The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-09-01

characteristics of our steamboating is its reck-
lessness. Our great companies are SO much
above public opinion that even disaster like
the present one fails to make them respect the
laws made for the safety of the public, unless
they happen to BIO to their own liking, and of
course it is useless to hope that our officials
would enforce stringent laws on powerful cor
pOrations whose resentment is so much to be
feared and whose favor it is profitable to Guilt
vate. The use of such ordinary precautions
as blowing the fog signals to give notice of
approach, might have prevented collision in
the case of the Metis; but, inconceivable as
1t may appear, such neglect on the steam
ers plying in the Sound is absolutely habitual.
1t is notorious that steamboats, crowded with
passengers, to whom a collision means almost
inevitable death, constantly steam in the most
reckless manner during foggy weather in
waters crowded with sails, without giving the
usual fog signal of their approach. Under
these circumstances the wonder is that we
have so few disasters to chronicle. Nor is the
lookout kept on board those steamers very
keen. 1t is only few weeks since the Bristol,
of the Fall River line ran down ON Irish bark
at anchor in Newport harbor, although the
bark had her lights hung out, and with char
acterstic indifference proceeded on her way
after superficial examination of the damage
she had sustained. Fortunately the weather
was fine or a fearful loss of life might have
been the result, for when the Bristol had pro-
ceeded on her way some distance it was dis
covered that she was fast filling with water
and was only saved from sinking by being
beached. This ought to have been warning
though every lesson Of prudence must be taught
to steamboat and railway men in letters of
blood. Similar acts Of neglect are constantly
producing calamities that differ only in ex-
tent of injury and suffering inflicted, and the
only excuse or explanation that can be offered
cry caused is by accident" But when we
examine closely those SO called accidents we
find that in most cases they are the result Of
selfish indifference or gross neglect, and we
are almost tempted to wish for some law that
would punish reckless Indifference as q crime.
No one can doubt that it is SO morally, and
there is no good reason why the criminal
neglect which sends hundreds to premature
graves ought not to be visited with merited
chastisement
Almost before the last wailing cry of the
victims Of the Metis collision has died on the
ear the wires announce another disaster ct
sea, involving even greater loss of life.
This time the agent of ''accident' is fire, and
the unserviceable condition of the steam
pumps the visible cause of the calamity. On
the 10th of August the Benville left
this port for Aspinwall, and the telegraphic
despatch which will be found elsewhere in
forms us she has been destroyed at sea. In
this case the vessel might have been saved,
and lamentable loss of life avoided, if only
careful examination of the steam pumps had
been made before leaving port but this would
have been contrary to the reckless, hap-haz-
ard mode of preparing ships for sea which OBJ
tains among u.s. But it is useless to multiply
examples; if need were, it would not be diff
cult to fill our columns with stories of disaster
as fraught with suffering and warning as those
we mention. 1t could, however, add nothing
to tho weight and Importance of the lesson
which the examples we have to-day before us
teach Unless we are to hold our lives at the
caprice Of careless and irresponsible compa-
MES some steps will have to be taken by gov
eminent to enforce attention to the public
safety. We are glad to notice that an official
investigation into the causes of the catastro-
phe to the Metis has been ordered by the Act
ing Secretary of the Navy. It is to be
hoped that the authorities will not stop
at this We had lengthy Investigations
when the Westfeld dealt death to hun
dreds of innocent people, but they
changed in little the reckless system of steam
boating which is the underlying cause of all
such disasters. What we do want are such
clear and simple laws as would be likely to
prevent such occurrences in the future, and to
have them stringently enforced. Steamboat
captains who sail through fog without taking
the precaution of making use of their fog
whistles are guilty of recklessness which ap-
proaches very closely to a crime, and, whether
or not they cause damage by such neglect
they ought to be punished for exposing the
lives of others to imminent peril. We hope that
the terrible warning furnished by the fate of
the Metis will arouse public attention to
this matter that will compel the authorities to
take such steps as will render the occurrence of
similar catastrophes IA re in the future
The STORM ON THE LAKES The late storm
on Lake Ontario was very severe, resulting in
several shipwrecks but so far, as it appears,
involving no losses of life. Within the last
week series of heavy storms, all no doubt be-
longing to the same general drift of clouds
from the Gulf of Mexico, have occurred in
different parts Of the country between the
great Plains and the Atlantic coast. We had
laax, kbox 81, hxt Tho uortharn