The Sun.
London, England, 1864-10-04 00:00:00

these five years was consequently 8,117. This is a
frightful aggregate, and represents en amount of
loss and suffering which justifies investigation. We
are told that the increase in 1863 was owing to the
great number of disasters daring the three last
months of the year, and that the rise in the number
of accidents in 1862 over those of the year before
were owing to more than 500 wrecks which occurred
during three gales alone, but still the fact remains
that all our skill and our science does not prevent
or lessen the list of these catastrophes. If it be
contended that as our trade is coctirually on the
increase, and that consequently the number of ships
in our waters must be increasing too, and that the
apparent !lie in the number of disasters only re.
presents an additional commerce, it must be remem-
bered that Curing these years surprising advances
have been made in meteorological science, that the
system of storm signals is now largely adopted,
and that these useful monitors are consulted by the
fishermen themselves; that we are now enabled to
foretel if we cannot avert any very serious
gales, and that consequently there is less
risk in ships putting to sea from our prts.
When we remember, too, that there are
now on our coasts, thanks to the exertions of the
institution whose public) service we have so often
praised, no less than 182 lifeboats, which during
the terrific gales which swept our seas during the
three last months of 1863, saved 500 lives. We
shall better realise the risks which are run when
we learn that notwithstanding their efforts 7,786
lives have been lost at sea in nine years. It we add
to these the 25,254 saved by various means during
that period, we shall see that " the dangers of the
seas" are no trifle. But there are some facts which

arrest our attention when we come to examine more
closely into the datails of these catastrophes, and
which seem to indicate that in spite of vast trade,
rocky coasts, and fearful gales, man has himself
a good deal to answer for with regard to them. In
the first place, the number of disasters from collisions
at sea during 1863 was 331, and the average of
seven years is 317, the lives lost during six years
by this means being nearly 400. 0 f the collisions
of 1863 a very great proportion were the result of
negligence, 133 being set down as proceeding from
" bad look-out,"" neglecting to show lights," and
"neglect or misapplication of the road at sea." Be.
sides these, many of the others come under the head
of unsound gear and negligence. Here, then, is
one department with which the elements have
nothing to do, and the sooner some improvement
takes place in it.the.better for'sEnglish life and pro-
perty. At the recent meeting of the British Asso-
ciation Sir DAVID BREWSTER spoke very strongly
on this subject, remarking with great truth that
" the life and property lost by collisions at sea are
o appalling that no expense should be spared in
indicating the approach of vessels during ocean foga
or heavy falls of snow." Some apparatus with this
object ought, he adds, to be part of every ship's
quipment, and we hope to see his recommenda-
tions carried oat at least by all the larger vessels.
As for the negligence which leads to such disasters,
whether on the part of officers o: men, it cannot be
too severely punished, but unfortunately British
seamen are proverbially reckless. Of the 2,001
ships lost more than threesfoarths were English
vessels, a number quite disproportionate even
to the preponderance of British ships. This
brings us to another consideration—the reckless
manner in which most of our coasting vessels
are sent to sea, a fact of which wo have abun-
dant evidence from these tables. Of the 2,001
vessels lost last year, 1,765 were under 300 tons ;
and ships of the collier class contributed, of course,
the greatest number of victims. Laden colliers fur-
nished 614, or more than a quarter of the sum total:
light colliers, 114, more than ships with iron, stone,
and coppir freights, 362; and fishing smacks made
up 689 others ; so that out of the 2,001 only 122
come under the heads of vessels in ballast, passen-
gers, and general cargo. The explanation of this
is to be found in the recklessness and selfishness of
many of the owners who send their ships
to sea ill found and insufficiently manned,
for from long habit human life has grown
too often to be of little consideration with
them. The ships themselves are old and worn
out—quite unfit to brave the autumnal gales—the
cables and anchors are untrustworthy, and the
whole fitting altogether deficient. We have on
this ground much to hope from the passing of Mr.
LAIRD'S Bill compelling the testing of chain cables
and anchors. It is the beginning of a reform which
we should like to see carried still further; but, even
as it is, we shall hope to see the terrible list of casu-
. .
males on our coast perceptibly diminished when it
comes into action.

