New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-02-08
LIEE.NAKLNG SERHICE.

The report Of this service, for the fiscal
year ending June, 1873, was issued yesterday.
This year was the last under the old order OF
things, during which the money for this SER
vice was dolod out with suicidal economy,
when the stations were too few, were
poorly Manned and were opened too late in
the year. The superintendent had been plead
ing for reform for years but with small
chance of success until the terrible
shipwrecks of the Huron and Metropolis came
in this year to add a tremendous force to their
arguments. The present report gives an nc-
count OF these disasters. The wreck Of the
Huron, it will be remembered, occurred at
time when the stations were not legally al
lowed TO be open, although that time was
late in the stormy month of November; the
Metropolis ran ashore on bleak stretch or
the North Carolina coast, where the stations
were twelve miles apart. Such help as the
crews cOuld give when they had dragged
their heavy apparatus weighing over 1000
pounds, through six miles Of sand, in which
their feet sank mp to the ankle, WAS heartily
given they assuredly were not to blame that
It was not more effective. As it was, they
assisted in saving nearly twO-thirdS OF those
on board. Had tie stations near % the Huron
been open, 1t l. piobibe that many if not all
of the lives lost might have been saved. Dur
ing tbc year 22G lives were lost of these,
los were sacrificed in wrecks at a time Of
the year when the stations were not open for
service, and - in wrecks on the coast too far
from the stations for the crews to work eiirc-
lively. There have been during the year III
disasters 10 vessels the number OF lives res
cued was l ,331 the value of the property
saved amounted TO Sl,O97375; 1,3-2 ship
wrecked persons have been sheltered and cared
for at the stations.
Even with the Ora ybacks under which the
service la5orcd in this year, this Is q showing
Of noble work well done. The report reads
ike a romance in the individual details OF the
htrculcan struggles OF the surfmen with the
waves, in the rescue Ol these hundreds OF lives.
The next report Will show lis what this service
can do under auspices more just to the require
mcntS OF it, work. The act OF June IL, 1878,
m1ucurltcd more liberal pOucy; thirty life
saving. ard seven life-boat stations were au-
Noliz. d, the old stations TO be repaired and PIT
ia good order; be ter class OF men obtained
as keepers and surfmen by the direct course Of
manned from September toMayl-loug enough
to cover thr dangerous part Of the year; the
hlc-jcat service on che lakes to be thoroughly
organized; Revenue Marine officers are de-
tailed rs Inspectors Of stations and the whole
>eryice organized into regular establishment
under the charge of a superintendent
thoroughly cognizant Of its scope and details,
and competent 70 control them.
Nowhere is generous use of public money
more prudent than here, where It brings in
so promptly an enormous interest IN property
and human life saved from destruction. AL
ready We notice some OF or penny wise leg
i,iator, are nijbIng at the salaries OF the
neTly-app0inted officers, beginning to cut
them down before they have been paid. We
have good men in place where they are III
gently needed. Let u not dishedrten them
10y uiygardly ingratitude