The Sun.
London, England, 1867-12-25 00:00:00

WRECKS IN 1866.

A return recently issued by the Board of Trad°
records 1,860 wrecks and casualties as having °e;
curred in 1866 on and near the coasts of the Unite'
Kingdom. The number reported in 1865 vas
1,656. The number for 1866 was not only above
the corrected average of the last ten years, but als°
above the average of the preceding five year
This was partly attributable to an increase in tiled
number of vessels frequenting the coasts, and it was
also to be noted that the numbers for any one year
will be increased or diminished according to the pre;
valence or absence of gales. In 1866 the gales of
January, February, and March and October, Novell-
ber, and December gave 793 wrecks, &c. Of 01
number 279 occurred in January. The o°3
serious disasters occurred on the 11th of January
Of the shipping in Torbay on that day 6'
vessels were either totally lost or serionsli
damaged. The number of ships lost or damaged
in 1866 was 2,289, and was in excess of the 033.;
ber of wrecks and casualties (1,860), because
in cases of collision two or more ships were involved
in one casualty. Out of 1,860 casualties 953 ee
curred on the east coast, 274 on the south coast'
412 on the west coast, and 144 on the Irish eoaota;
but while the greatest number of wrecks hapPelles
on the east coast of England, the greatest 10°
of life occurred in the Irish Sea. Westerly
gales were far more fatal than easterly
gales, the most fatal, however, being from south-
west. The number of lives lost in the Irish S'e,3o
during the last eight years was more than donb'i
the number lost on any other part of the coasts.
the 2,289 vessels lost or damaged in 1866, 86 We r:
rigged as ships, 150 were steamships, 631 schoone;/'
426 brigs, 249 barks, 257 brigantines, and luad
smacks, &c. Nearly half the vessels that suffered
from wreck or casualty last year was represente;
by the unseaworthy, overladen, or ill-fouil()
vessels of the collier class, chiefly emploYed lAjj
the coasting trade. The state of rottenness 3
of want of repair of some of the ships ahejle
20 years old often called for remark, and at 00
age of 25 to 30 a ship was sometimes .ag
rotten that it fell to pieces immediately on touch
the ground, without giving the crew the slighted
warning ; but disasters to comparatively new sh,
bore a very high proportion to the whole nutahel
Thus, taking thNght years ended 186 G, of 111 65
wrecks, &c., in which the ages of the 'fel
were stated, 1,135 happened to nearly new silt;
and 1,981 to ships from three to seven Yea!,
of age. Then there were wrecks and ease pa
ties to 2,506 ships from seven to 14 years old, tted
to 4,180 from 15 to 30 years old. Then follebscoso
1,528 old ships from 30 to 50 years old. Of 60
more than half a century old 283 were betweellso,
and 60, 127 from GO to 70, 61 from 70 t°, tha
and 31 aged 80 years and upwards. Of
ere
total number of wrecks, &c., in 1866, 422
referred to collisions, of which 121 occurral,s ,
the daytime, and 301 at night. Of the re—rual4ooll
ing 1,438 casualties, 562 resulted in the wrtial
loss of the vessels, and 876 resulted in Poo
damage. Of the vessels totally lost no less, feeto
125 were lost through carelessness, 74 from ueQf
in ship, &c., and 276 from stress of weather' all
the vessels partially damaged 119 suffered f
tiire
carelessness, 44 from defects in ships, &e., allci
from stress of weather. As regards the loss Der
the returns show that the total number oiVited
sons lost on and near the coasts of the u roio
Kingdom last year; in 199 ships, was 896' oeo
was iu excess of the number lost in any year? e
SO
in 1859, when, owing to the loss of the bee
Charter, the number reached 1,647. Theer;cif
number of 324 lives was lost in vessels that foundoeo
127 were lost through collisions, and 893 ia /4,90
stranded or cast ashore. On the other hand!„....vis,t
lives were saved from wrecks during the y e`ir
353 by lifeboats, 516 by rocket and inort3l:ll.ld and
ratus, lines, &c., 439 by luggers and coatgil`t.,3,.fiO
other boats, 973 by ships and steamboats, and via
by ships' own boats., For the purpose of, ‘6,366ou
life from shipwreck there were at the end of If("1.001,e,D
the coasts of the United Kingdom 265 sets e‘varP
and mortar apparatus, 2,828 of Captai 00°
cork lifejackets, and2o7lifeboats. Besides tiltlooW
there were also 102 volunteer life brigades 33 101'
ile
panies. In addition to pecuniary rewards t
toe
0
Ai
lowing presentations were made by the o°vern Deft
during the year 1866 for saving life :—On pro0
%
medal, one gold medal, five silver medals, °llelsete°:
medal, 12 gold watches, seven gold chrolluo,
23 telescopes,four binocular glasses, 20
one quadrant.