Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1840-02-13

\ The following are the remarks re-
Gently made, by Mr.. Webster in the u.
S. Senate, in reference to steamboat
disasters.
STEAMBOAT DISASTERS.
/ On motion Of Mr.. Webster, the reso-
lntion offered by him Oh n former day,
instructing the Committee on Commerce
Ia inquire whether the existing law Oh
| the subject Of steamboat navigation re-
/ quircs revision and amendment, was
IA taken up.
1 MIR. Webster said he wished to refer
to the sing auary affecting incident which
Il lately btlel one of the steamboats, in
Long Island Sound But if the duty
was proper one for him, he hardly
knew how he would be able 10 perform
it. Iregard it, however, (said Mr. W.
| as one Of those occasions in regard t.
which Use men, who arc guided by the
Il lights of experience, will endeavor, rs
! much as is in their power, to give better
security to the lives and property OF men
embarked on board these cOnveyances,
over which, as yet, no adequate lurs-
diction is extended, and no sufficient re-
sponsibility imposed.
4 And The best way to guard against
the recurrence, of such accidents is for
those who have the power to ascertain,
as far as they can, the cause of the dis
aster, to the end that they may know
! hOwtO guard against its occurrences.
4 l wish, therefore, IN the first place, TO
suggest to the Committee on CONNER ce ,
the propiiety of an enquiry into the
causes of this disaster. ii has been
said, in various quarters, that it cannot
be ascerlained how the fire originated
But ] believe it can be with reasonable
certainty 1t was said by ihe survivors
that the fire, when first discovered, could
have been extingnished with two or three
buckets Of water. The place of it,
origin can therefore be asccrtained ;
and that is the first and most import ant
step towards the discovery Of the cause
/ wish, therefore, that the committee
would summon all the survivors, aud as.
certain from them how the fire orig ina.
ted. If it was purely by accident
against which no human vigilance could
guard, this particular case would no,
call for remedy. But If it was not, il
it was from II cause which must have
produced the result, and which might
r have been toresecn, then il is important
That it should come under the admins
traiion Of Congress, who should take the
waole subject into consideration, and
provide, if possible, the proper remedy
1t is important to inquire whether the
fire on ginatcd from spark, from can
die, or from any cause purely acciden-
tai /; or whether it was owing to the
careless structure Of the vessel Itself
For example, was the iron heated to
such degree that the commune alton
Of fire TO the wood near it was ncccs,
sary consequence +? If that was the
case, it was no accident. If the fire
heated the iron to such a degree that
The wood work near 1t necessarily took
fire, nobody would call it an accident.
Aprrehcnsions were abroad for a con
, siderable time that this boat would NEE,
, its end by some such disaster that il
would be burnt. And after it failed to
come to its destined port, the app,ehen.
sion then was that it had probably been
destroyed by connagraiion. And such
being The fact, il is worthy of considera-
tion, for It is s''ong presumplive proof
tbat il was no accident.
J. With this view, and with a view to
make certain other amendments of the
law, ] wish the committee to obtain the
fullest and most perfect information Il ON
all the survivors, and also to make in
quiry of some practical men who were
acquainted with this boat, and with the
> subject generally.
I, But, sir, | wish also TO suggest to the
committee the consideration that We may
do much more than We have oonc. II
: is a vastly important sub ject, and is fell
very deeply to be so in the present ex
, ci,ememt at the North for there is ne
man who can know whether some con
ncxion, or friend, or valuable acquain.
iance may not be liable to these acci
dents. And if provision is no, made for
> greater security, no man can know bu
he or his friends may come to the same
q disastrous end. With this view, i, i.
important to look extensively into th,
D causes Of steamboat accidents, and pro-
0 vide all the remedies Of which they nr'
n susceptible. have no doubt ihut grcu
beuefii has resulted from the act passe,
few years ago. There are sundry
provisions of that act-such, Tor instance
u as, requiring the use Of iron chains
u which are very useful and there is lii
lie doubt that il is one Of the mos i'm
por,ant acts that ever passed the Senate
Ii makes the fact oi an explosion in ,
steam.yessel presump,ive proof, or pri
v ma jacie evidence against its manager,
and pro2ricior., ill they show the con
= 'rnry. Since that, explosions have beer
+ less frequent And in my opinion ,her,
/, is no way in the world to prevent fire bu
/ by some such provision against the oc
;, cuirence of fire. lf they will expos'
I. life, they ought 10 be ansaerable, an'
be required 10 show that there was u,
= carel"ssncss, but ,aat il was an accident
Tor, ~ other words, nn net II G"d
" Aud would go sill further, aud au