New-York tribune., 1880-06-30
STEAMBOAT ACCIDENTS.

IL has often been remarked that one great
railway or steamboat disaster is opt to be fol-
lowed by another. Frightful examples make
engineers and pilots careful perhaps, but also
make them nervous, and at the moment OF
danger they lose that calm self-possessiOn upon
which safety depends. But we need not look
far for an explanation Of the extraOI binary ac-
cidents upon the waters of New York which are
making this such o melancholy Summer.
Never before has there been such an enormous
amount of river travel. Hot weather. flush
times, the opening of scores of new waterside
resorts, the development of fresh attractions Mt
tie old pleasure grounds, headlong competi-
tion low fares etc., have sent everybody atioat.
All sorts If beats are hui redly fitted up for SER
vice. Some are excellent vessels of the ir kind;
some are wholly unfit for the work put upon
them And all sorts Of men are entrusted with
the management of these boats. The develop
ment of the Summer excursion business has
been SO rapid that there has been no time for
captains and crews to learn how to take care
of it.
The Revised Statutes make elaborate regu-
Iations for the inspection of hulls, boilers,
safety-yalyes, pipes, boats, buckets, life-pre-
servers, etc.; for the licensing of captains,
mates, pilots aud engineers; and for the de-
termination If the number Of passengers each
steamer may carry. But this is not enough
Official examinations cannot tell whether or no
a man ia made of heroic stuff like the captain
Of the Seawanhaka, whether he Is capable Of
dealing with large crowds in moments OF ey-
citement, whether he is master OF himself IN
eme, eences. Some OF the most important
qualifications of steamboat captain can only
be tested by experience and we fear that
there are many men entrusted with human lives
on the bay and river who are only running on
their luck. The peril which steamboat fall
of Sunday school children 30 narrowly escaped
Yesterday was undoubtedly attributable to
criminal carelessness or criminal incompetence
ON one of the two beats-it is not for Us to
decide which. Recklessness CT ignorance must
be charged with the Stonington and Nara
eansett disaster, and with the sinking of the
Adelaide and the collision between the
Anchoria and The Queen. In the case OF the
collision on the Sound, a scandalOus incompe-
tency was displayed by some Of the officers
and men. The other evening, when pleasure
boat was run down of the Battery. two women
were drowned because the hands on the steamer
took fifteen minutes to lower boat, and could
not row is when they got IL into the water. 1t
the truth were known, we dare say 1t would be
found that three-fcurths OF the steamboats,
plying about onr waters are manned by un-
skilled laborers, who hardly know enough to
handle rope and sweep orange peel and pea
nut shells Of the deck.
We need law for the examination Of the
crew of O steamboat as well as its material
eouipment All these men should be taught the
n Ia kf Inrwa fhn nd
| taught 70 row, and inspectors should be re-
quired to make frequent tests Of their prof.
cheney without giving previous notice. The
| condition of the hfe-boats, moreover, needs q
| thorough reform Az rule they are lashed
| fast and coyeredl with canvas, or else the
plug is left out so that ram water may drain
away from them. The plug ought only to be
taken out after O rain, and then replaced as
soon "a the water has run of. Canvas covers
| and lashings ought to be strictly forbidden on
all boats which ply In quiet waters On some
ocean steamers the fastenings are 30 arranged
that tho covers can be removed by cutting one
bit of rope-yarn, and the lashings drop on
when single peg Il knocked away. Some OF
| The boats moreover, are always ready for I'm
kmeaiate lanpcbingj they are uncovered they
hapa puislds, and the plugs sro In. On someof
znh EpsItsh Channel steamers the moment the
Eyssel clsszs tie dock the boats are swung out
on their davits. On our steamboats, the
chances are thgt the dayits and pulleys are
sioeged with paint and win not work when
fhsy are wanted. Sooner or later the law
swill have TO take cognisance of all these
matters but meanwhile every owner can In
Stftute reform On his own boatt and those
who do IL fFss win find theis account IN the
soplauss and prtronags Of the public.