Submarine Locator
Will Predict Vol
runic Eruptions
WASHINGTON. i/Pl — A once
secret magnetic device used to
track down submarines is now
hunting the birthplace of huge
tidal waves such as the one which
swept death and destruction across
Hawaii last year.
Geologists have been surveying
the Aleutians by air with a mag
netometer to help the navy pre
dict volcanic eruptions and othe^'
movements of the earth’s crust
which cause gigantic waves to
heave upon beaches thousands of
miles away.
A submarine quake somewhere
in the mysterious depths around
the Aleutian chain was blamed
for the tidal disturbance which
killed 173 persons and injured 293
others in the Hawaiian islands in
April 1946.
The Aleutian surveys are the
first of a series which will embrace
the Hawaiian islands themselves
and the Marshalls, including atom
bombed Bikini. The navy, in an
nouncing the research work today,
said the party will return to the
United States late in September.
The airborne magnetometer re
cords variations‘in the earth's
magnetic field. During wartime it
detected Nazi submarines because
their presence interfered with nor
mal readings.
The navy said indications are
“encouraging'’ that the gadget will1
reveal large bodies of hot or mol
ten rock relatively close to the sur-'
face.
This would enable scientists to
tell ahead of time when a volcano (
was getting ready to erupt, the;
navy theorized.
% !
The United States geological
survey is cooperating in the stud-J
ies, which will be supplemented i
with ground investigations using
geophysical instruments.
‘-I
Torrid Wave Will
Bring Less Meat !
And High Prices
WASHINGTON, (fP) — Unless1
good rains break the midwestern
heat wave quickly, American
housewives may as well resign,
themselves to meatless menus next
summer—and possbily much high
er prices for what meat they do
get.
A special agriculture depart- j
ment report yesterday showed that j
bad crop weather has cut corn
production prospects to the lowest
level in many years, and will]
largely determine the size of the;
nation’s meat supply in 1948.
A smaller meat supply would i
hit consumers hardest since that is!
the season when livestock market
ings normally drop to their low-'
est level.
The department said the heat,
wave which has gripped the mid-j
western corn belt since late July,
had cut corn prospects from 2,770,
000,000 on July 15 to 2,437,000,000
bushels by August 15—a decline
of 333,000,000.
The latest estimate did not toke
into account damage which may
have been incurred in the hot
weather since mid-August, or the
possibility that the crop may be
of poor feeding and keeping qual
ity. Much of it late due to a cool,
wet planting season, the crop will
be subject to frost before it has
fully matured and dried.
I,
I
I UT//,„
PIER 42 — THE ALASKA TERMINAL
The FINEST terminal facilities ever offered
Alaska will soon be placed into use by
the Alaska Steamship Company, when it
opens its modern Seattle headquarters —
the new Alaska Terminal, Pier 42.
This most modern terminal facility was
engineered and built for cargo. Pier 42
offers a diversity of methods by which
cargo can be received at the pier — a
greater number of trucks can be unloaded
at one time because of the enlarged facil
t
ities and the use of tail-gate delivery, there
by minimizing expensive standby time;
freight cars can be unloaded onto the
dock or directly aboard waiting vessels;
taxis and automobiles bearing passengers
will drive directly to modern waiting
rooms soon to be constructed; new equip
ment will be added, the mobility of which
will increase the already high versatility
of the new terminal. The use of these new
facilities will result in economy in time
and labor, and better service to Alaska
people and their industries.
The Alaska Steamship Company has done
its utmost to offer Alaska a progressive
program of passenger and cargo service.
After only two months back in private
operation, the company has been able to
increase its fleet to seventeen ships. And
now, the leasing of facilities at Pier 42.—
the Alaska Terminal — from the Port of
Seattle marks another step in the program
of constandy expanding service to Alaska.
ALASKA STEAMSHIP COMPANY