The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1903-09-25
PATHS OF THE OCEAN
ORIGIN or THE LANES TNAvsRoec
ey ATLANTIC LINERS.


liner the statement sometimes APPEAR
that she came by the southern routs'
TO avoid ice or that she made her nrs'
trip Of the season by the northerr
lane" To the ordinary reader the ides
OF lanes or pathways on what we have
been taught TO think Of as tho track
less sea" seems somewhat paradoxical,
but II you consult the charts In the OF
flce OF a steamship manager or In tha
United States hydrographic office instea,
OF the ordinary map you will find that
there are four we'll defined highways
across the north Atlantic az clearly
marked TO the navigator's perception
az Ia n time worn turnpike on land b
the eyes OF the pedestrian.
II ia over these great ocean thorough
fares TINT the Atlantic liers, with their
tens OF thousands Of passengers and
their hundreds Of thousands OF tons oi
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 saii
ing ships and by the fishermen who ply
their trade of the Grand banks. The
situation OF small craft on the liners
route would be comparable TO That oi
n man driving light runabout along
railway track cleared for the fast I'm
tied. for these main Travelled lines have
been set aside by custom and agree
o &C., nUh
presses. Nobody IL delayed at sidings
or confined to special tracks, however
for the rest Of the oceap In left TO the
ordinary mariner.
IL In only n few years since tho trackf
upon which the great liners shall run
have been 40 clearly defined. Ever since
the commerce OF the north Atlantic M
sumed important proportions sailing
masters have followed In n genera
way the great circle that curves north
ward from tho west const OF England
and Ireland until II reaches about A.
degrees north latitude In midocean,
then bears southwestward past the
coast of Newfoundland and Cape Race.
Early experience proved that this was
the shortest and no, Of course, the
quickest route between Europe and
such ports ms Boston, New York ann
Philadelphia.
While steam navigators kept fairly
ncnr this course II was natural
enough tbat they should vary from II
somewhat according to tho theories OF
individual captains. With the nuitipii'
cation Of steamships and the rapid In
crease In speed the very fact that MI
the larger and swifter vessels kept b
one pnrticuiap pnrt - the ocean greatiy
increased the danger Of collision %
tween them. When forty or nfV sWin
steamers were crossing the AuantS0 q
the same time In one direction or thf
other. all keeping to the samo genssal
course irrespective Of tho direction "
which they were travelling. II was %
vious TINT the possibility Of two a
them coming together In thick weafhu
wns too great to be contemplated pseas'
nntly.
SO Lieutenant Maury Of tho Untod
States navy made the suggestion that
all fast steamships should traverse Ger
tain fixed routes, which he indicated
paths following tho great circle pretty
closely. for II was natural that ths
steamship companies would not agrcc
to the adoption OF any route that In
yolved loss OF time In making the
ocean passage.
The most important provision sug
gested by Lieutenant Mnury was thai
vessels going In opposite directions
should observe the rules Of the rood by
pnssing one another on the port side
To carry ont this plan he proposed that
west bound vessels should keep about
one degree to the northward OF thos
east bound. Thus the greatest danger
from the following OF indiscriminoto
routes that OF collision between fasi
ships would be avoided. While IL Is
desirable I'm point OF time for ships Ia
steer their course far to the north. the
presence OF Ice asd fog In the high lat
itudes makes II impracticablc for them
TO do 40 during fully half the year. Ac.
cordingly, Lieutenant Maury provided
for two great highways, one for sum
ncr. the othsF Dr winter, one abou'
three degrees to thu northwnrd or the
other and each With west p9und an0
east bound tracks.
The rivalry between the different
lines was No great ut that time tha'
each hesitated TO give unconditional
adherence 10 the plan, fearing tha'
some other would gain an advantage
Two prominent steamship managers,
however. quickly appreciated tho al
yantagcs OF Lieutenant Maury's piar
and independently Of their competitors
gave instructions to their captains &c
follow the lines laid down by him
These two men were Clement A. Girls
com. then the head OF the American
line, and Thomas IL. Ismay, director OF
the white Star line. As these two lines
thes owned the fastest and most per
feet ships pp the Atlantic, the influence
OF their example was very powerful.
There IL no doubt that the adoption
iof these lanes has been ~ tha utmost
Importance in increasing the safety sl
ocean travel-nnd possesses distinct ad
vnntages aside from eliminating the
possibility OF head on collisions be
tween the liners. Extra precautions
are taken 60 keep the great highway
clear Of dcrelicts and other ioatins
dangers er 80 give warning OF thei'
presence.
Since the masters of sailing vessel
know the steamer routes. they consul