Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1912-05-04
WHENCE COME The ICEBERGS
Chunks Of Greenland's Icy Noun
tains Drift Southwark.
TALL SPIRES ON HUGE BODIES
Precautions of Careful Navtgators
when Fog and Darkness En-
velope the Sea-Guiding
signs,

signs.
| Until within a comparatively recent
period it had been presumed that the
icebergs that infested the Atlantic dur
ing the spring and early summer months
had broken off from the border OF the
great arctic ice fields. This. according
to the light Of later research. Is an err
roneous theory. The iceberg that drifted
directly in the path OF the Titanic, It is
almost certain, was a small fragment Of
a huge glacier that years ago had dis
engaged itself from the interior ice cap
Of western Greenland, sliding with ire
sistible and devastating momentum
toward the coast and finally plunging
into the deep sea
! 1t Is when the edge of such a huge
glacier reaches steep coast that from
time to time fragments are broken off
by their own weight. caught up by the
ocean currents and carried off.
The size of these fragments varies
greatly. but according 90 the reports OF
the photographic office an iceberg from
sixty TO 100 feet TO the top of its walls
/ Will NfANS iSdNlAilh lAtih
90 to 80 feet in height, are not unusual
in the arctic sea. These measurements
| apply only TO the mass OF ice above the
surface of the water. 1t would be futile
to seek to render an estimate OF the
depth of an iceberg below the surface OF
the sea, because this depth varies with
the weight OF that. part which is above
water. A few years ago an iceberg which
had a pinnacle OF about 100 feet in height
did not ground until it reached sixteen
fathoms of water in the Belle isle straits
near ST. Johns, N. F.
Carried south by Labrador Current.
Thousands Of such fragments drop off
every year. As they reach the water
they are caught up by the polar currents.
Nansen. during his expedition with the
Fran: Amundsen, during the arctic trip
he undertook in 1901. and the duke OF
Orleans in 1906, made a study of polar
sea physics. The course of the CURRENTS
| is pretty well known from the published
result OF their observations.
Along the northern part of the west
Greenland coast, where most of the ice
bergs are created. there is a current set
ting off shore and toward the pole. This
current carries the icebergs some dis
lance northward, until junction is made
with what is known as the Labrador
current. This sets in due southerly
direction along the coast of Bsffins Land
and Labrador. While at times II ceases
entirely, and while its speed varies
greatly, being greatest near the coast
after winds from the northward. II has
been estimated by scientists that usually
an iceberg is carried south by this cur
rent at a rate of from ten 10 thirty miles
in twenty four hours.
II is not by any means smooth sailing
All along the Labrador coast are rugged
promontories and numberless islands and
cliffs surrounded by reefs and shallow
water. Some OF the icebergs are crushed
against the rockbound coast, others arc
caught in the deep fiords OF Greenland
before they reach the open sea at all.
Others again ground In the shallow waters
along portions OF the coast. until only
small percentage OF a years output Of
icebergs ever reaches far enough south 10
bring misfortune to transatlantic ship
ping.
According TO the reports issued by the
photographic office at Washington. the
ice in such bergs is of extraordinary
brittleness There is authentic informa.
ton showing that blow with an axe.
the conclusion of a gunshot. the heavy
blast of steamship whistle has had
the effect Of splitting a huge mountain
of drifting ice. They are more readily
broken In warm weather. On the coast
OF Labrador. during the short summer
that prevails there, when II is packed
with icebergs, there is a constant and
almost deafening crash as icebergs col
lapse in collision with the coast or with
other bergs
Best 20 Give Them a Wide Berth.
They assume the greatest variety Of
shapes, from those approximating TO
some regular geometric figure to others
crowned with spires. domes. minsrets and
peaks. while others still are pierced by
deep lamentations or caves says the
report OF the photographic OFFICE. Small
cataracts precipitate themselves from the
large bergs. while from many Icicles hang
in clusters from every projecting ledge
They frequently have outlying spurs I'M
der water. which are as dangerous as any
other sunken reefs. For this reason II
Is advisable for vessels to give them a
wide berth. for there are a number OF
cases on record where vessels were seri-
ously damaged by striking when appar-
emily clear Of the berg.
Among these is that Of the British
steamship Nessmore. which ran into
berg in latitude Il degrees 80 minutes
north. longitude 81 degrees west. and
stove in its bows On docking II a long
score was found extending from abreast
Its forerigging all OF the way aft. Just
above its keel. Four frames were broken
and the plates were almost cut through.
The ship evidently struck a projecting
spur after its helm had been put over.
as there was clear water between IL and
the berg after the first collision.
1t Il generally best for vessels to 20
to windward Of them. because the dis
intergrated fragments will have a ten
dency TO drift to leeward. while open
water will be found to windward. seri-
Gus injury has occurred to vessels
through the breaking up or capslzing Of
icebergs. Often the bergs are so nicely
balanced that the slightest melting Of
their surfaces causes a shifting Of the
center Of gravity and a consequent turn
ing over Of the mass into nev position,
and this overturning also frequently takes
place when bergs, drifting with the cur
rent in a state Of delicate equilibrium