The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-10-19
TRAVELS OF A BUOY.

IHhNELS Ot- BOOf.
The navigators of the western Allan
| tic Ocean, and indeed a great many
scientists, are deeply interested in the
erratic wanderings of the Martha s
Vineyard whistling buoy, which went
adrift from it's location in the Vineyard
Sound more than two years ago and is
still being carried to and fro at the will
of the winds and currents After two
months without news from this strange
wanderer comes the report that il was
again seen by a passing vessel on Sept.
:, I'm latitude 35, longitude So, nearly 500
miles due east from the position in
which ii was last seen on July g.
The United States photographic Off
cials have become much interested in
the drift of this buoy and have already
gained valuable information regarding
the currents and winds of the North
Atlantic through plotting the travels
OF this strange buoy whose whistle still
sounds a warning intended only for
vessels when near n shoal. Every is
sue OF the North Atlantic pilot chart
for nearly two years past has contained
the dotted drifts of the buoy, and in
formation regarding il is largely
sought after from all shipmasters cross
ing the locality where it was last re-
ported. This months charts, just is
sued, show that in February. 1897, the
buoy was over 500 miles to the north
ward and eastward of the island of
Bermuda. II was next reported April
Is of that year $50 miles southwest of
that position, and then nothing was
heard from the wanderer until Oct. 27,
when IL was reported by a ship cap
tain i'm about latitude &C. longitude So
showing a drift TO the northward and
eastward of 800 miles in six months
time.
Next it must have headed away about
east northeast, for on Jan. S, 1898, IL
turned up in latitude 81, longitude ~.
Its next course was off northwest, for
on May 2l it was seen i'm latitude 80,
longitude June 4 the wandering
buoy was seen in latitude "a, longitude
A., showing tremendous drift to the
southeast. From then on to July 6,
when next seen. il took a slow and
short drift of about seventy-five miles
due south. At this point IL changed it's
course and is now heading due west in
the line Of Cape Hatteras.
For some years past the hydrograph-
ers have gained valuable information
regarding currents, &c. by having
throw overheard bottles
bearing in them the date and geograph-
ical position where this messenger of
Neptune was cast adrift, to determine
the velocity and direction of the sea
surface currents. Only a small per-
centage of these bottles are recovered
They probably fulfil their purpose and
reach the land only to become imbedd-
ed i'm the sands. Hence il naturally
follows that the velocity of any cur
rent cannot be accurately determined
i'm this way. For this reason the
Martha's Vineyard buoy with it's small
exposed surface TO the wind offers a
fairly correct means of determining
much interest attaches to il. A bottle
thrown overheard south OF Newfound-
land may make complete circuit of
the North Atlantic by way Of the
Azores West Indies, Gulf Of Mexico.
and Florida coast. AS a rule, however,
such bottle will bring up between
he t'shAnt and North Cape of Norway.
IT thrown overheard near the Azores
a bottle will likely find It's way 10 the
canary islands, the Cape Verde islands.
and the West Indies. Several bottles
nave travelled over 5000 miles and three
years elapsed between departure and
arrival Three bottles thrown over
board by Capt SCroggie. when I'm COM
uand of the British steamship Dago, |
which foundered at sea not long ago.
n latitude So longitude IL. at the same |
Instant were recover after drift of |
200 miles close To each other during |
he same week. Derelict ships. follow |
well-defined routes which CO. |
ncide with bottle drifts. The remark |
lbe drift OF the lumber-laden Ameri- |
AN schooner w. l.. White is still fresh /
n the memory Of Atlantic navigators. |
'he was abandoned I'm the blizzard of /
Narch. 1883. off the Delaware Capes. |
Lnd toward the end OF January Of the
icXt year she stranded on the Hebrides,
ma her cargo was saved.
The lumber-laden schooner Wycr G.. |
sargent * reported To have drifted |
bout FOR over three years and finally
Ter hulk stranded I'm the West Indies
'he schooner Fannie T.. Wolston,
lumber laden. was abandoned October.
Syl. on Norfolk She drifted east To
,ngitudc 40. then south, and eventually |
hc proceeded west along the thirtieth
arallcl. curved north and northeast.
nd was last sighted four years ago
is degree east Of the Delaware CapCs.
-nhflnIaInbfn Br.ea