The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-10-31 00:00:00

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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1563.

WRI,ICKS AND LOSS OF LIFE.

_
The waning year has arrived at that stage
when wrecks and loss ef life at sea form a pain-
fully prominent feature nf the enrrent news.
Our readers must have frequently read cont.
mentson that very suggestive (imminent, the
Wreck Chart of Great Britain. All mend the
coast there cue lines of black spats, each of
which spots represeets a wreck during the year.
For a thoughtful mind to he directed to this
(-hart is like wandering in a cemetery, for these
black spots represent in the aggregate an im-
mense number of deaths annually sacrificed in
" the rough, rude sea." But they represent,
on enormous destruction of property. In
eiritinie country like ones. the loss of life and
iroperty ut sea is being cot:that:illy brought be-
fore us in one way or other, but up to the pre-
sent time we have not effected all that might
have been done to prevent this perennial source
if mourning and calamity. The science of nay-
igation has progressed ; there have been im.
provements in shipbuilding: we have had better
regulations for officering and manning nor ships,
and the National Life-hunt Institution has done
much towards saving life that otherwise would
be lust on our coasts. Bur still a terrific loss of
life and property is incurred every year, and es-
pecially during the winter. It is important that
anything that can be suggested to lessen this
loss should receive careful attention, even
though the result may be to save only one pre-
cious life.
We will but briefly refer to two negative
causes of the loss of life—the inability to swim
and the non-possession of a life-saving appara-
tus. It is nerfeetly marvelloes. however, that
our sea-drt isle, where yachting and boating
are so largely indulged in, and where bathing is
so common, swimming, is not taught as a neces-
sary accomulishrnent. In respect to life•saving
apparatans, the public ettentien has recently been
called to some very interesting experiments on
the Seine, bv which it has been proved that
drowning under almost any conceivable circum-
stances can be rendered almost impossible.
These experiments are very suggestive in refer-
ence to the rescue of shipwrecked persons at
sea. It has been well observed that "the cir-
cumstances under which their lives are endan-
gered ore generally such that the safety of the
gas.-engers would be assured if they were en-
abled on the breaking np of the ship to keep
themselves afloat for thirty minutes or an hour.
Wrecks occur close to the land—in some eases
in proximity to a lifeboat station; in others not.
In either ease many lives are lost through the
difficulty of establishing instant communication
between the shore and the vessel. This diffi-
culty, however, is never of very long duration.
It is very often merely one of minutes, and it
rarely lasts on the English coast for a time that
can be reckoned by hours. Under these condi-
tions, a portable and easily applied and adaptec.
apparatus which will enable the wearer to sup-
port himself in the water for boors becomes of
national importance. These two safeguards
against loss of life by drowning deserves more
attention than we fear they are likely to receive.
But there is another important matter to which
it is the bounden duty of Parliament to devote
its attention, and this is the establishment of
harbours of refuge.
It would be easy to show by reference to the
constantly recurring chronicle of shipping dis-
asters, that many a good ship is lost because she
cannot beat op for a harbour in a storm. On
the cast and the south-western coasts especi-
ally Inflicters of refuge are imperatively called
for. We do not ignore the ports and harbours
that exist, but exist, so to speak, by accident.
Nature has provided them, and man has some-
what improved them, and but for their existence
the loss of life and property would be far greater
than it is. But more harbours of resort in the
hour of need are required. The fact has long
been acknowledged, but while sentimental re-
grets have been indulged in, nothing has been
done. The great barrier has of course been the
expense. We can spend millions on fortifica-
tions. iron-plated vessels, and monster guns to
destroy life, but public money cannot be found
to save life. But we think there is an Act of
Parliament that might be brought to bear on
this national want. During the cotton famine,
the Public Works Act proved an inestimable
Inert. tinder this enactment, important public
works were executed which otherwise would
never have been done at all, and they not only
were the means of relieving distress at the time,
but have benefited the distriet permanently.

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