The daily gazette., 1878-11-29
Letter from Samuel Townsend
For the DELAWARE GAZETTE.

- '
see reply in the Herald of yester-
day to what said few days before on
its article about life-saving stations,
wherein the article in the Herald gave
to Francis Vincent credit for his foresight
in pointing out the dangers of the Allan
tic coast, and where to establish life
saving stations; and in accordance with
his superior knowledge the general gov
ernment had carried out his wishes
What will men in the lighthouse and
life-saving business along the coast, and
at Washington, think of such an asser-
ton ? Is it any wonder that | or any,
body else should call this self-laudation
bosh ? He publishes card dated June
18th, 1878, where the Department would
take into consideration his recommends
tion, which was no doubt prompted by
the people living near the beach, who
gave him their suggestions, and he, as
late as 1874, moved in the matter first
The article published in the Herald was
for Mr.. Vincent's discernment Fin point
ing ont places all along the Atlantic coast
south of Delaware, and indirectly giving
him credit for the establishment of all life
saving stations from Delaware to Florida.
Now the main points / took exceptions
to, were that long before Vincent came to
this country as a boy, grave Senators in
| Congress were debating and favoring the
establishment of life saving stations all
along the coast, and that l had heard a
discussion in the United States Senate
as far back as 1S41. Think that was the
year. But the Record of the Senate
i ,U,,,,l1 url,at I ri He nfhaI
assertion | d sapproved Of was, he said
the coast from Cape Henlopen to Reho-
both was the most dangerous along the
Atlantic coast. l cited, to disprcve this,th
names of certain vessels which had beer
cast away on said coast, and fewer lives
lost, and the name of one ship that aftel
lying on that coast nearly two months
was so little injured that she was got of
and taken to New York and repaired
and run for twenty years afterwards
Now Vincent's assertion that the sale
coast between Cape Henlopen and Re
Ihoboth was worse than the Carolina coas
Is in perfect accord with his other asser
tions, for The shoals of Cape Hatteras ex
tend for thirty miles out into the sea, ant
it is almost certain destruction to TIN
vessel that strikes there. To say tn
Delaware coast was worse than that i
bosh of the softest kind and then hi
description of how vessels are upset AM
cast away in coming into the Delawar
Bay from the southwark. What stuff
Ask old pilots and sea captains, and the,
will tell you that on the darkest, storm,
night, with the lead in careful sailor
J hands, the water is deeper in the trea
of the channel and to ascertain, if com
, ing from the South, II your are in tn
: channel, just veer your vessel to the east
= ward. Ii you shoal, bear away deeper
then if you shoal you know it is the mai
t shore. Therefore alter your course, an
= with good man heaving, you can Tin
. the channel. The reason of the loss {
l the ship Iuscarord, am sure, was thi
), they did not heave the lead in time, IL
they had crossed the spit that runs dow
!, on the outside of the channel, and whe
the water began to shoal the captain SUI
posed he was crossing the spit or tail en-
loutside of the channel, when he WI
lshoaling his water on the main shor
and struck and beached the ship. lwoul
about as soon believe Vincent pointe
s out the spot at Lewistown for the fir
settlers to land, as to believe he was u
J. father of the movement to establish lii
saving stations along the Atlantic coas
y SAMUEL TOWNSEND.
Townsend Nov. 81, 1878.