The New York herald., 1878-03-14
YHR TRANSFER OP 7HE LIFE SAVING SERVICE

To THE EDITOR THE HERALp:-
beg TO submit tor the consideration OF your read
ers certain facts ch relate directly TO abl now oe
fore the Senate. transferring the Lie Saving Service
to the Navy Department. Your editorial pointed ou'
the necessity OF this transfer, and am convinced
the truth OF the there put forward after
patient Investigation Of the merits
OF the bilI n Of that wise Legislation
which has Tor It's ultimate objects tho preservation
and extension OF commerce. The necessity
the Life Saving Service is axiom TO all reasoning
minds, materially by ths commercial demands OF thh
great country aud sentimcntalIy by the prompting
OF that humanity which characterizes enlightened
civilization aud evidences the progress Of modern
thought
lis organization and working should have such
continuity harmony correlation that tho greatest
good the greatest number will result and all ohoI
things being equal at minimum Of expense, both Of
life anu properly. The revenue marine. TO wh,cb
these duties relcgated, Is an integral part o ths
system has the collection OF tho customs reve
and he enforcement OF s statutory laws as ~
raison dttre II is oncored by number Of gontle
OF average capacity and intelligence and OF whom
tho duties demanded SO exacting and 20 perms
to leave out OF total Of l32, only twenty
one Unemployed the date OF the latest official ad
wees This includes the in6rm, those incapacitated
by long and by disability In the line OF duty
ana all who are esumubly, enjoying the temporary
respite which the arduoas nature OF their continued
service exacts. There are, Ia ALL eleven life saving
districts six OF which have Ito stations, but SO varied
is tho sphore Of legitimate duty OF the personncl Of
the revenue marine that only three officers can be
spared tor its organization aud working, and their
duiIos are restricted regulating and inspecting the
whole service. That each district demands the per-
soual supervision and control OF responsible officer
the latest reports OF the Supcrintopdent the sworn
testimony of shipnasters and the elaborate nvestga
ions Of your journal prove conclusivey. Otherwse
there wiil be recurrence OF the disasters which OF
lato, been destructive OF human he and OF
valuable property, and ail because vital defect OF
theoreuc organ lzition tnroltled the Efforts OF
practca working IL Is part oil the ioglcai sequence
OF good govcrnment that nere as ~ osner countres
Inc service win ultimately revert to naval control,
ana any increase OF the revenue marine service lor
The SPECIAL needs which tins extraneous branch mas
huperinuuced would the lun0ss OF that time wVrk
great injustice 10 u body OF men whose occu, alton
viii be gone. AS no more tnan tbreo officers can be
spared now, as no more can be appointed, snd AZ
every intelligent Official the necessity oi
all Inc disrIcs being ofiicered II Is iar TO assume
somc radical change 10 necessary From this dearth
Of ocers originated the very bad practice Of employ
ing civilians whose appointments are due 10 political
favoritism No argument IS necessary 10 teach The
iutIity OF expecting "lhe man fitted to his WORK.
political services governs the selec
lion, nor Is IL obiis sxtory-to show when political
superintendent is made his subordinates will be
recruited from the party ana under the recommenda
ton OF tu men governing It's patronage and
onsderations oi aptitude or tor Quaries winch can
be elective III The direction where enciency ID VITAL
Granting even measure OF effectiveness III suoord-
mates. there there has not bcen--unaer
present system that conscientious ecectisn IN ths
suDerInteudents which The good Of lhe service de-
mandeu. fhe extent OF the sea and LAKE coasts ana
Lhe variety vi necessitate vigiiant and un
biassed selection OF keepers and surimsn; but we
tho sad proofs that the existing organ zition
as detective should be perfect aud IS IN no way
suited the when be elm mated from
the problem OF lataI shpwreck.
tnlnk tue naval service Can effect these reforms.
The demands OF home and foreign stations are Of
nature 10 leave AZ the expiration oi c'uSe trained
and nsllgent officers whv are skilled 10 tue use y!
maritime Appliances experienced IL the oroement of
regulations wniCh govern non Tor Their weii Deiug
aud disciplined IN u school wnlch makes duty Mat-
ter Ol COINCIDENCE ,llcency, Doth necessity Of
advancement and an Inccltive 10 reputation; omcera
WHOSE Interests part oi our Datavnai lie, Anu
wno are checked ana governed w tns sense u
personal and Official responsibility as " make ther
Reputation prOverbia tney are Traditional aud
they just Inc class that tls bill
proposcs employ are urawn either from lne Naval
Academy, alter years oi study ana exam nations
when voucu Tor their mental and physical qualiilca-
tions from gallant baud oi msrcnsnt sai.oss
VINO rallied 10 the support OF LIE imperiied natous
ana devong tner Skill 10stered the service OF Tue
,liintnt merchant marine The worll mas ever
known earned tue,r comm ,eslons iu the heat und
burden OF Oattic. AL these officers have hau Tue ad
vantage 0i almost continual employment anoat ana
ashore and IN all tne varying condtons OF for
period o. years, which Jusiiuesa Deli.f IN the Cases
oi golden welding OF theory ana practical expert
ence.
as they are puerne, anu are based upon hypOtneti.
cai 'inexpcrieaco Ia suri-boating Q tneir general
uuHtnesA auLy So widely different from what they
used 10. and others all eQuaiiy AS absurd
aud equally Us untenaoie. Les these scubers read
douad say about mariners. Al dinerent psriods tho
duties vi naval otlicors demand work upon iurciyu
surveys the wuer experience Of our cvast survey
scientific ant NAL expeditions which,
whiie nakiug the SaiOfs O THIS era AMI c0maudtnx
especially inielixent handling OF boats and ths exor-
else the MODEST qualties oi veiy many prolcs-
sion, lit thIs sphere OF LABOR WIN au ex
perence possibly hey Ond that Of any other 0ody 0f
meu in the country. their dny direction OF intrl-
cate aud delicate machinery ami the vicssiLuucs VI
liie whicn incucate cooihess IN danger and or-
ty OF resources as the caruinal virtues ol the sea
man, point them out AS Tue very men " Keep
csur hsads and direct the workings of inc servlcs
equipment when such qualities are priceless, and on
score oil permanent ctciency thor habils OF dis
cipiIne insure tha uri'l and 0peuienco 0f then
suD0rdinates and the care VI The material
| with which they are intrusted Happily
| they are removed The exacting do.
main oil politics. aud sustained by tnat inherent
pellet IN manlness OF their uutes ana that nccps-
siy oil seilabnegatlOn in The hour 0i danger whlch
the laborer worthy Of hs hire In Any circu m
stances the pay OF these Vttcers when uDlnuueuceu
by the sporive neglect oil appropriations is assured
10 the III, anu matter o act The cost of Tie ser
under the bill oil Senator Sargent less than un
der the rule oil the gentlemen who evoke win tue
| magic wand of pOitcs surfmen and mariners from
Iarin anu yards, buconc groves Arcadisn
valleys wnere Pnils aud CorydOn sigh ter The breezvs
OF the sea; and from country storcs aud country
schoolbouses II Official reports and the testimony OF
| men wno go down 10 the deeps can DO believed
| Econo mIcal and wise government, humanity aud
| progress, aud tue instincts OF right-mindod men
every doniand this cnangc, anu Tor us oppO-
neuts Gnu certain worthy but misguided genue-
men, rural Statesmen vino lust Tor he political flesh
VINO ROB the dead while their airy conederates walk
oil Will The Jctsam aud otsam, underwriters, keepers
| and surlinen TO tho contrary Notwithstanding. K
!
ANTI-TAMMANY.