The Sun.
London, England, 1869-09-21 00:00:00

THE WRECK REGISTER AND (WART

FOR 1868.

As the year rolls round, and in the midst of great
storms, this sad tidings of disasters at sea, the
Wreck Register, makes its appearance, and brings
afresh to our recollection the scenes of desolation
witnessed on too many parts of our coast last
winter ; and certainly there was probably never
published by the Board of Trade a more doleful
though instructive record of ship .vrecks in one year
than the one that Las been issued within the past
few days.
Yet it is satisfactory to fißd that no gales of re-
markable duration and violence occurred during
the past year, such as took place in 1866 and 1867 ;
and that the number of wrecks is accordingly less
than in those years. The records of the fearful
storms of last January, when some half-dozen life-
boat houses were demolished, are not included iu
this return ; but we fear that the accounts of those
gales, when published, will be found more sad than
any that have occurred within living memory, not
excepting the storms that wrecked the Royal Charter
and the ship London.
It appears that the number of wrecks, casualties,
and collisions from all causes on the coasts of the

United Kingdom, and in the surrounding seas, re-

Ported in 1868, is 1,747. This is fortunately 343
less than the number reported in 1867 (2,090), and
113 less than the number reported in 1866 (1860).
It seems that the number of ships lost or damaged
in the 1,747 wrecks, casualties, and collisions re-
ported in 1868, is 2,131, representing a registered
tonnage of upwards of 427,000 tons. The number
of ships in 1868 is less than the number in 1867 by
382. The number of ships reported is in excess of
the number of disasters reported, because in cases
of collision two or more ships are involved in one
casualty.
The following short statement shows the annual
average of wrecks reported since 1850, divided into
three periods of five and one of four years :-1850,
660; 1851, 1,269 ; 1852, 1,115; 1853, 832—making
a total in those four years of 3,876 wrecks and
casualties, and giving an average each year of 969.
In 1854, 987; 1855, 1,141 ; 1856, 1,153 ; 1857,
1,143 ; and 1858, 1,170. Total in five years, 5,594,
or an average annually of 1,118. In 1859, 1,416;
1860, 1,379 ; 1861, 1,494 ; 1862, 1,488 ; and 1863,
I,664—giving a total in the five years ending 1863
of 7,441, and an average in every year of 1,488.
In 1864, 1,390 ; 1865, 1,656; 1866, 1860 ; 1867,
2,090 ; and 1868, 1,747. Total for the five years
to the end of 1868 of 8,743. The average number
of wrecks annually in the same period being conse-
quently 1,748.
It will thus be seen that the number of wrecks
reported during 1868 is just below the average for
the last five years, but is in excess of the average of
all the years previous to that period. With the ex-
ception of the numbers reported in 1867 and 1866,
the largest number of wrecks ever reported in one
year is unhappily given to the past year.

Of the 2,131 ships wrecked in 1868, 1,801 are
known to have been ships belonging to Great Britain
and its dependencies, with British certificates of
registry, and 272 were foreign ships. Of the re-
maining 58 ships the country and employment are
unknown.

Of the total number of wrecks (1,747) reported
in 1868, 379 were collisions, and 1,368 were wrecks
and casualties other than collisions. Of these 1,363
wrecks and casualties other than collisions, 527
were wrecks resulting in total loss, and 'B4l were
casualties resulting in partial damage more or less
serious. The whole number of wrecks and casualties
other than collisions reported in 1867 was 1,676 ;
and that number was more than the number re-
ported in any year since 1858. But I,36B—the
number of wrecks and casualties other than col-
lisions in 1868—is less than the number of wrecks
and casualties in 1867 by 308.
Of the 527 wrecks—i.e., total losses from causes
other than collisions-265 happened when the wind
was at force 9 or upwards (a strong gale), 71 arose
from defects in the ship or in her equipments (and
of the 71, no less than 46 appear to have foundered
from unseaworthiness),-87 appear from the re-
ports made by the officers on the coasts to have
been caused by inattention, carelessness, or neglect;
and the remainder appear to have arisen from
various other causes. Thus excluding collisions,
158 total wrecks last year are clearly and directly
traceable to the carelessness and indifference of man.

