37 



On July 14, the crankshaft of the Cummings Diesel engine which was 

 coupled to the 220-volt direct-current generator to run the winches 

 and fathometer motor generator was found to be broken. It was 

 necessary to run this generator to proceed with the oceanographic 

 work, so the disabled engine was replaced with a similar one which was 

 being used in conjunction with the 32-volt battery charging generator. 

 The only power supply thereafter, aside from the three banks of 32- 

 volt 200-ampere-hour batteries, was the 220-volt direct-current gener- 

 ator which ran the electric winches and furnished power for the 220 

 to 110 volt direct-current machine for the fathometer and salinometer. 

 The fathometer motor generator set was finally utilized to charge the 

 ship's batteries. It could be used very little for charging purposes, 

 and then only at a low rate. While soundings and oceanographic 

 stations were being taken it could not be used at all. This made it 

 necessary to conserve all battery power possible, and it was decided 

 to use the radio transmitters only for the purpose of keeping Head- 

 quarters informed of the position of the General Greene, and any other 

 necessary transmissions. From July 14 on, therefore, the gathering 

 of water temperature and ice reports from vessels and the broadcast- 

 ing of ice and weather information had to be discontinued. Practically 

 the only reception done was of weather and press totaling only about 

 four hours each day, because it was not possible to properly charge 

 the receiving storage batteries. The power applied to the transmitting 

 apparatus being below normal, communication ranges were consider- 

 ably shortened. Nevertheless there was no time during the northern 

 oceanograpliic cruise that the General Greene was out of communica- 

 tion with commercial radio stations. 



The following is a summary of the traffic handled by the General 

 Greene during the 1931 ice patrol season: 



Broadcasts 



Weather received, NAA 



Weather received, VAS 



Water temperature reports received. 



Official received 



OflScial transmitted 



Commercial received 



Commercial transmitted 



Press received, NAA and New York 



Weather from Cape Race _ . 



Dangers to navigation received 



Ice reports received 



Hydrographic reports received 



Bearings obtained 



Requests for medical assistance 



News of transatlantic flights 



Service messages and miscellaneous. 



Total 



