The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-03-27

SAAl KASs b Saved &C Sea, o. Nets
People must not forget the John Rutledge.
That dreadful picture-the anxious day after
the collision with the iceberg, when all hands
wrought necessarily but vainly at the pumps
the frantic scramble when the captain gave
the word to clear the boats-the rush into the
boats men and women, sailors and passengers
all pellmell together, without clothes or pro-
visions, as they were, anyhow-then the long
agony in each separate boat, hunger and thirst
first maddening, then slowly killing each indi-
vidual and the last man surviving only through
incredible self-mastery and at the cost of legs
frozen to the knee-this picture ought to be
printed on every memory, hung up before every
mind, kept constantly and perpetually, by day
and by night before every good mans eyes,
until something has been done to prevent the
recurrence of similar disasters, and to guard
life at sea. The story OF the John Rutledge is
the story OF many and many ship, this year,
last year, years to come. There will al
waJs be iceherss, there will always be COLI
sions, there will always be narrowing heart
rendiDg scenes Of suffering from shipwre,k as
every spring comes round, until means are
taken to prevent them.
1t is folly to talk Of making vessels sail
slowly. Who will agree to wait for the news?
No man, assuredlJ. Grim death itself, staring
us in the face, would not persuade us to wait an
hour for the steamers news. If any one line
Disclaimers, for the sake Of safety, were to or
der their captains to slacken speed while on
the banks or in fog, the only consequence
would be that the line would be voted the SLOW
line, and people would 60 by its rivals. This
is notorious fact; people may deny it rs they
like, but no man of experience will ques ion
it tor moment. The idea of slacxening speed
On the ocean is out Of the question.
To the other plan proposed as remedy
water-tght compartments is no solid OBJ
lection. The additional cost, when they are mt
in at the time the vessel is built, is comp .ra.
lively trifing; when they are put in after
wards, they cost more, but still no ruinous
sum. 1t is not denied that they will answer in
most cases of collision come persons--aot
builders doubt tn departments Oh the
present plan would hold together in case of
very violent collision; but besides that this
objection does not rest any high authority,
il Guild be very easy to make the compart-
ments as strong as need be. Compartments,
and compartments only, will render life safe at
sea.
There is another matter, smaller in degree,
but yet highly important, which should be con
sidered together with the compartment bust
Dess The boats OF the John Rutledge left
Nth ont
have carried off the passengers from wreck,
the same difficulty has been met with. Life has
almost invariably been lost as largely from
hunger and thirst after the escape from the
wreck as from all other causes. Now this dill
Guilty may be easily met. Let all boats carry
at all times provisions and water preserved III
tin cans: let the provisions be of the most nu-
tritious kind, SO that a small quantity may GO
a long way; let the water cans be filed every
voyage.
A very brief act of Congress would accom-
pliah these necessary reforms. The first clause
might declare that all sea going vessels, whe-
Their propelled by steam OF sails, to be here.
after built and intended for the conveyance of
passengers, must be built with water-tigh,
compartments; and that all steamers carrying
passengers after q given day must provida
themselves with compartments, as the Baltic
has done. The second clause might impose
heavy fine on any sailing vessel or steamer
carrying passengers without having water.
tight compartments, after say January, 1s5.
The third might oblige every life boat or other
boat carried On board ship or steamer to b.
provided with provision and water cans, i
compass. and a sextaut, to be fixtures in her
and never at any time to be removed while as
sea.
This brief enactment would accomplish ali
that is wanted
FIRST RATE PuFF FOR TIE ADMINISTRATIONS
The Boston Chronicle comes out in favor =
Colonel Fremont az the NIGCEg WoRsHrPprNG
candidate for the Presidency, and gives to
President Pierce, an old friend of the editors,
the following first rate notice.
How any who has observed the admi nstration OF
President Pierce ssy that small mans powers Of
mischief limited, is indeed surprising Sea wpat he
has done in the course OF only three years. in the line
destruction and admit that not even the ener
gies Of jackson and Webster could have accomplished
SO much in double the time. To balance their ds en
c,es in that respect, however 1t Is probable that they
would have done much for the good OF the country and
have for themselves places bistorv
70 be envied than that which General Pierce will b.
morally gbbeed for the instruction of poseny but
for its admiration.
Morally Objected" is pretty good Boston
gave Mr.. Pierce plurality. How are the
mighty fallen!
Too Much Or IT The Cox divorce Gaze is
nearly over, thank Heaven. 1t was getting
altogether too strong. 1t will be a great
relief when it is finally closed. At the
same time, we may remark that the newspa-
pers which claim to be especially pure and
chaste have been most anxious to make their
reports as indicate as possible One of these
journals--now the dirtiest sheet in the city
liz, we learn, filed as journal of current history
in one of the ward schools uptown. We woula