The Sun.
London, England, 1862-09-26 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, SEPTEVIE3ER 26, 1862.

nuous efforts made at the present day to stay the
ravage. The sea is dreadfully exacting in its de-
mands, and season after season, when the equinoc-
tial gales blow, when the winter sets in, or when
the summer, as our last one did, yields to the tem-
porary but powerful influence of storms, our shores
are converted into altars on which the ocean offers
its victims. It is unlikely that we shall ever effec-
tually obtain the mastery over the waves ; but, even
at this moment, we are able to contend successfully
with them in their blind efforts to swallow up life
against our endeavours to save. If, for instance, dur-
ing 1861, 884 people lest their lives on our coasts by
shipwreck, yet no less than 4,624 were directly
saved from such a fate. The whole number makes
up a considerable fleet of seamen--men for whom,
perhaps, in moments of national emergency we
would give any money ; and many of these were
preserved under the most perilous circumstances by
the craft of the National Lifeboat Institution.

The total number of casualties in two years is
2,873, out of which 1,660, or about 7-12ths of the
Whole, happened to ships of the collier class—a fear-
ful disproportion, and calling loudly for a thorough
and searching investigation.

The following table distinguishes clearly the de-
scription and tonnage of the ships lost during the
past year :

Vessels.
Vessels under 50 tons .. 223
51 and under 100 9) • • .. .. 434
101 ~ 9) 300 99 • • .. 639
301 „ ~ 600 • • • • . • 135
601 „ „ 900 ,9 • • • • • . 31
901 99 19 1200 ~ • • .. 18
1200 „ upwards .. • • .. 5
Unknown • • .. 4

Total ..

1494

Let us briefly analyse the causes of this great
destruction of property. W e find ten wrecks took
place in a perfectly still sea, 14 in light airs,
51 in light breezes,43 in gentlebreezes, 103 in mode-
rate breezes, 171 in fresh breezes, 149 in strong
breezes, 66 in moderate gales, 124 in fresh gales,
230 in strong gales, 311 in whole gales, 102 in
storms, 52 in hurricanes, and 68 in unknown and
variable weather. Total wrecks, 1,494. Of these
619 took place amongst the ships in the home and
coasting trade, commanded by men not required by
law to have certificates of competency. Two hun-
dred and sixty-six wrecks only occurred amongst
vessels in the home trade, commanded by masters
holding certificates of service; so that the rivalry
between ignorance and knowledge is an unequal
one, as it ever has been, and ever will be.

The estimated loss on these 1,494 wrecks is up-
wards of one million sterling. But who can esti-
mate the loss of the valuable lives who also thus
perished with the ships. Many a widow in our
seaport towns and fishing villages will tell us how
severely they have felt their bereavement.

The accompanying roll of the loss of life on Bri-
tish shores during the past 12 years will be perused
with melancholy interest. The districts are thus
classified :

Lives lost.
Farn Islands to Flamborough Head
Flamborough to the North Foreland
North Foreland to St. Catherine's Point .. 514
St. Catherine's Point to Star Point
Star Point to the Land's End 460
Land's End to Hartland Point, including Scilly 353
Hartland Point to St. David's Head 473
St. David's Head and Carnsore Point to Lam-

bey Island and Skerries, Anglesey 969
Skerries and Lambay to Fair Head and Mull of '
Cantyre
Cape Wrath to Buchan Ness 257
Buchan Ness to Farn Islands
All other parts of the coast 922

Total lives lost
7645

It is thus seen that the most serious wrecks, as
was urged in parliament last session, do not happen
on the north-east coast of England, but in those
seas and channels mostly frequented by large
foreign going ships. This is a matter deserving
earnest public attention. Some hundred thousands
of pounds, judiciously laid out in improving our
great natural harbours of refuge, would, we think,
be attended with the greatest possible benefit.
Again, this fearful list tells us in legible terms
that man cannot avert the storm, nor prevent the
' occurrence of wreck and violent death at sea. The
proudest vessels that he builds of wood and iron are
but larger straws before the winds of heaven. A
breath can dash them on the shores, and they perish
in their pride, and our vanity is humbled. We may
never hope to rise superior to every storm or cause
of wreck. It is our duty, however, to strive for
safety, to continue to wrestle hard with danger, to
confine disaster and death within the narrowest
limits which human efforts can impose upon them.

