22 



the night to investigate a berg reported on the previous day, March 

 15, in latitude 44°49' N., longitude 44°45' W. This berg being only 

 5 miles south of the west-bound track C from the south of Ireland, 

 and its direction of drift being uncertain, a special broadcast was 

 sent to all ships at 1530 and 1000, March 15, warning all vessels 

 to proceed with caution that night along track C in that vicinity. 

 The Mendota arrived in the reported position of the berg at day- 

 light and commenced running search courses to the east and south. 

 The berg was not sighted nor was it reported during the day, though 

 the visibility was good and several ships passed in the vicinity. This 

 area not being subject to the great prevalence of fog that character- 

 izes the region just east of the Grand Banks, the Mendota returned 

 to the critical area during the night of March 17. The next clay,^ 

 March 18, dense fog- covered the whole ice patrol area. The Men- 

 dota anchored at 1710 that evening in latitude 44°02' N.. longitude 

 49°11' W., in order to maintain position while awaiting clear 

 weather. On the morning of March 19, while heaving up the port 

 anchor, in anticipation of westerly gales which were making up 

 rapidly, at 0530 the anchor chain parted just short of the anchor, 

 and the anchor was lost. The wind at the time was blowing a strong- 

 breeze, increasing rapidly, and the sea was moderate. The wind 

 rose steadily, reaching o-ale force at 0600, and continued fresh west- 

 erly gales throughout the day. The Mendota lay to imtil the morn- 

 ing of March 20. Scouting was impossible because of the very 

 rough seas. 



At 0900, March 20, wind and sea having abated, the Mendota com- 

 menced scouting over the probable drift tracks of the three bergs 

 sighted on March 16, The bergs were not sighted along the eastern 

 slope of the Banks south of their former position, and at dark the 

 Mendota stopped and drifted for the night in latitude 43°50' N., 

 longitude 48''46' W. At daylight, March 21, a search was insti- 

 tuted to the north and eastward of the previous days' scouting, and 

 at 1335 located a small berg in latitude 44°38' N., longitude 48°30' W. 

 This berg was just a mere shell, being much eroded by the sea. It 

 was of the drydock type, hardly 60 feet high and 200 feet long and 

 about 80 feet wide. This berg should not constitute a menace to 

 shipping for over a week. Its probable life as a berg even in cold 

 water would not exceed that period. Although the search was con- 

 tinued throughout the day, the three bergs sighted March 16 were 

 not found. It is l)elievod this ice was blown out of the cold water 

 by the westerly gales and is drifting east and northeast with the 

 warm water of the North Atlantic drift. The search was continued 

 to the south and east but no ice Avas sighted this day, and the Mendota 

 steamed slowly at reduced speed on a comfortable course for the night. 



