The Washington herald., 1908-01-05

New York, Jan. 4-When two or more
deep-sea shippers have gathered to-
gether in shipping offices, or in comfOr-
table resorts IN the waterboard districts
of this city in the past fortnight. the
conversation sooner or later has newt
ably turned to the proposed passage of
the Straits of Magellan by the sixteen
battle ships of Admiral Evans fleet
The subject is absorbing, and. curious
ly enough, one in regard TO which the
captains Of square riggers of the past
and present must play the part OF lis
teners TO their brethren Of vessels pro-
PEELED by steam. The windjammer man
Will tell you most picturesquely, if he be
of a poetic turn Of mind. about the ply
steal appearance of the entrance TO the
Straits-the storied Virgins; but he can
tell little more, because, dreaded as
Cape Horn may be- it is the sailing ship S
only safe way into the Pacific.
great part of the black reputation of
the Magellan Straits is due to the tales
OF the mariners Of deep-sea sailing YES
sells. Most of the yarns. all of them
thrilling and most of them true, date
back 10 the days Of the gold fever in
California in 1919 when ali sorts Of craft.
from pilot boats and cOastwise schoOn-
ers to great clippers, were utilized in the
transportation of stout hearted men, who
had given up everything in the desire
for the precious metal that lay in the
hills of the West Coast"
1t was in those days that the pilot boats
and smaller schooners braved the Straits
OF Magellan (many charts now set the
passage down as Magellan Strait. often
10 their utter discontinue. Anchorages
are few, and the captain Of the sailing
vessel leaving Punta Arenas and buck
ing through Famine Reach to Forward
Reach must be certain that neither wind
nor fog nor snow shall hold him up be-
fore good bottom for a mud-hoOk is
found. And this may be 50 or 100 miles.
The current and lack of anChOTages and
disagreeable weather conditions have al
ways interposed obstacles which the
master Of a square rigger would never
think OF attempting. and the great gaunt
cliff, seen through the Whirling snow
which tells him that Cape Horn Is but
two or three miles away, presents prob
lens vastly more simple than does the
passage of the east entrance TO the
straits.
Steamships Do It Easily.
Steamships, of course, are not vitauy
affected by currents. adverse winds and
the like, and so Cape Horn is Ignored by
them, and the passage of the straits
which separate Terra del Fuego from the
rest of the South American continent is
not regarded as an especially narrowing
experience. Captains Of South American
vessels coming into this port every other
week or so. have made the passage
thirty or forty times, and are not in
clined TO regard their record with any
special pride.
One captain Of Grace steamship, hav-
ing gone through the straits fifty times.
IS now in port In a popular little re-
treat near the Brooklyn Bridge ne in
formed a large and attentive audience
yesterday that there was no more Tea-
son. so far as he could see, why the bat
tie ships should not negotiate the pas
sage without difficulty than that they
should fail to steam safely down the
East River around Governors Island,
and through the Narrows.
You see," he said, now that the
boats have left Trinidad, they will pro-
ceed along the nearest coast to Brazil to
the Rogue (Cape st. Roque). From Trim
idad to the Rogue is about 1S00 miles
Then the feet will turn sharply 10 the
southwest for Rio de Raneiro, l, $50 miles
From Rio they viii go TO Montevide0
100 miles, and from there TO Cape Vir-
gins, l,250 miles. The Virgins are the
east entrance TO the straits which, as
you know, run east and west It is 100
miles from the Virgins to Punta Arenas
nd sIae
the western entrance to the straits So
the entire distance is 920 miles
Upon approaching Cape Virgins from
sea, the land appears ike the coast of
England-white clay cliffs, perhaps
hundred or so feet high. and covered
with a short grass. There are no trees.
It is good grazing land and on the hills
you will see thousands of sheep. The
water is good and wide. and not difficult
10 navigate This grazing land extends
as far west as Punta Arenas. The course
from the east entrance runs westward
thirty-flve miles 10 Cape Possession.
where you enter the First Narrows
These narrows are two miles wide, and
the current runs through at a rate of
from six to eight knots. which. let me
tell you, is mighty swift
Nearing Punta Arenas.
After clearing the First Narrows.
which are ten miles long you have
clear run of twenty-five miles TO the Sec
ond Narrows. Thess are three miles
wide and fifteen miles long. The current
is not so strong as in the First Narrows,
but It is strong enough.
Passing out of the Second Narrows,
the boat enters Famine Reach, where |
after steaming thirty miles. Punta Are
mas IS made. This is the southernmost
town IN the world. It has about 10000 |
inhabitants, and is a deDot for the sheen
eetatlons nearby. 1t is lighted with cleo
triclty. There are stores and a theater |
Altogether do not think the tackles |
wills be bored while the feet is coaling |
there.
Putting out from Punta Arenas. one |
sees the aspect OF the country change /
from Famine Reach before they get to |
FrOward Reach This reach is thirty |
miles long, and then comes Crooked /
Reach, fifteen miles long. There is |
then a straight run of 100 miles through /
Long Reach and Sea Reach to Cane Pill |
lar Upon passing this you are out of |
the straits.
Beyond Cape Froward. west of Punta |
Arenas. the climatic conditions change /
with the topography East of Punta Are /
mas the weather is clear and dry. but |
Immediately upon passing Froward one |
finds the change-Tain and generally dis !
agreeable weather from there until the T!
Pacific is reached.
As to trouble for the feet in making /
the passage. 7 look for none at all /
While the lights are not any too fire.
IL. 4