New-York tribune., 1912-04-14

North Atlantic lies between Cape Hatteras
and the upper end OF the New Jersey coast.
This area OF backwater or ocean eddy is
formed by the departure of the Gulf Stream
eastward from the coast and the southern
sweep of the Labrador current down past
/ New England until It dips below the Gulf
Stream Off the coast OF North Carolina.
Vessels getting into this stretch are gem
orally swept ashore. and it Is within this
region that the more active service OF our
revenue cutters is confined in removing
derelicts.
But II IS not the floating dereict. bad
. enough as Il is which constitutes the grav-
est peril TO shipping The worst type OF
/ these waits OF the sea Is the waterlogged
craft. which Is too heavy to rise to the sur
face and yet not saturated enough to cause
Il to sink and TO rest firmly upon the ocean
bottom. Derellcts OF this sort are often
hidden below but near the surface, ana
are supported generally by just one point
OF the hull-elther the bow or the stern
resting upon the water bed. while the oppo-
site end slants upward. These hidden OBJ
stacles have no abiding place. and may
turn I'D almost anywhere. storms cur
rents or the drive OF strong tides may be
erough 10 carry them directly across the
mathis NJ ccasting vessels and into waters
otherwise known TO be secure and deep
enough for navigation. Therefore there
are the best OF reasons for prompt remo'ai
/ Of floating dereicts In order that they may
not reach the waterlogged stage ana pc
LEGS easily traced. II is for this reason
that the derelct destroyers Of the revenue
cuttar service lose no time In hunting down
MANAGES Of this description, and the
stormler the season the more anxious
these guardians OF our coastal water lanes
ara TO remove these dangers to shipping
Apart from the wreckage toll OF winter
storms. heavy Ice foes and southbound
berps are sure 20 add to the list or casual
ties. and Il Is this aspect OF the unusual
ness OF the present season whlch VIII
surely swell the number OF disasters and
r,ri,inlv the work cut out for our revenue
| cutters.
The manner in which these vessels oper-
ate Is both interesting and picturesque
interesting because so much Is AT stake III
the way of life and floating property ana
picturesque because Of the courageous ano
thrilling deeds which color this service SC
often I'm a routine that means 70 the sue
cortng participants nothing more than o
autv "a bs done without thought OF hard
ship or personal hazard. None Of These
cutters are big in any sense OF the word
and to be buffeted about in any one OF
them In an angry sea Is enough TO tax the
hardest sort of seafarer; and yet these
boats are expected to spend most Of theiI
time OF shore when the waves are run
ming riotously and heavy
The dereiict destroyer Seneca, with which
New Workers are familiar Is the largest ol
, ,ba feet. and she has displacement ol
only 40 tons, but the boats model Is such
that she is peculiarly fitted to hold her owl
in the stormiest kind OF weather. This
howaver. does not mean that she is espe
c,oIy comfortable under such circum
stances. but she has the virtue of extrem'
buoyancy and, for craft of her size. Il
. ~o.nt,onalIy dry when the seas ar,