Mississippi Democrat. (Carrollton, Miss.) 1844-18??, 1846-08-12

N'S ~Ui ooNS' 'AN oAolOAIChL W
be correct, and that the hazard of the two
years represents fairly the general hazard
of The steamboat navigation of ST. Louis,
and that again the general hazard of the
navigation of the Mississippi, including its
tributaries, which, from its position, and
the wide extent of its commerce, is proba.
bly, not far from the truth, it would make
the total average annual loss of steamboats,
engaged in its navigation TO be very
small fraction less than ia per cent; the
loss by snags to be little less than 81 per
cent; and that by snags, rocks, and logs,
Chat IS, OF distractions susceptible of being
removed,) to be very nearly Sper cent
These data would make the annual aggre-
gate loss of navigating the Mississippi and
its waters at the presen! time estimating
the number at 900) TO be 1914 from all
causes; of which 81 would be from snags,
and seventy five from snags, logs, and
rocks. Estimating the average value to
be $l2,l36 per boat, (he average of the
st. Louis estmate,) it would make the an
nual aggregate loss to be S. ,306, 100 from
all causes; Of which 606,S00 would be
from snags, and 100000 from snags,
logs, and rocks. Assuming the loss and
damage of the cargo 10 be equal 10 the
loss of the boat, 1t Is put down as rather
more in the St. Louis estimate,) it would
make the aggregate annual loss from all
causes S2,60l 200; from snags, Sl,2G3,-
600; and from snags, rocks, and logs, ST.
100000.
As great as the amount of these losses
may appear TO be, they would seem to be
under, rather than above, the reality, when
compared with the estimate of the Cincin-
natl committee, after making due allow
ance for the increase of the commerce of
the Mississippi and the number of steam
boats employed IN transporting it since the
time they made their report, as the follow
ing extract will show. 1t states that "be.
tween the llth September and the 18th
October, in the present J ear, (lS43,) the
losses on the Mississippi, between St.
Louis and the mouth of the Ohio, dis
lance Of only $50 miles, were S234,000.
Within the last II months there have been
lost ~ steamboats,, worth 81 100000, be-
sides their cargOes, which were of great
value.
"The losses paid by the insurance Off
ces in Cincinnati alone, on boats and car
goes, during period of five years from
November, 1887, to November, 1912, in
GLIDING only the losses by Instructions in
the navigation, and excluding all losses by
explosion, collision, fire, and other causes
have been $442,930 80. As insurance
is made also at Pittsburg Louisville, Nash
vile, st. Louis, Wheeling, Natchez, New
Orleans, and at some Of the smaller towns,
the above sum might be multiplied by seven
to arrive at something like a fair approx
nation of the losses sustained by under
writers from the dangerous condition of the
navigation; and the result would be three
m illiOns of dollars, or six hundred thousand
dollars per annum. If to this be added the
losses from the same cause, on which there
was no insurance, the amount would
be not less than one million of dollars per
aunum. One million of dollars per annum
is actually taxed on the commerce of the
west for losses sustained in consequence
of Instructions which might be wholly re-
moved by an appropriation by Congress
of a comparatively triflng sum! An adj
dltional fact, showing the danger of this
navigation, is, that many offices have de-
cined to insure the hulls of boats, and such
risk are only taken on the best boats, and
at rates varying from IL to Is per cent.
The insurers are said to lose money al
even these enormous rates. The amount,
then, of the annual risk on the $1,000
600 invested on steamboats, alone, is
more than one million of dollars"
If there was no other evidence of the
vast amount lost, the high rate of insu
rance, which is stated at from ID to Is
per cent. per annum on boats, and to re
ference to which there can be no material
error, would of itself conclusively show
that the data furnished by the St. Louis
statement do not make the loss greater
than the reality. The lowest rate per
cent. of insurance would indicate a loss
annually of $3,6O0,OOO on the estimated
amount of the commerce Of the river.
To this great loss of property must be
added that of lives from the hazard of It's
navigation; but the means for making an
estimate any thing like approaching accu-
racy are so imperfect, that it will not be
attempted. 1t is known to be very con-
siderable. The ST. Louis statement gives
81 per annum for 126 boats, which would
make about 1875 for the estimated number
of boats now engaged in navigating the
Mississippi and its waters.
This great loss, both of property and
life, will go on progressively increasing
with the commerce of the valley, unless
something should be done to render the
navigation of the river more safe. AS
Stunning that its commerce will keep pace
with the increase of population, and that
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