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The Run to Archangel, on the White Sea, Presents Problems Encountered on No Other Commercial Route—A Sailor's Account of a Round Trip to That Port HE only commercial shipping i ‘route in the world that finds its way into the Arctic Circle is the traffic through the White sea off northern Russia. Whalers, explorers and a few straggling traders, both in the Pacific and Atlantic, enter the waters of the midnight sun, but their number are small. With the White sea trade, it is different. . Here: is a real, live and long established trade of large proportions, working under high pres- sure during the available season from June to October. The European war has greatly increased the importance of this route and insummer Archangel now ranks second only to New York in the number of ships arriving and clearing. Extra ice breaking tugs are now sta- tioned at this port and it is hoped to break through and release the ice-bound fleet in a short time. The Arctic circle, which encircles the globe at the latitude of 66 degrees 32 minutes north, runs through Siberia and Norway, acts as a northern fence to Iceland, and bisects Alaska. The high- est latitude reached on the polar route to the White sea is 71 degrees at Nord Cap. A comparison of latitudes gives a vivid picture of how far removed this particular shipping route is from ordinary commercial channels. Portland, Ore, is approximately 45 degrees north latitude, Portland, Me., 44 degrees and the mean latitude of the Great Lakes is 45 degrees. Even Belle Isle at 51 degrees is far to the south of the ports on the polar ladder to the White sea. In Norway, the latitude of Bergen is 60 degrees, Trondheim 63 degrees, Tromso 69 degrees, Hammer- fest 70 degrees and the turning point at Nord Cap, more than 71 degrees. Even the great circles used by the Pacific steamers from Japan or the Atlantic steamers from Great Britain to the American shores, seldom carry a higher latitude than 53 degrees in their polar sweep. Principal Ports An extension of the White sea trade actually runs into the Yenesei river in Asiatic Siberia. On this route, a still higher latitude of more than 73 degrees is reached. The main traffic. however, is confined to the White sea proper with Archangel and Kem the two chief ports. Kola, because of the war, is rapidly growing in importance. Archangel in Russia and Kem in By Captain George S. Laing Finland are the outlets for immense consignments of lumber, flax, tar and tallow. The navigation season, ordin- arily, is only four months and during that period, these ports handle an im- mense tonnage. Ship building is also carried on in Archangel, and a nautical college is located there. The Wilson Line, of Hull, England, has run a passenger and package freight trade to these far northern ports for many years, but a huge fleet of ordin- ary tramp steamers and a few Russian fore and aft schooners and Norwegian barques also ply these Arctic waters. It is interesting to recall that the United States and Russia are the two countries which have always built and sailed the majority of the world’s fore and aft rigged vessels. Leaving a British or continental port, the run north is about 2,000 miles. The interesting and unusual part of the trip begins when one enters the Norwegian fords near the South Lofoten islands. Sometimes, the ship is carrying coal and discharges at one of the many cosy har- bors of the thousands of islands that act as a breakwater for the coast of Norway. The air is wonderfully pure and clear, while the scenery that spreads STEAMER ANT DISCHARGING AT YARMOUTH FROM ARCHANGEL. THE OF THE WHITE SEA TRADE 171 HEAVY DECK LOAD IS TYPICAL A a es