SHIPS AND THE SEA

Evening Post, Volume LXXXV, Issue 57, 8 March 1913, Page 12

SHIPS AND THE SEA

VALUE OF WIRELESS. The report of the Department of tho Naval Service of Canada, for the fiscal year ended 31st March, 1912, is issued from Ottawa. The publication, which contains a number of illustrations and maps, devotes a special section to wireless telegraphy, one chapter, headed "Shipping Disasters and the Wireless Services, affording particularly interesting reading. Special mention is made of the mishap to tire steamef Tees. This voercl lost her propeller while at tho head of Kyuquoit Sound, on the west coast of Vancouver Island. She sent out wireless distress signals, but owing to the fact that she was entirely surrounded by mountains of the order of 7000 ft, Bho was unable to establish communication with any station. The peculiar condition of the ether ot night time, however, assisted her, and although she was unable to get an answer to her calls, they wero heard by the Bteamer Northwestern, away Up in Alaska, and by her the news was relayed down to Victoria. _ At the same timo the Government station at Estevan received a piece of the message from the Tees, saying sho was in Kyuquoit Sound. Nothing more was received from the Teos until aaisietanco arrived at tho scene of the accident five days later. One of the first vessels on the Pacific Coast to instal wireless was the City of Qucbla. On 17th December, 1911, this vessel, while on. her way £rom 'Seattle to Vancouver, blow out a. cylinder head, dig' abling the ship and severely scalding tho chief engineer. Wireless messages were sent_ from tho vessel, and responses were received from tho stations at Victoria and Point Grey. It is worthy of note thattheso two Btatidtis, the only ones to respond, maintained a twenty-four hour watch. Among interesting instances in which wireless proved of value on the Atlantic seaboard mention is made of the disablement of the British steamer Berwindmoor. Great difficulty was experienced by the Sable Island station in communicating with the vessel, owing possibly to the fact that no regular wireless telegraph operator was employed on the Bermindhioor, the wireless being attended to by ono of the navigating officers. . Tho Berwindmoor was towed into Halifax. During the time she Was disabled the owners and tho public were kept constantly advised with regard to her condition and the progress she was making. TERRIBLE WRECK EXPERIENCE. Details of the disaster to tho Furness steamer Florence on the coast of Newfoundland during a north-westerly gale, when tho captain and twenty-one of the crew were lost, havo now been received. Cho_ steamer was on a voyage »from Halifax to Liverpool with a general cargo, and ou tho evening of 20th December struck a reef of rocks in St. Mary's Bay, near Capo Race. Captain Barr, seeing that his vessel Was being broken up, decided to abandon her, and after much difficulty the crew of twentyseven men effected a landrng on a ledge of rock hoar St. Hyacinth. The rising sea, backed by the gale, 6Wetat over the men, and as esoape up the steep oliff was impossible, they were again obliged to go into the boats. Captain Barr and twenty-one men determined to return to tho steamer, ahd succeeded in boarding her ; but secohd officer Hedley, with four men in a small b»at, said they would try another landing place. With the gale increasing in force the Florenoe took a heavy list and began to break up. Meanwhile Hedley and his four companions were ablo to lahd higher up the coast. They were almost frozen to death, but they managed to crawl to a place of safety on the cliff. From there they saw their comrades lashed to the rigging, with the seas sweeping over them, until darkhess shut them out from view. At daylight there was ho trace of the stcamoi' to be Been. SIZE AND SPEED OF VESSELS. Lloyd's Register Bays:— "The number of largo steamers launched in the United Kingdom during 1912 has greatly exceeded the average of recent years. During tho years 1892-96, 47 vessels of 6000 tons and upwards were launched in the United Kingdom; in the, following fivo years tho number rose to 166 j in tho next five years, 1902-06, 156 wero launched, and during the fivo years, 1907-11, 167 such vessels were launohed. Of vessels of 10,000 tons and upwards, only fivo were launched in the five years 1892-96; 32 were launched during tho five years 1897-01; 29 were launched during the five years 1902-06; and 48 during tho fivel years 1907-11. Tho returns for 1912 show that 69 vessels of 6000 tons and above were launched. Of these, 16 were over 10,000 tons each, tho largest being tho White Star B.s. Coramio, of 18,600 tons, and the Canadian-Pacifio steamers Empress of Asia and Empress of Russia, 16,350 tons each. The*, follow ing are the other vessels of 11,000 tons and upwards: — Tons gross. Nestor 14,200 Niagara (Union S.S. Co.) 13,500 Darro 11,484 Desna 11,483 Drina 11,240 Beltana « ... 11,120 Benalla ... ... „, 11,120 Kristianiafjord ... .... 11,000 The average tonnage of ' steamers launched in the United Kingdom during 1912 is 2676 tons; but if steamers of less than 500 tons be excluded, the average of the' remaining steamers reaohes 3955 tons gross, which is a considerable advance on the mean of tho average of the previous five years. Of the vessels launched in the United Kingdom, 24 are capable of a ' speed oi 16 knots and above. The fastest of these aro the turbihe vessels Empresb of Asia, Empress of Russia, and Waninc (Union Steam Ship Company), two other turbine steamers intended for service {n tho Irish Channel, and one for service on the Clyde, all designed for a speed" of 20 knots. The Union Steam Ship Company's Niagara is one of four new steamers fitted with a combination of turbines and reciprocating engines. NAVIGATORS' EYESIGHT. The Board of Trade has now announced its policy« in respect of eyesight tests for certificated officers of the mercantile marine. As regards colour vision, tho wool test is to bo modified, and a Tantern test added. > With lespect to form vision, a concession has beon_ made in deference to the strong opinions expressed both by shipowners and by the shipmasters' societies. The original proposal was that on and after Ist January next every candidate for ; a certificate must possess normal vision in the bettor eye and half normal in tho weaker eye. The Board of Trad© has now decided that this requirement must stand as regards candidates first presenting themselves on and after the date named, but that when such candidates come up later for higher certificates the weaker eye will be adequate if it is normal to the extent of at least one-third. On tho other hand, any person getting a certificate before January next will satisfy tho department if he possesses half normal vision when using both eyes together. This is the existing teEt. Tho decision shows tho desire of tho Board of Trade to treat with tenderness tho present._ officers of tho mercantile marine. It is, however, assorted that, if (he more severe test is applied to ' new candidates the number of young men coming forward for executive work will qprioiißly diminish. Alrendy there is a oonsidprable dearth ot officers, particularly in the junior lanks. Something niny posnibl.y be done by higher pay and the more favourable conditions of service now becoming the rule to bring young men in. But it dopß not look at the moment as if the decision of the Board of Trade in tin* matter is likely to be accepted as final by thoso particularly concerned. This sentiment has already boon voiced on the part of shipowners by Mr. John Glynn, of Liverpool. On 22nd January the keepers in tho Wolf Rock lighthouse, Cornwall, were relieved by the Trinity bteamer Siren, from the Scillies. By continuous storni6 the men were isolated eevon weeks over their time. Fresh food, however, wu got to thtia on two ooo**icm».