Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-01-30
ATLANTIC ICE RISKS.
some Of the Dangers From IceberEs In the
FarIv 1Ionfha of the Year

IcpOtlo hAfAuC VI lCc uuiluH buC PdoS tch
days. The Rotterdam, Seandia and P.
Caland are the most recent arrivals that
have sighted these dangers, which were
encountered during their last voyages
across the ocean between ATTITUDES As
degs. and AZ degs. and longitudes A
degs. and 40 degs. The most definite de-
scription of any of the icebergs encoun-
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-
rienees related than those we hear of in
connection with ice encountered during
a passage across the ocean, and it can
not be wondered that in these months,
when fog is at a minimum 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 considerable extent denied the
navigator, and the deafening gale dead
ems sound from distance as it whistles
through the cordage and smokestack
guys, SO that the roaring of the sea at
the base of an iceberg cannot be heard
until it is almost too late to 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 unhappily, as a
rule, disaster is included in almost every
account, so that it need scarcely be men,
toned that great circumspection is nec-
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-
tirely 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
ton from the masthead. In this stat,
she continued about fifteen days, drift
ing with the ice about sixty miles south
east by east, or about four miles in ev
cry twenty-four hours. The ice had nov
become very heavy, high above the sur
face, and about twenty nine large berg
were in sight. She was altogether shu
in twenty-nine days, in the last fourteen
of which she drifted from latitude d
deg. 81 min. to latitude A deg. 81 min
before tremendous gales of wind blow
ing the whole time from west to north
west. In the course of this two hundreC
and eighty mile journey more than on
!; hundred large islands of the solid blu
Greenland ice' were sighted.
On the 18th of March, 1926, the bri,
Ajax, when between latitude ~ 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
! $50 feet high were found surroundin
: the little craft. The crew got up wood
! en- tenders and slung them over the sid
> to prevent being ground into toothpick
t by the surging masses of ice. Spars
] bales of cotton and lengths of cable wer
one after the other added to save tn
brig from destruction.
s In January, 1914, Capt. Burroughs, i
: the ship Sully, met with an iceberg i
$ the Atlantic in latitude 45 degs., longi
J. tude 4S degs Later years have prove
t the experiences enumerated above, an
: this year of exceptional weather, bot
ahoat 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
= lately advanced that the arctic curren
: which sweeps along the northeaster
d shores of this continent and the island {
: Newfoundland until it loses itself unde
= the heated waters of the Gulf stream
has had no existence the past few months
and that consequently the Gulf streal
= has come in nearer our shores, will hare
: ly stand when subjected to the searchin
!, light of scientific inquiry. And pra'
tical refutation of this theory can /
found in the changed positions of tt
: icebergs thus far sighted, which sho
plainly that they are being moved b
), ocean currents in the direction heret
fore taken by this polar or Labrador Gu
. rent.--New York Herald.
n Queer Ideas Of Economy.
n Women have queer ideas of econom
v A few days before Christmas La