The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-04-30
OCEAN RECORDS FAIRLY MADE
PROMPT DENIAL or CHARGE
THAT THEI ARE FAXED.

Maya ane writer says the sklppers rake
Their Beats over the shngt C0aFae
Contrary % Agreement-ORleers
OverwsFhed Another ChAFgo &c Hls.
Most Of the Offices Of the big trans
atlantic ines were disturbed yesterday
over a report that the shippers OF tho
record holders and the sx-reoord holders
had been doctoring their logs in order to
win glory for their lines and their ships.
A writer signing hismsen -ChRzlss Terry
Delaney and said 20 be Fan officer % a
transatlantic steAmShip' h responsible
for the disturbance in nautical circles
The <ritsr implied that the records
were faxed. that shippers going over the
long southeriy course really cut across
lots. contrary Ca the agreement existing
between most oG the big lines. and hacked
"a a hundred miles or more from this
course hut reported having trAversed IL.
thus increasing their average hourly
spasd by n fraction 90 a knot. The article
seemed 90 bs directed particularly against
the performances of the CunArders Maure-
tAniA and LusitaniA- Incidentally. how
ever, all lines were more or less involved
II was said that the steamship captain.
were ovsrworked and undergrad. All the
skippers in port yesterday denied these
assertions. Charles p. Sumner. general
agent of the Cunard Lane here. said
yesterday:
-The person writing the article claims
90 be an officer Of a Transatlantic line.
fancy he could hardly have reached the
responsible position 81 captain or he
would be les ready To impugn the honesty
oG his brother navigator. and moreover,
a. captain OF n British steamship. and |
presume this is equally true OF German
and French liners. he would understand
that to do what he suggests would require
a false entry in hls otrcial log. This.
under British law h missefneanor
punishable by severe penalty.
-On the Mauretania no officer II called
upon to stand over four hours watch
four hours watch and eight hours rest
The captain will keep on watch with his
officers as weather conditions suggest IN
him AZ necessary. The Mauritania. when
making the record OF % 90 mot 7a0s az
stated in the articlel. was westward hound
and on the short course, ~ that the some
what elaborate explanation 81 how the
master cut down his distance by going
the short course and logging the distance
81 the long or southern course - pure
fabrication.
The rules Of the Clnard line are arbi-
trary and eSacting A. to observing the
agreed track routes. No consideration
would be shown a captain who devtated
from them. n IL came TO the knowledge
had failed to observe strictly these rules.
he would surely be removed from his
command and moreover. he could hardly
change his track without being seen by
the officers of steamers 81 other lines.
who would very quickly report the fact
20 their home Offices. This would surely
lead to complaint and investigation
which IL found true would result in the
censnre and disrating OF the offending
caDtain.-
II is true that few - the trans atlantic
liners take the short course IN the iceberg
Heason when they should he sailing FAR
10 the southwark. But these linsrs have
never entered the agreement 20 purSne
the regular and safe lanes and aone Of
their ships holds records. Whenever a
skipper % a swift ship going east hears Of
one ~ these coal savers on the short
route going west he reports the fact 20 his
company and the shipping world in
general. and the offending skipper.
although his company may not be in tie
usually takes the night way on his next
trip. The saving ~ $50 miles On q trip
means a good deal of coal for the company
Emil Boas. general manager and the
American director Of the Hamburg
stuck 20 the regular course all the tin .
and that II any one Of them. no matter
how efficient he might he. Was caught
steering out % the course he would he dis
charged at once.
The man who makes the~e charges.
Mr. Bias said. rs talking Ennsense when
be says tho steamship captains are over
taxed. The captain - master Of his ship
and his time. On a fair voyage the CAP
tain has a comparatively easy time In
time of fog or heavy weather the captain
stays on the bridge just as long a. he car
stand IT, realizing that the welfare 81 the
ship in large measure u dependant on It's
comma ndsr's vigilance.
Herman Winter Of the North German
LIO-d Line said q was impossible for a
skipper - cut OF part % the regulation
course witn0s,t inPl detection. He de-
clared that every log turned by the ships
81 his line Was closely examined by the
navigation bureau ~ the line on the other
side and that 10 would be impossible for
a captain % fake n report. an there were
80 many WAYS Of checking IT,
There haze been many reporta II steam
ships following the regular routes. about
other steamships that butt into tho wrong
lanes. that u. that 90 sixty or more miles
70 the north of the prescribed once. hut
mono Of thess interlopsrs has been q record
ship. II has been the habit ~ the very
swift liners not only TO make the trip IN a
hurry but 20 make u without endangering
passengers or ship by taking the lane
used by other liners going in another
direction or by getting into the iceberg
region la en- EFFORT 10 make grand circle
sailing.
The consensus OF opinion among the
steamship men and their commanders 10