Yale-Harvard regatta, New London, Conn., June 25, 1915. Start of the 4-mile varsity race. The "Mohawk" on the right at the head of the line; "Gresham stationed off the navy yard, 2 miles above the Mohawk; and the "Acushnet at the finish 2 miles farther on. Picket launches patrolled both sides of the course for the entire 4 miles. otter, an efficient patrol has been maintained in the waters of the North Pacific and the Bering Sea. As the patrol is continuous from May to September, the activities of each season cover a portion of two fiscal years. During the months of July, August, and September, 1914, the Tahoma, Manning, and Unalga were employed on this duty, and, as in the previous year, shore stations were established at Atka, Kiska, and Attu Islands, to keep watch on the various bays and harbors which have been frequented by pelagic sealers in the past. In addition to the patrol duties partícular attention was given to enforcing the laws and regulations regarding the protection of game, fisheries, and fur-bearing animals, and, whenever practicable during the season, the mail was carried to vessels of the fishing fleet. On a number of occasions medical aid was given to the men of the fishing fleet by the surgeons attached to the cutters. On cruises to the westward the several villages on the Aleutian Chain were visited as often as possible, in order that the surgeons might give medical aid to the natives, and instruct them in the sanitation of their persons and dwellings. On these occasions assistance was given to the Department of Justice and Bureau of Education in investigating matters pertaining to their spheres of action in remote places. In August at the request of the Bureau of Education a herd of 40 reindeer was transported to Nazan Bay, Atka Island, in order to inaugurate the experiment of propagating a herd of these useful animals on that island. At the conclusion of the patrol for the season of 1914 the commanding officer of the fleet reported that there were no evidences of marauding vessels in Bering Sea throughout the entire season, and that no suspicious craft were seen. He also reported a noticeable improvement in the size of the seal herd on the Pribilof Islands, due to the prohibition of pelagic sealing, and that the rookeries gave no evidence that the seals had been hunted at sea during the season. (See special report, p. 87.) Owing to the shortage of cutters on the Pacific coast and the apparent cessation of pelagic sealing in the North Pacific and the Bering Sea during the past two seasons it was decided to attempt the patrol during the season of 1915 with one cutter, and the Unalga was assigned to this duty. She sailed from Seattle April 20, 1915, and in addition to the duties incident to the seal patrol cruised actively during the month of May from the northern entrance of Unimak Pass to Sannak Island, for the purpose of rendering such assistance as might be necessary to merchant vessels in that vicinity, there being a large fleet bound to the canneries during that month. During the month of June she patrolled along the Aleutian Chain and in the vicinity of Pribilof Islands. The report of the operations for the season of 1915 will be given in the next annual report. ICE PATROL. The international service of ice observation and patrol in the North Atlantic has been continued. For this purpose the Seneca was withdrawn from regular coast patrol and sailed from New York early in February, 1915. This vessel made two cruises to the regions to the north of the Grand Banks to observe and investigate ice conditions, and on April 1, 1915, when it was apparent that the bergs and ice fields had advanced to the southward, so as to threaten the trans-Atlantic steamship lanes, she entered upon the duties of the ice patrol proper. The Miami was dispatched from Key West early in March to join the Seneca on the patrol, and using Halifax, Nova Scotia, as a base for coal and supplies these two cutters made alternate cruises and maintained a continuous patrol in the ice-danger zone during the months of April, May, and June, 1915. The scope of the patrol and the methods of disseminating information and warnings to trans-Atlantic vessels approaching the Grand Banks are set forth in the following instructions issued for the season of 1915: 1. The object of the patrol is to locate the icebergs and field ice nearest to the trans-Atlantic steamship lane. It will be the duty of patrol vessels to determine the southerly, easterly, and westerly limits of the ice and to keep in touch with these fields as they move to the southward in order that radio messages may be sent out daily, giving the whereabouts of the ice, particularly the ice that may be in the immediate vicinity of the regular trans-Atlantic steamer lane. 2. The patrol will continue until the ice no longer constitutes a danger to navigation in the trans-Atlantic steamship lanes. The ice season is usually three months-April, May, and June. 3. While on this patrol the vessels will obtain fuel and other necessary supplies at Halifax, Nova Scotia. The two vessels will make alternate cruises of about 15 days in the ice region, the 15 days to be exclusive of time occupied in going to and from Halifax. The senior commanding officer will so regulate the movements of the vessels that on the fifteenth day after reaching the ice region the vessel on patrol will be relieved by the second vessel, if possible, at which