The evening times., 1896-01-06
STUDY DRIfT|h6BQIHES.
Scientists Enabled to Trace the
Course Of Ocean Currents. !.
SOME INTERESTING FACTS
Observations Made mnd Reported by
the photographic Office = Sent
Adrift Off Newfoundland aud Car
ried Across the Atlan nfic. Around the
Azores and Finally 70 tiie Bahamas.

The study OF the ocean currents contained
in the pilot chart for January, Just issue
by the United States photographic Office
is the result of the recovery OF seventy -linc
| bottles inciosing data. The list is notable
for the large number of bottles recovered
OIL the west coast OF Ireland nd the channel
| shores of England during May, June, July
and August OF last year.
During that period normal weather pre-
vailed i'll that region, westerly winds having
blown for sixty-;wo days OF the period,
with few storms, and these Of no violence.
From a scientific point this drift of the bot.
ties is noteworthy because it gives no eyi-
dence OF the supposed Rennelrs current.
The drift OF bottle No. ] i'll the chart
is one OF the most interesting in the history
OF the Hydrographic Office. The bottle
was set adrift from the yacht L'NirondeIle,
belonging to his royal higbness, Prince OF
Monaco, during her thru scientific cruise
between latitude 80 degrees 5S minutes
north Longitude 3G degrees = 8 minutes west,
and latitude 45 degrees 80 minutes north,
and longitude rs degrees "a minutes west.
Along this line, extending distance OF
about 800 miles, more than 900 bottles
were thrown overheard.
DRIFTED 6,O0O MILES.
His royal highness cast No. / bottle
adrirt IL July, 1887, and it WAS not re-
covered until March IL, 1895, having
been adrift seven years and eight months.
II was thrown overheard In latitude 43
degrees north, longitude AZ degrees west;
1t was recovered in latitude 22 degrees, 80
minutes north, longitude 73 degrees, 55
IN Tim k,.x.,
ly 2,787 days, and in that time it Travelled
q distance of 5000 miles, averaging 81
mites day.
Tracing the devious wanderings OF this
bottle ON the chart, 1t is seen that il
started on its long journey just Off the
banks or Newfoundland, the currents swept
it across the Atlantic and around the
Azores, then down toward Madeira close TO
the coast or Africa; then across the At
lantic again, through the Caribbean Sea
and close to the Bahamas, where it was re-
covered last March.
The next longest drift recorded was
the bottle sent adrift from the brigan
tine Charles Cotesworth, June 80, 1890,
in latitude 1925 N, longitude ~ 90 W.
IL was not found until five years later,
having drirted 4 300 miles in ! sos days,
or an average daily drift OF 2.5 miles.
A bottle thrown overheard from the
bark st. Mary July Z, 1899, was discov-
cred July 4, 1895, having drtfted 1900
miles, making an average daily drift or
1876 miles.
From Il purely scientific point the most
interesting drifts OF all were made by
bottles designated Nos. % and 70 On the
chart. Both began their travels in near
ly the same spot, and within a week of
each other: but each terminated its yoy-
age long distances apart. Bottle 81 was
started in latitude 52.37, longitude 2S.32.
and No. % in latitude 52.I ., longitude 24.12.
Number 81 was discovered in latitude sos,
longitude IS, and No. 90 in latitude 1929
and longitude A.. The first was aficat
for l52 days nd driftcd 600 miles, while
the second was afioat for 2o5 days and
drifted only 500 miles. In commenting on
these drifts the chart says:
CURRENTS AT THE EQUATOR.
Number 81 was probably given its
first impulse northward by the south west
criy winds which prevailed in this region
from December TO December Is, 1894, as
shown by the Greenwich noon synoptic
weather charts. Number 81 was carried
southwark by the succeeding northwesterly
winds, which did not extend beyond the
fifty-fifth parallel. The severe easterIy
weather OF February, Ss5. giving north
easterly winds south Of the fiftieth parallel,
and southedsterly north or this parallel,
probably served TO carry the bottles TO
their deStinat Ions"
In concluding It's observations ON the
drift of the bottles the chart says: The
uniformly high velocity of bottle papers in
water near the equator strengthens the
opinion stated by Lieut.. Commander Pills
bury that the westerly drift In these re-
gions is but slightly modified by variations
of the trade Winds
The chart also makes reference to ice
bergs in the South Atlantic. For the in
formation OF mariners it quotes a letter
received from Capt. Macmillan OF the Brit
ish ship Dudhope, which pictures the dangers
OF these icy derelicts. The captain says:
Careful tiermometric observations vi
air and water were regularly taken, but
our approach to ice, always from wind
ward, was not at once indicated by any
change of temperature in either
air or water. On passing to leeward OF
bergs n fall of a few degrees was always
observed In the air. On one occasion We
passed within a cables length of berg
and found the temperature to be the same
there as at several miles distance. This
would go To show that in thick weather.
or in any other-even temperature and ther-
at normal height should not be ac-
cepted as q reliable guarantee OF immu-
nifty from ice. Care and a most vigiIant
lookout are the only relia BILE safeguards.
To depend on the therIpometer would mean
would he too close to the ice TO extricate
herself by the time the thermometer would
Indicate its presence"