How happily, then, the efforts of the National
Lifeboat Institution, the Board of Trade, and
kindred bodies on the coast have been blessed dur-
ing the past six years. During that period alone
16,119 persons have been saved from shipwrecks by
means of the life boats, the life-preserving appara-
tus, shore boats, and other appliances, as the
annexed list shows:—

Lives Saved.
1856
1857 1,668
1858
1859
1860 3,697
1861 4,624

16,119

He must be less than man who can read unmoved
and without a glow of admiration the account of
such services, and of those given in that institution's
report. Take the rescue of the crew of the brig
Sisters, of Whitby, on the 26th of February last.
It will serve as a suitable illustration of the dangers
that have to be encountered by the skill, courage,
and endurance that are needed of the brave fellows
who man the society's life-saving fleet.
The Sisters was laden with coals, and had been
driven on shore on the South Barber Sand, off
Caistor. Her signals of distress having been seen
from the beach, the Caistor boatmen proceeded to
launch the lifeboat there through a tremendous
gnigahhteabveyinggalientfernosmelythedaerakst.
as ut rtfh,
et htei
rawei,n
and
blowing a heavy gale from the east
at the time, and th ei n
Under these difficult circumstances, although more
than 100 persons were engaged in helping to launch
the boat, an hour elapsed before she could be got
off the beach and warped to the hauling off anchor
laid down outside the surf. Sail being then made
on her, she worked to windward to the scene of the
wreck, where the anchor being let go, she was veered
down, but owing to the darkness and the fearful sea
breakikg over the vessel, it then took an hour to get
the crew of nine men into the boat, and that at
very great risk, as the lifeboat was often lilted by
the sea high above the vessel's sides, and several
times dashed violently against her and on the
sand, thereby incurring considerable damage, also
losing 100 fathoms of her rope gear, which had to
be cut away on hauling off from the wreck. It
was indeed life for life, but humanity prevailed
in the courageous encounter, and the wrecked
crew were ultimately got safely in, and landed
through a heavy surf. Forty-five pounds wore
paid by the institution for this service—viz., £4O
to the 20 men forming the lifeboat's crew, and £5
to the parties assisting to launch the lifeboat.
Englishmen in every part of the world may
surely pause with pride over such chronicles of life-
boat services on our coast, as also over the reports
of the cheerful liberality with which the National
Lifeboat Institution is supported to enable it to con-
tinue and extend with unabated vigour its merciful
operations.
We may recapitulate some of these beneficent
gifts, and allude briefly to the society's operations.
Lord Chief Justice Erle, and the corporation of
Loncon, and tne members of the Royal Thames and
Victoria Yacht Clubs contributed liberally for the
safety of the seamen. A citizen of Newcastle-on-
Tyne, to whom a legacy of £l9 had been left, passed
it over, not to his own banker, but to that of the
institution. "N. L.," residing
in Manchester, sent
£250 to defray the cost of the Kirkcudbright life-
boat; and a stranger, who would not give his name,
left at the institution a banknote for £2OO. Mrs.
E. Hope, carrying out the dying wishes
of her husband,
a the Reverend E
gave £340
to buy Dew lifeboat for Ap.
pledore, Devon. The ladies of Newbiggin realised
for the funds x 316 16s, by a bazaar; Mrs. Hartley
and Miss Bertie Cater, promoting lifeboat funds,
were enabled to raise 600 guineas; Miss Burdttt

Coutts, in her exhaustless beneficence, gave the cost
of the Plymouth and Silloth lifeboats; Mr. G. I.
Fenwick, of Seaton Burn, contributed £250 to pro-
vide the Tynemouth lifeboat; Miss Brightwell,
honouring her father, pays the cost of the Blakeney
boat, and calls it after his name; and certain
travellers in the smoking saloon of the North Kent
Railway, bethinking them of the claims of the
National Lifeboat Institution, extemporised t%
subscription to increase its resources. Even
from Abo, in Finland, £5O is sent to the institution
in admiration of its services to the shipwrecked
crews of all nations.

