Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-12-17
SiiverWare, Parker Pens,
Cut Glass, China,
Engraving
c.. P. ROWell
Jeweler g Optician
Winthrop, Maine
decfS-1e-20

would depend upon the weight and
size of the dereliet vessel and how the
blow was given. However, all sea-
farers are agreed, that derelicts do
constitute a danger, especially to YES
sells of the freighter class. Such is the
value of the work done by the Amer
lean photographic office in this d.
rection. that one is furnished before
sailing with comprehensive data that
proves of tremendous value. A de-
scription of the class of vessel, along
with n statement as to its being wa
ter-logged, floating derelict or on fire,
at once put one on ones guard, espe-
cially as the latest positions given,
after allowing for set and drift in the
interval of time elapsing between the
latest report and when one is in the
vicinity of the wreckage, can be relied
upon to be not many miles out of the
true.
Since the introduction of wireless
telegraphy, ships crossing to the west
ward depend more upon one another
than they formerly did. But this
makes the work of the photographic
office no less valuable or welcome, as
through the assistance afforded by
wireless telegraph, the Offices infor-
nation stands for accuracy as near
as calculation and human foresight can
determine.
In the early days when Lieutenant
Maury was associated with the work
of the photographic office. it's princi-
pal work lay in the direction of find
t,,n lie FIJI
guidance of sailing ships. Many q
quick passage than stands on record
today as a remarkable feat cannot
altogether be credited to the captain
who sailed the ship. His skill In sea-
manship and his intelligent following
of the information supplied him by
the photographic office in respect &c
winds and currents, were the con-
tributing factors towards crack pas.
sages, always supposing that the
ship had fairly decent sailing qualities
To blunder along under all sail across
the ocean is form of seamanshir
that calls for little brain work, to sal,
the seas in diligently. by applying
scientific data, is not such an easy
matter. The captain who relied upon
the information supplied him by the
photographic Office was better sea.
man and a better servant than one
who was guided entirely by the rule.
f-thumb methods SO dear to the
hearts of many old salts.
In these days OF commercialism ane
speeding up, more is demanded of the
sailor than is generally known. Yes.
sells which now carry passengers run
ming into the thousands are scheduled
TO Keep time with the precision of 8
train. For, after all, vessels Of the
liner class are little better than any
other public conveyances. The speed
of modern liners makes it imperative
for them to be equipped with every
life saving appliance that has meril
to recommend 1t. AS far as a lavish
expenditure of money can accomplish
this desirable state of affairs, much
is done for the safety of all on board
But 1t matters little how well-equippet
or how well-found vessel CROSSING
the north Atlantic danger zone ma.
be, there Is always a real dread of tha
day when the life-saving appliances:
may be called into active service. Tt
take passage in a vessel well provided
with life-saving appliances is M
doubt a good tonic for people witt
nerves; but to be aboard vessel car
rying the same gear and supplied, alst
with all the movements of ice AMI
derelicts, is an even better stimulant
1t detracts nothing from the valu,
of the work performed by the by,
geographic office, than a vessel of this
Titanics class and dimensions went
to the bottom after striking ice. Ac'
cidents on sea will happen as on land
and this disaster, occurring as it die
in the field of research covered by the
photographic office, only goes to prove
that up to the time of the calamity tn,
unsuitable ship was farce, the dream
of the disordered minds of stupid au
tocratic naval architects, whose arro'
gance might scout the idea of accept
ing meteorological data, etc, from
such bureau as the photographic Of
flee, on account of their blind faith II
their own construction. Whether
ship be unsinka BILE or not, is question
for naval architects to bubble over; the
fact remains that liner captains and
officers cannot afford to ignore thu
helping hand extended by the hydro
graphic office. Every note in theii
weekly pamphlets is of value to thost
on the sea, every danger plotted OF
their monthly charts is one to bt
watched for, and the charts are to b
found on the chart room table of ey.
cry liner crossing to the westward.
1t is hardly possible for the travel
ing public to appreciate the watei
that this bureau sets upon theiI
safety. No other nation can exhibit
such an institution with such a record
for services we'll rendered since thu
early sixties of the last century. Fur.
Their, say that the United States by.
Geographic office stands as pattern t.
the world for thoroughness and eff.
cheney. BY virtue of the valuable ser.
vices rendered by it to the ships of al
nations, 1t stands for what is best II
American public life. Up TO within o
very short period it was the only instt
tuition worthy of the name in existence
Its thoroughness aroused the admira
ton of the greatest Of maritime nations
Great Britain, which not very long aga
set about bringing its own hydrogra.
phic office into line, remodeling 1t upor
the same principles-sessiblya and pro.