The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1877-09-08
Wasting Human Life.

The mercless character OF c0mpcllsm Is
we'll shown in the following array OF hSures
giving the loss of life in the merchant marine
Of the United States and Great Britain. Ana
when we learn that the greater par' OF lhese
losses are from py6rtRt06le causes, the picture
il indeed sad one The universal lust for
the rapid requirement OF wealth, together with
the fierce struggle among the poor for actual
subsistence lead men into accepting risks
which result in enormous losses OF lie ana
urOperty. Vessels are overloaded OycrcroWdcd,
manned by insufficient crews, or commanded
by incomnetens, Ships are sent on long voy
ages. riM Me erpectattoH that they Will go to
pieces in mid ocean. Cargoos OF dangerous
explosives are sent Oft, and nothing ever heard
from either ship, cargo, or crew. In the rival
nv Of trade almost any risk is taken by ship
owners and masters, provided they can see u
pecuniary profit in the end, let the losses to
men and ships be what they may. Here is
what Supervising SurgeOn-General Woodwork
of the L. S Marine Hospital, says:
"Thc waste of human life is everywhere
After the waste by war, in no field Of human
activity is it more strikingly illustrated than
among the tolcrs of the sea. Every year
brings its measure Of disasters on the sea,
seemingly with as much regularity as the sea
sons follow in the march of time During the
year 1875, 500 American vessels are reported
to have suffered disaster; adding to this num-
Der the 50 casualties to foreign vessels on our
shores, gives a total of $50. OF this number
AT vessels collided and 200 casualties were
admitted to have arisen directly from careless
ness or ignorance Three hundred and twelve
vessels, aggregating a tonnage OF lO2,ol2 IONS
and valued, with their cargoes, at upward Oh
ten millions of dollars, were wrecks involving
a total loss. The number OF lives Imperfect IN
these disasters was 20,215 and $3.50 lives were
hoe drowned H.
cr casualty occurred to the vessel.
"One hundred and fifty vessels were reported
TO the British Board of Trade in the year
1884 as not heard from after sailing or being
spoken at sea- All of these are supposed to
have gone down with the 1881 persons on
board Including these missing vessels there
were reported to the same authority, In the
same wear, 60S4 vessels as having suffered
wreck, collision or other casualty, resulting in
the total loss of Ali vessels and 6S17 lives.
During the ten years ending June Both, 1874,
there were 22,09S wrecks, collisions and other
casualties of vessels reported as having occur
red on or near the coast of the British Isles
alone Over % per cent. of this number were
total wrecks, involving loss OF over S,2OO lives
and the value of about 90,OO00OO in property.
With such startling array of facts, it IS no
wonder that the appeal of Samuel Plimsoll
has been heard around the world.
NO thOughtlul person VIII doupt tllal d large
proportion OF these casualties were preyenta-
bic. They result chiefly from the use Of un-
seaworthy vessels, from the lack of the ncces-
sary amount of force, by reason of short crews
and unseaworthy sailors; from overlooking,
or from ignorance inattention or recklessncss
Of officers. Exact statistics giving the causes
OF loss of vessels and life are only attainahle
in small proportion of the total number in
v9lved n-Americdn Socialist.