226 PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY OF THE SEA: 



in all these great lines of mail steamers. Winter storms, ice- 

 bergs, fogs, cyclone-hurricanes, and collisions with other 

 vessels, are all encountered at high rates of velocity, and 

 with many calamitous results. Experience and discipline 

 have done much to protect against these dangers, but serious 

 hazards still exist ; and especially those of collision, which 

 are constantly augmenting in an ocean every year more 

 crowded with ships, seeking to find the shortest passage across 

 it. In these days, however, of bold design and prompt exe- 

 cution, there are few ills which do not bring with them the 

 suggestion of remedy. Captain Maury, and others in sequel 

 to him, have urged the adoption of ' steam lanes ' across the 

 Atlantic ; that is, well-defined lines of navigation of a 

 certain width, and separate from others throughout ; so ap- 

 propriated respectively to vessels going east or west, that the 

 chances of collision may be greatly lessened if not altogether 

 removed. The width of the zone of ocean, now traversed 

 by the mail steamers to North America, is about 250 miles. 

 It is proposed to mark off lanes, 20 or 25 miles in width, on 

 the northern and southern borders of this zone, as the routes 

 respectively to be followed and adhered to by all steam 

 vessels crossing in one direction or the other. The scheme, 

 or some one equivalent to it, we doubt not to be practicable ; 

 and such is its obvious utility, that we as little doubt its being 

 eventually carried into effect. The phrase of a Steam lane 

 may somewhat startle those who are wont to associate with 

 this word the cross roads of a midland rural district in Eng- 

 land the high hedges, deep ditches, and straggling cart 

 ruts ; the bushes of blackberry, hazel-nut and hawthorn ; and 

 the hundred sweet flowers and weeds which luxuriate on the 

 hedge banks. We cannot quarrel, however, with this novel 

 use of the term, if the object be fulfilled to which it is ap- 

 plied. If long lanes of ocean, f which have no turning,' be 

 really laid out for the safer navigation of the seas, a great 



