The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-10-23
TRAVELS OF A WRESTLING BUOY.
They Have Furnished the Hydro
graphic Bureau with Information.


The navigators Of the western Atlantic
Ocean. and. indeed. a great many scien-
lists are deeply interested in the era
tic wanderings Of the Marthas Vineyard
whisulng buoy, which went adrift from
its location I'm 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 It was again seen
by a passing vessel on September Sth.
I'm latitude %, longitude -. nearly 80
miles due east from the position IN which
It was last seen on July 9Th.
The United States photographic officials
have become m1ch interested I'm the drift
of this buoy, and have already gained
valuable information regarding the cur
rents 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 "a shoal. Every issue OF the
North Atlantic pilot chart for nearly
two years past has contained the dotted
drifts Of the buoy and Information re-
garding It Is largely sought after from
all shipmasters crossing I'm the locality
where II was last reported. This months
charts. just Issued. show that I'm Fcbr-
uary. 1897. the buoy was 600 miles 10 the
northward and eastward OF the Island
of Bermuda. II was next reported April
18th Of that year $50 miles southwest Of
that position. and then nothing was heard
from the wandered until October 27th
when it was reported by a ship captain
IN about latitude g. longitude SO. show
ing a drift 10 the northward and east
ward Of so miles in six months time.
Next Il must have headed away about
east-northeast. for on January s. 1893
II turned up I'm latitude g. longitude 49,
It's next course was off northwest. for
on May 21st IL was seen in latitude %,
longitude 8. June 4fh the wandering
buoy was seen IN latitude 81 longitude
A.. showing tremendous drift 90 the
southeast. From then on 10 July 9Th,
when next seen. if took a slow and short
drift Of about seventy-fye miles due
south At this point it changed ITS
course and IS now heading due west in
the line OF Cape Hattcras
For some years past the hydrograph-
ers have gained valuable Information re-
garding currents. &c. by having shin
masters throw overheard bottles bearing
In them the date and geographical posi-
ton where this messenger Of Neptune
was cast adrift. 20 determine the velo-
city and direction OF tine sea surface cur
rents. Only a small percentage Of these
bottles are ever recovered. They pro-
badly fulfil their purpose and reach the
land only 20 become imbedded I'm the
sands. Hence 70 naturally follows that
the velocity OF any current cannot be
accurately determined I'm this way. For
this reason the Martha's Vineyard buoy
with its small exposed surface 20 the
rf..1 Co
termining currents. and II IS for this
reason so much interest attaches 10 st.
A bottle thrown overheard from Il ves-
sci south Of Newfoundland may make
a complete circuit of the North Atlantic
by way Of the Azores. West Indies Gulf
Of Mexico and Florida coast. AS q rule.
however. such a bottle viii bring up be-
tween the Ushant and North Cape Of
Norway.
II thrown overheard near tho Azores
4 bottle will likely find it's way 10 the
Canary Islands. the Cape Verde Islands.
and the West Indies. Several bottles
have travelled over 500 miles and three
years elapsed between departure and
arrivals. Three bottles thrown over
board by Capt. scroggie. when in COM
mand OF the British steamship Daeo.
VIII = foundered at sea not long ago I'm
latitude ~, longitude A. m the same
instant were recovered after drift Of
I .2c0 miles close 20 each other during the
same week. Derclict ships follow gem
orally well-doinod routes which coincide
with bottle drifts. The remarkable drift
of the lumber-ladcn American schooner
W. i. White Is still fresh in the mem
DRY 81 Atlantic navigators. She was
abandoned in the blizzard Of March. lSSS
off the Delaware Capes. and toward the
end Of January Of the next year she
stranded on the Hebrides and her cargo
was saved
The lumber-laden schooner Wyer G.
Sargent is reported 20 have drifted about
for over three years and finally her hulk
stranded In the west Indies The schoon-
or Fannie T. Wolston, lumber laden. was
abandoned IN October. 1901 off Norfolk.
She drifted east to longitude 90 then
south. and eventually she proceeded west
along the thirtieth parallel. curved north
and northeast. and was last sighted four
years ago six degrees east of the Della
ware Canes.