The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-12-11
A PRACTICAL SUGGESTION.
INsTRUCTING PASSENGERS IN THE USE OF LIFE
PRESERVES DURING OCEAN VOYAGES
No. % tora

INsTRUCrING PASSENGERS IN THE USE OF LIFE
PRESERVES DURING OCEAN VOYAGES
BALTIMORE, Nov. 30 1878.
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD:--
Inoticc in to-day's HERALD Captain schwensen's
statement in which he says that nearly all the pas
scngcrs Of the Inflated Pommerana might have been
saved IL they had properly used the life prcservcrs
board. That they were used improperly by many and
not at all by others Is assured by the statements of
survivors, one of whom reported 10 have said.
through the HERALD that mmed lately after the disas
ter many persons foated upside down" around the
boat in which he rescued or in other words,
were unfamiliar with the proper use Of life pre-
server Having placed IL wrong they kept their feet
aud not their heads above water. What l wish
more particularly to say is that this whole cry of
not knowing where to find life prcscrvcr on
transatlantic steamer. being acquainted with
its proper after finding it, and should be
reincdied. know you will gladly receive any sug.
gcsons that will tend to lessen the danger of those
who find II necessary TO the ocean, and by pub
fishing this in your widcawakc paper bring II prom
nenty to the attention of the agents managers of
transatlantic steamers II IL :his:Among the officers
generally apportioned to first class ocean steamer
carrying passengers there is whose duties speak
from personal cxperence) as compared to that OF the
active officers very light refer to the
ships physician. II Is the duty of this officer 10
look after the health Of the crew and passengers
well as the sanitary condition Of the ship. These
duties, of course are very essential to well
regulated scagoiug vessel, but they do not
occupy al his time, in fact but small
portion OF 1t. " Ia evident. and will strike any one
az common sense, that there many passengers
who cross the annually totally unacquainted
with the appearance Of life prcserycr That
this liz highly dangerous well rs fatal Captain
schwcnsens statement will bear outs that Is true
will be attesed by hundreds who have crossed the
ocean and have never lite prescrvcr from the
time they started until they reached their destination.
l. myself, found 1t necessary to cross the ocean in
1873. and assure you that never life pre-.
server ~ my recollection during the entire voyage.
To be sure had faint idea that one would be
found under the bunk mattress. but never salts.
lied myself BY looking there. Now, as this medical
officer has generally time his hands, would II not
be good idea for him to instruct the passengers III
the use Of life preserver and where to mud one III
case OF needY This could be easily done by him ON
the day Of departure the succeeding day Itwcud
not take Ave minutes time to show passenger where
to find life prescrvcr and how to put II on after IL liz
found. He would be doing act that would proba
| bly, result. in o. collision or other
accident. IN saving many valuable lives. Ihis
essential to safe voyages has been greatly
neglected, and should receive immediate attcn-
| ton NJ the hands OF managers and Others
Instructions should be given to the medical officer OF
| each steamer % see that every passengcr-nIan,
woman and child--is instructed where to And aud
how to use life prcsery,r Let action be taken iin
mediatcly on this subject and viii probably hear
less of az many passengers being found drowned in
of accidents from not knowing where To md
and how to of the most simple and sure de-
vices ever made for saving life in navigation
WILLARD L. MITCHELL, M. u.