19 



A notable advance in this year's work was the employment of 

 dynamic methods to determine and map the currents around the 

 Grand Banks. A special bulletin, No. 14, describing the work for 

 use on ice patrol, has recently been published by the Coast Guard. 

 The final answer as to the degree of success attending it depends on 

 its practical employment on future ice patrols. It would be very 

 wise and advisable if officers of the Coast Guard detailed to patrol 

 duty were required to acquaint themselves with these methods in 

 order that several may possess this knowledge instead of only one 

 officer, as is now the case. The international ice patrol will give its 

 most efficient and economic service to shipping only when useful 

 scientific methods are employed to support the practical work. 



The patrol ships were equipped this year with practically the same 

 outfits as they had on board in 1925, with the exception of new high- 

 frequency radio sets, especially intended for use in communication 

 with shore, and a second electric salinity set so that determinations 

 might be made on board both ships instead of on one alone, as in 

 previous seasons. The performance of the new radio sets for ship- 

 to-shore communication, as stated in more detail under the section 

 devoted to communications, page 14, well repaid the expense and 

 effort expended in placing the apparatus on board. 



About 465 hydrographical soundings by means of the sonic appa- 

 ratus were made during the season at various positions both in the 

 shallow waters over the Grand Bank and offshore, particularly to 

 the southward of the Bank in the deeper portions of the Atlantic 

 Basin. These are described under the section devoted to sonic 

 sounding, page 49. The value of carrying on this work on future 

 patrols is emphasized, and in this connection it is believed that both 

 ice patrol vessels ought to be equipped with sonic depth apparatus 

 instead of one, as is now the case; steps also ought to be taken to 

 have at all times at least one trained operator on board. 



About 450 steamships are known to have taken advantage of the 

 services offered by the ice patrol in 1926. No doubt several other 

 ships of which there is no mention also listened-in for the daily broad- 

 casts. The following list is submitted in order that the reader may 

 gain an idea of the service which is being given the ships of many 

 nationalities. The masters of these vessels have been individually 

 thanked, by letter, by the chairman of the interdepartmental board 

 in charge of ice patrol. 



Belgian 8 



British 171 



Canadian 27 



Chilean 1 



Danish 8 



Dutch 25 



French 13 



German 14 



Greek 1 



Italian 9 



Japanese 1 



Norwegian... 20 



Argentian 1 



Spanish 5 



Swedish 11 



United States 114 



