The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1901-09-28

| lty OF bottles they may find drifting
and again to turn them adrift after
observing the original place they were
| thrown into the sea indicated on the
| waterproof paper supplied by the two
governments to ships assisting in the
plan.
Recent reports present some re-
| markable drifts of bottles, several
having gone as far as the distance
across the ocean, and one double that
distance. They vary from only a few
miles to over 35 days, which is al
most the average of the usual dire
lict exposed to the wind and often
borne rapidly by the small portion
of woodwork above water serving as
a catch for the breezes. One bottle
has the record of 1920 miles trav-
ersed in 5557 days at the average of
12 miles a lay. This bottle was
thrown overheard from the ship Com
leback. of the Spanish merchant SER
vice: another irifted $500 miles in
GOA days. at the average of IL miles
a day. while third travelled $500
miles in AIS days.
The most remarkable drift of all.
however. was that of a bottle that
went 20 miles in two days. or at the
rate of 35 miles a day. Another ira
yelled 1000 miles in eight days. at the
rate 25.S miles day. while still an
other 300 miles in 164 days, at the
rate of 10 miles day. The latter
shows the quickest drift for long
distance of any bottle reported
Long distance drifting in the Paci.
fic is especially noticeable in the re.
ports received here. March "a. 1897.
a bottle was tossed into the sea from
the ship Rockhurst. and. after drift
ing for 742 days was picked up. hav-
ing covered in direct line 800
miles. or the entire distance from San
Francisco to China. It's average rate
was 1919 knots a day. Another bottle
thrown into the sea from the Span
ish ship Belmont on October 10, 1896.
and reported June "a, 1899. travelled
1000 miles in the interval at the rate
of II knots a day. Still another
thrown into the sea September. 1898
and reported IA months after had
sailed 5000 miles at the rate Of 1913
knots a day. The number of bottles
picked up and investigated incrc Uses
each year.
The main features indicated in the
drifts are that bottles thrown into
the sea near the equatorial and trade
wind region tend to the westward ard
usually bring up in the West Indies
or on the Mexican coast. as evidenced
by the numerous bottles cast airift
between Madeira and the fairway Of
Cape San Rogue. off the east coast
of Brazil. Along the American coast
and north of the fortieth parallel
these conditions are reversed, Here
the general set of the waters is to
the northward and eastward, and bot
ties put in the sea in that region u.s.
ually find their way to the north coast
of Ireland or even farther north
This is unquestionably due to the in
huence of the gulf stream, which
takes an easterly and nOrtherly di-
rection, after spreading out in mid
ocean. Here, too, the velocity is much
less than in the equatorial regions.
Between these two main drifts. and
occupying a stretch of ocean extend
inc in latitude from 25 degrees north
to 40 degrees north and in longitude
from 30 degrees west to 60 degrees
west, lies dcbatable region crossed
by numerous steamship and sailing
routes and within which bottles are
in all probability as frequently cast
adrift as in other portions of the sea
The recovery of such bottles. how
ever, is rare, the records of the ny
geographic office furnishing but SIX
since 1888. The average velocity
| daily of the 20 bottles which landed
on the coast of Europe was five miles
The bottles which drifted entirely
| across the ocean from west to east
| unite in giving an average somewhat
higher than usual. the last two hav-
ing travelled ia miles and 80 miles
per day respectively. For those
thrown overheard in the north equa-
| torial drift the average WAS 10.S miles
| a day. while those travelling along
| the north coast of South America
| averaged 81 miles a day. A chart of
the North Atlantic shows hundreds
of bottles drifting about the ocean
which may some time be reported by
ships crossing the seas Baltimore
| Sun.