SEAMEN'S CHURCH INSTITUTE OF NEW - "'--------------DECEMBER 1987 ""~~~~t;JPno~- i¥ ~~~ ~ ~ p ~ ~ ~z. ~~~~~~ ~ # p . -A=~~~~~ ~­ ~ c7 ~ ;~ ~k ~ The cargo vessel plowed through the The tragic loss of life in the sinking North Atlantic at half speed because of the Titanic in 1912 prompted the the International Ice Patrol reported calling of an international conference an iceberg in the vicinity. So none of for safety of life at sea. This conven­ the crew wanted to sleep. Those not on tion met in London in 1914 and created active duty gathered in little groups of the International Ice Patrol. It re­ three or four along the rail of the for­ quested the United States to take over ward deck, keeping well aft of the look­ its management, and the job was given ~~ out in the bow so that there would be to the Coast Guard. For over fifty no suggestion of their distracting his years, with the exception of the years attention. during World Wars I and II, the Coast ~~ Inevitably, conversation of the men Guard has operated the International turned to the Titanic. Ice Patrol and during all that time ~ '4" there has been no major disaster in "Royal Mail steamship of the White the patrol area. Star Line. Biggest ship afloat and on Icebergs are pieces of glaciers that her maiden voyage, too." break off as the glacier moves seaward. "Where was she?", asked one of the Most of the Atlantic bergs originate on younger crewmen. the west coast off Greenland and about "I'd guess about two hundred miles 400 of them drift into the shipping LOOKOUT The Rev. John M. Mulligan east of here. If I remember right, she lanes every year. They average up to Director was about 500 miles off the Grand 300 feet above the waterline and per­ Vol. 58No.10 December 1967 Harold G. Petersen Banks. Supposed to be unsinkable, she haps 1,500 feet long and wide. It is sig­ Copyright 1967 Editor Published monthly with exception of July·August and was, but there never was a hull plate nificant that of this ice mass, represent­ February·March when bi·monthly. Contributions to the SEAMEN'S CHURCH that could stand up against an iceberg." ing about 11/z million tons, only approx­ Seamen's Church Institute of New York of $5.00 or more INSTITU'l'E OF NEW YORK include a year's subscription to The Lookout. Single sub· "Did it sink her?" imately one-tenth shows above the 25 South Street, New York, N.Y. 10004 scriptions are $2.00 annually. Single copies 50¢. Addi· "Sure did. She filled up with water, water. Telephone: 269-2710 tiona! postage for Canada, Latin America, Spain, $1.00; The Right Reverend other foreign, $3.00. Second class postage paid at New then reared up on one end and went So far there is no known way to des­ Horace W. B. Donegan, D.O., D.C.L. York, N.Y. down like a capstan bar. Carried over troy an iceberg. Hono1·ary President COVER: Iceberg being pushed out of channel at 1,500 passengers and crew with her, They have been bombarded with Franklin E. Vilas McMurdo Sound, Antarctica P·res·ident too. Many of the passengers were mil­ naval guns, mined with demolition lionaires, but money won't help some­ charges, and bombed with thermite times." bombs. 3 Seaman Burtis is congratulated by Bishop Donegan while SCI's Chap· lain Bauer looks (Left) The Titanic. The Titanic Lighthouse Tower (center) atop the SCI South on. Street building was dedicated April 15, 1913, as a memorial to the victims of the sea disaster. (Right) Icebergs are virtually indestructible. They have been bombarded with naval guns, mined with demolition charges and bombed with thermite bombs. The bombardment merely chips off chunks of ice. As a matter of fact, Mr. Burtis has The bombardment chips off chunks damine B bomb. The calcium chloride Those who think a seaman is usually been engaged in all these diverse activi­ of ice which, compared to the whole pellets melt into the ice an inch deep an irresponsible roistering oaf should ties, has won the awards mentioned and mass, are insignificant. The mathe­ so that the bright vermilion dye will take a good look at today's modern sea­ men and particularly Jack E. Burtis is a member of all the fraternal groups matics of demolition show that it would ~ot wash off. The· progress and deteri­ take over 1,900 tons of TNT to break oration of a berg so identifiable can of Watertown, New York. listed. In other words, a Solid Citizen. up the average berg. And the thermite thus be studied. The 50-year-old seaman could easily Mr. Burtis also has been in and out bombs, which will melt iron, produce Recently, the