Evening journal., 1903-09-19
\ THIS OF THE OCEAN
Sin OF THE LANES TRAvERsFD o
g.ts BY ATLANTIC LINERS. Iaa

ii by Lieutenant mnury-hAnl
the Danger OF Collisions. sr
In reports Of the arrival Of an ocean
|iiner the statement sometimes appears
|that she came 'by the southern route"
sto. avoid ice or that she made her first
Itrip of the season "by the northern /
Name" To the ordinary reader the idea
Nj lanes or pathways on what we have
NDeen taught to think of as "the track
Rass sea- seems somewhat paradoxical,
&Dut.f If you consult the charts in the Of
hce Of steamship manager or in the
CnitedStates photographed office instead
4of the ordinary map you will find that
khere are four well defined highways
kacross the north Atlantic as clearly
|snarked to the navigator's. perception
Ms is a time worn turnpike on land TO
4 khe eyes of the pedestrian.
81 1t is over these great ocean thorough
that the Atlantic fiers, with their
ems of thousands Of passengers and
n heir hundreds Of thousands Of tons Of
Freight, pass on their voyages between
america and Europe. They are closely
bdhered to by all fast steam vessels
Ehnd lust as carefully avoided by sail
6 fng ships and by the fishermen who ply
heir trade or the Grand banks. Inc
B. ituation of small craft on the liners
skoute would be comparable to that OF
III man driving light runabout along
ailwav track cleared for the fast I'm
ted. for these main Travelled lines have
been set aside by custom and agree
nent for the Atlanucs lightning ex-
II bresses. Nobody is delayed at sidings
q n confined to special tracks, however,
or the rest Of the ocean is left to the
ordinary mariner.
f4 1t is only a few years since the tracks
&rpen which the great liners shall run
nave been so clearly defined. Ever since
he commerce Of the north Atlantic as
Bumed important proportions sailing
masters have followed in a general
gay the great circle that curves north
ward from the west coast of England
nd ireland until it reaches about 46
egrees north latitude In midocean,
HEN bears southwestward past the
oast of Newfoundland and Cape Race.
Carly experience proved that this was
he shortest and so. Of course, the
fuickest route between Europe and
uch ports as Boston. New York and
Philadelphia.
While steam navigators kept fairly
ear this course it was natural
nough that they should vary from it
omewhat according to the theories Of
Individual captains. With the multlph-
alton Of steamships and the rapid In
rease in speed the very fact that all
he larger and swifter vessels kept to
me particular part of the ocean greatly
Increased the danger Of collision be
ween them. When forty or fifty swift
|teamers were crossing the Atlantic at
he same time IN one direction or the
Their. all keeping to the same general
curse irrespective Of the direction IN
Gich they were travelling, It was OBJ
ass that the possibility OF two OF
p,em coming together In thick weather
rs too great to be contemplated pleas
SO Lieutenant Maury of the United
tates navy made the suggestion thai
|il fast steamships should traverse Ger
ain fixed routes, which he Indicated
aths following the great circle prettS
Hosely. for il was natural that the
teamship companies would not agree
the adoption Of any route that in
olved loss Of time in making tho
cean passage. -ciu
The most important provision sug
ested by Lieutenant Maury was thai
essels going in opposite direction
hould observe the rules of the road by
assing one another on the port side
10 carry out this plan he proposed tha
vest bound vessels should keep abou
ne degree to the northward Of thos
A asst bound. Thus the greatest dange
rom the following Of indiscriminat'
outes-that Of collision between fas
hips-wouId be avoided. While it 4
esirable in point Of time for ships f
teer their course far to the north, tn
resence Of ice and fog in the high lat
udes makes it impractieable for then
do so during fully half the year. Ac
ordingly. Lieutenant Maury provide'
or two great highways, one for sum
ler. the other for winter, one abou
hree degrees to the northward of tn
ther and each with west bound an
asst bound tracks.
The rivalry between the differen
nes was 50 great at that time tha
ach hesitated to give uneonditona
difference to the plan. fearing tina
ONE other would gain an advantage
wo prominent steamship managers
owever. quickly appreciated the ac
antaees OF Lieutenant Maury's pla
nd independently Of their competitor
ave instructions to their captains {
ollow the lines laid down by hin
hese two men were Clement A. Gri:
ON. then the head Of the America
ne. and Thomas II. Ismay, director {
he White Star line AS these two line
hen owned the fastest and most PEI
oct ships on the Atlantic, the inhuenc
+ their example was very powerful
There is no doubt that the adoptio
L these lanes has been Of the utmo'
nportance in increasing the safety
cean travel and possesses distinct az
antages aside from eliminating th
disability Of head on collisions -b'
ween the liners Extra precauton
re taken to keep the great highwa
lear OF dereiicts and other tioatin
anGers- or to give warning OF the
resence.
Since the masters of sailing vesse
now the steamer routes. they consul
leir own safety by avoiding them an