The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-12-16


medy.
The Cleveland H9aidc Of the aoth alt, CONTAINS No
following Interesting and imporsnt document being
snmcnt by the Gsaad Jury Of the crcui. urt toe
the Northern District II Ohio set Ing th the gicvoas
%s~ s - s r"a su e. ass@sn
The Grand Jury of the Gitsuit Court 81 the United
States for The northern District Of Ohio having had their
called by the Court Ia the great prevalence az
disasters the Western iskes and having been request
ed TO investigate Ia. al these dsastas, Ax
In such immense loss of property and life respectfully
pefent; That while cvideaee has beea elidtsd SUM-
cienty definite and conclusive 90 indirt individual
under existing laws It ueveethoies. appears that May
Losses la consequence ~ The vo a"n u the lAss
owing 10 want of sutA ale provious e .nfor cg thsa-
Others result from lack Of neediu laws ard ruls,ons.
aud still more from the unaeawothnes IL veasels and
want OF suit able hnrbors.
Ibe number of vessels eHoa, On The Western Lac, At
the close Of navigation In 1864 wss steamers ~, pro
pcers 90 bark- % brg- loi foho0ner 0a6 soops and
Pa being egtegate Of $50 ye,sel valued ~
$40 1855 600. The aggregate number ~ disasters from
1Sis 10 is5i inclusive was 500making losses 10 ths
amount 81 81 CO.. a.5 of this number, ga valu.d At
s2ls7,sab we're lost during the last yesr-sbeus one
third 81 which sum lost In n single gale
oi this aggregate amount OF losses. those which
stranded OF " wretet' and .unk are pre'nmvd
to have been los, mainly In their efforts to habors.
orthrourh lack 81 strength TO contest successfully with
the gale.
~ IA the greater portion Of lake vessels draw when
laden nearly ten feet aud the haebors hfoaghou, the
whole chan Of lakes have very lube ihsn this
depth OF waterso that oars n, their entranc. or othar
obstacle make the chances OF shpsccs Ia running in0
. port almost certain
Facilities for safe entrance may be provided by govern
meni, but the ability % contend successfully with
rest mainly with the construction ~ tho vessa
From the evidence brought bsore us believe thu. NOS
sufoien, attention IL given 10 the mpiel and ir.ug
vessels that instead Of adopting the ndgment ~ klfal
shipwrighis whose long experience qaaihes them To
Judge sha combinations BORN Tho beat model Tor Gu
cauntsfing gales tho sei dictate the MODELS
having mainly IN view The carrying ofsrse esrgoc- with
out regard . their security Whshes this evil can os
Ia ing Of vessels 10 bear nrcd pr0porioa 10 the tom
nsgo to lead to better aud ,aer modelling Of vos
sells not prepared 10 say. Hat hat cacesvs
nuHt be adopted frnm source, 10 hrce
change from the present models Is apparent tom the
testimony brought before
There nothing NECESSARILY conneo'cd With no nsvi-
cation Of the lakes which should lead " ahgh .sfkd
ditas,ers As have prevailed 10 III" la, TX yetrs The
nntiics placed b.for. At losses from 1915 % lisa,
show that d5t sail aud steam ve.ei have beer sccssd
and snnh 7 Of n'reneoa whose ydae amoune = ~
00l 1905 the Losses ~ the current yea supposed ~
fully equal they DO not eacecd, those Of the past
year.
That many - these losser would have been unavo,d-
ahle Is admitted but 90 have good reasons or celev
Ing that the greater portion of III. loss esrr tss
insult abl.nsrs of the models Tor the navigation,
Coniec ID With the models ~ VESSELS IL the nlnoat
constant habit Of overlooking them Although ios.es
ecGurisg from this cause make The vessel osn~fs peca
niay responsible Tor them 20 The ornsr 81 ne prop
erty get deem that the making al Ha elm AL Of
fence in the master would tend 70 prevent such
loading
In the EARLIER navigation Of The iatos master n
sels successfully comtsed gales ia the op-n lax owing
confidence In the strength capably o. their seaeis
but with the Increased sze of tue vessels without sdi
tona strength their scndence Ia be last ani ~
the dts xpcarancc OF storm they run Tor the nearest
Property and the lives OF thu thus placed In
constant jeopardy.
Collisions have been fruitful Of loss and these
appear TO have occurred malay through nsglsct of
pisnee with the statute 4 isis, regulating tho display
oi lights
Another frequent cause Of disaster has been the want
OF suciency ~ and lack ~ efficiency then,
and want Of control On the part % masters their
This results IN great part from neglect the part
al masters of vessels ~ cnpy with III. statute requiring
them 10 have their sign shpplng Articles. Iasab-
ordination results at times When l.gslizea authority
most needed the abandon ia. vessel In the
first port and she s Obliged ~ rsturn Is may be- With
out an adequate supply ~ men hands or II thers (,
sufficient number, continual changing makes tlsta al
strangers TO the vessel and the Of working hsr
Tho remedy for this would 10 10 Ia making " is
eumbeut upon the collector in each port To ths ths
shipping articles have been nxnsa by the before
giving n vessel her clrafance.
Another provsion necessary un Tor this Lac,
that whereas shipping papers only required :, 5S
tsteD when the vessel T. boInd Tor port " s,Atn
not adjoining they thouf be taken when gpng 70 ad-
joining states for vessel from porte Lake Erie In tss
State Ohio, 20 ports Lske Superior Ia tho adjoining
State Of Michigan may perform voyAge II tAonaand
miles, stopping A. numerous ports and occupying fire.
guently much time would b. required " sail from
New York 10 Liverpool
Whilst Tho public feeling generally ~ national
or ober legislation Imposing any rcstrictons irshs
and navigation doubtful grounds IT pol nncy, yet
the vast ~ the lakes l. yearly rapidly
tendibg that think such Laws have been found nj
advs ntage In mar lime matters IN. should ~
enforced the lakes; and We believe that the mpst-
OF the interests involved d-msnt stenf,n The
part Of government and Of individuals 10 prpvon~ fsv
their present safety and additional sseari'y.
ANDREW LUGEsBEkL, Foreman.