, 1876-02-05
" Life.Saving Appliances at Sea. :"

the maritime world that we hail with
no inconsiderable interest any sug
gestions coming from thinking men
having bearing upon it. The fol-
lowing, from a well-known cores
pondent -" Rustler - opens up,
what appears to us to be
a practicable means of saving life,
and at the same time contains some
very valuable hints regarding the
qualifications of crews, which should
receive the careful consideration of
all whoPeruserhsur:
81 noticed in your valuable pa
per that Mr.. Rhodes, of Victoria,
has issued circular calling the at
tsntion of all interested, to devise
means to save life on board vessels
wrecked at sea. Like him, 1 am no
mechanic, yet 1 have had some expe-
rience at sea and many close calls to
visit the mysterious depths of old
ocean, and would suggest plan
which, if it could be carried out,
would be the means of saving many
lives. Let the hurricane deck of all
passenger vessels be constructed in
sections to fit together according to
space, with places in them for bread
and water, always in place, with life
lines and beckits attached, ready at
all times to launch, or if the ship
sink to float off, so people could
cling to them until rescued. If the
boats were not damaged they might
take what they could with safety and
proceed to shore, and so return for
the rest; or if in mid ocean could
cruise for passing vessels, and notify
them Of the position of the hfe-rafts.
cit is well known that more lives
have been saved by RATS or parts Of
the wreck than by boats, and this
fact should be taken into considera-
tion in the construction of passenger
vessels, so that if possible an end
may be put to the wholesale murder
ing of those who ego down to the
sea in ships
81 would also suggest to the Gov
ernment that, steamers carrying pas
sengers at sea should be made to
carry sEkMEN, and not deck hands,
as they are called now---meaning
anything that can carry swab or
handle freight. No matter if they
don't know a mast from a railroad
tie, they are cheap. The Pacific,
with 300 passengers, only carried
four seaman, or men that could steer,
the rest were roustabouts. If, per-
chance, her boats were launched all
right the night of the collision,
where were the sailors to man themf
Four quartermasters could not pull
six boats, and what dependence
could be placed on the deck hands
or roustabouts, as they are called,
some of whom never were in boat
in their lives. Since steamers have
been invented, the real sailor has
been passing away, and they have
substituted spurious article,
called deck hands. Why should
steamers be allowed to go to sea
with less sailors than ship9 Own.
ers say we don't giant sailors; we
want men to handle freight. That
is we'll enough. Men to handle
freight can always be got at either
end of the route. In the mean time
sailors, under proper officers, could
be getting the steamer and boats,
with all the tackle, ready for sea
which is now neglected until after
she leaves port, like the Pacific with
all hands worn out with hard labor
from daylight till dark, then go tc
sea with decks and boats numbered
up, or the latter hanging to the
davits with rotten falls or blocks
which the four quartermasters may
fix up when they can find time.
81 have no doubt if there had
been a watch on deck, the same as q
sailing vessel of her size would have
bad, some of them would seen the
Orpheus' lights in time to have turn
ed round and gone the other way,
and so avoided the collision; or, after
it, got out some of the boats.
"AlI men shipped on steamers
running on ocean routes, carrying
passengers, should be seamen, and
picked men at that, capable of hand
ling boats anywhere, and if the NOV
ing of freight interferes with their
business or rest it should be accom-
plished by laborers.
'FNo matter how wella vessel NAV