The Sun.
London, England, 1856-11-25 00:00:00

THE WRECK KEG-IST:ER FOR 1855

This important document has been recently published
by the Board of Trade and presented to both houses of
?ornament. The facts it discloses are very interesting
in their character. The register proceeds to state that
the total number of wrecks and casualties reported to
have occurred to vessels on the coast of the United
Kingdom in 1855 is 1,141, representing a burden of
176,544 tons ; 963 being British, Il colonial, and 116
foreign, of which number were—
Totally lost by wreck 272
Stranded and recovered 216
Stranded, but whether total or partial loss
not reported 167
Totally lost in collision
Seriously damaged in collision l7B
Slightly damaged in collision
Leaky and foundered
Leaky and put back to discharge and repair 47
Destroyed by fire l4
Found " derelict"
Dismasted and otherwise damaged
Abandoned 2O
Capsized and sunk
Seriously damaged by spontaneous combus-
tion of cargo

1,141

Of these
576 occurred on the East Coast
251 „ „ West Coast of Great Britain.
117 ~ „ South Coast

.27 ~ „ Irish Coast.
10 ~ off the Scilly Liana.

6 „
34 „

„ Channel Islands.
„ Northern Islands—viz., Orkney;
Shetland, and Hebrides.
„ Isle of Man.
„ Lundy Island.

1,141
Of which the number reported to have been stranded
on the various sands and banks were-7 on the Scroby,
4 on the Kentish Knock, 4 on VYhitburn Steel, 1 on
N. Bishops, 3 on West Hoyle, 1 on the Sunk, 1 on
Long Sand, 2 on Dogger Bank, 3 on the Barber, 1 on
file Balls, 3 on the Gaa, 3 on the Shiuwash, 6 on the
Hasboro', 1 on the N. Bull, 1 on the S. Bull, 16 on the
Goodwin, 4 on- the Gunfleet, 1 on the Rook, 4 on the
Brake, 1 on the Longhorn, 2 on the Middleton, 2 on the
Vlaplin, 1 on the Nore, 3 on the Barnard, 2 on Rubber"
stone Pill, 2 on the Pye, 5 on the Newcome, 3 on Car-
liff 1 on the Barrow, 3 on the Blacktail, 2 on
the Swin, lon the Wainfleet, 2 on Tetney Sand, 3 on
the Galloper, lon the Knowle, 1 on the Tongue, 1 on
Hoyle Sand, 1 on the Coatham, 2 on Burbo Bank, 1
on N. Spit, 3 on the Nash, 1 on the Blakeney, 2on
AA:low Bank, 2 on the Rose, 6 on Donna Nook, 3 on
the Owera, 2 on the Stanton, 2 on the Herd, 2 on the
[folio, and 4 on the Leman.
The number of casualties in each month was—
January ...... 102 May 5B September ... 64
February .... 123 June
March ..... 93 July 4l November ... 176
April
Of the whole number of vessels wrecked or damaged,-
511 were under 100 tons.
496 „ 100 and not exceeding 300 tons.
67 „ 300 fl 600 „
27 „ 603 ff 900 „
4 „ 900 1,200 „
6 „ 1,200 and upwards.
34 of the number were steam vessels.
FREIGIITS.
ffanure and oilcake 1 Timber or bark
Iron, ironstone, or cop- 1 Fruit or potatoes ll
per ore
Grain, oatmeal, or flour 85 1 Coals 2
fot,ton
Salt
General merchandise
Clay " 12 Unknown 3lO
Stone, lime, slate, or
bricks 2B
Number of wrecks in 1352, 1,015 ; in 1853, 832 ; in
1854, 987: in 1855, 1,141.
Wrecks reported in 1855 show an increase of 12.4 per
cent, as compared with 1852 ; of 371 per cent. as com-
pared with 1853 ; and of 15.6 per cent, as compared
with 1854.
This increase in all probability arises, is part at any
rate, from the facility with which returns are now ob-
tained from inspecting commanders of Coastguard and
receivers of " wreck" under the Merchant Shipping Act,
1154.
The number of lives reported as saved from wrecked
vessels was :
By luggers and other small craft
By assistance from shore with ropes, mortar
apparatus, &c.
By ships and steam vessels
By lifeboats 251
By individual exertion of a meritorious character 9

