The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1877-01-05

fFrom the London Telegraph. December 49,
The Use Of Discipline In The Midst Of
Danger.

Although the loss Of the hired trans
port steamship 81. Lawrence, the partic-
ulars Of which have just been reported,
involved no sacrifice Of life, still the
escape from q painful disaster was sx.
tremely narrow. This vessel was on
her way from Kinsstown to the Cape Of
Good Hope with . battalion Of the
Third Bluffs and The usual proportion
Of women and children, about six hun
drsd souls In all. when, early on the
morning Of Wednesday, the sih Of No
vember, she struck on reef known rs
the Great PAternoster, and remained
fast. Why she stranded nj all under
such circumstances will doubtless be
shown in the course Of the inquiry.
which we will not PREJUDICE; but, leav-
ing this point out. the after consequences
Of the disaster afford no opening for ad-
verss criticism. A soon as the St. Law
rcncs was ascsrtainsd 10 bs immoyabls,
soundings we're taken, and eleven inches
Of water we're found 10 be in the FORE
hold. The Colonel in command Of the
troops was si once informed Of what had
occurred, and Immediately every one
was ordered 10 quarters, while the crew
cleared away the boats. Then was seen
the advantage Of strict military disci.
plins in preserving that tranquility and
subordinstion without which the pas.
sengers Of ship-vrecked vessel are a,
helpless ss "dumb, driven CATTLE" and
as liable to that inssnsate panic which
makes them bliDdly work out their OWL
destruction. "In less than half at
hour" says the report, "the women and
children commenced embarking, tht
Colonel's wife getting into the boat 6rst
and 90 on, according to rank. Armed
ssntries were posted at the gang-ways
and the most perfect discipline was OBJ
served aboad. After the women ant
children had been safely larded, with
out any confusion, the troops fell in
fully equipped with their muskets ant
accouirements, and in marching order
As the boats came alongside they wer
filed with soldiers, and in an incredibl
shortspace Of time every soul on boar
had been landed. Provisions and wa
ter, too, were taken in the boats, every
thing being done with the greatest OF
der and precision" No doubt, had th
weather been rough and high sea bee
running this might not have happened
We should have had boats stove againi
the ships side or capsized by mountai
pillows, and life would doubtless hay
been sacrificed. But the difference b,
tween discipline and anarchy maks h
distinction between having many chance
in favor OF safety and having few {
none. Thus, for instance, the boats
the present case answered their purpol
efiectually. There were seven in 81
and four we've provided with patsl
lowering gear. II, on the other han
the weather had been bad and no %
diers bad been on board, two condition
90 frequent that no shiPwreck can
said to be complete without them, mo
than one Of the boats would have be-
capsized or crushed, and the 81. La
rencs would have settled down on q
reef much sooner than forty-eight hou
after first striking. II seems pity tn
the officers and crew OF every emigra
vessel are not trained, il not to regul
military discipline, at least TO those ha
i.s Of patient and unquestioning obet
encs to superior orders which only m
itary discipline confers, so that all
passengers may be forced in subordir
tion in moments Of danger.