Daily Republican., 1879-12-03
s,ur Marine Lie savers.

importance. With proper protection to
American ship building interests and
American commerce the United States
need not long lag behind as asecona or
third class maratime power. 1t is not
however to the greatness 80 much as to
the efficiency and safety to human life
that We would refer at this time, and
in this connection there is nothing
more important than safety and pro-
lection to the lives Of those who 60
down to the sea. 1t just seems little
queer that in the past history Of Amer
loan marine matters, 50 little attention
has been paid to saving the lives OF
sailors and passengers. and that it Is
only within few years past that life
saving stations have commenced to BE-
established and that their real benefits
are being disclosed and appreciated.
Yor wears a kind Of sentimental imprac'
ticabla scheme not we'll understood was
favored by the Government, and, ,Proba-
bly, no branch of service connected
With the Government has had such
hard fight for existence as the Life
Saving Service. The past year the SER
vice has been in such successful opera
ton that there can no longer be any
doubt about its usefulness, and its
humapitarianism when the saving Of
human lives is taken into considers-
tior. It has only been within aysar
or two past that its real benefits have
been so apparent that its efficacy can
not be, doubted.
Amongst the many annual reports
that are being made to the Government
there are none that come with strong
Or claim for public favor and recogni
tion than our Lite Saving Service sys-
tenn as shown by the annual report OF
General Superintendent Kimball for
the yesr just ended. The result is
such that it ought to satisfy the most
.ksptical that the amount expended in
the support of this service brings back
an snormous interest in actual hard
money, aside from the higher consider
alton ofsaving human life.
A glance over the report Of Mr. Kim
ball shows that there have been
in 1879, on the portions OF
our port guarded by the service, zig
disasters 10 vessels, the estimated value
Of which was 81 1922, ,276, and Of their
eargoes 1866, $40, making a total Of
s2,ss6, 1856; of which 81, ,445,o6S was
saved, and eighty-nine other vessels
we're rescued from perilous positions BY
the life-saving crews. As we have
already indicated however the saving
Of property is the smallest considera-
ton Of the service. OF the 2,l07 hu'
man lives endangered by these same
shipwrecks, 2,O40 were saved, the
most OF whom would have been lost
but for the aid of their crews and their
lifs-saving appliances. The record OF
shipwrecks for 1879 is larger than for
any previous period since the service
has bssn in operation, owing to two or
three terrific gales during the summer
and early fall. As an example OF the
efficiency Of the service, Chief Kimball
points to the significant fact that on the
Lakes in 1875, when there we're no life
saving stations, one out Of every fifty
four lives that were endangered was
lost; while in 1879 there was but enc
out OF 46s, and that a woman
in the hold Of a vessel.
The work was only commenced in
1871, and q summary since that time
shows that Of 1894 lives impsrilled,
5000 were saved, 1873 Of those lost
being on the i'll fatsd steamer Huron
for which the life saving crews were in
no way responsible. The value in
property saved in that time amounted
to o., 9,510,4oS.
These figures carry with them an
unanswerab!e argument in favor Of the
service which we trust will b. better
fostered and protected by the Govern
msnt. The Superintendent has to
exercise the most scrupulous care over
tho class of men chosen for the service,
and it sometimes happens that unscru-
pulous and unprincipled men find their
way in, but they are readily detected
and weeded ont and their places are
better supplied. Nothing but the
sternest justice will answer in this
service. One ignorant keeper or
sowardly crew may cause the loss Of
hundreds of human lives. 1t is hoped
that Congress may find time during its
season Of President making, to devote
= little attention to the life-saving ser
vice, and grant it that aid that will in
crease its efficiency.
The DEMOCRATS of Philadelphia had
two CON nlittees at the November elee-
kior and f,ot dafaatpd by III. OllN maiOf-