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April, 1914 should be sought in a closer co-oper- ation between the weather service and vessel masters as outlined below: At the outset the forecasters will admit that there are occasions when the indications of the weather chart are not clear and definite, the best that can be said is that a condition favor- able for dangerous winds is present. Later on, when perhaps it may be too late, he can advise more fully upon the situation. The point is, and we have touched upon it before in this paper, that the modern art of weather forecasting has not reached that stage of perfection when it is possible to state definitely, in all cases, what will happen 24 hours hence. But the in- formation as to storms must be got to shipmasters in due season, there- fore, the forecaster must at times start his warnings before the indica- tions are quite clear as to precisely what: may happen. Later, as the storm approaches nearer to the scene of action, he is generally able to sup- ply, for the asking, valuable informa- tion as to the progress and develop- ment of the storm. Closer co-operation of the vessel "masters themselves would result in a better understanding of the warnings issued. By co-operation is meant, let them in the first place accept the warning in the spirit in which it is given, viz.: not as an absolutely de- termined fact, but merely, as before stated, as the expression of the prob- ability of dangerous winds; and, sec- ondly: let them ask more questions, and apply their own knowledge of storm movement in an effort to corre- late the weather conditions experi- enced when passing from one point to another with the probable storm move- ment. They will thus be in a posi- tion. to make intelligent use of the in- formation supplied by the bureau, without blindly remaining in port for a storm of moderate intensity or un- necessarily incurring a risk that may lead to disaster. It was the custom only a few years ago to literally "hand" to shipmasters everything the bureau had at its dis- posal. It is quite probable that this custom created the impression in the minds of some masters that if the weather bureau has anything for them they will "hand it to us.' Consulting the Weather Bureau It is a maxim old as the _ hills that "God helps them that help them- selves." The practical application of this time honored maxim to the case of vessel masters is that whenever they see the danger flag displayed, they make it their business to call up by telephone the nearest weather bur- THE MARINE REVIEW, eau office and inquire about the prob- able course of the storm, when it is likely to break, and whether or not the officials will venture an opinion as to .its. intensity. Lf; a local weather bureau office cannot be reached in person, or by telephone, any vessel flying the American flag has the privi- lege of telegraphing the nearest fore- cast center for the information as above, and the tolls, both of the in- quiry and the answer, will be paid by the National government. This: regu- lation still prevails but is probably more honored in the breach than in the observance. It may be that the vessel master will have time to make the next port before the storm is liable to break; in any event he is forewarned, and the better prepared, therefore, to combat adverse conditions. Another point upon which closer co-operation is in- sisted upon is that each master shall himself take note of the weather and be ready to seek a port of safety as soon as threatening conditions obtain. ae -- 141 time on Saturday night, when it be- gan to snow, a look at the barometer must have convinced every skipper on that lake that he was face to face with a desperate situation. Before the snow began probably every man of them knew, approximately at least, where he was. Did he then lay his course to the nearest haven of refuge, or proceed in the hope of weathering the storm? The answer will never be known. The toll of human life and property taken by the elements on Nov. 9 and 10, 1913, was a high price to pay for a realization of the fact that the mod- ern lake vessel is not immune to loss by storm, Submarine Boats K-5 and K-6 Submarine torpedo boat K-5 was" launched from the yard of the Fore River Ship Building Corporation on March 17 and K-6 on March 26. These vessels are of 519 tons displacement and are the largest yet constructed LAUNCHING A SUBMARINE AT THE FORE RIVER YARD We will suppose, for the sake of ar- gument, that each vessel that passed into Lake Huron via. the "Soo" dur- ing the recent great storm saw the storm flag flying at that station, and likewise, that each vessel that passed into Lake Huron by way of. the De- troit river not only saw the storm warning displayed at Detroit, but re- ceived a copy of the forécasts, and warnings from the mail boat in the river opposite Detroit, and, therefore, all of them must have known of the weather conditions which existed at that time. While at the moment there may not have been anything observed that presaged of danger, surely some- for the United States navy, being practically sister ships of K-1 and K-2. The keel plates of battleship No. 39 were laid at the Brooklyn navy yard during the second week of March, and Commandant Albert Gleaves predicts that she will be completed within 10. months. Well, time will tell.- A. L. Hopkins has been elected president and Homer L. Ferguson, vice president and general manager of -- the Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co., Newport News, Va. -