The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1876-12-21
Marine Disaster. Durisx the Year 1875.

FUN Tue 6yJaCUte IN. L. JC0t0Al.
WHEN the; excitement of political
disasters shall have subsided, the
statistics OF disasters more vitality re.
lated to humanity and commerce will
be likely to take hold upon the public
mind and arouse to action in the
United States some earnest humanitar.
ian in behalf of the cause, of which
Mr. Plimsoll, of British seaman, stands
as the foremost representative.
The statement is made public that
during the year 1875, 1852 American
vessels suffered disaster, besides 1876
foreign vessels, on our shores, giving
a total of 1887. OF this number All
collided, land 200 casualties arose direct
ly from carelessness or ignorance;
3l2, aggregating a tonnage Of lO2,5i2
tons, with their cargoes, valued at up
ward of $4,000, 900, were wrecked,
~ which &c, 2l5 lives were imperiled
and 1873 lost, besides SO other persons
drowned, without other casualties to
the vessels to which thy belonged.
In 1884 there were reported to
the British Board Of Trade $50 vessels
not heard from after sailing or being
spoken at sea. They are all supposed
to have been lost with all on board,
aggregating 1881 persons. Besides
these there were reported an the same
authority 5,084 vessels as having suf-
fered or casualty resulting in the total
loss of l,4ll vessels and 6,814 lives.
During the ten years ending June
30, 1874, there were 22.098 wrecks,
collisions and other casualties of yes.
sells on or near the British Isles alone.
Over Is per cent. were total wrecks,
involving loss ofl3, 200 lives, and the
value of 800, zoo, 900 in property,
Nine hundred and twenty.three of the
vessels lost were known to be over so
years old, twelve over 100, and over
10 per cent. unknown.
The facts last given are the ones
that were used with SO much effect by
Mr.. plimsoll, whose persistency and
want Of tact, perhaps, brought such a
storm of ridicule upon his head. But
the results prove that his pleas were
not without beneficial results, and the
cause has found advocates in other
spheres. The statistics of losses Of
life and property in American waters
are suggestive OF a condition of affairs
in the American marine service sim
liar to that shown to exist in the Brit.
ish service. Certainly, Americans
haste to get rich, and American avar.
ice, are just as conscienceles rs British
avarice. American seamen are doubt
less compelled to risk their lives in
rotten, unseaworthy craft quite as of.
ten as English mariners. The extent
to which this may be carried on may
be judged by the long list of disasters
annually announced. These show how
lightly human life is regarded in the
mad race for wealth I; how largely the
existing laws with reference to the
safety OF sea.going vessels are violated;
how much carelessness is due to ire
sponsibility !; or how much to the will.
fully prolonged use Of time-worn YES
sells.
Now that the press is calling partic.
ular attention to these facts, and our
brethren across the Atlantic have in
augurated movements to remedy these
evils, it would seem that benevolent
and Christian Americans should give
more attention to the matter and Sc.
cure, by proper legislation or by the
enforcement of existing laws, due re.
gard by ship-owners to tho safety of
the lives endangered by what have
well been termed ''hoating coffins.''