Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-11
photographic Office Solves Mysteries Of the Ocean

end 500 feet high.-Jacob Bright Chr
$50, Mills
A magnificent spectacle, one fancies this
great iceberg, with the sun glttering
upon it's pr smatic-hued pinnacles, each
nearly as high as the Washington Monu-
ment. Yet this berg is small In comparl-
son with one reported not long ago by
Capt. Towson. The latter is described as
about 300 feet in height. sixty miles long
and forty miles wide, veritable Island
of ice It was in the form OF large
hook, and the bay formed between the
two projecting extremities was FORTY
miles wide.
The Greenwich noon. and other gen.
eral systematic observations taken by
shippers at the direction of the office, are
contained in small blank books. TWO OF
these are furnished the captain of YES
sci when starring out on voyage. and
is leaf for each day. One DOCK is
general weather report, the other q sup
Elementary record of tempesiuous and
other abnormal conditions. The average
landlubber would make nothing of the
reports contained In these books, as the
entries are filled in in symbols, accordin g
to q system known as BeaufOrts scare.
which, however, are understood by all
Seamen.
The questions asked concern the time
of the observations, the latitude and
longitude, the true direction and force
of the wind, the state Of the barometer,
the temperature of the air and of the
surrounding water. the forms of clouds
and the direction of their movement the
state of the waves and the direction n
which they are running, the estimated
current for twenty-four hours, the wealth
er experienced for twenty-four hours,
the apparent periodic time, or interval.
in seconds, betty cen the crests of sue
cessive waves as they pass, the true d.
rection from which they come and the
ships true course and speed at the time;
the estimated heights of the several
waves, from hollow to crest. and num-
Der of other queries that would con-
siderably puzzle any other than COM
petent navigator.
These books. filled with reports Of
observations made from day to day,
are received by the photographic Of
fee by thousands. The preparation or
the charts from the various data re-
trusted only to men who have gradu-
ated from Annapolis, and who possess
extended sea experience. There are
clerical specialists engaged in the
work. Also whose services are deemed
most important.
When information as to the where
abouts of derelict Is received the
news is Immediately wired to the rev.
enue cutter services Oerellct destroyer
Seneca. through the proper official chan
neIs, and If feasible. by wireless. This
vessel is specially equipped to destroy
these menaces to mariners. and has,
in the short time of her service,
proved remarkably efficient. 1t is only
by the system of observations and re-
ports instituted by the photographic
office that an adequate defense can be
devised against the danger Of the dere-
lict.
A computation made by the Office
shows that 1923 derelicts were sighted
upon the north Atlantic ocean within
q period Of seven years. OF this num-
Der only 482 were identified: the others
were too much injured by the buffet
ing Of the waves to be recognized by
the captains OF passing ships. The
average number sighted is .232 a year,
or nearly twenty q month. The infor-
nation received at the photographic
Office and the records Of the pilot
charts show that most Of the derelicts
have been sighted In the gulf stream.
of the coast Of this country, and this
IL the principal field OF the Seneca's
operations, which have. 1t Is needless
to say, considerably lessened the men,
ace to mariners from this source
The records OF the hydrogra phic ONCE