their presence, although
the blink that attacks the strongest eyes
of the brightest of lookouts when he is
trying to see something through driving
sleet and snow. effectually prevents his
seeing to any great distance. The ex-
perience of the past few years has not
recorded ice at this season, but accounts
of former years show that it is occasion
ally to be met with and unhappify, as
rule disaster is included in almost every
account, so that it need scarcely be mem
toned that great circumspection is nee
essary in passing near the regions where
these dangers may reasonably be expect
ed. Some few instances from the many
recorded are quoted as of interest show
ing the peculiar and irregular tactics
these huge masses of ice follow, as they
charge about from place to place, some
times urged on by fierce gale. and then
again floating placidly along in an en-
tircly opposite direction at the mercy Of
some one of the currents or counter cur
rents to be found in the ocean, the di-
rection of which often becoming tran
sient and contradictory owing to gales
of wind that affect the surface of the
water very strongly as far as they ex-
tend.
In January, 1918, the brig Anne left
the harbor Of Greenspond, Newfound
land. in the morning and in the evening
of the same day got among ice; proceed
ed thus about forty miles and at day
light next morning was completely beset
with no opening TO be seen in any direc
tion from the masthead In this stat(
she continued about fifteen days. drift
ing with she ice about sixty miles south
east Ol GtiSlt oI dDOuL lOut iLilGh III GN
cry twenty-four hours. The ice had now
become very heavy, high above the sur
face, and about ;wenty-nine large berg
were in sight She was altogether shu
in twenty-nine days, in the last fourteen
of which she drifted from latitude II
deg. 81 min. to latitude A deg. 30 min
before tremendous gales Of wind blow
| m, Ia
west. In the course of this two hundred
and eighty mile journey more than ont
hundred large islands of the solid blu
'Greenland ice" were sighted.
On the 18th of March, 1926, the bris
Ajax, when between latitude 40 deg
and "A deg, weather thick and cloudy
with squalls of hail and snow, ran righ
in between two reefs of ice, jammed to
gether apparently in a solid mass, an'
when daylight dawned thirty iceberg
l5O feet high were found surrounding
the little craft. The crew got up wood
Z. en- Tenders and slung them over the sid
to prevent being ground into toothpick
by the surging misses of ice. Spars
bales of cotton and lengths of cable wer
one after the other added to save tn
brig from destruction.
r In January, 1874, Capt. Burroughs, il
- the ship Sully, met with an iceberg il
. the Atlantic in latitude 40 degs., longi
= tude 49 degs. Later years have prove
n the experiences enumerated above, an,
}. this year of exceptional weather, bot
afloat and ashore, has thus far been pre-
life with reports of ice encountered i
> the same general region that it wa
;, met with in the cases cited. The theorie
a lately advanced that the arctic current
p which sweeps along the northeaster
shores of this continent and the island c
Newfoundland until it loses itself unde
II the heated waters of the Gulf stream
Ie has had no existence the past few monthi
:. and that consequently the Gulf strear
10 has come in nearer our shores, will hare
No ly stand when subjected to the searchin
:. light of scientific inquiry. And a Pra'
tical refutation of this theory can b
found in the changed positions of tn
icebergs thus far sighted, which sho'
it plainly that they are being moved b
4 ocean currents in the direction heret'
i fore taken by this polar or Labrador Gu
!. rent.-New York Herald.
y New Mckee has 1874. 1853 acres Of Ian
d 400 ron -