The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1877-01-26
OCEANS PERILS.
Marine Disasters During fS55-Am 4ppaI
ling Record.

ling Record.
When the excitement of political dis
asters shall have subsidized, the statistics
of disasters more vitality related to hu-
manity and commerce will be likely to
take hold upon the public mind and
arouse to action in the United States
some earnest humanitarian in behalf of
cause. of which Mr.. PIimsoIl, the unself-
ish advocate, in parliament, Of British
seaman. stands as the foremost represen-
tative.
The statement is made public that dur
ing the year 1875, 1,052 American YES
sells suffered disaster, besides 485 foreign
vessels, on our shores, giving a total Of
1887. OF this number 477 coIIided, and
200 casualties arose directly from care
lessness or ignorance; 312, aggregating
tonnage Of 1O2, 5I2 tons, with their car
goes, valued at upward OF $4,000 900,
were wrecked, by which 20,215 lives
were imperiIed and SIS lost, besides 50
other persons drowned, without other
casualties to the vessels towhich they be-
longed.
In 1874 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 au on board, aggregating
1881 persons. Besides these, there we've
reported to the same authority 5,0S+ YES
sells as having suffered wreck or casual
ty, resulting in the total loss Of I'LL
vessels and 6,S14 lives.
During the ten years ending June 80,
1874, there were q, 098 wrecks, collisions
and other casualties of vessels on or near
the British Isles alone. Over % per
cent. were total wrecks, involving a loss
of 8. 200 lives, and the value Of 500, $50, 1000
in property. Nine hundred and twenty
three of the vessels lost were known to
be over 50 years old, II over 100, and
over 10 per cent. unknown.
The facts last given are the ones that
were used with 30 much effect by Mr.. Pim-
soil. whose persistency and want Of tact,
perhaps, brought such astOrm of ridicule
upon his head. But the results prove
that his pleas were not without bench,
cial results. and the cause has found adj
vocates in other spheres. The statistics
of losses OF life and property in Ameri-
can waters are suggestive OF
condition of affairs in the Amer
lean marine service similar to that
shown to exist in the British service.
Certainly, American haste to get rich,
and American ayarice, are just as con-
scienceIess IS the British avarice. Amer
lean seamen are doubtless compelled 10
risk their lives in rotten, unseawOrthy
crafts quite Is often a. English mariners.
The extent to which this may be carried
ON NAV be Judged by the long list of dis
asters snnually announced. These show
how lightly human life is regarded in the
mad race for wealth; how largely the ex.
isting laws with reference to the safety OF
sea going vessels are violated; how much
carelessness is due to responsibility; or
how much to the willfully prolonged use
of time-worn vessels.
Now that the press is calling Particu-
lar attention to these facts, and our breth-
rem across the Atlantic have iuaugurated
movements to remedy these evils, it
would seem that benevolent and chris.