The Van Buren press., 1912-06-08

kAs tanic were picked up by the
NV Carpathia, which had been
summoned to their assis.
lance by wireless less than
six hours before. people who could
see more than ,he appalling horror OF
the tragedy that had preceded the res
cue, wondered and said:
But how fortunate that there was
a ship near to pick them up Suppose
| there hadn't been?"
As a matter of fact, nobody but a
| landlubber would have made such a
remark Any man who knew the sea
and its ways would have been decid.
eddy surprised had the THAMES sur.
viyors been compelled to wait longer
than they did, situated as they were
| In the direct track of all vessels fol-
! lowing what Is known as the southern
course across the Atlantic. Indeed
! the testimony before the senate inves.
| tigating committee disclosed that at
least one steamer had been within
nearer range Of the distressed liner
than the Carpatha. and. according TO
stlll other participants in the tragedy
passed within FIVE miles OF the n.
tanic before she went down
Now, If you really are a landlubber
and IT, conversely YOU know nothing
about the laws and customs OF the
seas, you VIII. Ike the people referred
TO above, remark what wonderful
thing II was that so many ships could
respond to the Tltanic's &C Q. d"
call, and dismiss the whole affair as
n remarkable coincidence on the con.
trary, there va, no coincidence about
it-not amy more 40 than If an auto.
moblist on the NerriCk road should
break down on lonely stretch out be
yond Sayylle let rs suppose. and
should receive help from a brother OF
the gasolone fraternity within the next
fifteen or twenty minutes
A Much Travelled Thorouphfare,
No, the Tltanic's misfortune hap.
pencd to her on one of the most FIRE.
!
many that sore the seven seas all
over the globe Outside OF fow
thickly froQucnted marine highways
like the British channel, or certain
stretches OF the Mediterranean, or our
own Long Island sound, the Titanic
could not have picked out better
place to sink IN, with reasonable hope
'of rescue In short time. Had II not
been for Hllpup or misunderstood.
Ing which has yet 10 be explained the
nearest ship TO the wrecked liner
would have been alongside In ample
time to take of all her passengers and
crew
Nowadays. as, for that matter. from
time out Of mind, ships do not stray
of certain well defined lanes unless
driven 10 do NO by unprocodentodly Sc
we're weather But nowadays this
holds true even more than formerly.
In former times, the prevailing winds
at different seasons, the set OF yari.
Gus ocean currents, aud similar nat.
ural phenomena played considerable
parts In the determination OF the
great trade routes, Just as the loca.
ton Of wells and oasos determines
caravan routes across the African
deserts Shlps naturally stoorcd on
courses on which they we're most help.
cd by tho winds blowing Mt the differ.
ont season Of the year, az well az by
currents Ike the Gulf Stream
The lines used by the great trans
atlantic liners, however are governed
entirely by the Icodrlft from tho
north This lcedrIft IN n regular pho.
nomonou, and clogs the seas rs far
south As the latitude OF Cape llattoras
to n point about 40 degrees west long.
itudc, not very far from the Azores.
That n 10 say about half the seas be.
tween the American and Europonn
continents are subject 10 tho peril OF
the Iceberg Years ago shippers dis.
covered this, and when Transatlantic
travel bcFon 10 assume tho proper,
lions Of IN Industry, the custom grad
uOlly grew up Of setting regular routes
Of travel peross the Atlantic, depend
Ing upon The presence Of ice
North and South lanes.
The northern, or short lane, IL FOL
lowed late IN the year, after all the
Greenland foes and berga have drift.
cd down and dlslntogratod In tho
warmer southern waters the southern
or short course In that followed the
greater portion OF the year, when tho
presence Of Ice II n constan, menace
TO navigation, There IN not great
deal OF atltudlnal difference between
tho two, and there In no attempt TO
set wholly below the limit of the Ice
DRIFT, for that would Involve mn lmpos.
sible and really futile dctour; but the
southern course was always regarded