The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-05-21
SOCIAL SCIENCE ASSOCIATION.
Second Days observation-disclosures ON
Taxation and Steam Lanes. II 81

Boards OF Charities vas held yesterday In the par
lors OF ASSOCIATION Hall. John v. L. Pruyn, Pres
dent OF the New York Board, occupying the chair
Among those present were. from the New York
State Board OF Charities, John v. L. Pruyn Presi-
dent, Albany; Nathan Bishop, New York; william
P. Letchworth, Buffalo; Samuel T. Miller, Delaware
county; DR.. CHARLES 8. Hoyt, Secretary, Albany,
and Henry E. Pellew. New York; from Wisconsin,
Hon. w. H. Giles and Mrs. William p. Lynde;
from Connecticut, Mrs. Morette r. Petty,
and from Massachusetts, F. B. sanborn. \ A
committee of three was appointed to
report plan for united action among the Boards
In collecting and publishing statistics and other
matters pertaining to the Board. The committee
consists OF Messrs. +. b. Sanborn, w. II. GILES and
w. p. Letchworth. 9
paper was read BY DR.. John B. Chaplin on The
Duty OF the State Towards the Insane Poor"
Evening Session.
Shortly after eight O'Clock the session re-opened.
The audience was very thin, composed Tor the
most part Of members OF the committees. The
CHAIRMAN introduced Mr.. David A. Wells who
read paper on Rational Principles Of Taxation.n
Al be was one OF the convention which held
seeslon como time since to revise the tax laws OF
the State, he could speak Of practice as well as
theory. Neither the chairman nor Chancellor
Pruyn agreed with Mr.. Wells in his premises,
and both took occasion to give thoir reasons.
-'When the discussion he'd ended, Professor Ben
japtn Pierce, Of Cambridge. was introduced with
q paper on .s0ceens Lanes for Steamship Naviga-
tion-'' The entire paper - printed herewith. s
iPRQF4aspR ls1JAAng PIE2on ON ssrHAM LANES.
The present paper lays no claim to originality or
toIoveItT. ~ wtl perjoym it, junction II it should
have ahg ipansnce to sarst systematic organize.
@ q az Penn y ss aSser. g 81 e
kslO1. It aims ~ avnus0 public attention to the
EspidIy incres2iDg masnitnds q the perm and IN
i6e logic o. terrible disasters Following close upon
each other. Such disasters have already occurred
s saS was !: &c. ss w1 Da1 q
" whas .sima, nov When ,.,,o the number
each steamer wi Be exposed TO ten times the peril,
and. as their number 10 tenfold. the whole number
Der. There will be as many In year as there are
now In century, and every year win have Its
stty OF protecting the ocean from this danger by
assigning nxed limits TO the routes OF the steam
in correspondence between the late M. +. Manry
and mariners, shlpowners and underwriters. This
rs ana Sssys WITH r
that the expressive designation OF ocean lanes"
The SUBSEQUENT Investigations OF Mr.. Maury have
referred especially to the ordinary sailing vessels
and purely mercantile steamers, which ships
az ey r sas by n
use they are intended. The subject has recently
been taken in hand by Professor Won Freiden, Of
the North German observatory, who has cOllated
the routes OF the various German steamers aud de-
duced from them what he regards AS q proper
rection. It must be observed that the meridian OF
greatest danger Is that fifty degrees west OF
Greenwich. THIS y the meridian Of the
fogs. its squadron Of fishing smacxs and Its
stranded iceDergs. It is Of the 1rst importance to
decide at what point this meridian shall be found,
and this point decided, 1t may not be necessary to
impose any other restriction as to the route to be
All the western passages of the German routes
cross the meridian OF so deg. between the
ATTITUDES OF 40 deg. north and 43 deg. AZ
min. north The average length OF these routes
Is only about six miles longer than the shortest
route which could be pursued, but they cross the
part. The eastern German passages are OF two
classes for the three months October, Novem-
Der Der and DscemDeT when hardly dlner from
the route for October. In the nine remaining
months the passages are north OF the western
latitudes OF 40 deg. SS min north and AZ deg
3s min. north. The two OF May and June are In
western routes OF the Uunard line and are thereby
exposed to peculiar risks In the two months when
there Is the greatest danger from fog and lce
THESE lanes OF the German astronomer are at pres
ent mere proportions and have not been adopted
by either OF the lines The objections to these are
and especially the whole extent OF the Great
Banks that they are different IN differ
en- s m snss an n' rs Ssns sen. Ss sos ss
introducing perplexity and confusion as to which
month each steamer properly belongs; that the
otner, and especially that the moro southern or
the eastern routes lies exactly in the track OF the
sage. The tracks, which have actually been
adopted by this line are defined with extreme
simplicity and ip very few words:--"0n the
outward passage from Queenstown to New York
deg, Or nothing % the north OF Is deg. On the
deg. at u deg latitude, or nothing north or a
Tne singular brevity, conciseness and complete
ness OF these directions mark their author as
man or genus. They are dictated by regard for
human life, which is the first duty OF carrier OF
passengers. venture, then, to press upon this
association the expcdiency Of using iva influence
to induce the other lines OF Atlantic steamers to
adopt the Cunard routes. 1t Is essential to the
success Of the system that 1t should be universally
adopted. When the great amount OF human life
is considered which win be saved from needless
which will be relieved from unnecessary excite.
ment, ! am sure you will regard the object as
worthy OF the earnest action Of the ascot
alton. It Is important to consider the
agencies through which the system must
be introduced-whether there be any action OF gov
whole subject should be left to snpowners and
underwriters. Some clause introduced into marine
policies might be wise and effective. and Il might
officer OF acknowledged judgment from whom an
uniavorabe report would be received as q serious
scubcuCe anu Ouc RTedtly 10 Oe uTeHQeus But even
when the lanes are established there viii still
main considerable danger unless the steamers are
required to assume Uniform speed, say OF ten
knots an hour during the continuance OF fog.
With these suggestions leave the subject In the
hands or any Committee which may be appointed.
Mr. James McCurdy made motion that such
committee as the Professor had suQrosted be ap-
pointed, and Mr.. George Walker In a snort speech
seconded the motion, which was carried and the J
committee appointed. s
mr. Gardner 8. Hubbard read paper on "Ameri-
can and European Railroads, )" and the meeting
adjourned to meet again this morning when the
following papers Will be read Mr.. j. D. Foster
jenkins on 'Tent Hospitals DR.. Alfred L. Corvall
ON Hygiene In Schools ana Collegesr Mr.. George
f. Angel on protection OF Animals, Especially In
Transportatiou.r