The Sun.
London, England, 1857-01-08 00:00:00

THAMES.

ROBBER'S ON BOARD Saltmarsb, a
sailor, aged 19, was brought before Mr. Selfe, charged
with stealing a pair of boots and a pair of trousers, the
property of Thomas Rawley, on board the sloop Mason.
Captain John Mason, the master and owner of the
sloop Mason, stated that six weeks ago he shipped the
prisoner in the St. Katharine dock, and three days after-
wards he missed the prisoner, who left the ship without
notioe. A pair of boots and a pair of trousers, belonging
to a seaman named Rawley, were missing at the same
time. Yesterday allot noon the prisoner again came on
board the sloop in the West India dock, and asked for
a berth, and be banded him over to the police. The

The winter has scarcely commenced, yet already nume-
rous disasters have occurred on our coast, seeming to
presage a season of unusual calamity. Experience has
pointed out certain spots more disastrous to the mariner
than others. Barnegat and its vicinity have preeminence
among the number ; but the system hitherto obtaining on
that shore for the relief of shipwrecked vessels is utterly
inefficient, and it is high time that means were taken to
remedy the growing exigencies of the case. Some years
since the Government constructed a number of small
houses or shanties of the Jersey coast for the storage of
-lifeboats' mortars, &c., but without reference to affording
shelter to any who might require it. The buildings
aro five miles apart, and only a few of them are sup-
plied with the necessary apparatus for effecting com-
munication with ships in distress, such as mortars,
cradles, &o. The cost of the buildings was defrayed by an
appropriation from Congress. Metallic lifeboats were pur
chased, but they are useless for the service required of
them, Upon examination of facts attending the various
disasters on the Jersey coast during the past ten years, we
find the lives saved have in almost every instance been
duo to the exertions of wreckers in common cedar fish-
ing boats. The daily occupation of fishermen on that
shore has taught them how to construct the best descrip-
tion of boat in which to trust their own lives at all times
and seasons. Immediately on obtaining news of a wreck
three or four of tham rush to the shore, run the light cedar
barque into the surf, and if the sea upset her they put
matters right in a few minutes, and proceed on their ex-
pedition. The metallic life-boat, on the contrary, is heavy,
and, however valuable in the open sea in such emer-
gencies as those attending the loss of the Arctic and
Lyonnais, is totally unsuited for shore service, requiring,
as it does, the exertions of half-a-dozen men o launch it
in the face of a tremendous swell and gale setting in-shore.
Those who have assisted in such moments of excitement
know how seldom a boat is launched on the first trial, and
when the metallic craft is upset a fresh and longer delay
ensues, which may peril the lives of hundreds. The Govern-
ment force at Barnegat is so small that without the assist-
ance of the fishermen scarcely any lives would be saved, and
the willingness with which these men risk their own safety
is so well known that their courage has become proverbial.
Two of them, John Jones and John Parker, have just
fallen victims to their disinterestedness in endeavour-
ing to save the passengers of the New York and Tease,
and Congress should immediately look to it that the
families of those noble men do not suffer want through the
loss of their husbands and fathers, engaged as they
were in a work which they would never have had
to be called upon to perform were it not for the
remissness of the Government. Every emigrant
ship should be obliged to carry a mortar, with
a complete set of tackling, cradle, &c., so as to com-
municate with the shore when necessary. Something, how-
ever, must be done immediately, in view of present exi-
gencies, for the chronicle of disasters has scarcely turned
the first page, and yet already exceeds the average of
calamity. More houses and suitable accommodation are
required on the Jersey coast, additional mortars and cradles
must be sent there, and the noble fellows who have risked
their lives must be rewarded, so as to offer an incentive to
others. Let it be done quickly.—Arew York Herald.