18 



area. Repeated reports were eliminated as far as possible. The 

 shaded area in vicinity of Belle Isle indicates where reports were too 

 numerons to distinguish between reports or to plot the reported ice. 

 (See fig. 9, Ice Chart, July and August 1935.) The total absence of 

 ice along the Labrador coast to the northward of Cape North (lati- 

 tude 53°16' N., longitude 56°26' W.) is due to absence of reports 

 from that area. Elsewhere than these two regions, the sliaded por- 

 tion in vicinity of Belle Isle and the Labrador coast noi-thward of 

 Cape North, the July and August Ice Chart (fig. 9) gives a true 

 picture of the actual distribution of ice as far as could be learned 

 during this period. The ice conditions around Cape Farewell, Green- 

 land, during the middle of August were marked by unusual numbers 

 of bergs and absence of field ice. 



SUMMARY 



The records show that ice conditions in the North Atlantic in 

 1935 were unusually severe. Although the estimated count of bergs 

 drifting south of latitude 48° N. was well over twice that of a normal 

 or average year, the outstanding feature of the season was the un- 

 usual amount of heavy field ice. The extremely wide distribution 

 and compact character of this field ice caused considerable delay and 

 some slight damage to many west-bound ships on the Canadian 

 tracks D, E, and F. Two vessels were severely damaged in the 

 field ice but were able either to obtain adequate assistance or proceed 

 to port under their own power. No known loss of life resulted di- 

 rectly from ice conditions; no vessel struck an iceberg during the 

 season 1935. Twenty-four icebergs drifted south of latitude 43° N., 

 during the season. These bergs seriously menaced the United States- 

 European steamer lanes (tracks A, B, and C) from April 22 to July 

 7. It is estimated that 872 bergs drifted south of latitude 48° N. dur- 

 ing the season. April and May were, as usual, the heaviest ice 

 mo]iths; May alone bringing 501 bergs south of latitude 48° N. 



COMMUNICATIONS 



The importance of radio communications to the Patrol has been 

 mentioned elsewhere in this volume and has been repeatedly stressed 

 in previous bulletins. Suffice it to say that radio plays its important 

 role not only in the broadcasting of information to shipping, but 

 also in the reception of ice reports by tlie Pati-ol vessel, without 

 which she would, indeed, be a blind and inefficient source of infor- 

 mation. 



The willing cooperation of the Canadian radio stations is grate- 

 fully acknowledged. Their assistance in both gathering and dis- 

 seminating ice reports was indispensable. Two radio bearings were 



