The New York herald., 1860-09-11

Commissioner this dangerous discretionary
power.
The LAKE MICHIGAN DISASTER AND OUR STEAM
BOAT LAws.-The late terrible catastrophe on
Lake Michigan, resulting In the loss OF the
steamboat Lady Egin and over three hundred
human lives, copstrains MS seriously to inquire,
arst, into the cause Of the disaster and second
", to inquire whether the unfortunate vessel
was provided with the necessary lifesaving ap-
paratus, a. required by the steamboat law
passed by Congress In the year 1852. To the
latter point we anticipate negative reply, and
assume this deficiency a. the cause Of the fear
TN loss of life which we have already recorded
basing our anticipations to the inquiry from
the loose manner in which the law is treated by
owners of steam craft In our own harbor. If we
remember correctly not having read the act
for several years-the law provides for local
district inspectors, at salaries ranging from five
hundred to twenty five hundred dollars per
annum whose duty it Is to inspect all passenger
boats propelled in whole or in part by steam,
at stated periods and see that they are possessed
of the necessary equipments for extinguishing
accidental fires, and for the saving of human
life in sudden exigency. After no little in
quiry we are confirmed in the belief that the
requirements Of the law have been indif-
ferently carried out, if not, indeed, totally
disregarded and the inference Is that
human life on our inland steam-craft is no safer
now than it was before the passage Of the law
to which we have referred.
We will state case or two In point to illus
trate the matter, and to prove that what Is here
asserted is no chimera or stretch Of imagina-
ton.
About three years ago, while an attacd< OF the
HERALD was on the way to Albany on one OF our
large river palaces the idea suggested itself to
him to ascertain by personal inspection what
facilities the boat had at hand to save the lives
OF the four hundred and fifty passengers thea
on board. He irst examined the force pump
for the extingulshment of fires. A series of
attempts to get 1t to work seemed Intellectual,
but finally it was made to throw . stream Of
water to distance Of nearly ten feet-a pretty
depe ndence against the ravages of fire on q
boat over three hundred feet long-and despite
all subsequent efforts the above was the maxi
mum of it, capacity. The lifeboats were next
inspected, and the largest and principal ones
were found nicely housed on deck among the
iron braces or rods, and in such insonvenient
locations that 1t would occupy twenty minutes
to launch them. Thirdly and lastly, the
life buoys and preservers were next scruh-
nized out Of two hundred OF the lat
ter class that were visible, over one half of the
number were totally unserviceable from fire.
.quent indentations and perforations. The pas
sage up the river was attended with Cimmerian
darkness, with q strong wind blowing from
quarter that neceseitated all sailing craft bound
up or down to beat across the river
across the track Of the steamer. The steamer
was kept running ct her utmost speed, In order,
a. the captain said, to reach Albany In time to
make the railroad connection at that point. AZ
the bost proceeded 1t was ffightfoi to see how
near abe approached numerous sailing craft, at
times being within Q few feet OF them.
Many OF the passengers, especially those who
were accustomed to travel, would not retire to
their berths, fearful that some mishap might
occur; they remained on deck the whole night,
and in such positions a. to render what life
saving apparatus there was available In any
sudden exigency. Fortunately no accident oc-
CURED: but the came boat to which reference Is
made was sunk little over one year ago, at-
tended with the loss of several lives, BY coming
in contact with sailing vessel under exactly
the same circumstances a. those to which we
have adverted.
Another case in point Last winter one Of the
Peck clip ferry boats, with Eve hundred passen-
gers on board, while proceeding from New York
TO Williamsburg, ran into Geld Of Ice aud
stove hole In her hull below the water line,
and by the time she reached her slip had three
feet OF water In her hold. Had anything occur
red at this time 70 occasion temporary stop
page Of the boats engine for ten minutes, - Is
frequently the case, the loss Of life, notwith-
standing the contieuity Of the boat TO the shore,
must have been great.
Again Take the Staten Island ferry boats,
with their double decks, and which are frequent
ly loaded to their utmost On them no provi
sion is made for the salvation Of single life ;
hence, should q nre or other serious accident oc-
cur 10 them on their nine mile trips the loss of
life would BE fFiehtful
TIE laws of Congress applicable TO the navi'
CATION of ocean and inland steam craft sfe am.
pie. II The officers paid for their enforcement are
vigilant In the discharge Of their duties ; and
the recent accident on Lake Michigan should
awake these officials to sense OF their duty
TO the public.
Tm CONSERVATIVE USroS ~ TINS SrArE.--The
rnnsr rn m nAion of the uninn Of tha three con-