It is really a disgrace to us as a nation, to learn
from this authentic record that the total number of
ships that foundered, or were otherwise totally lost
on our coasts from unseaworthiness, unsound gear,
&c., in the last ten years, is 482; and the number of
casualties arising from the same causes, during the
same period, and resulting in partial damage, was
531. We have no record of the loss of life from
these 'wrecks, but it must have been frightful.
In 1863, of the collier class 989 vessels were lost;
in 1864, 844 ; in 1865, 934 ; in 1866, 1,150 ; in
1867, 1,215 ; and in 1868, 1,014 ; making a total,
in six years, of 6,146 vessels lost, in too many cases,
from clearly preventible causes. The loss of life
from these very disasters can only be counted by
thousands!

We appeal again to shipowners themselves to
help the efforts and the noble work of the National
Life-boat Institution, and, no less meritorious, that
of the Board of Trade, in respect of its thoroughly
efficient rocket apparatus, to reduce this death-roll
by every means in their power. Riches gathered at
the waste, apparently, of so much human life,
cannot, one would imagine, yield to the possessor
any lasting benefit. Apart from the untimely end
of these 824 poor creatures, let us reflect for a
moment on the widows and orphans and aged per-
sons and relatives who were thus made desolate in
one short year; and these would have been quad-
rupled had it not been for the unceasing and
successful exertions of the National Life-boat
Institution, the Board of Trade, shore-boats, and
other means, in saving last year alone the lives of
thousands of shipwrecked sailors on our coasts.
Nearly 90 lives were lost in fishing-boats alone.
We trust the loss of life from fishing-boats will be
diminished year by year as the qualities of the
safety fishing-boats of the National Life-boat Insti-
tution become known and appreciated by our fisher-
men.

It appears that there are at present 210 life-boats
on the coasts of the United Kingdom belonging to
the Royal National Life-boat Institution, and 40
to local boards. The rocket and mortar appa-
ratus stations now number 279, and are under the
management of the Coast-guard and the Board of
Trade.

During the year 1868, and the first eight months
of 1869, 938 lives (besides 31 vessels) were saved
by the life-boats of the National Institution alone,
and 558 by shore-boats and other means, for which
it granted rewards. A sum of £3,968 was ex-
pended by the Institution in the same periad in
rewards for saving life; and £33,000 on its various
establishments round the coasts of the British Isles.

In the presence of facts like these the Life-boat
Institution need have no misgiving in respect to
pecuniary support whilst it pursues vigorously and
successfully the great and national objects for the
promotion of which it was established.
It is peculiarly encouraging to find that in pro-
portion as the sphere of the operations of the
Institution has increased, its Committee of Manage-
ment and Officers become deeply sensible of their
great and responsible duties, and of the high trust
which the British public has reposed in them. Its
local branches, and the sailors who are ever ready
to man the life-boats, fully participate in this feel-
ing of responsibility ; and so long as this mutual
feeling is maintained and fostered, the cause of
suffering humanity cannot fail to gain by the well-
directed efforts of the Life-boat Institution.

Prince Alfred does not seem to have won golden
opinions at Honolulu. The English residents are said
to have been annoyed at the Duke's refusing to receive
them, and all, but more especially the missionaries, were
disgusted at the disgraceful and obscene Hulahula dance
being part of the performance given by the Governor, ut-
tended by the King and Dowager Queen, but no white peo-
ple, except the officers of the ship and navy,and many half
caste ladies who were invited without their husbands. The
Alta California says :—" The impression left on the minds
of thinking people is certainly not favourable, and it is
lamentable to see a Government squandering four thou-
sand dollars per day on such a toy while there are thou-
sands starving in England.",