Los Angeles herald., 1910-02-20
LAWS OF THE SEA
By Frederic j. HaSkin

noted, and the place of their picking up
recorded. In this way the hydrograph-
ic office is thoroughly acquainted with
the ocean currents, and knows in what
direction each derelict is likely to travel
from any given point. When they are
reported as having been sighted, the
chart and the reported positions are
compared, and 1t usually is found that
the assumed positions on the map cor
respond closely with those shown by
the reports of the captains who sighted
them.
1t is said that neither Cook nor Peary
reached the north pole first, but that
the honor belongs to a bottle turned
loose in Bering sea several years ago.
Its discovery on the coast of northern
Europe indicated that 1t must have
passed close to the north pole in travel
ing from its starting point to its des-
tinatioh
Number of derelicts that are sight
were sighted In North Atlantic waters
1928, of which only 4S2 were identified.
Derelicts do not, as a rule last long,
once they are abandoned to the mercy
of the waves. 1t is said that the aver
age life of derelict is one month, al
though some of them withstand the
beating of the waves for long periods
and insist on staying close to the track
of commerce.
IT Is believed that the day soon will
come when all ocean-going vessels will
be required to equip themselves with
wireless. The English c Q d message
that brought relief to the Republic,
the equally important international s
o S message that saved the lives of
those aboard a lake steamer, and a
similar message which saved the lives
of another crew few days ago, have
all had their lesson-a G. Q d and S o
mil.
pulsory the use of wireless. Such leg
islation finds a land counterpart In the
requirement that all railroad trains
shall be equipped with air brakes and
safety couplers. On the sea 1t finds Its
counterpart in the requirement that
each vessel must be equipped with
lifeboats and life preservers, and that
there must be a specif1ed NUMBER OF
fire drills. The wireless companies are
pointing out to congress the compare
lively small cost of installation and
operation.
Just now congress Is wrestling with
the problem OF the interference of
amateurs with wireless messages. The
wireless companies declare that the
amateur operators are largely respon-
sibe for the few difficulties that still
present themselves. On the other hand
they are met with the counter asser-
ton that the whole proposition Is in
the interest of monopoly. The science
of wireless is so new that many dis
coveries may grow out of experimental
ton with it, and the amateurs feel
that this is a deep laid design to cut
off the Unborn right of every American
to work his inventive genius to the
utmost The courts have not yet fully
| settled the exact status OF wireless
telegraphy as applied to maritime mat
ters, though there are cases pending
which may serve to fully determine It's
| relations.
| The advent of wireless has served to
retire the carrier pigeon from its use
| fulness at sea. The British navy has
| held auctions for the sale of It's birds,
which were trained under every con-
ceivable condition in which they would
have operated in war time.
| recent incident in the operation
| of maritime law has its amusing side.
| A big wrecking company undertook to
salve a vessel which had in its cargo
several hundred barrels of wine The
operation was partly successful, but
high seas washed overheard many bar
rels of the palatable liquid. The
wrecking company told it's men tnat
| these barrels now were loose on the
high seas and the property of whom
soeyer took them IN. There was a
scramble to yawls and launches, and
the sailors gathered in the floating
casks. Afterward there was litigation
over the ownership of the wine and
the courts held that 1t was the prop
ertv of the sailors. who had risked
| their all to capture it.
/ Another interesting point in interna-
1tional law arose when several pigs
which were taken to England were re-
fused admission to that country be-
cause they had tuberculosis. The
steamship company carried them back
and forth for several trips and it was
/ found that the salt air had cured their
tuberculosis, whereupon they were
duly admitted.
THE day of real hardship for the
sailor is largely over. The laws OF the
nations now protect him. The United
states statutes declare that no cor
poral punishment shall be inflicted on
any American sailor, likewise that he
must be we'll fed. His rations are pre-
scribed. and he may see it weighed out
to him. Much of the recent maritime
legislation has had for its aim the rec
ognition of the rights of the sailor.
omorrow-Canadian Winter Sports.