General  Development:  of  the  G.H.I.  during  1954

Seite  71

has  not  yet  been  released 4 ^  .  The  computing  work  for  2  more  Decca  charts  -  D.
49  and  D.  61  -  was  completed.
Due  to  the  increased  demand  for  charts  of  the  German  coasts  showing  the
new  buoyage  system,  the  turnover  rose  from  74  000  to  90  000  copies  wherefrom
15  per  cent  were  supplied  to  foreign  countries.
It  is  recorded,  with  thanks,  that  the  Coastal  Engineering  and  Shipping
Authorities  "Wasser-  und  Schiffahrt-Direktionen"  placed  again  this  year
data  at  our  disposal  relating  to  home  waters.
According  to  the  surveying  plan  of  the  G.H.I.  for  the  year  1954,  the
surveying  vessels  worked  only  in  the  following  areas:  "Estuary  of  E.  Elbe,
offshore  foreland  from  Luechter  Loch  up  to  Brunsbüttelkoog",  "Norder-  and
Süderpiep",  "Außen-  and  Inneneider",  "Schmaltief",  "Hummelloch",  "Süderaue",
"Landtief",  "Hütergat"  and  "Borkum-Riff"  whilst  in  the  Baltic  merely  the
region  between  Schleimünde  and  Eckernförder  Bucht  could  be  surveyed.
The  surveying  of  the  areas  seaward  from  the  10-m  depth  contour  off  the
North  Frisian  Islands  and  in  front  of  the  estuaries  of  E.  Eider,  R.  Hever
and  E.  Elbe  were  always  subject  till  now  to  special  difficulties,  as  the.  normal ­
  visibility  for  measurements  by  double  angle  lies  approximately  at  the
10-m  depth  contour.  Decca  replaces  here  with  an  almost  equal  rate  of  accuracy
the  usual  aids  such  as  deep-sea  buoys  triangulation  etc.
The  surveying  tasks  in  the  Baltic  were  likewise  dispatched  with  the  aid
of  Decca.
In  spite  of  the  long-lasting  bad  weather  situation  that  prevailed  in
summer,  the  total  of  more  than  8  000  km  of  sounding  profiles  run  even  surpassed ­
  a  little  last  year's  accomplishment.  This  comparatively  higher  efficiency ­
  was  attained  by  the  installation  of  recording  sonic  depth  finders
onboard  the  surveying  ships  and  launches  and  by  using  the  above  mentioned
Decca  method  which  renders  surveying  operations  to  a  larger  extent  independent ­
  from  low  visibility.
In  addition  to  her  surveying  activities,  surveying  and  research  ship
"Gauss"  carried  out.  all  together  5  research  cruises  and  trial  trips
serving  partly  the  continuation  of  oceanographic  or  seismic-geological  work
in  the  North  Sea  and  Baltic,  the  testing  of  nautico-technical  instruments
and  the  conduction  of  experiments  with  radio  aids  to  navigation.
The  wreck-searching  boats  "Atair"  and  "Wega"  worked  in  the  North  Sea
and  Baltic  preponderantly  in  the  nearer  coastal  areas  and  official  mine
swept  routes,  river  estuaries  and  areas  to  be  surveyed  and  ascertained  again
23  new  wreck  positions.  Furthermore,  numerous  wrecks,  having  been  deter-+)

  Meanwhile  the  German  chain  was  released  from  1  April  1955;  transmitting
hours  daily  from  8  to  20”  h  M.G.Z.