New-York tribune., 1875-02-11
OCEAN POUyES WITH FIXED LIMITS.
AN APPEAL TO CONGRESS.

AN APPEAL 10 CONGilLSo'
REPORT OF A COMMITTEE OF THE AMERICAN SOCIAL
SCIENCE AssOCDuON-TIE APPOINTMENT OF
COMMISSIONER TO CONFER WITH FoRlIGN GOV
FRNMENrs AND STEAMSHIP COMPANIES URGED
At the last general meeting of the Amer-
can Social Science Association in New-York In May,
1874 much interest was excited by paper OF fioi'
Pelrce of Harvard University the subject OF Ocean
Llnes"-that s sy stematc organization ol 'uo P@'"'
of the Atlantic steamers, as to diminish the dangers
of collision. Prof Perce sought TO aronse pVoNc "'Ie
ton TO rapidly increasing magntnic OF inc peril
and induce action before there should come terrible as
asers following close upon another Such disasters
have occurred and even at an early period, when the
danger was not one-twtutieth part OF what 1t Is now
"When" said Prof. PcrCe "tbe number OF steamers
shall be teufod what 1t Is to-day, which VIII occur IN
the generation each steamer VIII DC exposed 10 ten
times the peril, and their number is tentoid, the
number Of collisions VIII bo hundred fold It's pres
emf number There Will be many in year as there
arc now in and every year will have lis cruei
record of these fearful accidents The necessity OF pro
tecting the ocean from this danger, by assigning hXed
limits TO the routes Of the steamships, was trs cOns-
cred as early the 1855, in correspondence oe
tween the Ja,e NJ. +. Mlury and numerous shpowners
and underwriters This CORE spondence originated
believe with r. b. Forbes OF Boston, and think 1t was
then that the expressive designation OF ocean lanes
was introduced"
In accordance with the Professors suggestion, Com
mittee was appointed to consider this SUBJECT ana
Prof. Peirce decliung act Chairman, Mr.. F'rbe'
WAS very properly pat at the head OF the Committee
Tho other members were James Sturgis OF Boston
Charles H. Marshall, r. II. McCurdy, George W. Blunt
w. d. Morgan Of New-Y0rk; Francis X Cope, Cn"ries
Platt l. Vaughan Merrck Of Philadelphia ana Ihomas
Whttridge of Baltimore. After an extensive corre-
spondeuce with persons familiar with this SUBJECT tc
Committee presented It's fual report, which was ac-
ceped y the Executive Committee OF the Association
etiuOo
onthorzed in advance of the next general meeting al
Detroit on May This report which Is hriei ana prac
tlcal iu its recommendations, Is US follows:
Your Committee have had any formal meeting
bu the subject of tracks has received inc atleh
tiOp OF the undersigned through GOnsl9etabie coro
spondence. Some DISAPPOINTMENT mas neeh ei., ahu ~
some DELAY In making this report has resulted rop tc
fact thai Prof Benjamin Peirce, on whom we
relied to confer with sister associations III nLei. D M
ain ccuId not afford the time To do So Some delay has
also occurred in waiting for the appolntmeht OF coni
missioner through Congress The general subject Oh
crossing the Atlantic, going and coming by dlnereht
Tantes has lost none OF Importance by this delay
hui the time have come to recall the attehton
missioner The SUBJECT has recently been wen treated
by committee OF the American Academy Oh "a, AIts and
Sciences in report read before on DOC No Dleht
very well close this report by referring 20 thal very oo
P1f inc various routes suggested by Maury, WymaD,
our experienced associate Blunt, by tho lnmdn' tnc
Cnnard and the German lines, we speak enpbaticaiy
nd,smming only the latter, which, they embrace
constant changes, consider wholly OUT OF lh gus
RON The route so ably advocated and illustrated Oy
GYmmodore r. H. Wyman, In the opinion OF your Com
mice apvroaches coming west. too 10 Cape Race
Wnnry; Track west the position OF thC virgin
R1cks laid down in latitude 46 26i longitude 80 57i to
the southwark OF them, WITHIN from tnry 10 Sly
mics The Inman route. already adopted passes NOT
far from the same line The Cunard line adveItses 10
pass the meridian Of co. not north OF autuue 1o' is
seems 10 us going far the south out VI the most
direct route TO the route 10 the easI"aru
Tne tracks advocated by our associate are 80 heai
IKE Manry's that we do not hesitate to recommend
them. IL any change should be deemed auslSaDIe, ~
would go little further from the virgin i'oeh,,
thus making compromise between maury anu bun' vi
side, and the Cunard tlachs' - - -, ,,oo-,
Your Committee deem IL TO DC OF very suiai' % %npolt
ance whether we adopt the Marry, Wyman, Inlan,
Cunard Blunt tracks, as compared 10 adopting sone
well-de1ned So long az VIC avold 100 near ~
proach to the Virgin Rocks Cape Rlce, ana Ndhuchc.
shoals and keep track 10 the west as IariC" as
practicable on fishing grounds, IL matters n.ie
v hch we adopt WHAT wo want Is a genera coLcIi,
renee of oppIon among steam lines We nope 10 see the
natural jealousy existing among steam lines S 80
far as to some definite arianRement tnua w.'
command tue sympathy OF the travelling public
Tie original Recommendations OF Pro-. Peiee,
at the the repat mesapS OF the 1' Committee Of the
Academy OF Arts and Sciences. are OF primary import
ance and II they be carried Out Will DO more "
meet the question of safety to life ana property nS a
the figures latitude and Longitude, log and Ice, anu
collision Mr.. Perce invites the coneurrsnce ot an Us
socatons connected with the sntJeot We see no moc
direct way attaining this desirable end tnan W n
woke the attention Of Congress Tor tue appontpen.
"A commissioner to proceed 10 Europe ana enoeaVor W
elicit concurrent action OF an steam hss ~ - st @
enough as suggested by the bill before Congress Iast
wear to appoint commissioner 10 confer lth any "o
may be appointed by other powers we want some Que
10 20 with authority TO urge upon governments Ut VI
steaiusbp con- panes the necessity for acton 100
much time aud much machinery are ihvO'cn ~ az
comnuslnQ our object solely through legislatures
Having only one American line OF steamers lhro9Hh
wnch invoke concurrent action on tne part " u n
ropcan Ines 10 be no way OF reaching 'no
subject except by a speedy appeal TO Congress
R. B. FonnEs' Chairman Boston.
RonEsr nrS eiIt ii. IoctuRDr,)
SsqRos sdSoi " SlUsT' Se"-Yorf'
CHARLES PLATT.
FRANCIS X. CoPE philadelphia
j. VAUGHAN MERRIcK.}
- "A ,ooa Tlon XuITIRID0E. baltimore