New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-03-23
VRECKING AND WRECKERS.

The number Of vessels wrecked on the Florida
Reef and II arrivals in distress at the pert of Key
West, the wreckirg emporium Of the Union, during
the year 1854, were sixty.four The aggregate value
Of these vessels stated At s974 O00 and the value Of
their cargoes at 81 eos 454-making the total valua
ton Of vessels and csrgoes s22i2iji The ex-
perses Of the cargoes while in the port of key-Wast
were sls,sss G.; and the expenses Of the vessels
sac, l4s a5-totsl, s69,O 36 80. The amount realized
from sales Of damaged cargoes was s3s, O3s %; the
amount OF sdvages awarded the wreckers, s9s'sl 81
and the total losses on vessels and cngoes, si32,-
l67 42.
The Florida Archipelago consists Of chain OF
isaI De along ard around the southern point OF Flor
da, EXTENDING from Cape Florida to the Toruga'-s
distance Of about two hundred miles. Outside OF
these islands and at distance from them OF about
eight niles, lies the Florida Reefs ledge OF rocks
lying underneath the surface at depths averaging in
different places from two eighteen and thirty feet.
This reef may be properly regarded the northern
wall or bank Of the Gulf STRENGTHENING Cubs and
the Bahama Islands for the southern and eastern
banks. Between Key West and Cuba this oceanic
stream is about eighty miles wide; at Cape Florida it
il narrowed about fortyfve miles, II is the outlet
of the great Bay or Gulf OF Mexico, and the CON-
merce Of New.Orleans and the other Gulf ports with
much Of the gold of California, passes through it,
The value Of this commerce has been estimated at not
less than four hundred millions OF dollars annually
current commences in the Gulf Stream, OF Tortu-
eas. and runs easte,ly and northerly at the rate,
commonly, OF three or four knots an hour, but it is
very irregular in it, rapidly and direction aud in
consequence of these irregularities the nsrrorness Of
the channel bad weather, and, probably. in some in
stances the carelessness OF nsyigscrs, many ships
and vessels get ashore upon the reef and are either
totally lost or are ghtened and got of BY wreckers
Man, vessels also pu, into Key West in eaky aud
disabled condition
The PERSONS employed in saving this properly are
technically called wreckers, and about $50 OF them
are constantly ard exclusively employed IN 'aiilns
.bou, the island. and reefs in little sloops or 'choon
or, Of abou, sixty tuns burden. Some one or more OF
them visit every dangerous reef every day 80 'na
s..e does mot hong remain in trouble before help
-, hand !. extended 10 her. II the assistance Of
w,eckers be accepted they generally hsnIen 'ns
.bin CARY GU, anchors, and get the vessel OIL or II
she be iost On the rocks, they save the cargo 'u'
passengers ard crew. and carry them 70 hey "es''
where salvage is awarded by the United States us
tic, Judge for the saving Of the vessel ana cafs
but DO charge 10 or can DO made. or any savage a.
lowed for saving the lives Of crews, passenger" '''
their baggage.
Considering the large amount Of property saved
from total destruction, and the many Lives OIL psssen'
gers and crews rescued from death, BY thsse wreck
ers, no one can fail to Be impressed WIN NE in'
poranee and heroic daring Of their vocation. 10 tns
suse Of humanity and to the Interests Of Commerce