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UNIFORM TRACKS FOR STEAMERS. 



Owing to the weather characteristics of the Northern Atlantic, it was 

 found that the narrow hmits of the old Lanes give no room for manoeuvring 

 so as to avoid impending bad weather. The great increase of steam traffic 

 between Europe and North America also rendered some special arrange- 

 ment urgently necessary, for regulating the routes of vessels outward and 

 homeward bound, to diminish the risks of collision. The initiative in this 

 was taken by the United States Hydrographic Office, which, in December, 

 ld87. issued the North Atlantic Pilot Chart with separate routes proposed 

 for vessels going Eastward and Westward, one track being given as the 

 Southern Umit for vessels bound Westward, and another as the Northern 

 limit for vessels bound Eastward. By these routes West-bound vessels 

 thus pass well to the northward of those bound Eastward, except at the 

 agreed crossing-places south-eastward of the banks of Newfoundland, 

 where the tracks diverge according to the destination. 



The advantages of this scheme met with cordial approval from the 

 principal Atlantic steamship companies, and in December, 1891, a fresh 

 chart was issued. In accordance with experience gained, this chart was 

 revised in 1898, in order to avoid Ice and Fog prevalent in July in the 

 Northern Route, and in the interests of the safety of fishermen on the 

 Grand Banks. 



As far as the risk of collision was concerned, these fixed routes admir- 

 ably answered their purpose, but they led within the dangerous Ice area, 

 as disastrously shown by the loss of the steamer Titanic, of 52,310 tons 

 displacement, with 1,490 fives, on April 15th, 1912, after collision with 

 an iceberg. This fearful catastrophe led the steamship companies to 

 agree to let their vessels take a route much farther southward of the Ice 

 area.^- 



We here give the description of the revised Routes, as adopted from 

 April 15th, 1913, the tracks being marked on the diagrams facing pages 

 459 and 475. In exceptional seasons they may be temporarily altered, 

 of which due notice will be given. 



It is to be hoped that the captains of all steamers will see the advisability 

 of following these routes, and that those of sailing vessels will endeavour 

 to avoid them, as much as possible. 



N.B. — When courses are changed at the intersections of the meridians 

 named at any time before or after noon, note in the log both distances to 

 and from the meridians, which the ship has sailed from noon to noon, and 

 not the distance from the position at noon, the day before, to the position 

 at noon, the day after, the meridian is crossed. 



• la accordaacv. with the International Convention at London in January, 1914, in 

 the leaaon when Ice may be met with, the United States government dispatches steamers 

 to patrol the southern limits of the floating Ice region, and to issue wireless telegraphio 

 reports oi its existence, both to the shore and to approaching vessels. 



