The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-03-13
BRAVE PERILS
!. OF OCEANS TO
HUNT lCEBERCS
Government Patrol Boat Spots
Dangers to Navigation During
Early Spring Months
ATTEMPT TO PREVENT
DISASTER LIKE TITANIC
Make Careful Chart and Send
Wireless Warnings of Big
Fields on Nova Scotia

NEW YORK. March l3.-With her
wireless returned from $50 metres to
a basis OF l.000mstre wave lengths
the United Stats r e~"e cutter Sen
era has left New York 10 Jake up the
cold and perilous work o: patroihss
the Atlantic coast OF Nova Scotia In
search Of iceberes. In salt water par
lance the vessel has gone on the ice
patrol" Her address 10 "O6 HALIFAX.
Day and night. in all kinds OF wealth
er, II will be the Seneca's business 10
warn transatlantic shipping OF the
presence of berys and thus avoid =
repetition OF the Titanic disaster. The
Seneca was on that same patrol IN
the late winter Of 1913.
Her new wire,ess will enable the
Seneca to send messages without In
terfering with the ordinary merchant
marine wireless. which 10 keyed at SV0
metres.
The average New Yorker scarcely
realizes the perils and dimculties OF
the revenue cutter service. Three OF
the biggest cruising cutters In that
service-the Senecs. the Itasca anu
the Mohawk--are assigned to the New
York station. ard they and the two
boarding cruisers and the anchorage
boat Manhattan arc under the charge
Of Division Commander Capt. }. r.
Wild. The cruising cutters each carry
six quick-firing guns and they are al
ways prepared for pirates. derelicts or
disabled vessels.
The Seneca and the Itasca recently
pulled the stranded steamship Queen
Louise on the Jersey coast. The ltas-
CO and the Mohawk went to the as
distance Of the Roma. These three
cruising cutters are equipped for any
kind Of rescue work: they can 90
across the ocean or around the world,
and they ere &C strong they can pull
on the shoals vessels many times larg-
er than themselves.
Three cutters recently have figured
In 20 many 6artng rescues Of disabled
ships that people have asked. "What
h it about these comparatively small
boats that enables them to 60 any.
where and do elmOat anything with
out suffering mtehups Of their own
There II no mystery about IT," said
Capt. Wild. '-rhe cruising cutters or
the revenue service are amply man.
ned by men under military control.
and they are used to going anywhere
on any sea errand ut . minutes no
tice. They knok that when they are
told to do . tMing l.ey muLs do 1t.
The cutters are well built and equip
ped. They can do most everything
but break Ice. and that they cannot do
with safety on account Of their steal
hulls. which Il 10 comparatively easy
to put hole In. remember OF but
one loss Of . revenue cutter, and that
was on the Be;iring sea coast, caused
by = rock
The New York cutters cruise north
% TAR % Vineyard Haven and they
90 south to Hattcras, All the cruis-
ere have wireless outfits. The Seneca
10 derelict destroy er. The Itasca h
used In summer ~ q schoOlship fer
the revenue cutter cadets, who are
educated ut Fort Trumbull.
The Seneca. Mohawk and Itasca 40
big steel boats. carrying from 70 to
50 men apiece. The boats cost $685.
900 each.
In the entire rcYcnue -cntter service
there are Is cruisers Of from 400 70
loo tons and carrying one % OK
guns apiece. They are manned BY 2xe
onlcers and 1900 petty oflcers and en-
listed men. The term Of enlistment
10 one year, and the pay varies from
$40 to $50 month.