Coast Guard has been be taken for: a police officer, criminol­ of the United States Public Health only trickles of water. experimenting with a "radiometric de­ ogist, engineer, executive,army officer, Service Hospital in Stapleton, Staten In fact, to melt the berg would re­ tector" built to the specifications pro­ Federal Investigator, War Crimes in­ Island, popularly known as the "Marine quire the heat generated by nearly 21f2 vided by the Coast Guard electronics vestigator, security officer, police de­ million gallons of gasoline. engineers. It operates on the principle tective, member of British Merchant Hospital". During these years he became ac­ Since destruction of bergs is impos­ that all objects give off electromagnetic Marine, member of Norwegian Mer­ quainted with and subsequently a sible, there remain the locating of them energy in the microwave region of the chant Navy, marine union representa­ and the pinpointing their exact posi­ frequency spectrum. tive, entertainment director, a member friend of Chaplain Richard Bauer of SCI who is a Resident Chaplain at the tion. This information is broadcast to Used to supplement the aircraft's of U.S. Merchant Marine. Hospital. Chaplain Bauer, at Mr. Bur­ all ships twice daily. radar, it maps the .shape of the object One might think, also, that seaman tis' request, began giving the seaman Originally, all icebergs were visually and its temperature differential. When Burtis could be the kind of fellow who instruction to prepare him for confir­ located by Coast Guard cutters, but as perfected, it will be able to locate ice­ would be a member of the American mation in the Episcopal Church. the years passed, the Coast Guard bergs in dense fog, where visual Sight­ Legion, Elks, Masons, Scottish Rite and So Mr. Burtis was recently con­ changed its technique and today most ing is impossible. the Shrine. firmed in the Church by the Right Rev­ bergs are found by loF)g range aircraft, Standing guard over 33,000 square erend Horace W. B. Donegan, Bishop constantly patrolling over 33,000 miles of ocean, the Ice Patrol, senti­ Or he might - you could speculate of the Diocese of New York, at a service square miles of ocean. nels of the sea, spot icebergs as they - have been once chosen Seaman of of confirmation in the Cathedral of St. When a plane sights an iceberg, or appear, keep track of them until they the Year by United Seamens Service, John the Divine. Chaplain Bauer "pre­ locates it by radar, the berg's exact lo­ finally disintegrate in the 60 ° Gulf or have been given a special award by sented" Mr. Burtis to Bishop Donegan cation is established by Loran. Then it Stream, thus making the ocean safe for Former President Truman for meri­ who is also is bombed with a calcium chloride-rho- all ships that use it. torious war-time service. honorary president of SCI. 4 5 "Big Jack," as the seaman is affec­ hospital dates from 1918. In that Year Anything May Happen At The Institute tionately known throughout the mari­ the Secretary of the Treasury ap­ time service, is the thirtieth patient pointed the then-director of SCI as gin shaking hands like politicians the Chapla in Bauer has presented for con­ chaplain of both the Marine Hospital world over. firmation during his ministry at the and the Hospital for Seamen on Ellis It turned out, however, that the Marine Hospital. Island. The Marine Hospital ministry stocky, grey-haired, be-medaled man has since been provided by SCI without was not the famous Russian, but Oscar The SCI chaplaincy at the federal interruption. Jordan of New Rochelle (a New York suburb), a Khrushchev look-alike who Ju\yl,·\967 impersonates the ex-Premier as a =-- PLEASE I'OS1' ON YOUR BULLETIN JI()AIID model in connection with newspaper ___ ........ ,.. C!'C' AMEN and magazine advertising (vodka, etc.) and who was doing a bit of an act in Soucbt by Relatives and friend• F01 iftfor fftat'- a,.d 10 ...,.d j.,.lonftltiOft )dd,.-. show biz around Fun City. "The Svet­ SEAMEN'S CHU'RCH tNSTlTUTE Of NEW YORK lana thing has helped immensely," he 2~ South Succt, New Yo rK , N. Y., U.S. A 10004 Tolo-r. BO-""' G<H• 9-1110 C•bto Add"" SEACHU.CH , N•- YMk confided. Pl'BLiSI\ Ell: JA NU AH Y Y\ll Ju LY let Born in Latvia- he still has a heavy This Bu iletio is ~OT pu bli shed to lo<a te those sought by the L \\\ Slavic accent - he first carne to New SEAMEN LOCATED SINCE JANUARY - 1920 York as a seaman in 1925 and fre­ 12,947 While all the rest of the world. 4 9• S lf!h pl<>c• quented SCI during his seafaring days.