The daily morning Alaskan., 1901-09-04
MAY TELL A TALE
Casks sot Adrifs In Arctic Waters
 To Study tho Currents

The theory thata ship lammcd Into thc pack icr of thc flr North and allowed to take hcr own course would work her | way somcvhrrc nclr thc North Pole. is about to bc tested by thc usc of casks. According Co Washington dispatch iu Che Ncw York Herald these experiments arc Go bc carried out by Che revenue cute Ger service in conjunction with Rear Ad- miul Melville and Che Geographical so- cioty of Philadelphia
 The study of Arctic currents which Nd- mirll Melville made when hc was mem her of Che Jeanette expedition convinced him that che solution of Che polar probe lem would ultimately hc made hy boldly pushinr ship into Che icc pack and trusting Go Che ocean currents Co carry her Into thc ucighborhood of Che North Pole When thc Jeanette was frozen in Che tee u was hoped chat she would bc carried to thc poic by this dr.ft The general direction taken by thc icc. cs- pociaUy after thc Jeanette was aband- ouod. wont far to support this theory. and it was stM further strengthened by thc rcmorkub.r drift of nr Nnnscu's ship. thc Fum. which entered tho ic. pack west of Che point where Che Jean. cite was abandoned
 Rear Admiral Melville conceived Che idca of havlue 70 large number oC spec cialiy constructed casks carried up through BcriDg Strait and set odriu In Che tee. careful records being made of Che exact latitude and longitude whcrc each cask is sent odrift Ire road a paper on che subject before tho Geographical Society of Philadelphia In l>g> which lead Go that society heartily udorsine Che project and offering to have the casks constructed AS a recognition Of Che inc terest taken bv that society. and cspcc- flly hy its president Henry e Gryuut che casks have been called Che Melville Bryant casks.
 Tho casks have Che shape of p1rubolIc spindlcs. Each cask has about N gale Ions capacity They arc made of heavy oak slaves. oucIrclod hy heavy iron bands The couicol ends orc designed Co prevent an end nip that might crush In Che ends of an ordinary cask
 The general appearance or all Che casks is much thc s1mc but two varieties arc used. differing slightly n thc method of construction.
 DIRECTIONS IN THE CASKS
 Each cask bears a conspicuous numehi painted on lts side and each contains a tightly sealed bottle In which is aIuapcr with instructions Go Che finder to cara-
 fully note thc place where Che cask is found and send Che records Co Che near est United states consul or direct Co thc Geographical Society of Philadelphia By comparing Che latitude and longitude of che place where cosk with a given number ls found with tho latitude and longitude of Che place whcrc it was put on Che ice an approximate Idea can bc formed of Che direction taken by thc cur rent between Che two places.
 10 is not expected that any of Che casks win be picked un untn two or three years after they have been sent adrIft. The first attempt Go do anything with tho casks was In i99S. when Che steam whol- ors Alexander and Thrcashcr set adrift twelve cnsks 9t various points between f6 degrees N minutes north latitude and 70 degrees go minutes north latitude. and be- tween i5 degrees and l52 degrees % min- utos west longitude. None or these casks has yet been picked up.
 REVENUE CUTTER TO DO WORK. This year the revenue cutter Bear ls Go he called Into rcuuisltion Co place lot or Che casks on Che ice as far Go the westward and northword Of Boring strait as she can safely go without being frozc in for the winter
 Capt. Shoemaker. thc chief or the rcv- cuue cutter service. entered heartily into the project, and when Che Bear sailed for Che Arctic last mSnth she car- ricd fifteen or Che Mclvnc-Bryant casks to make the distribution of them on ice ih accordance with Che instructions given by President Bryant of Che Geographical | Society
 DISTRIBUTION OF CASKS.
 The plan of the Geographical Society or Philadelphia. based on the advice or Rear ! Admiral Melville. is Co distribute tho J casks along the arc of a circle curving