The New York herald., 1922-04-10
WILL DOUBLE TRACK
PACIFIC FOR SHIPS
Navy Department Seeks Co
operation Of British. Cana
dians and japanese.
WOULD LESSEN DANGERS
Increasing Traffic Requires
Early Solution of Mari
time Problem.
WOULD LESSEN DANGERS

WASH INGToN, April D iAssociated
Press) Definite steps toward double
tracking the North Pacific Ocean to
avoid dangers of congested steamship
traffic have been taken by tho hydro
graphic office of The Navy Department.
Cooperation of the Japanese. Canadian
and British naval and steamship
authorities has been sought. 1t was
learned to-day, and data s accumulat-
ing on which decision finally will be
made possibly in the near future.
The project contemplates mapping
out the most favorable courses from
North Pacific ports on this side to
Japan and return. west bound and east
bound traffic following prescribed routes
well separated from each other as Is
done in the North Atlantic to reduce
the danger of collisions.
THE increasing traffic IN the North
ern Pacific has made this question press
for an early solutior." Cart. r., u. Bas-
sett. hydrographer Of the navy and head
of the photographic Office. wrote TO a
number or the best known mariners
trading I'm the Pacific between Seattle
and Vancouver and the Japanese ISL
ands. The Office has received re-
sponses from most of these mariners
giving their actual experience. which
in some cases covers thirty years.
In all cases the mariners report that
II Is very desirable to establish such
lanes. due to the increasing traffic and
to the prevalence of fog on the route.
which introduces grave danger of COL
lision between opposite bound vessels.
A summary Of ell rerorts received has
indicated that the douhie steaming COR
ridor proposed should lie we'll to the
rorth of the great circle route from
san Francisco to Yokohama. Orient
bound craft keep to the northern lane
and homebound ships to the southern
pathway. The arrangement was said
to provide the best probable wea ther
conditions as we'll as the aid Of favor
Ing currents
Several interesting facts were empha
sized by recent reports of mariners
Capt. Bassett said. including the con-
ffrnation of a counter current south
westward of the Ale-tian Islands,
which aided westbound essels. This
counter current is opposite % the Japan
current, which Is the dominating cur
rent OF the North Pacific and has cir
culation somewhat similar TO that Of the
gulf stream in the Atlantic.
The Japanese current impinges on
the northwest shores OF Vancouver and
conditions of those places just as the
Gulf stream affects the climatic cond;-
tons of the British Isles and West In
dies
Among the reports on Pacific voyages
received is one which Capt. Bassctt said
illustrated exactly 'how not to do it.
The skipper. in this case. heading out
from a North Pacific port for Japan
determined to drop down to the horse
attitudes, the great central floor II
each ocean, between the paths OF fa
vorable winds and currents. and bucl
lis way straight across.
His determination, or stubbornness
added about seven days to the time ne
cessary 10 make the trin." Capt. Bas
sett said. had he followed the linz
OF least resistance. as indicated by tho
pilot charts. giving the prevailing wine
and weather"
The record of that voyage shows ter
distinct gales encountered during thf
trip and daily record OF cross seas ant
unfavorab.e winds