The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-05-29
ATLANTIC SETS
RECORD; FREE
OF ICEBERGS
Floating Mountains Absent
for First Time in Coast
Guard Memory.
PATROLS IDLE IN PORT
Scientists Are Puzzled by
Phenomenon; Expected
Average Number.
BY THOMAS L. STOKES
United Press STAFF Correspondent

WASHINGTON, May 29.-For the
first time in the memory OF the coast
guard not a single iceberg has ap-
peared in the north Atlantic this
season.
None of the majestic white noun
tains of floating ice which always
constitute q menace to trans
Atlantic liners has been seen, and
none even has been reported, either
by commercial vessels or by the trim
and sturdy 125-foot cutter General
Greene, lookout for the coast guard
in protecting shipping lanes.
The two larger coast guard cut
tiers, the Mojave and the Pont-
chartrain, which originally would
have been securing the chilly north
Atlantic seas sighting and chart
ing the movement of the bergs and
advising vessels, are idle at Boston,
their crews like firemen when there
is no fire.
Scientists Are Puzzled
While this phenomenon is graft
flying to steamship companies, 1t
has stumped scientists who know
about such things.
Lieutenant Commander Edward
H. Smith of the coast guard, who
perhaps knows as much about ice
bergs as any living person, and who
will accompany the Graf Zeppelin
on its trip to the north pole this
summer to make a further study,
was as much confounded as any
one else, for he predicted $50 ice
bergs this summer, which is about
normal.
Smith expressed the belief today
that the bergS have not moved
down into the Atlantic this year due
to the absence of an "ice fence
along the coasts Of Labrador and
Newfoundland, which usually forms
there and shunts the icebergs back
out into the current when they run
to shore.
Bergs Along Shores
He said the bergs undoubtedly
have piled up along these shores,
and has recommended to Admiral
Frederick H. Billiard, coast guard
commander, that the General
Greene be sent on an expedition
after the ice patrol is over to locate
and enumerate those which have
foundered there.
This is one of the best oppor-
tunitieS ever afforded for the study
of icebergS, he added.
But the mystery hinges around
the absence of the "ice fence"
One theory suggested is that the
same drought which played such
havoc with the farmers in this
country last year was responsible
for the lack of ice along the far
northern shores.
The CO, st guard cutters moved
out on their ice patrol early last
year, when word came down that
the bergS were moving They we're
fairly numerous last year, 40 being
reported, but it was not a record
year.
Broadcast to Ships
Extent of the coast guard activity
is shown in total Of 952 radio
broadcasts to ships last year from
the two cutters, with a total of
$751; words sent out, enough for
about seven average length novels.
The vessels rove over a radius Of
5000 to 5000 miles on the lookout
for the bergs, their radios crackle
when one is sighted, four reports
normally being scent out to ships
daily, in addition to report here,
but when ship is entering the ice
berg area and requests it, more nu-
merous reports are broadcast, CIV
ing the exact location, so that a
map can be made up on the vessel
to guide the pilot.