Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-04-21
THE NORTH ATLANTIC ICE.
Ensign Rodman Tells of His Obserya.
ton of Icebergs and Fields.


National Geographic Society in the assembly
hall Of the Cosmos Club. His topic was 'Ice-
bergs and field ice in the North Atlantic" he
having just returned from trip into the ice
making regions Of Labrador and Newfoundland
on special mission on behalf Of the hydro
graphic Office for the purpose of obtaining in
formation that might lead to more accurate
knowledge in relation to the formation and
movements of ice around the lines of regular
ocean travel His lecture was illustrated with
lantern slides from views taken by him during
his trip. Newfoundland and the mouth of the
St Lawrence river yearly send out miles OF ice
that is extremely dangerous to navigation. In
deep waters the course OF ice can be easily
traced. but in shoal water this becomes diff
cult. The movements of the ice depend in a
great measure upon the various currents that
traverse the ocean in this vicinity, well as
upon great variety of other forces. and little
can be said with any degree of definiteness as
to the probable movements of ice beforehand.
Hundreds of vessels have been lost from ignOr-
ance of the local path of the ice, and many are
damaged severely yearly on the same account.
GREENLAND As AN ICE FACTORY.
Greenland is the great factory for the for
nation Of icebergs and the most of those
that make an annual appearance in the north
ern waters are from this region. 1t is a large
island, entirely covered by ice, that flows down
" ccd anu. DIcdhluS On, lOTIlS OCTpS aDu
fields Each glacier produces from ten to
twenty bergs year, an annual output of ice
that has been estimated at $50. 900. 900, 900 of
cubic feet. or, calculating at the rate of )
pounds day for every man, woman and child
IN the United States. enough to supply this
country for at least a 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
Of the Grand RaDEG the bprUs arc no mo
plentiful during the spring months. There is
great difference IN the rates at which bergs
travel One may reach the southern waters
the same year in which it is produced, while
another may be several years going the same
distance. The ice fields are a great obstacle to
the progress OF the bergs, smashing them up and
causing their disintegration. The ice of the
bergs Is very brittle and sometimes a sharp
blow of viii shatter berg. and they
are often demolished By the conclusion of the
report of a cannon. They break up with loud
reports that can be heard for some distance
Water often melts IN crevices of the bergs
and then by some change of temperature
freeze again, and then IL 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 bergs 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.
outlying spurs projecting under the surface of
the water that are very dangerous to ships. for
they are invisible and may pierce the side OF
vessel Bergs are, as a rule. nicely balanced
and are quite apt to tumble over if they are
disturbed. On a clear day a berg can be seen
for long distance on account of its brilliant
Whlteness and at night from its refulgence.
DETECTED BY ECHOES.
In fog bergs may be detected by their APP
parent blackness, but more often by the echo
which they throw off from any such sound as
fog horn or whistle. An instrument on deck
catches the echo waves. and by q perfected
mechanism their lengths may be measured
thus giving the mariner some idea as TO the
distance he Is away from his danger. Field
ice Is constantly drifting and seems to have a
motion within itself that is always carrying 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 a few days, be many miles apart. al
though there Is not "a time when one could not
walk from one to the other. The Arctic ice
takes several seasons 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, and many are grounded
there to melt slowly away.
SEALS on THE FLoEs.
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 breed
ing ground This furnishes a lively industry
TO many fishermen of the north, who go out in
fleets as soon as the ice begins 10 come down
and race for the bergs and fields. The catch
averages about S1.O0J,OO0 worth each year, but
the business is perilous and the risks are great
1t Is peculiar fact, that has been lately DEM
onstrated. that all ice does not form on the
surface of the water, but often makes in from
ten to fifteen fathoms down, Articles that
have been lost overheard have beeD Foupd ~,
cakes OF Ice months or years after As they are
heavier than the water and could not float this
ls accounted for by the explanation 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 SO above
The photographic Office has been doing a great
deal TO get reliable information about the
movements OF Ice III the lines of steamers
across the Atlantic, and has prepared several
forms and charts that are given to all mariners
who viii fill them out in exchange for any
other information that they may want All ice
sighted Is put down on the chart, with the date
and the location. and from the data thus re-
celyed the Office is enabled to draw resultant
averages as to the probable location of ice in
the more frequently travelled lines. The pres
ent year has been unusual III the number and
the size OF the bergs that have been sighted
thelr appearance having been much earlier
than ever before. 1t Is estimated that fully
SlOO,cOO year would be saved in coal alone If
steamers could SAIL in such courses that they
would not meet ice IN their routes.
Transfers of Real Estate.
Deeds in fee have been filed as follows:
John I. Meany to Alice f. Birtwell. subs 81 and
o., 50. 555; .. Harriet NJ Longley to Martha
j. s;idham. sub "a. So. go; $500 W. III.
Dyer to Marietta Boordman, part 2, so. Is;
$1,000. r. ID. Hopkins to Agnes Robinson part
10, 50. 81; $1,000. H. E. Bradley to l.. ID. Stone,
sub 1S. So S35; 8. L. ID. Stone to W. b.
Gerella, do; s.. W. o. Denison ct al. to r
White, lot -, block ), South Brookland; $3.50.
Joseph Elzle to U. Dorsey, part ., sec. 8. Barry
Farm; $50. C. G. Halpine to Jane +. Armes,
part 43, So. 92; Sl,326.7l. G. H. 5. HALEY
70 i. ii. Little, part 3, River View Farm; 500.
3. Maddox. trustee. TO Joseph D. Grey, part Z,
90. SIC; S2.1l5. j. Z. Beall to Sarah b. Conkling