The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1876-12-27
Marine Disasters During the Year 1876.
IN the Syracuse IN. r. journal.

From the Syracuse IN. ~ Journal
WHEN the excitement of political
disasters shall have subsidized, 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 D'ade public that
during the year 1875, 1852 American
vessels suffered disaster, besides 485
foreign vessels, on our shores, giving
a total Of 1887. OF this number At
collided and 200 casualties arose direct
~ from carelessness or ignorance
3l2, aggregating a tonnage of lO2,5i2
tons, with their carg0es, valued at up"
ward Of $l0,O00,0OO, were wrecked,
y which 20,215 lives were imperiled
and 1888 lost, besides 80 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 5,0S4 vessels as having suf.
fered or casualty resulting in the total
loss Of 1,4ll vessels and 6,8l4 lives.
During the ten years ending June
30. 1874, there were 22.09S wrecks,
collisions and other casulties of YES
s Is on or near the British Isles alone.
Over rs per cel.t. were total wrecks,
involving loss O'13 200 lives, and the
value Of sS9O,OOO,OOO 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
storm Of ridicule upon his head. But
the results prove that his pleas were
not without beneficial results, aud the
cause has found advocates in other
spheres. The statistics of losses of
life and property in American waters
are suggestive of Il 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 constituencies as British
::varice. 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 judpc7 ny the long list of disasters
arr III announced. TIL: Sc show how
lightly human life is regarded III the
mad race for wealth 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 the safety OF
:a lives endangered by what have
=: o<>eD termed ''floatiDg cotiins.''