40 THE OCEAN 



quickly that the crew has no time to take to 

 the boats. 



Whenever a steamer or a sailing vessel 

 sights a derelict its size, location and appear- 

 ance are reported to the Government and reg- 

 ular charts or maps are published at frequent 

 intervals giving the location and description 

 of all known derelicts. Many of these float- 

 ing wrecks are easily identified by their ap- 

 pearance or the names which are still visible, 

 and if you will study one of the Pilot Charts 

 of the North Atlantic Ocean you will be 

 greatly surprised to find how these deserted 

 ships travel about. For months or even years 

 the wrecks are reported, sometimes far down 

 near the equator and again among the ice- 

 floes and bergs of the far north. Although the 

 derelicts are dangerous obstacles in the way 

 of ships yet they have been of great value in 

 mapping ocean currents, for by comparing 

 the various charts and the drift of the wrecks, 

 oceanographers have been able to trace the 

 course of many ocean currents and streams 

 with great accuracy. 



In recording the derelicts our Government 



