The Sun.
London, England, 1863-10-02 00:00:00

tultaken, even unapproached, gold, on the first news
of General ROSENCRANZ'S defeat, in exchange went
up to 155! Even by the closing quotation upon the
evening of the 22d, receding only to 151-V. And then
merely rallying so far, not because of any good news,
so to speak, but for no better tidings than that the po-
sition of ROSENCEANZ was then supposed to be
slightly less disastrous or less critical than it had at
first been spotted. Two fragments of the intelli-
gence brought to us by the Scotia, read rather cm,-
d
nously, it must b© confessed, so far as they ten
to indicate the imminent impossibility of a war
between France and the Federals—one being an
intimation through the New York World, the
h the New York herald. The latter
other throw,
Vice President
stating—" It is reported that
STEPHENS has gone to Europe with an offer to cede
Texas to France in return for French assistance to
the Confederate Government. The former asserting
that information has reached New Orleans that the
French had occupied Matamoras with 5,000 troops.
A. collision is expected to take place at the mouth
of the Rio Grande between the French and Federal
gunboats on matters connected with cotton and
supplies for the Confederates." Straws—these are
not—thrown up to indicate in which direction
blows the fiery wind of war. Rather, let us say,
flickering flambeaux, telling us by the drift of their
fierce flame the one direction of its hot breath.

Among the numerous maps and charts published
annually for our instruction and guidance, there
is perhaps none which has so strong a claim upon
our notice as the small and unpretending map
yearly set before us by the National Lifeboat In-

atitution. If it be well that we should be

able to track the steps of discoverers in distant and

unknown lands, to realise the vicissitudes of war

by following the course of a campaign, it is un-
doubtedly also desirable that we should know the
perils lurking round our own familiar shores, that
we should not be ignorant of the spots close to us,
where courage and skill are as nobly shown as even

on a field of battle, where brave men laid down
their lives in tho struggle with the elements. Such

,nformatiou the Wreck Chart freely gives us.

startles us from our fancied security and boasts of
progress to learn that, so far from diminishing, the

statistics of our naval disasters show a decided in

crease, not only in number but in ratio ; that is to
iv, not only the actual amount of shipwrecks has
been greater, which might be owing merely to
increased traffic, but that a larger number were

wrecked in proportion to the voyages made. One

wreck ont of every 201 ships was the average,
whereas the chronicles of the year just past show

one wreck for every 147 vessels sailing. During

:he twelve months of 1862 no less than 1,827

wrecks and casualties occurred on the shores of the

United Kingdom alone, accaEnpanied unfortunately
by the loss of 690 lives. There is some consolation
attending the last item, seeing that the average of
deaths from these casualties has been 800, and that
consequently the exertions of our lifeboat institu-

tions, and other means, have been rewarded with
increased success. The Wreck Chart plainly tells
us that the experience of the past year is very

unfavourable. It therefore becomes us as a

maritime nation to inquire closely into the matter,
and to ascertain by what means such catastrophes
may be diminished in number, if they cannot be
prevented. The number of vessels which entered
inwards and cleared outwards from different British
ports last year was 268,40, and it is estimated that
these ships bad on board more than a million and
half of men. It is, therefore, only reasonable to
believe that a large number of casualties and dis-

asters must eventually occur under the most
favourable circumstances. It remains to be seen
whether the number that does actually take place
Exceeds the inevitable average. In the first place,
it is worthy of note that a large proportion of the
vessels lost were the ordinary coasting colliers,
which are mostly ill-found, ill-manned vessels,
whose owners take very insufficient precautions to
ensure their safety. Tne ages of some of these
ships would certainly not improve their credit at
an insurance office. A collier sloop, which foun-
dered last December off the east coast with the loss
of all hands, was 71 years of age! Another, which
went down under very similar circumstances, was
still more venerable, being 99 years old. The want
of good ground tackle and sailing gear, the reckless
and indifferent manner in which these vessels nre
sent to sea, ib quite enough to account for the fact
rhat " the destruction of hundreds of them, even in
moderate gales, is now reduced to a matter of cer-

teinty." Nearly 800 out of the 1,800 vessels that
were lost were under 300 tons, a fact that is not
surprising, when we remember how numerous are
the vessels of this class round the coast. We
may hope for some improvement in the fitting out
of these vessels, as many of the large shipowners are
interesting then:selves in carrying out the project
brought forward by Mr. LAIRD, of submitting an-
chors and cables to a regular test before a ship can
be insured. Were this plan once fairly carried out
we should hear of fewer wrecks on our coast, and a
better and higher spirit would be infused into the
trade. That the whole of the wrecks must not be
laid to adverse elements is proved by the fact that
23 vessels were wrecked 5.n perfectly calm weather ;
28 in light airs ; 56 in light breezes ; 48 in gentle
breezes ; 110 in moderate breezes ; 187 iu fresh
breezes ; 193 in strong breezes ; all which grada-
tions are reckoned below the degree of " moderate
gales." Only 321 of the wrecks were under the
command of masters holding certificates of compe-
tency ; while, as a proof of th© necessity of some
change in the equipment of vessels, 25 of the total
wrecks were lost from defects in the ships or
equipments, while 66 parted their cables cr dragged
their anchors. The need of additional harbours of
refuge on some of the more exposed parts of our
coast is forcibly demonstrated by the Wreck Chart
—a fact fully appreciated by Lord RAVENSWORTII,
when, before bringing on a motion on the subject
in the Upper House, he caused a large copy of it
to be suspended in their lordships' library. The
number of vessels lost and damaged by collisions,
which frequently occur in daylight and clear wea-
ther, is so great that we must certainly class a large
proportion of them among the preventible disasters.
We must hope for some change for the better in
this respect from the new regulations just issued
by the Board of Trade. The valuable services ren-
dered by the lifeboats and the brave sailors 'who
man them, have long been recognised by the public,
mid additional proof is afforded every year of the

efficacy of its exertions. Within six years life.
boats end life-saving apparatus have been the means
of saving 4,169 lives. Daring the past year the)
rescued 358 lives, besides saving 21 vessels. Tht.
number of rewards given by the society for
saving life since its formation is 13,220, and
it has expended upwards
of 175,000 cm
lifeboats and their appliances. It must be re-
illen'bered, too, that the men whom it employs
are often true heroes, well deserving of the highest
rewards that can be offered them. As is justly
remarkedjuron ai,:,, in the current number of the " Lifeboat
The relief of a wreck is no mere child's
i
play : t often occupies hours of hard, dangerous,
' and unremitting toil. It is no mere sudden flash
of generosity that is re
"'red—no enthusiasm burn t
out as soon as kindled—but that steady, undaunted