The Express.
London, England, 1866-09-28 00:00:00

ette erprefig•

TO CORRESPONDMITS.
Advertisements intentle.l for "Th. Express." London Erslas
Paper wutsitebLy of publication.
attrtere;lo, Botivoriastioot. by Two
on

PRINCCiB'&

THIO Immo), THE HUGUENOT CAPTAIN. Messrs. Vining,
and G. Honey; Wises Noilwu, Augusts Thomson, and Mn.
BOAlng.—And tatrlET LODGING&

BRITANNIA:

THfe LIMITRO, THE. FAL,+F. MOTHER. The Brothers
Yletorolll : The Great Vaultiug Troupe ; H. Wardlnt : The Dela-
Yana And GUNPOWDER. TONI ; OR, THE GIPSY
MOTHER AND HER SAILOR SON.

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE,

-_-Afternoon, 4k 34w.
70-Motll.olll—Morning, 4h. C.7n2 Afternoon, sh. link

LONDON, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28.

Tint Wreck Register of the British Islands once
more makes its appearance just as we are expect-
ing the equinoctial gales. It is so natural to con-
nect shipping casualties with great commotion' of
air, and sea that but for evidence as indisputable
as that of a systematic r, cord of observations, we
should not believe that the greater number of
those which have happened during the last ten years
took place when the force of the wind was less
than that of a strong gale. Out of 10,039
casualties recorded in that period, 118 took
place in a calm, 176 in light air just sufficient to
give steerage way, 450 in light breeze, 220
in gentle breeze, 784 in moderate breeze,
1,280 in fresh breeze, 1,217 in strong
breeze, 441 in moderate gale, and 836
in fresh gale. 1,873 took place in strong gale,
1,444 in whole gale, 505 in a storm, 693 in a
hurricane, 50 with variable winds, and 400 under
unknown conditions. Thus, while gales and hur-
ricanes must continue to exercise the foresight of
our meteorologists, the provident care of ship-
owners, and the skill of mariners, it is dill clear
that we have a margin of loss to work upon, which
is independent of the paroxysms of air and ocean,
and capable of being reduced by improving the
education and habits of our seamen, and increasing
the responsibility of special classes of owners. The
total number of casualties reported in 1865 was
1,656, of which 354 befel colliers. Of the whole
number, 540 resulted in total loss, and the
remainder in partial damage, more or less
serious. It is remarkable that, while
470 total losses took place from causes
other than collisions, 845 only were caused by
stress of weather ; 99 were caused by inattention,
carelessness, or neglect ; 38 arose from defect. in
the ship or in her equipments, and of these 30
appear to have foundered from unseaworthiness.
80, again, of the 832 partial losses caused other-
wise than by collisions, 137 are reported to have
been the result of carelessness ; 48 were owing to
defects in the ship or her equipments, and the
remainder from various causes, believed to have
been preventible if ordinary skill and care had
been shown. It is to these points that public
attention must continue to be directed. No fewer
than 423 vessels have foundered or been totally
lost on our coasts from unseaworthinesa during the
last ten years, and with these have perished pro-
perty of the value of one million and hundreds
of human lives. It appears that out of the
2,012 vessels lost or damaged last year the greater
number belonged, as usual, to the collier class.
533 were laden colliers, 140 colliers in ballast,
150 were carrying metallic ores, and 109 were
laden with atone ores. The colliers of the north-
east coast have an established reputation as the
rottenest and worst found vessels that leave our
ports. Year after year we learn that the casual-
ties which might be expected have overtaken
them, but still the mischief goes on, neither the
provisions of the common law nor the special acts
which relate to shipping being sufficient to control
it. There is only one thing apparently that will
remedy the evil. If the men who navigate these
wretched craft had received the education which
brings intelligence and self-respect, and which
in some other countries is the birthright of
the poorest citizen, they would not be leading
the dull and sensuous life, which at present
disposes them to permit themselves to be sent
to sea in what are no better than floating
coffins. But when we have done oar utmost
to diminish casualties at sea, there will still
remain a large class of them which we may
hope to diminish or mitigate, but cannot ex-
pect wholly to prevent. Of late years we have
bad experience of gales and hurricanes of terrible
severity, resulting in great loss of life. The
westerly winds are especially destructive. The
number of lives lost on the coasts and sands of the
Irish Sea during the last seven years is more than
double the number lost within the same period

on any other parts of the coasts. It is in view
of such calamities as these that the value of
that admirable organization, tha National Life-
boat Institution, is so conspicuous. It is gratify-
ing to observe that the oourage and frankness
with which the managers of this institution oom-
mit their work to the judgment al the
public, and throw themselves on its voluntary
support instead of accepting a position of de-
pendence on the government, is rewarded with
return of public confidence. Of the two hundred
lifeboats on our shores nearly the whole number
belong to the National Lifeboat Institution%
which has been so happily administered as to draw
all classes of the community into co-operation
with it, and at this moment enjoys the approba-
tion and assistance of the public in a degree vq-
precedented in its history.