New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-05-29

that tho currents OF the North Pacific VIII carry
floating body IN that direction.
The difference OF opinion among experts remains
20 be settled by actual proof. however. and each
ship owner whose vessel IS IN the Pacific hopes that
his ship may not be called TO the theory.
The whole history OF marine study is filed with
The experiments made by students OF ocean cur
rents Prince Albert OF Monaco for three years
tested the Atlantic currents. During this time he
set aloat more than fifteen hundred thick glass
coats between the Azores and Newfoundland and
The surprisingly large number OF 27 back 20
aim IN way another. Thirty-seVen were
washed up on the shores OF the Azores. twenty
seven other African islands, twenty-five on
Norway, twenty-nine the British Isles, thirty
six on France. fourteen Spain and others on
Africa. the West Indies, the Bermudas and even
iceland Such wide separation shows the posi-
blites OF distribution by ocean currents and also
abe basis OF the fears OF the nayigators OF the
Pacific. For 81 is clear that roughly speaking one
seventh OF the floats set adrift by Prince Albert
were actually traced Suppose one-seventh OF the
alleged four hundred floating Russian mines should
be equally widely scattered, and subsequently
Bound. That would mean that nearly sixty engines
OF Obstruction would be landed In the harbors and
shores OF the Pacific. Il would mean that the
haraors OF the Philippines OF China OF British
Columbia and Of California would al be visited
Moreover. only those floats that ashore were
accounted Tor by the Prince OF Monaco. Many of
the mines might be encountered by ships, and the
Tate or the Hatsuse leaves little doubt 10 what
the result OF such an encounter would be. 1t Is
hard 70 in view OF the opinions advanced by ex-
perts and the results OF actual experiments with
ocean currents. how Il viii be possible to avoid
tragedies ~ sea, II. as the reports announce. the
Russians have launched such q fearful hotilla Of
mines.
OF course. the dangers IN the Pacific are at pres
ent only matters OF conjecture, but neutral nayi-
cation is at this moment exposed 20 serious dan
gers II only IN limited field. The Port Arthur
peninsula. from which these mines have been
launched, Juts down lato the YeIiow Sea ana al
most cuts IT in half. On the inner side ara stu
aisd the various Chinese ports for the trade OF
NortA China, Including Taku. the port OF Tientsin
and also OF Picking. and on the outer side IN ad-
duon 10 the Chinese port Of Chez Foo are the Brit
ish port OF Mei-Hai-Wei and the German colony
OF t4do-Ohou- About the waters adjacent to these
ports foreign waraldps always stationed while
TIE neutral shipping OF the worlc must mass to
the sie;tr'l country OF China within the shortest
distance - Port Arthur 60 the inner arm OF
The yellow SEA-. known the Gulf OF Pechili
~ the present time. when the summer rnonsoo,~
are moving from sea 10 land objects set afoat ar
Port Arthur viii dTift through these Two bosie. .
water bounding the fortihcations az port ArtS,-
and no vessel bound Tor any port within this ZONE
would be safe. The Hatsuse was sunk more ,ba,
ten miles from shore. Ia the interval these mines
haNe mad time 20 float SIN further into the rniss,
OF an inland sea filed with neutral shining WITH
the steamships OF Europe and the 5unks OF Asia
and not few from America
Another Interesting possibility presents i,se,.
Mhen the winter monsoon comes the pravasns,
VINO Is on shore Debris from Japan and China
as ~ the past frequently been found on the shores
Ct the Philippines and OF The Dutch East rna,o.
Mines carried into al the intricate nasssxa. hs.
swssn NE whole vast system OF Islands from