time the first vessel will proceed to Halifax, replenish her coal supply, and return in time to relieve the other vessel at the end of the latter's 15-day cruise. It is important that the patrol be continuous, and the vessel on patrol must not leave her station until relieved by the other vessel unless it is absolutely necessary to do so. 4. Having located the ice, the patrol vessel will send the following daily radiograms. All times in radiograms will be in seventy-fifth meridian time. (a) At 6 p. m. (seventy-fifth meridian time) ice information will be sent broadcast for the benefit of vessels, using 600-meter wave length. This message will be sent three times with an interval of two minutes between each. (b) At 6.15 p. m. (seventy-fifth meridian time) the same information will be sent broadcast three times in similar manner, using 300-meter wave length. (c) At 4 a. m. (seventy-fifth meridian time) a radiogram will be sent to the branch hydrographic office, New York City, through the nearest land-radio station, defining the ice-danger zone, its southern limits, or other definite ice news. The telegraphic address of the branch hydrographic office is "Hydrographic, New York." (d) Ice information will be given at any time to any ship with which the patrol vessel can communicate. 5. Ice information will be given in as plain, concise English as practicable, and will state in the following order: (a) Ice (berg or field). (b) Date. (c) Time (seventy-fifth meridian time). (d) Latitude. (e) Longitude. (f) Other data as may be necessary. 6. Attention is called to circular letter No. 122, the provisions of which will. be followed in radiograms sent to the Hydrographic Office. In radiograms sent to vessels other than revenue cutters the words "latitude" and "longitude will not be omitted. 7. Each patrol vessel will keep a remark book in which will be entered all data and information that can be collected concerning the ice. 8. Each vessel on being relieved by the other vessel will deliver to the relieving vessel copies of all radiograms sent to or received from the Hydrographic Office during the cruise and copies of all instructions received from the department by radio. 9. At the end of each cruise a full report in duplicate will be sent to the department. 10. Each vessel will plot on tracing paper used in connection with H. O. Chart No. 955 the positions and extent of the ice as located from time to time. This data will also be plotted on duplicate tracing paper, and this duplicate will be delivered to the relieving vessel. 11. If in an emergency it becomes necessary for the junior commanding officer to communicate directly with the department in order to avoid delay, a copy of all such communications will be furnished to the senior commanding officer. Scientists were detailed to the Seneca from the Bureau of Standards, Bureau of Fisheries, and the Weather Bureau, and apparatus supplied for taking meteorological and oceanographical observations and collecting specimens of plankton. The data obtained, together with the detailed reports of the scientists and the commanding officers of the patrol vessels will be published as soon as possible in Coast Guard Bulletin No. 4. The data in connection with the ice patrol for the seasons of 1913 and 1914 have already been published in Bulletins Nos. 1 and 3, respectively. The season of 1915 was similar in many ways to that of 1913, particularly as to the scarcity of ice in the vicinity of the Banks in the early part of the season, which interfered materially with the collection of data. Owing to conditions in Europe, many vessels failed to make ice reports to the patrol vessels by radio, so that practically all ice reported was that located by the officers of the patrol. In the latter part of the season there existed the unusual condition of several bergs being seen 100 to 200 miles west of the tail of the Bank and 60 miles south of that point. Much northeast wind was reported at that time, which would seem to have caused the Labrador current to run an abnormal distance to the westward before meeting the Gulf Stream and curving back to the east and north as usual. On the 30th of June the last berg in the vicinity of the tail of the Bank broke up into several small pieces and melted rapidly, having encountered the warm waters of the Gulf Stream. On that date the patrol was discontinued for the season. This international service was undertaken by the United States in 1914 and continued in 1915 at the request of Great Britain, acting on behalf of the various powers interested, under the conditions set forth in the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, which was signed at London, January 20, 1914, by the representatives of those powers. Under those conditions the several powers assumed the obligation to contribute to the expenses of the international service in certain proportions, enumerated in article 7 of the said convention. Accordingly, the several powers were informed, through the Department of State, as to the cost of the patrol for the season of 1914, and the several sums due from them, as follows: Salaries and wages of personnel__ Maintenance and operation, including all supplies and miscellaneous contingent expenses.. Administrative expense.. Depreciation: $47, 894. 10 28, 955. 04 2, 441. 73 Vessel on duty February 4, 425.00 per cent per annum. Seneca, built in 1908, cost $295,000. 2,083.33 85,799. 20 |