1,388

The large number of lives thus saved from shipwreck
during the past year is a most gratifying feature in the
return, and clearly shows how much can be accomplished
in the preservation of life on occasions of such calamities
by well-directed efforts. It also shows how much has
been done in this respect by that useful society, the
Royal National Lifeboat Institution, in conjunction
with lifeboat establishments around the coast. Through
the increased encouragement given to seamen forming
boats' crews, the improvement in the build of lifeboats,
their more perfect evipment, and their increased num-
her, there has come into existence and aetion a machi-
,v,7(.fos life more commensurate with the urgent
country than has ever existed in any former period in its
history. There can be no doubt that much credit is due
also to the excellent and judicious arrangement of the
Board of Trade in the distribution of its grants to ac•
coniplish this desirable object.
In 1855 the total number of lives lost was 469.
In 1854 the total number of lives lost was 1,549 ; in
1853, 689 ; in 1852, 920.
The number of collisions reported is greatly on the in•
create, being 247 against 94 registered in 1854, 73 in
1853, and 57 in 1852. This increase is perhaps attribut-
able, in part at any rate, to the same cause as that of
the number of wrecks above mentioned.
These frequent collisions unquestionably arise in a
great measure from the hampering of vessels' upper
decks with cabins and other constructions which shut
out from the view of the helmsman the object andd of
his ship. Collisions at sea, with all their fearful conse-
(peaces, are, the return states, steadily on the increase;
and it is full time that serious attention should be directed
to the subjec:'.. The want of a well understood signal of
distress in cases of collisions is also a sad desideratum.
The wreck expert"noo of the year 1855 has been ex-
tremely favourable to 11!'' ; the number lost being 451
less than 1852, 220 less that: 1853, and 1,080 less than
1854, the only casualty of m.lg%itude being the ship
John, off the Manacles, on May er, on the
by,which 191 lives
were lost, Six lives were lost in the
Barber Sand ; 8 in the Maria Brans.tnt:67'nfi.gßude ; 21
:t ttzhe3J,oeb_ti
in the Morna, on the North Bishops ;e
Bannerman, Carnarvon Bay ; 8 in hop ;e
_ in
Beech Haven ; 5 in the Sovereign, off Ho iop .on ,
the Commercial, off Flamborough Head ; 8 in tile Bran,'
ford on West Hoyle ; 12 in the Enchantress, off Dunge,
ness% 7 in the Echo, off Bardsey ; 6in the Charlotte and
Mary, off Aldborough ; 5 in the Charles, on Whitby ; 18
in the Will-o'-the-Wisp, off Burn Rocks ; 6 in the Hero,
off Youghal ; 10 in the Eineihiden, off Cape Wrath ; 13
in the Haddock Boat, off Matray Head.

ARREST OF MR. MORRIS MOORE, AT BERLIN.

We are informed, by a letter from Berlin, of the
22d inst., that Mr. Morris Moore, of Soho square,
was arrested by the police of that city on the pre-
vious evening, between the hours of ten and eleven.
Our Correspondent says :—" Those with whom he
has associated here are quite at a loss to explain
this proceeding ; for it is not known to any one
that he has at all mixed up with political matters.
His whole activity in this city was concentrated
upon the study of the art-treasures which it con-
tains, and particularly those of the picture gallery
in the Royal Museum. As you will see by tile
article from the Kreuz Zeitung (translated else-
where), Mr. Moore had a dispute with the direc-
tor of the gallery, Dr. Waagen. These things,
you must believe, are quite possible amongst us ;
and I must request you, for the same reason, to
place full reliance on this communication, when
also, for good reasons, I omit to write my signa-
ture to it. You may positively announce the fact of
the arrest iu your journal, and also add credence
to my intimation respecting its connection with tae
circumstances to which I have referred. I have
only further to say, that I informed the English
Ambassador here, Lord Bloomfield, of the mown-
stance, about eleven o'clock last night, and again
this morning in writing. We shall now see what
steps he will take in the matter."--Morning Ad-
vertiser.

MR. MORRIS MOORE AND DR. ITAAGEN.
To the Editor of the Preusziche Zeitung.
Sir,—ln your impression of the 20th inst. there is a
report of the meeting of the Wissenschattlicher Kunst-
verein of Monday, the 17th, upon which I beg leave to
offer some remarks. You say that "a somewhat pro-
tracted debate" took place as to whether the design of
the picture representing "Apollo and Marsyas," in my
possession, and of which I had the honour to submit to
the meeting a daguerreotype, with other illu-trations,
was really the conception of Raphael. Though present
at the meeting, I am utterly ignorant of any such
debate. According to your reporter, this alleged debate
was raised in consequence of counts expressed by Dr.
Waagen ; but these can only have been uttered ie a
manner to elude the possibility of a reply—a procedure
which forbids the very idea of a debate. I have since,
however, been informed by several gentlemen, that Dr. '
Waagen bestirred himself considerably, if not effectively,
to create such doubts; and he is, perliaps, not without
cogent and peculiar reasons for his acivity. I eaneot
but regret that the doctor, who appears to bare stood
alone -in his opposition, should have abeteined from
bringing under my uotice his objections ; for it would
have been a satisfaction to me to have taken a lesson from
such a monster of criticieto. But the opportunity is lost ;
and the entire concurrence in my views of the most dis-
tinguished members of the meeting, whether sculptor,,
pinters, engravt err ainateurs, may be deemed inade-
quate to resist his fiat. I would therefore suggest an
expedient for determining which of us two is rrioA el,,
titled to confidenee. I iuvito the carineisseure of Berlin
to feast their eyes with a work which embodies Doctor
Wasgen's pathetical conception of Raphael, and as to
the authenticity of which the Doctor forbids us to en ite-
tai„ any doubt. The, work iu quesion is No. 147, a
rc Virgin and Child," in the Berlin I,lto,enin: On turning
to page 46 of the Official Catalogue they will be edified
by the discovery that Doctor We' agen has had the nerve