WEATHER SHIPS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26531, 5 August 1947, Page 5

WEATHER SHIPS

COLLECTION OF DATA CO-OPERATIVE SCHEME IN ATLANTIC N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent Rec. 9 p.m. LONDON, Aug 4. Britain is first in the field with a weather ship for gathering meteorological data in the Atlantic. Under a recent agreement 10 nations are cooperating in the provision of 13 weather ships to be stationed in various parts of the Atlantic at fixed points. They will make upper air observations and send out radio reports at regular intervals. They will also provide navigational aids for aircraft in difficulties and be prepared to assist in rescue work. The ships are painted conspicuous yellow so that aircraft in distress could alight on the sea near at hand. Britain is providing four ships, the first of which is now ready for sailing. She was formerly a Flower class corvette. She has been renamed the “ Weather Observer.” Two will always be at their stations while the others will be in harbour. One station will be roughly 250 miles south of Iceland and the other 300 miles west of Ireland. Altogether there will be 26 ships, and half of them will be at their stations simultaneously. • The United States is providing seven ships and France one. The remainder will provided jointly by Canada and the United States, Belgium, Holland, and the United Kingdom, and Norway and Sweden. Normally, the ships will spent 27 days at sea and 15 in port.