New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-05-17
pprcKfYG AND WRECKERS.

IT.. number Of vessels wrecked on the Florida Reef
"a the arrivals in distress at the port OF hey west
,he wreckinR emporium Of the Union during the ye''
,ssA were si1y-four. The aggregate value OF .neso
s..sls ia stated at 1874, 600 and the value Of 'oe
..r0oes at 9, PCS 454-makDg the total vs""'on "
vs.sos and cargoes 2,2i245i. The expenses oi 'ue
o.,ooes while in the port Of Key West were
I'D the exnenses Of the vessels sf9l p; to's s''
oas "a. The amount realized from saIeS % "''''s
o,rroes Was s3s O3s %; the amount Of 'ai'"s' a"
cd the vreokers esq 92l e. and the to'a losses vi
sek and cargoos s432,i67 a.
Tha Florids Archipelago consists OF cnaIn Vi
;..,d. along and around the southern point OF rion-
IA extending from Cape Florida 10 the loftusls-a
A;s.once of about two hundred miles. OUTSIDE OF
.,.e islands and at distance from them 81 about
s;gbt miles. lies the Florida Reei-a ledge OF ROCKS
king underneath the surface at depths averaging IN
different places from two to eighteen and tlir1y ieet
This reef may be properly regarded as the northern
uall or bank OF the Gulf STRENGTHENING CuOa anu
the Bahama ISLANDS for the southern aud eastern
hanks. Between Key West and Cuba this oceanic
stream il about eighty miles wide; at Cape fIordalt
IL narrowed 10 about orty-ive miles IL If the outlet
Of the great BAY or Gulf of Mexico and the com
s,erce of New-Oreans and the other Gun ports with
,nucb Of the gold of California, passes through 1t.
Tho vaue OF this commerce has been estimated al not
.s than four hundred millions of dollars annually.
current commences in the Gulf Stream OF Ioriuga'
and runs eastery and nor,herly at the rate COM
monty of three or four knots al hour, but 1t Is
very irregular in It's rapidty and direction; and IN
consequence Of these Irregularities, the nauowness OF
the channel bad weather, and probably, IN some IN
s,apce the carelessnesss of navigators many ships
and vessels get ashore upon the reef and are ether
Totally lost or are ighened and got off by wreckers
Msny vessels also put into Key West in leaky and
disabled condition.
Tho persons employed in saving this property are
technically called wrcckers, and about $50 OF them
are constantly and exclusively employed IN sailing
about the islands and reefs in little soops OF schoon-
ers Of about sixty tuns burden Some one or more Of
.bem visit every dangerous reef every day, so that
vessel does not long remain in trouble before help
ING hnnd is extended to her. IL the assistance oil
yreckers be accepted, they generally tighten the
ship carry out anchors, and get the vessel ON OF
she be lost on the rocks, they save the cargo, the
messengers and crew, and carry them to hey "est,
where salvage is awarded by the United States Dis
trict Judge for the saving of the vessel ana cargo
but no charge is or can be made, or any salvage al
lowed for saving the lives Of crews, passengers, and
their baggage.
Considering the large amount of property saved
rom total destruction, and the many lives OF passen-
gers and crews rescued from death by these wreck
ers. no one can fail TO be impressed with the i'm
porance and heroic daring of their vocation To the
cause of humanity and to the interests of commerce
their services are invaluable And no other class OF
men are exposed to greater temptations to embezze-
usent and fraud, for large amounts of property are
constantly committed to their possession without any
receipt or proof in the hase and confusion OF ship
wreck. and vet no complaints are ever made of dep
relations on the property the commission OF any
rudeness dscourtesy to passengers by these wreck
srs-a fact credtable TO them in an eminent degree
although it may perhaps be attributable in part to
another that the compensation for their services
is awarded them by the Court, and that their conduct
il rigidly Investigated and scrutinized.
The National Government has erected several Light
Houses at differen, points along the Florida Reef
which are of immense benefit TO navigation on this
dangerous coast and the United States Coast Survey
il now employed in surveying and locating upon
charts the exact position of every island and replying
between Cape Florida dthe Tortugas Islands, which
will be an invaluable guide and security to the icu
hundred millions worth Of property that annually floats
along this ocean stream.
The Hon. William Marvin il now, and has been for
nearly twenty year, the United States District Judge
at KEY West; and we have before had occasion to
speak of his high judicial integrity and ability lie
has exclusive jurisdiction in oil Admiralty cases and
his decisions are final in all cases where the amount Is
less than SO OOO The BUSINESS of his Court almost
entirely devoted to matters growing out OF wreck
ing. He awards salvage, and the amount there
of he settles consortships, and appoons the salvage
moneys among the owners masters and crews OF YES
ses; he sspervises and audits the commission and
wharfage charges-and all without the Intervention OF
Jury. His official position, therefore, Is not simply
a responsible one but thas direct and personal re-
sponsbity, which is neither shared nor relieved by
the interposition of Jury between himself and the
parties htgant. Nearly every man upon the island
is directly or indirectly interested in every wreck and
in the award of the most liberal salvage, and 1t re-
quires Judge of great moral courage and ineorrupt-
bic integrity to resist the influences surrounding and
assailng him. And il is due TO Judge Marvin TO say
that his honest fearless snd able administration OF the
wrecking jurisprudence at Key West has had most
potent AMI remedial influence upon the wrccking
business.
NrIr gNFS THE TIC-ICE AND SALT.