The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1909-05-07

by wireless from the assembled vessel
at the naval station at Guantanamo
Cuba. To have steamed to New Yorl
to obtain the necessary charts of tn,
Mediterranean waters to be VISITED
was to imperil American lives anC
American interests just so many days
besides incuring an additional cost. II
being in time Of peace, the United
States was able to purchase the de-
sired charts from Great Britain. and
the American warships started for
! Turkey, content to be guided in times
of need by British maps and charts.
When the battleship fleet was order
ed 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.
Practically every officer of high
rank that sailed on the fleet has Join
ed with commercial and maritime or
CARNATIONS and interests in asking
for an extension of the work of the
photographic bureau of the Navy De-
partment, charged with the RESPONSE
bility of surveying the oceans. The
most urgent appeal for additional in
formation in regard to the oceans
comes from commercial organizations
along the Gulf. 1t is probable that a
campaign will be conducted for a rad
ical increase in the work of the hy-
biographical bureau, which not only
furnishes charts and maps for the
American navy, but is the only branch
of the government that can thus aid
Che commerce of the United States.
AS a 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 section Of oceans will be
printed quarterly.
This chart is now being prepared by
the photographic office It will be
patterned after the pilot chart of the
North Atlantic Ocean but on account
of the lack of data will not be so com
CONCERNING the expected average condi-
plete. 1t will contain information
ton of wind and weather and recon-
mended routes for steam and sail.
Derlicts, wrecks, drifts, bouys, ocean
currents, storm tracks and magntic
variations will be represented on the
chart by appropriate colors and SYM
bols From time to time special sub
jects of interest to the navy and com
mercial vessels will be included on the
chart. In December a similar pilots
chart of the South Pacific Ocean will
be published for the first time and it
will appear thereafter 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 branch offices from observerers
aboard ship and from publications Of
other governments. The observers
are usually officers of vessels touch
ing American ports The Navy De-
partment has found that while the
mariner is a good observer he is likely
not to be a good writer and therefore
it has been desirable to have repre-
sentatiyes of the photographic office
visit the ships and get by word of
mouth such information as can be OBJ
tanned. An INCREASE in the force at
branches in southern waters is desired
by the Navy Department.
The only survey work now in pro-
gress under the direction of the hy-
geographic office is in southern waters.
A vessel is engaged in gathering data
along the coast in Hayti ana another
in Cuba. A land force is making
typographical observations in Cuba.
1t has been the desire of the Navy
Department officials for some time 10
procure authorization and appropria-
tons to make surveys of the unsurvey-
ed waters in Central America where
it is probable that the local govern
meut will not undertake the task. 1t
is also desired to have the force 1t
Washington increased so that the
American navy will be independent
of the world in its supply of maps and
| charts.
COMMERCIAL CIIIR ANIMAL