New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-12-04

now ranks high in public respect. bo'h i'' III
taoritv and its popularity are due to the op-
etinacy with which Superintendent hinoaii
urged for years bis inexorable rule tnae no
nolitical considerations should interfere WIZ"
the appointment of any man IN the ser''oo'
whether officer or surfman. He is not appar
emily. quite satisfied yet in the matter anu
utters the gloomy warning that as soon as
marty prejudice is allowed to creep into tne
management the usefulness of the service VIII
suffer rapid decline.
He has, so far as we can see, little otner
cause for foreboding; he certainly has never
submitted to the Nation more cheer'ns
report. The number of casualties was mucn
larger than usual. Tie year 1879 was the most
disastrous of preceding years, the NUMBER Oh
casualties then reaching 219. Last year there
were 300. Yet, in spite of this increased held
of danger. the number of lives lost was
smaller than in any preceding year since inc
extension of the service, reaching only NUE.
while the lowest number in any other year
was twenty-five. The lives endangered In TINS
last wear were 1889, of which 1,9SO were
rescued. The property endangered in the 3oo
vessels was valued at 1851, 70S. Of this
81, 619, SO7 were saved. -,
We commend, however, the report in detail
to the careful attention of our readers. lhey
should not idly content themselves with the
assurance that good work is being wen
done if their help is needed TO make l.
better. For example, Superintendent himoai |
states that 449 persons were sheltered during
last wear at the stations, 1,2O2 days relief
being thus afforded. We pointed out the
other day how totally inadequate the supplies
At the stations were for such relief, ana that
voluntary contributions were urgently needed 10
furnish them. Here is something for our readers
To do and that at once. Again, another session OF
Congress should not be allowed TO pass With
out the enactment of bill pensioning the
| widows and orphans of men who die while on
| duty in this service. The families or the
heroic crew who persisted at Point aux Barques
are still left to starve by country which, IN
IFS dealings with its servants, is generous
rather than just.
proposal by Superintendent Kimball grows
so evidently out of the exigencies OF the times
that it needs no commentator from us TO
practical business community. III Is tni'
| as private employers are now aple
| TO outbid the Government and take from lis
| employ the best trained surfInen, he should
| NOT be restricted to the sum set down as pay
for the crew, but be able to draw at dlscre-
ton on the amount given for the support OF
the service Neither is it worth while for us
again to draw attention to the thOroughness
with which this service has done its WORK
during the last year. Perhaps the pubic may
grow tired of hearing Aristides called the just
The high purpose of this service lifted 1t long
ago above cavil and prejudice. 1t Il impossl-
bic to read even its Official reports as we
would those of other departments they be-
long to the region of heroism and high en-
deayor. not the market-place these dry lines
Of figures do not mean dollars, but ships
saved out of darkness and the whelming sea
these statistics are not of crops or values OF
property, but of drowning men, mothers anC
little children to whom life has been gwen
again. We have no juster cause of Natlona
bride than that Americans were able to orig
mate so humane and Christian a work, and t.
carry it out in all its vast breadth and minute
detail with such intelligence and absolute
| honesty.