The Springfield herald., 1912-06-07
NN YHEN the survivors OF the IT.
AAf tanic were picked up by the
Carpathia, which had been
summoned to their assis-

tance by wireless less than
SIX hours before. people who could
see more than the 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 matter of fact, nobody but a
landlubber would have made such u
remark, Amy man who knew the sea
and its ways would have been decid-
edly surprised had the Titanics sur
Vivors been compelled to walt 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-
dgating committee disclosed that at
least one steamer had been within
nearer range of the distressed liner
than the Carpathia. and. according to
still other participants in the tragedy
passed within five miles OF the II
tanic before she went down.
Now. il you really are a landubber
and IT, conversely. you know nothing
about the laws and customs Of the
seas. you will. like the people referred
to above. remark what wonderful
thing 1t was that SO many ships could
respond to the Titanic's &c. @. D."
call. and dismiss the whole affair as
remarkable coincidence. On the con-
trary there was no coincidence about
ft-not any more SO than II an auto
mobilist on the Merrick road should
break down on a lonely stretch out be-
yond Sayville. let us suppose and
should receive help from brother of
the gasolene fraternity within the next
fifteen or twenty minutes.
A Much Travelled Thoroughfare.
No. the Titanic's misfortune hap
pened to her on one of the most fire.
quently travelled thoroughfares of the
many that sere the seven seas all
over the globe. Outside of few
thiclily frequented 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 1t not
been for a slip-up or misunderstood
fng which has yet to 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
on certain well defined lanes unless
driven to do SO by unprecedentedly 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 vari-
GUS ocean currents, and similar nat
ural phenomena. played considerable
parts in the determination of the
great trade routes, Just as the loca-
tion OF wells and GASES determines
caravan routes across the African
deserts Ships naturally steered on
courses on which they were most help
ed by the winds blowing at the differ
.ent season of the year. as well as by
currents like the Gulf Stream,
The lines used by the great trans
atlantic liners, however. are governed
entirely by the ice-drift from the
north This ice-drift is a regular phe.
nomenon, and clogs the seas as far
south as the latitude of Cape Hatteras
80 point about 40 degrees west long
itude. not very far from the Azores.
That is to say, about half the seas be-
tween the American and European
continents are subject to the peril of
the iceberg Years ago shippers dis
covered this. and when transatlantic
travel began to assume the proper
tions of an industry. the custom grad
ually grew up of setting regular routes
of travel across the Atlantic, depend
ing upon the presence of ice.
North and South Lanes.
The northern, or short lane, is fol-
lowed late in the year. after all the
Greenland foes and bergs have drift
ed down and disintegrated in the
warmer southern waters: the southern
or short course is that followed the
greater portion OF the year. when the
presence of Ice is constant menace
to navigation. There is not a great
deal OF latitudinal difference between
the two, and there Is no attempt to
get wholly below the limit of the ice
drift, for that would involve an impos-
sibIe and really futile detour; but the
southern course was always regarded
as absolutely safe. until the disas-
ter to the Titanic.
To find the beginnings of sea lanes
of travel. you must so far back to the
beginning of things. to the days when
men first ventured on the sea and
pushed timorously from cape to cape,
anchoring by night and rarely sailing
out of sight of land. The Phoenician
mariners. who sent their Galleys
through the Pillars of Hercules and
up to ireland for cargoes of tin. were
among the first to map out recognized
routes for sea commerce. and one
cannot resist n deep respect for their
daring IN thus exploring a way that
their ancestors must have looked upon
wi.h wholly superstitious dread.
lE lie ancieut world. it is true. the