We have a list before us of the names of upwards
of 100 wrecks, from which, within the space of two
years and a half. 726 lives were saved by the life
boats of the society. It is on this list, this trophy
of success, that the committee of this institution
found their latest appeal. Daring that period its
establishments on the coasts of the United King-
dom have cost £27,260. They have voted £2,458
as rewards to the crews of their life boats, and £572
to those who, by shore boats and other means, saved
562 shipwrecked persons, in addition to the above
726 ; making a total of 1,288 persons saved from a
watery grave during the last two years and a half.
Since its formation the institution has been instru-
mental, by its life boats and other means, in saving
12,680 lives; and having now 123 life boats under
its management it requires a large annual income
to meet the demands upon its priceless services.

RITMOUR.ED MINISTERIAL MODIFICA-
TIONS IN PRUSSIA.

With the official confirmation of those rumours
of ministerial modifications which, for the last two
or three days, have been rife in Berlin all hope of a
cordial reconciliation between King William and his
people must be abandoned, The retirement of Herr
Von der Heydt is indeed calculated at the first as-
pect to produce quite a contrary impression. He has
been the head and soul of the Ministry which has
attempted to enforce the army re-organisation
against the will of the nation. But it is evident
from the fact that he retires alone, and leaves in
office the Minister of War, that there is no inten-
tion on the part of the King to abandon his darling
project. It is certain, too, that Von der Heydt
would not have had the slightest scruple in throw-
ing the whole scheme overboard, if he could only
have obtained the authorisation to do so. He has
never identified himself with the scheme; on the
contrary, he has allowed it to be pretty clearly seen
that he bears it no good will, and his bitterest op-
ponents do not doubt that he would have been glad
to meet the Chamber after the late vote and an-
nounce that the Government bowed to its decision.
He has not retired from any scruples of this kind ;
and the fact that Von Roon, the Minister most iden-
tified with the reorganisation, remains in office.
proves that he has not been got rid of by the King
from a desire to have at the head of his Ministry a
statesman who commanded the esteem of the coun-
try, and whose announcement of a desire on the
pail of the Government to comply with the wishes
of the nation would have been received with en-
thusiasm. On the contrary, there is good reason to
believe that Von der Heydt, who is an exceed-
ingly astute man, has retired because he was un-
willing to go on with the re-organisation against
the will of the nation. It is said that he has de-
clared that he will not, as Finance Minister, vio-
late the law, and apply to the purposes of the army
re-organisation the money which the Lower House
has refused to vote. In this case it may be said
of him that nothing has better become his official
career than the manner of its close, and he will wipe
away by his retirement some at least of the odium
which he has accumulated during his Vicar-of-Bray
official career. We do not attach too much import-
ance to these rumours, to which, however, the
strange conduct of the Ministry, in at first declar-
ing its readiness to meet the wishes of the house,
and then retracting its promise, lends considerable
corroboration ; and we content ourselves with point-
ing out that, whether they are true or not, the fall
of Von der Heydt, under the circumstances, is no
triumph to the constitutional cause in Prussia.

