Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-07-19
|CE-F|E[D PATROL
BY CAPT. JOHNSTON
Says Only Type of Bergs He
Did Not See Was School
Book Variety.
LARGEST 10 FEET HIGH,
ABOUT 400 FEET LONG
Reports Phases of Cruise and Fowl
Life-Capt. Gamble Tells of
Effect of Shot.

How TO navigate safely in waters where
iceberes are frequent is told by Capt
c. +. Johnston. commanding officer OF
the Seneca in his report just received
at the Navy Department, following his
return from the ice fields, where he did
patrol duty. The Seneca was accompa-
MED by the Miami. under Capt. A. s.
Gamble. The ships We're out from the
beginning of April
Capt. Johnstons report takes up va
rious phases of his patrol duty in detail.
not only describing the kinds, number
and size OF the icebergs encountered
but also takes up the natural history OF
the country and even gives a recipe for
cooking the wild fowl to be found in that
region.
\ feature of Capt. CANDLES report is
his description of the effect of a six
pound shot fired into large berg
Regarding safety in the regions where
icebergs may be found, the commanding
officer of the Seneca makes the follow
ing statement:
In my opinion the only safe way to
navigate regions of icebergs is to stop
during thick weather and to run very
slowly on dark nights. In clear weather
that vessel might drift against an Ice
berg in ordinery weather without much
damage.
Only Damage of Season.
The British steamer Mount Temple is
the only one have heard of this season
that sustained any considerable damage
from icebergs. She is reported to have
drifted against one while stopped dur
ing fog.
In steering to avoid berg it must be
born in mind that with engines work
ing ahead the vessel is pivOted on her
stem, so that as Soon as the bow is clear
of the berg the helm should be shifted
in order to throw the stern away from
the berg. AT night and in thick fog I
should post the lookout as low down as
circumstances would permit In addi-
ton to this, the vigilance of the officer
IF the watch should be unremitting.''
After describing a number of the ice
bergs seen Commander Johnston states
that The only type we did not see is
the kind popularity pictured in school
books, with high, overhanging, craggy
Pinnacles." He also intimates a doubt
that the large bergs reported by news
papers were as large as estimated. The
portion Of his report relating to the
Lind of bergs seen follows:
Greenland Type in Form.
All of the ice seen on or near the
Grand Bank this season has been of
the greenland type In berg form. NO
ice was seen or reported except near
the coast of Newfoundland, of the field
or slob variety. During the month of
April / had reports of about 100 bergs
south of latitude so north, mostly in
a congested area around Flemish Cap
and thence westward to the Grand
Bank- Scattering bergs were reported
as FAR east as 1850 N. 1910 W.; south
to al N. 1892 W.: west to 1850 NJ
1910 w In May there were reported
10 me III bergs south of latitude so
They had moved westward and south :
ward and We're mostly on or near the
eastern side OF the Grand Bank, many
being grounded thereon. Eastern limit
limit 1918 n. 1888 W.: western limit,
$3.50 N. 49-16 W.
Up 20 June 16 had reports for that
month Of thirty-five bergs south of
latitude so. mostly confined between
is and 40 N, IS and SO W. A few scat
tering bergs were reported as far east
as 1880 n. 41-45 W.: south to 1902 N,
42-49 W.; west to 1928 ". 1888 w.
Many bergs were reported off st. Johns
Newfoundland. and grounded near that
rort- Throughout the season there
have been reports of numerous bergs
north of 90. but i have kept no account
OF them.
The largest berg we saw was about
fao feet long. by $50 fee wide by 30 fee
high. out of water: the smallest was
about % feet long. 100 feet wide and 3.
feet high All were white in color som,
having one or more distinct veins o.
l.iue ice running through Them thes,
veins ranging from eighteen inches TO 81,
feet in width.
No Two Shapes Alike.