BATTLESHIP v. ICEBERG.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 25 January 1913, Page 4

BATTLESHIP v. ICEBERG.

I*allowing upon the Titanic disaster the Unites States Navy Department conceived a brilliant idea. The notion was that a fleet of battleships and cruisers should patrol the North Atlantic a-s soon as the icebergs began to drift southwards across the trade routes, and ishould blow tho bergs to pieces) with their big guns. The idea appeared to be a good one, but the Navy Department was not prepared to entertain it without a -little evidence that the berg? could be destroyed in this offhand and summary style. The big cruiser Chester, a ship very similar' -in type, armament and general appearance to the British cruisePowerful, was sent rut to the iceberg zone ,to give tho plan a test. Three days out from New York four enorris ous bero-s were sighted..and the cruisir was laid to as close as .she safely approach them. One cf the big euns wa-s trained upon the nearest berg, and a couple cf rounds wi fired into it. When tho smoke cleared' away -the iceberg nvas still tilers, and there wa-s not the slightest <Jif-fe.ren.-oe. in its aopearance. Boats were lowered, and when they drew near the berg it was seen that the total amount of damage done was tlwfc a few small chips qjid splinters of ice had been knocked'ios-e. Tho sailors were glad to pick tip'' the'floating chunks, foiii*;. gave them their first drink of really fresh water for some days, but they ! were the only persons who were gratified at the result of the experiment. The Chester returned with the information tbftt irebe'rps and granite cliff-, I DOK«es«M manv points cf similarity. a.nd that the ingenious. plan of ridding it-he Atki-utin of the iceborjr r»>. li«d faitaVtlisnuUly;. -v ;