The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-08-18
RuLEs q LIE RoAO q sEA.


Measures OF PrerautIon Taken BY the Big
Transatlantic Liners
With only few exceptions, the req
ular steamship lines pursue weld =
fined paths, in going and coming across
the Atlantic, and this not only averts
the danger of collision, but is an ele-
ment OF safety in case OF disaster, as
a ship If IN the s'lane, y is reasonably
sure Of being sighted, if not by one
of her stsr ships, by one Of some
other line The closely calculated
sailing directions under which cap
tains guide their crafts across the
water O. ovide for reaching specified
meridians OF longitude while on GER
tain pa allels OF latitude, the merid-
ian SO degrees wet being mostly
used as a basis for reckoning. Com
ing westward. says the New York
Tribune, the Cunarders will cross
that line in latitude As north, or less
than THAI figure; the White Star
Line divides the year into Two PARTS.
aud from February to August runs
with the Cunard steamers; from Au-
gust to Fe bruary, however It's YES
sells keep further north, and the
limit for crossing the meridian is As
degrees so minutes north The
American Line gets one degree
nearer the equator, and strikes so
degrees west on the fOrty-secOad par
allel, while the North German Lloyd
captains sal under ''go-as-yOu-
please orders, crossing the merid an
OF so. however, about eighty miles
south OF the Virgin Rocks, or a lit
tie to the north OF the forty fourth
parallel Going eastward. however,
the figures change slightly and the
Cunard Line reaches the mark Of so
L. 2 3,
westward crossing point. while the
White Star Line drops its division OF
the year and sticks to a course still
nearer the equator than its red-fun-
nelled rival, making the fOrty-hrst
parallel the objective point or juno
tiOn with the meridian throughout
the year.
One great danger of the transat-
lantic voyage is in passing the New
foGndland and Georges fishing banks
Little two maSted cOcklesheIls swarm
over the places where lish are known
to congregate. and, blow high or
blow lew. poke their noses UP into
the wind and let it keep on blowing,
while the guiding spirits OF the fTail
craft are out in their dories chasing
a school OF cod or haddOck- " hen
fog settles down on the water and q
damp, gray blanket Of mist shuts out
from view everything but the tumb-
ling wave that happens &c be right
under the beat, there they st1y IN
til they are either loaded with fish
or short of provisions, when they
ssuD killick' and away or home. At
night it is the same as in fog and
whie it sometimes happens that the
schooner itself is smashed to sLlin-
tiers or cut in two or sunk, it is more
often the case that a boat d short
distance from her is cut down and
two or more men added to the long
and tear mOistened list Of missing
from the fishing feet"
The new rules Of the road revive
the article of the law of 1855, which
provide that open boats and fishing
vessels of less than twenty tons
shall have a lantern with two
glasses, one showing a red and the
other green light, which shall be
shown on the proper side of the boat
when approached by another vessel.
and another section prov des that
roaming boats, whether under sail or
oars, shall carry a lantern showing a
white light which must be exhibited
as d warning to approaching era t.
With these rules strictly enforced
and OF international effect, it is
hoped that many Of the per Is of the
sea Will be overcome, for while the
big steamer may come safely TO port
aud land her paSse Myers all right it
is not pleasant to think that in a
rush for a record human lives have
been sacrificed that might have been
saved il strict attention had been
given by all concerned to the rules OF
the road