The Sun.
London, England, 1867-05-02 00:00:00

STA 7 IS7ICS OF SHIPWRECK&

The statistical committee appointed by the com-
mittee for managing the affairs of Lloyd's have pub-
lished their first analysis of the wrecks and casual-
ties reported in " Lloyd's List" for the year 1866.
The object of the tabular statements contained in
this report is to furnish the public with as compre-
hensive and careful a register of losses and casual-
ties as can be obtained, together with all avail-

able information relating to each accident. The
committee have allowed an intervalof three months
from the close of the year to elapse before publish-
ing their analysis, in order that greater accuracy
may be secured than was possible at the time the
reports were made; but, even with this allowance,
the figures furnished in the tables can only be re-
garded as giving a rough approximation to the real
state of the facts, whether in regard to the loss of

life that has taken place or the number of vessels
lost by shipwreck or other disaster. The hon. secre-
tary, Mr. 11. Jeula, states " that the returns relating
to lives lost are at present most imperfect, the actual
number being, in all probability, greatly in excess
of that given in the various tables." From the
summary for the entire year we learn that as many
as 11,711 casualties are reported to have happened
to 10,587 vessels, of which 1,029 were steam-
vessels and 9,558 sailing vessels. The casualties are
classified, and the list shows that 98 vessels, 3 only
being steamers, were missing ; that 311 vessels-4
steamers and 337 ships—were abandoned ; and that
of these 274 ships and 3 steamers were recovered,
while 1 steamer and 63 ships were altogether lost.
There were during the year no fewer than 1,958
collisions, which resulted in the foundering of 169
ships and 29 steamers, and in greater or less injury
to 1,125 ships and 143 steamers, the results of the

other collisions being either that no damage was
done, or that the nature of the injury was not re-
ported. The number of vessels sunk, owing to
causes other than collisions, was 530, viz., 497 ships
and 53 steamers. The number of vessels stranded
was 3,381, of which only 301 were steamers and
3,080 ships. Of these 1,473 ships and 199 steamers
were got off, 1,128 ships and 52 steamers could not
be got off, while the fate of the remainder-479
ships and 50 steamers—was not reported. Under
the head of "capture" we find 33 ships and three
steamers mentioned, while 18 ships are reported to
have been seized by pirates. Of 173 vessels stated to
have been burnt or on fire, 143 were ships and 30
steamers. Under the heading " dismasted or dis-
abled," 261 ships and eight steamers are mentioned;
" jetsam of cargo under deck" gives a total of 141
ships and five steamers, while for " jetsam of deck
load or washing overboard" the figures include 172
ships and 15 steamers ; 1,17! ships and 28 steamers
are reported as " leaky ;" 726 ships and 17 steamers
lost anchors or chains ; and 191 steamers sustained
damage to their machinery or ran short of coals.
tinder the somewhat general head of " mutiny,
sickness, casualty to crew, or refusing duty," 324
ships and 25 steamers are reported, but how many
n (N. 'in ao. or,. no +clan ry and bow many under
another is not stated, though there is a wide diffe-
rence between mutiny and sickness. There were
1,973 ships and 75 steamers reported under the head
of " damaged, loss of sails, bulwarks, &c.," and 39
ships and one steamer appear to have been water-
logged. The gross total of losses is reported as
having reached the large number of 2,231—.2,119
ships and 115 steamers ; under the head " con-
structive loss"—whatever this may be—are 263
ships and 354
steamers suffered minor ;
-"jury ; 44 ships
and 8 steamers were raised after having
shipssusta ndd 7
great
damage
4,062
been sunk ; while 1,874
sustained
steamers;l,l96 ships and 99 steamers
ships and 446
steamers were either not damaged, or the re-
sults were unknown. In the cases of 1,875 ships
and 71 steamers, the whole of the cargoes were
lost ; the cargoes of 639 ships and 50 steamers were
only partially lost ; those of 62 sa. ;
pa and 5 steamers
were all saved ; 86 cargoes were forwarded, 20
became heated, 117 shifted, and 254 were other-
wise damaged. Salvage services are reported to
have been rendered to 1,264 ships and 116 steamers.
With reference to the number of lives lost during
the year, although the report states that the
figures do not represent the total, the public will
learn with deep regret that so many as 2,644 human
beings are reported to have perished by disasters at
sea during the last twelve months. Of these, 411
lost their lives in the first quarter, from January to
March ; in the next quarter the sacrifice of life
swelled to 989 ; in the third quarter the number
of persons drowned was 543 s and iu the last
three months of the year there was a total loss
of 701 lives. The returns for the half years show
that 1,400 lives were lost in the first six months,
and 1,241 persons perished in the next half
year. The results to ships during the two half
years were as follows :—Total loss, 1,037 and
1,197; constructive loss, 148 aud 122; great damage,
644 and 651 ; minor damage, 2,459- and 1,957 ;
raised after sinking, 28 and 21; not damaged, or
results unknown, 1,139 and 1,181. The
results to
cargo for the half years were—All lost, 894 and
1,052 ; part lost, 345 and 341; all saved, 41 and 26;
forwarded, 45 and 41 ; heated, 15 and 5 ; shifted, 79
and 38 ; otherwise damaged, 132 and 122 ; salvage
services, 759 and 621. If
we take the monthly re-
turns we find some curious figures in reference to the
destruction of human life. A much larger number of
persons were sacrificed in May, when the number
was 831, while in January and February the respec-
tive loss was 221 and 89. The figures are as follow
—Jan., 221; Feb. AU
; March, 101 ; April, 58 ; May,
831; June, 100 ; July, 47 ; Aug., 271 ; Sept., 225 ;
Oct., 311 ; Nov., 198 ; Dec., 187. A table is fur
nished, showing the number of casualties posted iu
Lloyd's loss book for each mouth during the ten
years from 1857 to 1866, inclusive; but the return
does not include a large number of coasting vessels
of foreign countries and British colonies, except when
reported by telegraph. The losses for the several
years are thus given :—.1857, 3,218 ; 1858, 3,171 ;
1858, 3,758; 1860, 3,539 ; 1861, 3,672 ; 1862,
3,652 ; 1863, 3,906 ; 1864, 3,298 ; 1865, 2,817 ;
1866, 3,370. In addition to these statistics the com-
mittee publish a summary of wrecks and casualties
consisting of 20 cl"selrinted pages of figures, the
returns being arranged iny- four divisions, and divided
into 31 geographical sections. From these tables we
learn that the number of wrecks and casualties re-
ported as having taken place on the coasts of the
British Islands during the past year was 2,356 ; the
Baltic and Gulf of Bothnia, 645 ; Dunkirk and Gib-
raltar, including the Azores, 866 ; Mediterranean,
Blaek sea, and Sea of Azoff, 891 ; the Scaw to Dun-
kirk, inclusive, 308; Kurrachee to Calcutta, inclusive,
359 ; Australia, New Guinea, Tasmania, and New
Zealand, 316; River Plate and Brazils to French
Guiana, 302 ; Jamaica, St. Domingo, Cuba, and
other West Indian islands, 491 ; United States, from
Alatamoras to Brunswick, 860; British North Ame-
rica, 511; Siam to Korea 214; White Sea, Norway,
7
Faroe Islands, Sweden, outside Baltic to Copenhagen
and Great and Little Belts, 233 ; Africa, Straits of
, , Gibraltar to Orange River, including islands, 78