Worcester daily spy., 1858-10-27

FIRE PROOF STEAMSHIPS. s.-The communl-
cation IN another column upon the safety of
ocean steamers, from a gentleman whose
competency to judge upon the subject admits
of no question, will attract attention. The
lesson of the Austria must not pass unheed-
ed. We are proverbal as people for our
reckiessness, especially of human life; but
admitting this, it is difficult to believe that af-
ter the many accidents we have had, we shall
be willing 10 trust ourselves i'll vessels having
the same faults of construction as those which
are now only names of sad recollection. At
ter this, (it is a serious question: will passen-
gers be willing to take the chances of safe
voyages, when with differently constructed
vessels the chances can be exchanged for a
moral certainty? There is not one of the
long list of steamships that have been lost,
going to and from this port, of which 1t can
witA truth be said that it would have been
lost If properly built-or If it had had mater
tight compartments and been fire proof 1t is
even admitted by seamen that the proba6it5-
ties are that the greater part, if not all, of
these vessels would have been saved with
these qualities. Granting this, should not
law require stea mers hereafter to have these
qualities, and should not passengers, from
principle, refuse to go in vessels without these
safeguards The report has never been con-
tradicted that the Persia, on her VOYAGE at
the time when the Pacific was lost, had hole
knocked in her bows from collisions with an
iceberg. large enough to sink her if she had
been without water. tight compartments. 1t
Is generally supposed that the City of Glas-
gov and Pacific went down from similar
collision, not having water-tght compart-
ments. And it is undeniable that the Arctic,
Lyonnais, San Francisco and Central Amer
-
compartments
1t is not many years ago that fire proof
buildings were first erected and now nine
tenths Of the buildings in which valuable
goods are to be stored are made so. Does any
one question the practicability of making a
vessel fire proof? If they DO, sure way of
dispelling their doubts would be to order a
vessel from one of our iron shipbulders to
have this requisite. Now if on shore, when
only goods are rlsked, fire proof is an essen
tial requisite IN buildings, is it not more SO in
vessels carrying passengers? From inquiries
of our largest builders, we find that the prob
able extra cost for building vessel in com
partments and fire proof would be from fifteen
to thirty dollars ton, or fifty thousand dol
lars for an ordinary steamer, which is less
than is often spent in gliding; and after a
careful estimate we do not hesitate to asser,
that the losses in the past ten years OF proper.
ty IN steamships from this port, would have
built every one and all those now afoat run.
ming to this port, twice over, with water. tight
compartments and fire proof so that on eco.
nomlcal considerations, Independent of human
life, these safeguards would have been adyis-
able. 1t would not be absolutely necessary to
build vessels entirely fire proof, but this safety
would result, if each compartment was fire
proof, from fire in any other compartment.
Safety from fire could thus be had at yery
light cost, and although not the best construc-
tion, would yet reduce the risk of general
fire to an improbablity.
steamer is peculiarly subject to fire. and
no precautions are sufficient in vessels built in
the present manner. The route to Eurone
passes through the ice.feld during quite j
large part of the year-and is liable to dense
fogs at all times, thereby making collision
at some time morally certain. In view Of
these facts, what transatlantic steamship linz
will be the first to give US vessels with water.
tight compartments and hre-proofi A large
success will certainly be their reward. Al.
ready the travel TO Europe has been seriousl,
diminished from passengers taking the risJ
into the account Of cost and a few mou
| Pacihos and Austrias, will make the cost
when the risk is included, too great for thos,
having pleasure as the motive TO take a trir
TO Europe in steamship of the present con.
suucuon.-N. T. Courier 8 Enquirer.