The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-02-12


0ssaa Lanes.
Some months since, especially during the
excitement oecasioned on the sinking Of the
VILE du Hsvre and other accidents TO our
large steamships. the HxRALp drew attention
TO the necessity for adopting some special
plan for marking the navigation of the ocean
between Europe and America One of the
results Of this discussion was to induce some Of
our principal lines to change their routes
from . northerly course through tho iceberg
region to . southerly course, where ice is
never seem We believe this rule is now fol-
lowed by the Cunard, Inman and German
lines. but there should be more definite
instructions Our suggestion was that the
ocean should be mapped out in series Of
geographical lines, that the companies should
decide upon one route, to be followed by all
steamers going out and another, to be fol-
lowed by all steamers coming in and We
further suggested that this course should not be
wider than twenty miles, and that some cove
nant or treaty, or il necessary. q law, should
be forced upon the companies, compelling
them to send their steamers over the route
thus specified The practical effect of this
arrangement would be that, with the number
OF steamers now crossing the ocean, they
would be always In company. II On acct
dent happened TO one steamer there would be
almost q certain chance that before any dis
astrous result she could attract the attention
of another. So that instead of sending our
~ To-, a,
ocean, they would go in conveys, thereby
narrowing very much the chances Of disaster.
These suggestions, which were adopted ut the
time by some Of the steamers, also attracted
the attention Of the American Social Science
Association, which met in May, 1874 Pro-
fessor Peirce, of Harvard, addressed that dis
tinguished body on tho subject seeking to
arouse public attention to the rapidly increas-
ing perils and the magnitude of sea travelling.
'For," as he we'll remarked, "when the num-
Der of steamers shall be tenfold what it is to-
day, which will occur in the next generation,
each steamer will be exposed to ten times the
peril, and, as their number is tenfold in
one hundred-fold their present number"
In accordance with the suggestions of the
Professor committee was appointed, under
the presidency of Mr.. R. B. Forbes, of
Boston, and composed of men like Charles II.
Marshall, George W. Blunt William B. Nor
gan, R. H. McCurdy and other eminent citi-
zens of New York, Philadelphia and Balti-
more. The committee have considered the
subject and agreed upon report In this
report they discuss the routes proposed by
Professor Maury, Mr.. Wyman, Mr.. Blunt and
by the Inman, Cunard and German steamship
lines. They object to Commodore Wymans
route because it approaches too near Cape
meridian of so, north of latitude 43, the
committee regard as going too far south, cut
of the most direct route, and too near to the
route eastward. The plan suggested by Mr..
Blunt is almost like that of Professor Maury.
The committee thinks it would be better to
make compromise between the plans of
Maury and Blunt on the one side and the
Cunard route on the other. At the same
time it very wisely says that it is of very
little consequence which route is adopted, so
long as the steamship companies determine
upon one course and respect it. $50 long,"
says the report, ''as we avoid too near approach
to the virgin rocks of Cape Race and Nam
tucket Shoals and keep our tracks to the west
as practically as on our fishing grounds, it
matters little which we adopt" 1t suggests
that Congress should be asked to appoint O
commissioner to proceed to Europe and en-
deavor to get the concurrent action of all
steamship lines-a commissioner who could
60 with authority.
We agree with the committee that it is of
very little consequence which route is ac-
cepted, so long as it is definite route, and is
accepted by all the lines as to the true path
across the ocean. Furthermore, if the steam
ship companies do not yield to public opinion,
and agree among themselves upon matter
which would rebound to their own advan-
tage, then Congress should endeavor to have
the matter made question of treaty and ne
gotiation. The government of France, Eng
land, Germany and America have certainly
the power to compel the steamers which sail
under their flags, and which enjoy their pro-
lection, to take every measure to insure the
safety of their passengers and cargo. We are
glad that this subject has attracted the atten.
ton of so eminent body as the Social Science
Association, and we trust that Congress will
attentively heed the recommendations of this
committee.
Winter Sports and Pleasures.
Although Lent has put the seal of prohibi-
ton upon feasting and merriment the balls
and other enjoyments Of the season are not
yet ended. The fashionable people who