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〃Have you anything further to report？〃 I asked。
〃No； sir；〃 he said。
〃Very good；〃 I replied； and； as I dismissed him； I rang for my wireless
operator。 When he appeared； I gave him a message to the secretary of the
navy； to whom all vessels in service on thirty and one hundred seventy…
five report direct。 I explained our predicament； and stated that with what
screening force remained I should continue in the air； making as rapid
headway toward St。 Johns as possible； and that when we were forced to
take to the water I should continue in the same direction。
The accident occurred directly over 30d and about 52d N。 The surface
wind was blowing a tempest from the west。 To attempt to ride out such a
storm upon the surface seemed suicidal； for the Coldwater was not
designed for surface navigation except under fair weather conditions。
Submerged； or in the air； she was tractable enough in any sort of weather
when under control； but without her screen generators she was almost
helpless； since she could not fly； and； if submerged； could not rise to the
surface。
All these defects have been remedied in later models； but the
knowledge did not help us any that day aboard the slowly settling
Coldwater； with an angry sea roaring beneath； a tempest raging out of the
west； and 30d only a few knots astern。
To cross thirty or one hundred seventy…five has been； as you know； the
direst calamity that could befall a naval commander。 Court…martial and
degradation follow swiftly； unless as is often the case； the unfortunate man
takes his own life before this unjust and heartless regulation can hold him
up to public scorn。
There has been in the past no excuse； no circumstance； that could
palliate the offense。
〃He was in command； and he took his ship across thirty！〃 That was
sufficient。 It might not have been in any way his fault； as； in the case of
the Coldwater； it could not possibly have been justly charged to my
account that the gravitation…screen generators were worthless； but well I
knew that should chance have it that we were blown across thirty today
as we might easily be before the terrific west wind that we could hear
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howling below us； the responsibility would fall upon my shoulders。
In a way； the regulation was a good one； for it certainly accomplished
that for which it was intended。 We all fought shy of 30d on the east and
175d on the west； and； though we had to skirt them pretty close； nothing
but an act of God ever drew one of us across。 You all are familiar with
the naval tradition that a good officer could sense proximity to either line；
and for my part； I am firmly convinced of the truth of this as I am that the
compass finds the north without recourse to tedious processes of
reasoning。
Old Admiral Sanchez was wont to maintain that he could smell thirty；
and the men of the first ship in which I sailed claimed that Coburn； the
navigating officer； knew by name every wave along thirty from 60dN。 to
60dS。 However； I'd hate to vouch for this。
Well； to get back to my narrative； we kept on dropping slowly toward
the surface the while we bucked the west wind； clawing away from thirty
as fast as we could。 I was on the bridge； and as we dropped from the
brilliant sunlight into the dense vapor of clouds and on down through them
to the wild； dark storm strata beneath； it seemed that my spirits dropped
with the falling ship； and the buoyancy of hope ran low in sympathy。
The waves were running to tremendous heights； and the Coldwater
was not designed to meet such waves head on。 Her elements were the
blue ether； far above the raging storm； or the greater depths of ocean；
which no storm could ruffle。
As I stood speculating upon our chances once we settled into the
frightful Maelstrom beneath us and at the same time mentally computing
the hours which must elapse before aid could reach us； the wireless
operator clambered up the ladder to the bridge； and； disheveled and
breathless； stood before me at salute。 It needed but a glance at him to
assure me that something was amiss。
〃What now？〃 I asked。
〃The wireless； sir！〃 he cried。 〃My God； sir； I cannot send。〃
〃But the emergency outfit？〃 I asked。
〃I have tried everything； sir。 I have exhausted every resource。 We
cannot send；〃 and he drew himself up and saluted again。
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I dismissed him with a few kind words； for I knew that it was through
no fault of his that the mechanism was antiquated and worthless； in
common with the balance of the Coldwater's equipment。 There was no
finer operator in Pan… America than he。
The failure of the wireless did not appear as momentous to me as to
him； which is not unnatural； since it is but human to feel that when our
own little cog slips； the entire universe must necessarily be put out of gear。
I knew that if this storm were destined to blow us across thirty； or send us
to the bottom of the ocean； no help could reach us in time to prevent it。 I
had ordered the message sent solely because regulations required it； and
not with any particular hope that we could benefit by it in our present
extremity。
I had little time to dwell upon the coincidence of the simultaneous
failure of the wireless and the buoyancy generators； since very shortly
after the Coldwater had dropped so low over the waters that all my
attention was necessarily centered upon the delicate business of settling
upon the waves without breaking my ship's back。 With our buoyancy
generators in commission it would have been a simple thing to enter the
water； since then it would have been but a trifling matter of a forty…five
degree dive into the base of a huge wave。 We should have cut into the
water like a hot knife through butter