The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-10-10
HOW TO DODGE THE HORN.
An Able Seaman Dispenses
Free Geography.
Mate Thorndike Tells Of the Straits Of Ls
Marie and Why Few Ships Go
Through Them.

First Mate Thorndike of the British ship
MashoDa, now lying at Oakland wharf 10.
had little talk with a CALL reporter yes
terday, and, in the course of the converse
tioD, incidentally referred to the fact that
he was on the Merionethshire when that
vessel made the quickest passage on record
to San Francisco from the United Kingdom.
The trip was made four years ago and the
time was Dinety-six days.
"And now," said Mate Therndike, 81 am
going to ask you question. How many
schoolmarms in California know for fact
that there are two ways of coming to Saa
Francisco from New York or Europe by
way of South America without rounding the
Horn? Ask them. l would almost wager
everything possess on the proposition that
without preparation they would tell you
that the only way to avoid the Horn IS By
going through the Straits of Magellan.
Now, am not teaching geography, but
every sailor knows OF the Straits Of lie
Marie. But how many presumably WE'LL
informed people in San Francisco or in
London, for that matter, know that there is
another short cut through the South Ameri-
can continent?
''The Menonethshired did not come through
the Straits of LIE Marie when she made her
ninety-six days passage, bat sailing ships
have passed through those straits, ani II ali
the conditions were favorable the trip
might be thus shortened nearly seven days,
so tnat theoretically modern sailing shin
might reach this port in eighty days or even
less. But sailing ships very rarely il dee cd
come through these straits. Time is lt SO
much an object as II was in the days OF taa
fifties, and in addition the vessel that
undertook it would forfeit her Insurance.
No insured sailing vessel ever comes
through the Straits of LIE Marie. | ava
sailed through those straits once and aE.
not care 30 DAFT again.
"The Straits Of Magellan and the 81 ats
of LIE Maire represent i've aiteTnatly as
against rounding the Horn. NeffHe g
them is at any time beset or blocked by ice.
The icefioes travel from west to east rouHd
the Horn, many degrees to the south OF the
Straits of LIE Maire, which lie between the
southern end of Terra del Fuego aud Staten
Island. By going through the Straits OF
LIE Marie q ship can save 1000 miles, but yea
will readily understand that, as the north
ern summer is the Antarctic winter, nc
vessel would ever attempt the passage ia
June, July or August.
THE Magellan passage is only possible for
steamboats, anyhow. The reason is that
sailing vessel must find an anchorage on tbs
way through. and there are five of these
anchorages. But none of these can be mad6.
because the current is very strong, ospa-
eiatly at full moon, and because there is no
wind. On the average the Magellan Straits
are not more than four miles wide III the
thirty miles of their length, aud often the
width is only one mile.
THE Straits OF LIE Marie are FIVE degrees
further south. They are about thirty
miles through and as many miles across,
but the trouble is that When you get to tbs
Pacific side there is a current dead against
you, and northwest gales setting you dead
on a rockbound coast.
Just take up a good map of the south of
South America and have talk with an ald
seaman" said Mate Thorn dixie, as he bade
the reporter good-by. ''It'is part of the
world that is going to b, come interesting
very soon, and the events of the last two
years are going TO lead up to others that
may make knowledge Of the crosscuts Il
the Southern Continent very interesting 10
statesmen before very long. Try and Get
that knowledge. Look at the Falkand
twin straits of Magellan and LIE Mare.
Get it into your mind. You viii not regret
the trouble"