New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-01-10
LIFE-SATING SLETICE REFOHE
GROWTH or TIE sKRyiCE-sURPMsING RESULTS IN
THE LAST FIVE YEARS.

GROWTH or TIE sRRYICE-SURPNSING RESULTS IN
TIE LAST FIVE YEARS
The annual report of the United States Life
saving Service has been published. The following IL
some Of the interesting information that 1t CON
tains:
The personnel Of the service now administered, en-
braces sl,perIntendent district, and assistant
sutVcnten0cnt for district No. Keeper iot estH
benz EMPLOYED for different periods upon different cr
the the lcuSth OF the Indictment season
al each is supposed 10 require Tie annual COZ pti'a-
ton Of superintendent Is 81 600 each except ia dl,lct
Nos. nd where II is iXcd al 81 200 ior CaeI Ha %
thr assistant superintendent !, 5000 per auDn ana lha
H., . - ,rtn, of their active cmpioyIurnt. ~ which
tbry Ere ltguircd 10 reside Al stations Ihrir ser
wees however, are Ut the disposal Of me Cove
upon any occasion Of sbipwcck at oiGer ihhes' Tor az
tendance - which they are PAID - each -,
The reports OF the supenntondens show tbat there
have los disasters 10 vessels during te rear Wilh
the limits Of the operations Of the several districts
There 75l persons On board these sels re cSl
mated value Of the vessels wac ,UJ %u ma !"
their carsoes S470035, making tne Total Yalae OF tc
property mgeed $l79 ne hT TIn ., n'ef
saved was 729, and OF those i1st - me HhipcI 90 90
sLpwreckcd PERSONS skete ed at the stations was ~
and the number 81 uiy Snei''i Sioiu' E ga the
amount lost sss3,35 The number OF disasters invoy
ing tota lOss % vessels and cargces was 70.
The Government first gave It's attention TO the
method OF aiding stranded vessels by the csiab
with the means OF eoctne communication between such
vessels and the shore, III 1915 ana 10 the Hon: William
OF Repre- belongs the honor Of first advocating
Ito merits o. TINS plan IN speech ~ winch no 4e'' T
snnl made on the 80 Of August was rewarded by the
aiilOpriaIson of $1,000 for providing surIbOaJs,
rockets crrOnadcs, and other necessary apparatus lOr
mo better preservation OF life ami property IRON ship
hf coast or New Jersey IFlnS between S1nuy
Hook and Little Egg HarDOr."
In the Winter Of lS707l several fatal disasters Oc
CURED the coasts whln Inc MINUS OF inc opera
tiOps OF the service them al great distance
from IL. stations be beyond the reach OF timely as
gsco and others their dOOT6. Congress appTO-
p1aed. on the Goth OF April, ISL 300 900. and
authorized the Secretary Of the Treasury to employ crews
experienced surfDen at such STATIONS ana TOT such
periods as 10 might deem necessary ana proper.
thorough reorganization Of the service vas deter
fnned mon and the work al begun ana VigOr
ousy prosecuted The Oval Of incapable and lnci-
cg1t and the substitution OF suitable men, the re-
pair Of the stations and their equipments hnd the en-
p0yinent OF selected al nearly all the stations auc
me pronunciation series Of instructions specifically
setting forth duties required OF officers and men,
the rt taken III order that tc service - Dt
be placed upon as efficient footing possible for the
approaching Winters work. Measures were then taken
establishment Of many additional stations ~
were necessary ~ bring them within the distance 0i
about miles Of each other where natural obstacles
dd not prevent, with view OF enabling each TO sum
inOn by OF signaling us ue6hOOs 10 ls ASSIST
ance when needed.
From 1850 up 1871, although, has been stated,
no authentic record OF disasters Occurring the Long
island aud New-JerseY kept. attempt has
made 10 ascertain their NUMBER ana the loss OF tc
aud property involved but the effort bias been attended
with Enough has been learned, however,
prove that, Notwithstanding their unOgaized cOndi-
ton Acknowledgement and neglect, the Dicsdvlng sta
lions Instrumental In largely reducing TIE fatality
attending shswrccks and In saving property, inasDuch
as 4I63 persons and $7l6,OUO worth OF properly at
least aseertaned ~ have been rescued SINCE
1871 accurate reports Of all disasters occurring wliHn
the range operations OF the service have been fur
nlshed the department ~