Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-04-24
IcERERGs' NATURAL. HISTORY.
Broken From Arctic Glaciers, the
Floating Mountains Last for Years.

Next TO fog icebergs are regarded as
the source of grayest peril to vessels
navigating the North Atlantic. Ae-
cording to all accounts brought by in
coming ocean steamers this menace
has been greater during the last few
weeks than in any recent year. The
presence of q great number of icebergs
in the lane of transatlantic traffic just
now does not. however. necessarily in
dictate any extraordinary conditions in
the Arctic during the past winter. Ac-
cording to the most reliable estimate
of scientists it requires as a rule from
three 10 four years for an iceberg TO
drift across the polar basin, and reach
that region of the Atlantic in which
disaster overlook the White Star
giantess on her maiden voyage.
Among recent marine disasters
caused by icebergs was the collision
between the Anchor liner Columbia
and a huge berg in August last year.
The Columbia had an ugly hole stove
in her bow, but was able to reach port
under her own steam. In August,
1899, the. Donaldson liner Concordia, a
cattle steamer, outward bound from
Montreal, collided with berg in the
Belle Isle straits off the Newfoundland
coast and had her bow crushed. To
go further back, there was the disas
ter to the old Guion line steamship
Arizona on November I, Q1S79. She
crashed into a berg off the Newfound-
land banks and Immediately began to
sink at the bow. But she was steam
ing only at the rate of Is knots, and
her collision bulkhead-the only thing
that stood between her 300 passengers
and crew and estruction-withstood
the shock and no lives were lost.
The greatest precautions are taken
on board the big ocean liners to guard
against collision with icebergs. Not
only are the officers on the bridge and
the lookout in the crows nest inn
pressed with the fact that they must
exercise the greatest vigilance when
vessels approach the Newfoundland
banks where the danger from icebergs
is the greatest at this time of tine year,
but the temperature Of the water is
taken frequently, and any striking
drop indicated by the thermometer is
certain To be accepted as warning
against the presence of icebergs in the
vicinity.
This, ana the lowering of the tenn
peratare of the air--if one should hap
pen to pass TO the leeward of an ice-'
berg-are about the most reliable of
all the danger signals set against this
peril. TO the eye, indeed. an iceberg
Is not easily perceptiblc at night. even
though the weather should happen to
be clear and the moon. perehance,
shining. Most of the icebergs have
an intense white and blush hue, which
blends with moonlight in a fashion
that may eenfound the most seasoned
and Vigiant of mariners.
Had the course of the Titanic car
ried her about 100 miles to the south
ward of where the disastrous crash &C.
Cured she would in all probability
have steered clear of all dangers from
ice According to the most expert
mariners. an iceberg is rarely seen at
this time of the year. or at any season
indeed-further south than 40 degrees
north latitude. The Titanic's wireless
operator gave the position of the
steamship when the collision came as
Al degrees 46 minutes north, or l06
miles to the north of the southern
boundary of the Atlantic region where
the danger from ieebergs is an ever
present one.
The photographic office of the navy
department from time to time has sent
out much detailed and reliable in
formation regarding the formation aud
travels OF the icebergs and ice fields in
the north Atlantic.
Until within comparatively recent
period il had been presumed that the
icebergs that infested the Atlantic dur
ing the spring and early summer
months had broken off from the bor-
der of the great Arctic ice fields. This.
according to the light of later research,
is an erroneous theory. The iceberg
that drifted directly in the path of the
Titanic, it is almost certain, was a
small fragment of huge glacier that
years ago had disengaged itself from
the interior ice cap of western Green
land, sliding with irresistible and de-
vastating momentum toward the coast,
and finally plunging into the deep sea.
1t is when the edge of such 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.