Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-27
Continued From Fifth Pageo


that. may obstruct navigation and gives
medical advice and attention to men,
beers of crews on boats that do. not
carr any one qualified TO doctor. In
fact, they do anything in their power
that will be of assistance to the,
mariner
While they are doing all these ma
rine chores they do not have eyes closed
to the why's and WhereforeS of the phe-
nomena about them. Scientific inves-
tigation and experimentation are con-
stantly being carried on which have
been of great value to oceanographic
lore.
Icebergs are studied from their origin.
way up in Greenland around Disko
Bay. Ocean currents. the contour of
the bottom of the ocean and weather
conditions are subjects of research.
From formulae that have been de-
veloped, together with weather infor-
nation. it is possible now for these eX-
perts to predict as early as April
whether or not the season will be
heavy or light one in amount Of ice.
The predictions of the last three years
have been within so of the actual num-
Der of bergs which appeared record
worthy of comparison to the far-seeing
eye of the Government Weather Bu-
reau.
From the information which they
have compiled they can foretell where
an iceberg will be the next day. and
can almost tell where it will be within
four or five days Since icebergs travel
from IS to 60 miles day. this re-
quires some experienced prognosticat-
ing. As many as 10 of these beautiful
but dangerous masses have been sighted
from the bridge of ship at one time.
Tables show that icebergs run in
cycles. The years 1909. 1912. 1914 and
1921 were big ones when the number
was more than extra heavy" In the
first two years there were more than a
thousand There were less than 100
in 1910. 1916. 1917 and 1924.
BY experimentation these specialists
have discovered what are the only eff
fective methods of dealing with the
stolid, solid. floating bodies. For in
stance, it has been found that icebergs
can be dynamited, but that the results
are negligible 1t is possible to damage
them with gunfire but neither is that
worthwhile undertaking. The nat
ural elements, sun and warm water,
have been proved to be the only effec-
tive ice-destroying agents.
The mammoth chunks of cleaning
ice that take ON many beautiful forms
under the sculpturing of the sun were
once huge clifflike formations up in the
regions that are supposed to be the
estate of Santa Claus. In that land
during the breaking-up season there is
a constant pandemonium like heavy
gunfire as the ice slides at an angle
down to the sea and is cracked off
when the buoyancy of the water press
es upward. Actually rather dingy upon
closer inspection. they bear traces of
having come from the earth. Some
even have streakS of dirt. like dark
frosting in cake. Arctic birds follow
the ice island.
y x X *
TWO cutters of the Coast Guard are
assigned to the international ice
patrol The Mojave and the Modoc
were given the task last year. alter
nately relieving each other every Is
days during the season from March
through the latter part of June.
Although derelict destruction was
authorized at the first Conference on
| the Safety of Life at Sea. 1t was not
| undertaken as part of the international
| project. The two cutters assigned to
| this duty do remove distractions to
| navigation. but in addition the Coast