Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-02-03

rugged coast area means. in most
cases, rugged sea bottom. In
Maine, for instance, where there Is
a rugged coastline, the bottom of the
sea Is strewn with great rocks which
In many cases rise to within a few
rect OF the surface. The boulder
strewn shores bordering eastern
Long Island sound find their counter
part In the waters they incIose. In
Florida there are coral reefs, and the
coast Of the Virgin islands and Porto
Rico Is similar to that of Maine. The
same condition is generally true OF
the Pacific coast. although there ia
less necessity there for vessels to
approach shoal waters except to en-
ter harbors. Along tho Atlantic and
Pacific coasts. the drag is set to
sweep close to the bottom. In the
Inside route" of Alaska, through the
southeastern approach. the drags are
lowered to 100 feet ut low tide
Tho determination and accurate
charting OF currents and the tides is
a necessity. for the mariner must
know what speed he can make good
In certain waters and what he must
do to counteract the SGT of tides and
currents. The strength and direction
Of currents arc obtained by observa-
lions made from small boats anchored
in the current. Tho currents vary In
their Importance. The Gulf stream.
for instance. rounding the Florida
peninsula and heading north between
Florida and tho Bahamas. attains q
speed Of four miles an hour. There
is a current found 1t the mouth OF
every body Of water which flows into
the sea Along the Pacific coas,
there are numerous currents to catch
the unwary mariner of his guard and
send him on the rocks before he
realizes his danger and can change
course to avoid II.
Tides and currents are shown In
tables. published to cover a year. and
available to all mariners. A ships
master may consult coast and geo.
detic survey tide table a year in ad-
vance and know what he is to en-
counter when he enters a certain
port.
1.-THE survey is ever looking for
ward. reaching ahead Of time and
into the future. Along the Atlantic
coast. for instance, the survey ii
charting the bottom of the ocean out
of the 10o-fathom curve. where the
Jumping off place" into the unex-
plored depths Of the ocean itself
really begins. Along the Pacific
coast the measurements are beins
taken to the 1.oo0-fathom curve. In
plotting the tortuous course through
the inside route to Alaska, the drags
are set for 100 feet at low tide--noi
that any vessel IS going to draw sc
much water. but the future may see
tho time when It is necessary for sub.
marines TO traverse that route. Wher
that time comes the way will have
been shown.
> The survey also has In mind re.
surveying the inside route from east.
ern Long Island to the Florida Keys
q route which was originally sur
veyed before the civil war but whict
has so changed that the charts based
on those surveys have ceased to be
accurate. This route is now taken By
small boat cruisers, which may go The
entire trip without going far from
shore.
Ono admires the hardy pioneers
who set out not so many years ago &c
open up that great territory OF
Alaska. whose wealth and resources
have hardly been tapped. But while
these pioneers concerned themselves
with the present. the coast and geo.
detic survey is now pioneering for the
days to come, when great ships. bear
ing tho commerce OF the world. viii
sock tho ports Of Alaska to carr,
away it's riches. Before these ship.
can safely find those ports. the way
must be cleared and tho path the,
follow blazed. 1t is difficult to real.
ize the extent Of Alaska's shore line
but measured with unit step Of thre,
I statute miles. the length OF the tida
shore line OF Alaska Is considerably
greater than that of both the At.
Iantic and the Pacific coasts Of tn,
continental United States. while tn,
detailed shore line, II extended. would
reach around the globe at the equator
With this great area to be made
safe for those who sail the sea, the
vital part the coast and geodetic sur.
vey must play In the development o,
Alaska can be readily realized. FOL
Alaska cannot be reached withou,
plying the waters that encircle It. I,
is estimated. however. that 80 Del
cent Of tho water areas OF the terri
tory are either totally unsurveyed OF
insufflciently surveyed. Tho survey
has barely touched the surface OF the
! problem 1t must solve. The develop.
ment OF the country has outstripped
this survey, not only because Of the
fow parties engaged In this work. but
because Of the great length Of the
coast and tho intricate system OF
| channels for such q large proportion
of the coast line.
Now that the inland passage has
be carried on to open TO commerce
the waters which lie ON either side OF
tho channel While there arc indus.
tries springing up everywhere on oil.
Their side Of the channel. While there
are Industries springing up every.
where on either side Of the one and
only main channel now completely
surveyed. vessels are reluctant to as.
sumo the hazards involved In reach.
ing them until the hardy mariners OF
the coast and geodetic service have
gone before them and sounded out a
safe passage.
| + X y y
OUCH, then. Il q brief description OF
- the work the men Of the coas,