The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-11-01

Special Correspondence of the Globe.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 2S.-The United
States government has succeeded in
solving in great measure the mystery
Of the ocean currents. 1t has just caus-
ed to be issued from the photographic
office a chart, primarily intended for
he guidance of mariners, which indl-
,ates the results of labors extending
over many months. The story this
chart tells those who care to study it
s of extraordinary interest and il is
presented here for the first time in any
newspaper.
From time to time statements have
been made that the navy department
was engaged in throwing overheard
rom various government vessels bot
les. each containing a request to the
finder to note the time and place OF
finding and return the same to the
nearest representative of the United
States government. This is partially
true, but the entire truth is that these
bottles have Aeen thrown overheard
not only from, The ships of the navy
but from ships in various portions or
the world which belonged to other ma
tons. the action having in every in
stance been performed by representa-
tives of the United States hydro
grahphic office, detailed for the express
purpose.
In every one of these bottles was
the request to return referred to and
also the additional information that
the finder would be suitably rewarded
for his action The result of this has
been that very great percentage of
the bottles thrown overheard have
been recovered, for it became noised
about everywhere that to find such
bottle meant a very comfortable sum
for the discoverer thereof.
These bottles were the solution of the
problem as to how best to establish
definitely the exact facts concerning
those ocean currents which play so
great a part in navigation. The re-
suit has been astonishing. Not only
have the apparent truths concerning
the drifts been shown clearly, but new
facts of which no navigator ever
dreamed brought to light. The chart
presented herewith furnishes an idea Of
the path followed by those bottles
whose drift was confined to the At
lantic, the mapping of the drifts in
other oceans being at present imprac-
ticable, for the reason that expert
ments have as yet been too meager to
warrant the assumption of absolute
fact that the government assumes with
reference to the Atlantic.
Of the bottles, recovered, eighty-one
were cast overheard within the limits
of the North Atlantic, nine in the South
Atlantic, eight in the North Pacific,
eight in the South Pacific, and three in
the Indian ocean. Three bottles cross
ed the equator. OF these, two were in
the Atlantic both going from south to
north The first was thrown overheard
from the steamship Euphemia, March
g. 1896, in latitude 40 south, longitude
q west Aug. 4, 1896, this bottle was
recovered in latitude IL 40 north, longi-
tude 81 west. 1t had been journeying
Just 145 days, in that time had travelled
2700 miles, and it's average drift per
day was 17.6 miles.
The second bottle was thrown over
board from the steamship Wittekind,
April 25, 1896, in latitude 90 south,
longitude 80 % west. 1t was recovered
Sept. g, of the same year. in latitude
- "a north, and longitude 16 So west,
having travelled 1000 miles in 191 days,
drifting 9.9 miles each day. The trip
of the third bottle began in the China
sea and it went from north to south.
1t was dropped overheard by a repre-
sentative of the photographic office
from the ship Siam, Aug. IS, 1895, in
latitude 10 Is north, longitude 116 06
east June Z, of the following year, it
was found in latitude south, longi-