The retirement of Count Bernstorff, and his re-
placement by Count Von Bismark-Schonhausen, is,
on the other hand, a positive and most serious loss
to the cause of liberty in Prussia. Count Bern-
storff was the most popular member of the Ministry.
His foreign policy was in harmony with public
opinion, and his great ability and experience
enabled him to pursue it with success. No one
identified him with the unpopular and reactionary
purposes ascribed to the Ministry, and the vigour
with which he has conducted his own particular
business has given that Ministry all the little credit
it possessed. Long ambassador in England, he was
known to be strongly in favour of the friendly re-
lations with England which the Prussian nation
desires to see established, whilst at the same time
he was no partisan of exclusive friendships, and no
hatcher of Holy or other alliances. But it is not
so much in his retirement as in the appointment
of his successor that the mischief dwells. Count
Von Bismark-Schonhausen is an able man, who,
like Count Bernstorff, has filled for many
years important diplomatic posts. But, unlike
Count Bernstorff, he is afflicted with a violent
Auglophobia, and is a vehement partisan of a close
alliance with France and Russia. His external
policy gives the key to his internal political views;
and as he is not only Minister for Foreign Affairs,
but chief of the Cabinet, we may assume that the
attempt is to be made to divert the attention of
the Prussian people from its internal affairs by
foreign disputes, and to secure the maintenance of
the army in its present illegal position by the deve-
lopment of all the standing quarrels of the country
into such a condition as to afford an excuse for
asserting war to be always imminent. Count Von
Bismark-Shonhausen pretends that it is the interest
of Prussia to ally herself with France and Russia in
order to humiliate Austria, and profit by her weak-
ness, and probably he believes that the time is pro-
pitious for the attempt, and that such is the jealousy
of Austria in Prussia that such a policy would now
prove successful.
If we assume that his anticipations are justified,
we can only say so much the worse for Prussia. If
to gratify an old jealousy and to gain some petty
advantage her people are content to sacrifice not
only what the defective constitution they now pos-
sess has given them, but to abandon all hope of that
sober and sure constitutional progress upon the
track of which they now seem to have got, to link
themselves with two despotic powers, each anxious
to despoil them, and estrange themselves from the
Liberal opinion of Germany and England, and in-
deed of Europe, then Prussia finally abandons that
claim to a preponderance in Germany, and a posi-
tion in Europe, which the intelligence and energy
of her people have justified her in asserting. But,
happily, there is no chance, of the Prussian people
being caught in this trap. They feel that the ques-
tion of their own freedom is the momentous one,
and that to it all others must be subordinated, and
they certainly will not neglect that question for au
alliance with France and Russia. They distrust,
they dislike both, and if they do not like England
much they feel that an alliance with her is their
true policy. The Prussian Liberals feel that Eng-
land may help them, and, for all the absurdities
which English leading journals, as much when
friends as foes, often talk about them, will at last
understand them. The appointment of Count Von
Bismark-Schonhausen to the Premiership wilt be re-
ceived as an evil a
ogury in Prussia. It will be regarded
as an indication that the King policy
which is fast rendering persists in the
him dangerously unpopular,
and means to all sorts of
Plunge the country into
difficulties with its nei hbours in order, under cover
of the necessities which will then arise, to carry out
that policy. It will be regarded as an attempt to
carry Prussia back to that despotic camp where for
so many poor and humiliating,
years she played so
a part. And being so regarded, it will meet with
the opposition. The present H.
most strenuous o use
of Deputies, or the new one—for a dissolution will
have no other effect than to displace the more mo-
derate men in favour of advanced politicians _will
strenuously insist on its constitutional rights and
vehemently oppose any attempt of the Government
to pursue an anti-Prussian and illiberal policy. The
new Minister will find that he has inherited all Von
der ilepit'o unpopularity, aid ham t 9 deal witil

more exacting and a more determined Parliament.
The obstinacy of the King, and the selfish
promptings of his private advisers, ministers with-
out the name, will shear the Prussian Crown of
many privileges and powers which the people
would be content enough to leave it. What they
ask now is little enough, and its frank concession
would win the Sovereign to ther cordial loyalty. A
few months of Count Von Bismark-Sohonhausen's
rule and their demands will be greater, whilst the
concessions which will then be inevitable will be
I coldly received.—Morning Post.