The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1916-11-22
THE ICEBERG PERIL
How Vessels on the Atlantic Are
Warmed of Danger.
WORK OF THE PATROL FLEET.
These Cutters, Under international
Compact, Scour the Ice Zone Each
Spring and Notify the World Of Con-
6itions In the Infested Area.

Spring and Notify the World Of Con-
6itions 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-
tiers in future. An international con-
ference for the saving Of life at sea-"
which was held at London. resulted.
among other things. in an undertaking
by the principal marine powers of the
world to maintain an ice patrol on the
north itlr,.c from February to Juue
In eacl yea,
1t vas agreed that this i"e patrol
Should ;c arried ont Ivy the United
States OIL Dehalf nj thr vaiious coun
tries representa-. the cost to be borne
by them pro rata. B:iiuin to pay %
per cent of ;Ip TOTAL. Germany. Francs
and the United States IL per cent each
and Austria. Belgium. Canada. Den
mark, Italy. Holland, Norway, Russia
and Sweden from 1 TO per cent each.
The American authorities inaugural
ed this patrol service with the naval
scout cruisers Birmingham and Ches-
ter hut later assigned the revenue cut
tiers Seneca and Miami to this duty,
which ships have since continued it.
The lirst 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. 1t Is 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 of 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
conclusions reached is that under Ordi-
nary conditions 1t 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 cloudy day, with good
visibility, deduction of about two
miles must be made. With the search
light it is possible to see an iceberg
about two miles on a dimly mOOnlit
night and about three miles when the
moon sets.
Another weighty fact for mariners IL
that it 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 an
unbroken view of the horizon over the
top of "growler." or low lying berg,
half mile or a mile away. and thus
easily miss seeing the obstruction until
too late to avoid it,
A theory exploded by the ice patrol
ships is that the proximity of ice Is
marked by notable lowering of dir
Experiments covering
three years have proved that such is
not the case and that. as a rule. there
is little or no change in the tempera-
ture of the mir near an iceberg. Equal
iy fallacious Is the idea that the pres
ence of berg IL denoted by a lower
ing of the temperature of the water.
As matter of fact. the very contrary
Il the case.
Other theories. as that echoes indi-
cate the presence Of bergs, that ice dis
closes itself through what Is known
as the ice blink" and that submarine
''ears" on ships will reveal the near
ness of Ice by its peculiar motion
through the waves. have been proved
equally unfounded. In truth the testi-
mony Of the commanders of these pa
troll ships is that the only safe way to
navigate regions of icebergs is to stop
during thick weather and to run very
slowly on dark nights.
The outstanding fact. therefore. with
regard to this ice patrol service is that
II is markedly effective In lessening
the danger to ships traversing the ice
zone by the warnings which 1t sends
out from day to day. which enable
passing vessels to give a wide berth
to these distractions. But the prob
lem Of detecting ice in the immediate
vicinity of steamer has not yet been
solved.-P. Il. McGrath
In American Review Of Reviews