The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1903-12-05
PATHS OF THE OCEAN
ORIGIN OF THE LANES TRAVERSFO
BY ATLANTIC LINERS.

The Northern ana SOutheFn hohtS@
to and From Europe, as Indicated
by Lieutenant Maury-NIinimiEing
the Danger of Collisions.
In reports of the arrival of an ocean
finer the statement sometimes appears
that she came by the southern route
to avoid ice or that she made her first
trip of the season by the northern
lane" To the ordinary reader the idea
of lanes or pathways on what we nave
been taught to think of as the track
less sea" seems somewhat paradoXical,
but if you consult the charts in the Of
fee of steamship manager or IN the
United States photographic office instead
of the ordinary map you VIII ma that
there are four well defined highways
across the north Atlantic as clearly
as is time worn turnpike on land to
the eyes of the pedestrian.
1t is over these great ocean thorough
fares that the Atlantic tiers, with their
tens OF thousands of passengers and
their hundreds of thousands OF tons OF
freight. pass on their voyages between
America and Europe. They are closely
adhered to by all fast steam vessels
and just as carefully avoided by SAIL
Ing ships and by the fishermen who ply
then trade off the Grand banks. The
situation of a small craft on the liners
route would be comparable to that OF
a man driving light runabout along
railway track cleared for the fast Inn
tied, for these main Travelled lines have
been set aside by custom and agree
ment for the Atlontic's lightning eA-
presses Nobody is delayed at sidlngs
or confined to special tracks, however,
for the rest of the ocean is left to the
ordinary mariner.
II is only few years since the tracks
upon which the great liners snail run
have been so clearly defined Ever since
the commerce of the north Atlantic as
sumed important proportions sailing
masters have followed in general
way the great circle that curves north
ward from the west coast of England
and Ireland until ii reaches about At
degrees north latitude in mldocean,
then bears southwestward past the
coast Of Newfoundland and Cape Race,
Early experience proved that tnls was
the shortest and so, of course. the
quickest route between Europe ana
such ports as Boston, New York and
Philadelphia.
While steam navigators kept fairly
near this course it was natural
enough that they should vary from II
somewhat according to the theories or
individual captains. With the multiple
cation of steamships and the rapid in
crease in speed the very fact that all
the larger and swifter vessels kept to
one particular part Of the ocean greatly
Increased the danger Of collision be
tween them. When forty or fifty SWIFT
steamers were crossing the Atlantic at
the same time in one direction or the
other. all keeping to the same general
course irrespective Of the direction In
which they were travelling, II was OBJ
yious that the possibility of two or
them coming together in thick weather
was too great to be contemplated pleas
antiy.
So Lieutenant Maury OF the United
States navy made the suggestion that
all fast steamships should traverse GER
tain fixed routes. which he Indicated
paths following the great circle pretty
closely. for 1t was natural that the
steamship companies would not agree
10 the adoption Of any route that in
yolvcd a loss of time in making the
ocean passage.
The most important provision sug
g.sted ny Lieutenant Maury was that
vessels going in opposite directions
should observe the rules of the road by
passing one another on the pert side,
TO carry out this plan he proposed that
west bound vessels should keep about
one degree to the nOrthward Of those
east bound Thus the greatest danger
from the following of ind4Scrininate
routes-that of collision between fast
ships-would be avoided. Willie IL Is
desirable in point OF time for ships to
steer their course far to the north the
presence Of ice and fog in the high lat.
itudes makes it impracticable for them
10 do so during fully half the year. Ac-
cordingly. Lieutenant Maury provided
I for two great highways, one for sum
u,er. the other for winter, one about
three degrees to the nOrthward Of thc
/ other and erch with west bound ard
east Oound tracks.
I The rivalry between the dif"r"n
! lines was SO great at that time that
! each hpsitated TO give uncondlliphhl
adherence TO tn, plan fearing mat
( some other would gain an advantage.
! Two prominent steamship managers.
however, quickly appreciated tue ad.
/ vantages Of Lieutenant Maury. plan
I and independently Of their competitors
gave Instructions to their captains 10
follow the lines laid down BIS him
These two men were Clement y. Girls
rom. then the head of the American
line. and Thomas II. lsmay. director or
The White star line. As these two lines
then owned the fastest and most per
feet shius on tHp Atlantic the influence