Evening star., 1909-05-06
LACK OF SEA CHARTS
Increased Efficiency for Hy-
geographic Office Proposed.
PLEA OF MERCHANT MARINE
Operations Of Warships Hampered by
Want Of Maps.
BATTLESHIP FLEET INCIDENT
Purchase From. Great Britain to
Meet Deficiency on Cruisers Dis
patched to Turkey.
PLEA OF MERCHANT MARINE
3ATTLESHIP FLEET INCIDENT

When the imminent peril to American
lives and property In Turkey led the
American officials the other day to or
der the armored cruisers North Caro-
lima and Montana to proceed at the ut
most speed to Alexandretta, in Asiatic
Turkey, a striking reply was received at
the Navy Department from the COM
manding officers.
Have no charts" came the words by
wireless from the assembled vessels at
the naval station at Guantanamo, Cuba.
To have steamed to New York to OBJ
tain the necessary charts OF the Mediter-
ranean waters to be visited was to i'm
peril American lives and American in
terests just so many days, besides In
curing an additional cost.
1t being a time of peace, the United
States was able to purchase the desired
charts from Great Britain. The Amer
lean warships started for Turkey, con-
tent to be guided in times Of need by
British maps and charts.
Battleship Fleet Incident.
When the battleship feet was ordered
to prepare for the trip around the world
it took the Navy Department four
months to ''buy, beg and borrow the
1000 maps and charts necessary not only
for the battleships, but for vessels Of
all kinds that accompanied the big ships
of war.
Practically every officer Of high rank
that sailed on the fleet has joined with
and interests in asking for an exten-
sion of the work Of the photographic bu-
reau of the Navy Department. charged
with the responsibility of surveying the
, fnv~ Sa6-
ditional information in regard to the
oceans comes from commercial organiza-
tions along the gulf.
1t is probable that campaign will be
conducted for radical increase in the
work of the photographic bureau, which
not only furnishes charts and maps for
the American navy, but is the only
branch of the government that can thus
aid the commerce of the United States.
Chart of South Atlantic.
AS result of the growth of trade in
the south Atlantic new activities are
already to be noted in the bureau. Some
time in June there will appear the first
pilots chart of the south Atlantic ocean
ever published by the United States.
Thereafter similar charts of that sec
ton of ocean will be printed quarterly.
This chart is now being prepared in
the photographic Office. 1t will be pat
termed after pilot chart of the north At
lantic ocean, but, on account of the lack
of data, will not be so complete. 1t
will contain information concerning the
expected average condition OF wind and
weather and recommended routes for
steam and sail.
Derelicts, wrecks. drifting buoys. ocean
currents, storm tracks and magnetic va
riations will be represented on the chart
by appropriate colors and symbols. From
time to time special subjects of interest
to the navy and commercial vessels will
be included on the chart
In December similar pilots chart OF
the south Pacific ocean will be published
for the first time and will appear there
after quarterly.
Information for the new charts will be
obtained in much the same manner as
that for the pilots chart in the north
Atlantic and north Pacific oceans. Data
is collected for these at fourteen branch
offices, from observers aboard ship and
from publications Of other governments.
The observers are usually officers of ves-
sells touching American ports.
Quiz for Mariners.
The Navy Department has found that
while the mariner Is a good observer he
is likely not to be q good writer, and
therefore it has been desirable to have
representatives Of the photographic Office
visit the ships and get by word of mouth
SuCn dS Cdn UC ODIdlucu. All
increase in the force at branches in south
ern waters is desired by the Navy De-
partment.
The only survey work now in progress
under the direction of the photographic
office is in southern waters. A vessel
is engaged in gathering data along the
coast in Haiti and another in Cuba A
land force is making Typographical OBJ
servations in Cuba.
It has been the desire of the Navy De-
partment officials for some time to pro-
cure authorization and appropriations to
in Central America, where 1t is probable
that the local governments will not under
take the task. 1t is also desired to have
the force at Washington increased so that
the American navy will be independent of
the world In its supply OF maps and
charts.