THE NORTH EASTERN PORTS.--The emulation
which exists between the governing bodies having
charge respectively of the navigation of the Tyne and the
Wear rivers, or, in other words, of the ports of Newcastle
and Sunderland, in improving the access to their harbours
and docks, has led to confused rumours being circulated in
France (probably arising from conflicting interests) as to
the facilities afforded to vessels of heavy draught of water.
At the solicitation of M. de Nibozet, the vice-consul of
France at Sunderland, the Minister of Marine instructed the
Commodore commanding the Iceland division of the French
fleet, Le Capitaine de Vaisseau Thozon, to visit the port of
Sunderland in the 50-gun frigate La Danae, on his voyage
from Iceland to Cherbourg. This fine vessel arrived off Sun-
derland on the evening of the 28th of September, and on
the 29th entered the South Dock, drawing upwards of 21ft
of water. The Venire, on her arrival, saluted the English
flag with 21 guns, which was promptly returned by the
volunteer artillery. On entering the dock she was loudly
cheered by a vast number of persons, who watched her entry
with great interest. The Commodore was waited upon by
the Mayor, Corporation, and Harbour Commissioners, and
the officers have received numerous invitations and have
been entertained by private persons. On Monday a public
dinner and ball will be given, and it is believed the frigate
will leave for Cherbourg on Tuesday. Commodore Thozon
and his officers, accompanied by the officials of the port,
have minutely examined the docks, warehouses, and the
machinery for shipping coal, discharging ballast, grain, &c.
the new breakwater lately constructed to form a harbour of
refuge, and the Hendon New Dock in course of formation.
They also wont up the River Wear for some miles in a
small steamer, and visited the shipbuilding yards of Mr
Laing, the bottle works, &c. It isunderstood that Commodore
Thozoa has expressed the greatest satisfaction at the facili-
ties for trade offered by the Sunderland docks and River
Wear. The utmost harmony and good feeling exists between
the French officers and men and the inhabitants. The Danae
is daily thronged with visitors, including numbers of pitmen
from the neighbourhood, and on Monday the crew of the
Danae and the men of the Naval Reserve are to be enter-
tained at dinner on board the Active training-ship. Such
visits are very pleasing, tending, as they must do, to the in-
crease of good feeling between the two countries, and it is
only to be regretted they should be of such rare occurrence.
I _

THE FATAL OCCURRENCE AT MADELEY.—Yes-
terday Mr, E. J. Batslam held an inquest at the
Court-house, Ironbridge, Shropshire, on the bodies of nine
men and boys, wha were killed in the Lane Pit of the
Madeley Wood Company on Tuesday last. The evidence
showed that the deceased were the only persons in the pit
at about 6 in the evening of the day named, and that they
had all got into the customary skip having the iron bonnet
or roof over it, and a chain with a spring hook attached to
append the whole to the draw chain, and were being drawn
up. The pit was about 240 yards deep, and they had got
about half way up the shaft when the engineer felt that the
skip and its living freight had fallen off the draw chain. At
the same time the banksman heard the skip first strike
against the side of the shaft, and then fall through a heavy
scaffolding of timber which spanned the " lumph" at the
bottom of the shaft containing 12ft. of water. A company
of miners descended—drags were obtained, and the muti-
lated corpses of all the deceased were brought up. No one
was left to say how the hook was attached to the chain, but
neither the Government inspector (Mr Wynne), nor any
of the witnesses, had any doubt that the hook, instead of
passing the ring, had only hung with its point upon the
rim of the ring, and that in os"illating in this, a very nar-
row shaft, constructed more than 60 years ago, the skip
and the deceased were all jerked off. A verdict of " Acci-
dental death" was returned.