Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-11-07
COMMANDER, r. w. kESSLER
On News Service for Navigate

A MONG the most important Government
"A institutions is the photographic Office
of the Navy Department Upon the eff
cient operation of this Office thousands of
lives are constantly depending. Its func-
ton is to provide masters of vessels with
information concerning the channels through
which they are sailing, the ports whittier
they are bound, the weather they will en-
counter and what obstacles they may meet.
Beginning Thursday, the Office will un-
dertake a new departure. What this will
be is explained here by Commander r. ".
kesslcr, Of the Philadelphia photographic
Office
"In conjunction with the Naval Com
muniCation Service" said Commander kess-
Ter, I'VE are prepared to collect and dis
tribute photographic information by radio.
Bulletins, when there is need for them, will
be sent out twice daily along with the
weather reports TO whatever vessels need
to know them. Such a service has never
been undertaken anywhere else on the globe.
1T is hardly necessary to explain what
photographic information consists Of Broad
ly, it is anything that will help the master
in the sailing of his vessel. This special
principally with things a particular master
may be expected to encounter before he
reaches port. Derelicts and floating RATS
and logs and wreckage, for example, mines
that may still be in the ocean, the location
of distressed ships, floating ice, misplaced
buoys in harbor fairways or approaches, and
so on. 1t is not intended to forward infor-
nation by radio unless danger to vessel is
involved either from collision or a result
ing inadequacy of aids to navigation.
Titanic Might Have Been Saved
The value in such n service is not hard
to see 1t is safe to assert that if there had
been such a service in 1912 the Titanic dis
aster might have been spared, aud number
less other wrecks and SinkingS that are not
SO we'll known.
with our present organization the gath
ering Of information for these bulletins is
easy. AS a matter of fact, it amounts to
nothing more than speeding up our present
service. The information generally is OBJ
tanned from one or all Of three sources-by
telegram from the photographic headquar-
tcrs at Washington, by radio from incoming
vessels and from the Supervisors of harbors
and other local authorities.
Suppose, for example, that the steam
ship Abacadabrian in a certain latitude sights
a floating log floating log, you must un-
derstand can do great deal of damage
For one thing, 1t may get into the propellers
and disable the ship. Well, the fact about
this log is put into bulletin. with the lati-
tude and longitude in which it was seen and
the way 1t was drifting, and sent TO all the
vessels In the neghborhood.
"AnOthCr illustration. When the SUBJ
| marine went down off the Delaware Capes
| last year the wreCking party kept a cluster
| of lights about her until she was raised.
| Now, many a captain who had sailed before
| or around the time the submarine sank, be.
| holding those unfamiliar lights near the
| capes. was mystihed. They we're there to
| some purpose, but to what purpose he could
| not tell nor whether it concerned himself
| and his ship,
Would Know Meaning Now
"If such a thing should happen again.
any captain coming close to the position of
| the accident would see the lights and IN.
derstand Immediately why they were there
and sail on.
Frequently a buoy becomes dislocated or
| Is removed to be repaired, or for some other
reason. A captain on finding a buoy miss.
! ing from its accustomed place is often in
| quandary, His chart says that in a partic-
| uar position is a light Yonder is tho
! position, but the light is not there. WbyF
| Zone curious thing about providing This
| service is that we will not need to spend any
money on it. The branch Offices will de-,
| liver the messages TO the local radio Office
| This can be done by messenger or by special
| delivery letter. or. in exceptional cases. hv
| land wire. The radio Office will relay tbe
message. And that Is all there will he to H.
| The radio stations will make no chargo
! for the reception of messages CONTAINING
| photographic information nor for forwardee
| ing 1t to the nearest hydrographic office so
| that 1t may be incorporated into the bullee
tins. 80 that responsibility for the informo.
tion may be definitely fixed on the hydro.