Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1916-10-28
The ICEBERG PERIL
How Vessels on the Atlantic Are
Warned of Danger.
WORK OF THE PATROL FLEET.

These Cutters, Under intsrnationa
II. Compact. Scour the leo Zone EaeI
Spring and Notify the World Of Con
ditions In the Infested Area.
After the loss Of the giant White
Star liner Titanic In April, 1912. by
striking an iceberg there was much
discussion In Europe and America as
to the possibility Of adopting measures
to lessen the likelihood OF such disas.
ters In future. An international con.
ference for the saving Of life at sea, ''
which was held at London. resulted
among other things. In an underta king
by the principal marine powers Of the
world to maintain an Ice patrol on the
north Atlantic from February to June
In each year.
1t was agreed that this Ice patrol
should be carried out by the United
States on behalf Of the various coun.
tries represented. the cost to be borne
by them pro rata. Britain to pay %
per cent Of the total; Germany. France
and the United States 10 per cent each
and Austria. Belgium. Canada, Den.
mark. Italy. Holland, Norway, Russia
and Sweden from to 2 per cent each.
The American authorities inaugural
ed this patrol service with the naval
scout cruisers birmingham and Ches.
ter, but later assigned the revenue cut.
tiers Seneca and Miami to this duty.
which ships have since continued It
The irst season st. Johns was chosen
for the work. but ultimately It was
found more convenient to utilize Hall
fax. Nova Scotia, because the area pa
trolled was south OF st. Johns and
extended farther south as the season
advanced and the armadas Of icebergs
became more numerous.
Each cutter patrols the ice region
for fifteen days. II Is n three day run
from Halifax to the ice zone. with a
return voyage of about the same dura.
ton. The ships arrange their move
ments by wireless communication. so
that the service Is absolutely contin.
uous. Daily bulletins Of the foes and
bergs seen and of the trend OF the fog
infested areas are furnished by wire
less to the photographic offices In the
capitals q the countries contributing
to the upkeep Of this service and
warnings are also sent by wireless
telegraph TO all steamers plying In the
berg strewn sections.
Each season the patrol ships are add.
Ing TO the stock OF knowledge regard.
Ing the Ice area. and the results OF
their Investigations are published In
the Official records: but, as Is too often
the case. the world gets to know very
little OF them. Among some OF the
conclusions reached is that under ordi.
nary conditions It Is possible to see an
Iceberg twelve to fifteen miles from the
ships bridge. about an extra mile from
the crows nest. and still another mile
from the signal yard ON the foremost.
In especially clear weather bergs
may be seen from eighteen TO twenty
miles. but on a cloudy day. with good
deduction OF about two
miles must he made. With the search.
light II Is possible TO see an iceberg
about two miles on a dlmly moonlit
night and about three miles when the
moon sets.
Another weighty fact for mariners Is
that II Is possible for lookouts on very
large ships TO be higher than the top
Of small berg. so that on dark
night these observers would have nm
view OF the horizon over the
top OF "growler." or low lying berg.
hair n mile or mile away. and thus |
easily miss seeing the obstruction until |
TOO late TO avoid II.
A theory exploded by the Ice patrol !
ships Is that the proximity OF Ice Is
marked by notable lowering Of air
temperature. Experiments covering
.hree years have proved that such Is
lot the case and that. as a rule. there
s little or no change In the tcmpera
ure OF the air near an iceberg. Equal
y fnllacious Is the idea that the pres.
nee OF a berg Is denoted hy n lowcr
ne OF the temperature OF the water
Is n matter Of fact. the very contrary
$ the case.
Other theories. ~ that echoes lndi.
ate the presence Of bcrgs. that Ice dis
loses Itself through what Is known
IS the ice blink" and that submarine
ears" on ships will reveal the near
less Of Ice by It's peculiar motion
through the waves, have been proved
qually unfoundcd. In truth. the test
nony Of the commanders of these pa
rol ships Is that the only safe way TO
avigoic regions Of icebcrgs Is TO stop
Turing thick weather and TO run very
lowly on dark nights.
The outstanding fact. therefore. with
cgard to this ice patrol service is that
Is markedly effective In lcsscnIng
he danger TO ships traversing the ico.
one 10y the warnings which Il sends
ut from day 10 day. which enable
assing vessels to give wide berth
D these distractions. Hut the prob