The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1932-05-13
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much as Michigan boulevard or F1ftn
avenue is a heavy traffic street. On
what is known as the "westbound
tracks" are the ships coming from
Europe, and on the "eastbound
tracks," 60 miles south, are the ships
going to Europe.
All vessels off the tracks are re-
ported for violation of the rules. A
vessel off the track is just as dan
gerous as an iceberg or a derelict.
The ice patrol cutter stands as
traffic officer on this avenue of the
sea. If the ice threatens blockage,
the cutter sets the stop sign and
turns the traffic into a "side street.
detour to the south.
Three separate charts are plotted
recording the ships ice and water
temperatures. The latter is very i'm
portant, because by using from 900 to
1900 messages in Is days one can
locate the "cold WALL" the line Of
demarcation between the gulf stream
water and the cold Labrador current
water.
The Danger Line.
This line is the danger line, be-
cause icebergs that are perils to
shipping seldom cross it. The loca-
ton of it at the beginning of the
season is an index to the severity of
conditions to be expected.
A berg that crosses the line COM
mits quick suicide, for water at 90
to 60 degrees melts ice very rapidly.
A big berg will disappear seven days
after it crosses the line.
The cold wall is easy to see. North
of it the ocean is a beautiful olive
green, south of it the water is in
digo blue. The higher content of
microscopic marine life gives the
Labrador current it's olive-green tone.
The prov of cutter can be in
green water Of 40 degrees Fahrenheit,
the stern in warm blue water, that
registers 60 degrees. The crew may
swim in tropical temperatured water,
while half mile away to the north
floats a large iceberg, drifting in cold
water.
When an iceberg which has not
been seen hitherto is sighted it must
be examined, approaching close
enough to make photographs and
sketches from two sides.
Observations to determine its d.
mensiOns-that is, length, breadth
and height above water also are
taken. From these figures it is pos
sible to gauge roughly the total mass,
for always One-eighth of an iceberg
is exposed. Next the temperatures at
the surface and at five different
depths and samples of water to de-
termine salinity are taken. These
data make it possible to predict in
what direction the berg will move, and
also the rate Of drift and the direc-
ton of movement. This information
is then transmitted in a special ice
broadcast.
As boat approaches a floating fee
island sizzling sound become aud
ible. Close attention shows that
this comes from small pieces of ice
slipping off into the sea. Unlike or
binary ice Jumps, the pieces eff
fervesce. This is a popularity of
glacial ice, due, in all probability, to
the fact that it is compacted of snow.
Thousands of Americans sailed to
Europe last year. Few of them were
aware, as they retired to their state
rooms at night, of what precautions
were being taken for their safety.
They did not know that in the radio
room on the upper deck of their ships,
a message from the ice patrol was
coming in, telling about fog and ice
bergS.
Nor did they realize that their liner
was reporting coast guard cutter
drifting on the Grand Banks, so that
officers on the cutter could check TO
learn if the liners course was en-
tirely clear Of danger.
The Titanic catastrophe in April,
1912, shocked the entire world, and a
universal demand for a patrol gave
birth to the International Ice patrol.
Immediately after the Titanic disas-
ter the United States navy detailed
two cruisers for guard duty until the
last bergs disappeared from the
steamer lanes in late June. In the
spring of 1913 two revenue cutters
were detailed to carry out the patrol.
During the fall of the same year
the international conference for the
c. 20 Nv n of ol Of
London, to organize this patrol on an
international basis, in recognition of
its service to ships of all nations.
Representatives of the principal mari
time nations of the world signed the
agreement on January 20, 1914, Great
ing the International Derelict Destruc-
ton, Ice Observation, and Ice Patrol
service
The United States was asked to un-
dertake the management of this serv-
ice. This country agreed to send two
vessels which would patrol the dan
ger area during the iceberg season.
Each Of the contracting parties con-
sented to bear share of the cost in
proportion to it's shipping tonnage.
The United States coast guard is
charged with the duty of maintaining
the patrol. Therefore, when the cut
tiers sail for the Banks ice guard
every March, they go in the name Of
Belgium, Canada. Denmark, France,
Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Neither
lands, Norway, Sweden and the Unit
ed States, but serve the shipping in
terests of the entire world.
Pleasant Deception
"The public sometimes insists on