New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-01-02
WRECKS OF THE LAST YEAR
MANY OCEAN STEAMSHIPS LOST.

| DISASTERS TO 1i7 sTEAMsHIPs-CAUsEs OF WRECKS
| IN THE GRAIN rRADE-PRRILs FROM CARRYING
| coAL--A LONG AND SAD RECORD.
Last year was remarkable for the destruction
of steamships, no less than 147 having been
lost. The causes of all these disasters, so lar
| "A known. and the facts of interest that can
| be procured concerning the unfortunate YES
sells, are given below. The need OF extensive
| reforms in the " transient" grain carrying
trade is pointed out and it is shown that
the many losses of grain vessels are due 10
improper construction, careless work, bad
stowage of cargo, inadequate steam power, and
insufficient crews. A great many OF the Eng
lish steamships engaged in the grain trade are
emphaticaly of the cheap and nasty" kind,
as the English themselves say. The dangers
resulting from carrying coal without proper
precautions are also shown.
NATURE AND CAUSES OF THE DISASTERS.
The record of marine disasters during the wear
1880 especially OF losses of steamships, is startling
| No less than 147 steamships of q total tonnage of
III 1862 tons were lost. very small percentage of
them has been raised again, repaired and put back
into ocean service and the great majority was
| total loss OF the whole number 107 were British.
with total tonnage of 116.994 tons; 10 French,
| 1898 tons: o American. IL 1886 tons German,
| 1243S tons 3 Spanish, 1901 tons; Danish. 1860
tons 2 Norwegian, 1,401 tons: Russian 1900
| tons; l Italian. 00G tons: Swedish, 1000 tons
l Greek 1929 tons Austrian, 1000 tons.
Seven OF them were built of wood and 40 ct iron.
| Fifty-six were stranded; 80 sunk by collision; 81
foundered at sea; ~ arc missing, with no cew TO the
manner Of their destruction q were burned, ) sunk
by icebergs: 3 abandoned at sea, and l was cap
SEED.
Of the American vessels lost, the record will recall
| to mind the horror which spread over the comma
| nifty when the news received of the disaster 20
the Narragansett, sunk by collision with the on
ton during dense fog i'll the Sound Of the burning
of the Seawauhaka in the East River; and the foun
derlng of the City of Vera Cruz of the Florida coat
during hurricane Each Of these calamitcs in
volved great loss OF life we'll OF property The
wreck of the Rhode Island in the Sound. while It
caused 10 loss of life aroused mnch excitement! the
braveryO Captain Mott. two Catholic clcr vmen aud
Colonel Charles j. Murphy of this city, Lad much
TO do in preventing any fatality. The bnrlu1G OF the
City Of New-York in the East River also only
q loss 81 property. because she was at the pier
when she caught fire aud the few people on board
had ample time to escape.
The wrecking OF the Guion steamship Montana
in March. AS she was about completing a voyage
from his port, the cause of The kcencst anxiety
among the friends of those on board until it was
learned that a were saved. She went ashore four
miles IRON Holvhead, at Church Bay, during the
night of March ~. and the first report stated there
was "A great loss of life. Not more than four months
before the Aroma Of the slme line. barely escaped
O terrible calamity in a collision with an iceberg,
but her great strength and superiority Of construc-
ton insured her safety. ard although her bows
were completely demolished, her many water.tight
compartments kept her easily aloat.
The sinking Of the British traiDmg-ship Atalanta,
England with more tnan three hundred young
men on board, and was never aierward heard from,
ranks among the most appalling caamties OF the
wear, but she does not belong III the list OF steam
vessels Altogether the wear ha7 been one OF eXrrp-
tOnal loss to marine insurance companies. ana II rs
believed that this fact will lead 10 movement for
an International Congress TO provide for safeguards
that will guarantee almost If not absolute security.
DANGERS OF GRAIN-CARRYING IN UNFIT VESSELS.
OF the vessels lost large number carried rain.coal
or IRON The magnitude of the grain expo Is from this
country during 1879 and 1850 exceptional in its
history. The average annual shipments Of grain by
steam from New-YOrk, previous 10 1877. were
20. 900 900 bushels. but during 1879. IN round
numbers, the exports were 100000 900 bushels, and
the exports for 1880 even larger. This
vast increase has brought into lie North Atlantic
trade large fleet of freight stea ners from the Med
teIranean and other parts Of the world, some OF
which are not inapty called ocean tTainpS" The
defects of these are want of stability in tho ship
owing mainly to her build and proportions; dei-
cient engine power; an insufficient number OF men
carried, and bad stOwage. such light ~ constructed
We srl4 Of material OF such character that the
British ship-buldcr has been forced to the use of
steel to compete III any WY with Amer
lean iron-bult vessels al lli-prepdred
to withstand severe -, storms. and many
steamers of course. are those which will carry the
largest cargoes at the least expense and with this
object IN view thev are built long. narrow and
deep. With further view to economy the engine
DOweris frequently 30 small that II Is not able to keep
the ships head to The sea- Ii IL also often the case
that a ship carrying much as 1000 tons Is
manned with very few sailors. In this class Of
vessels called 'translents." the grain II slowed rap
the wings under the iron decks when thrown there
by the Iurchlug of the ship thus interfering materl-
aIly with stability. Steamers of he regular lines
carry large proportion of gram ia their cargoes,
and the reason that the percentag 81 losses among
them is not 80 great az among The "translents" -
that they are properly fitted Il. grain carrying.
Bunk gram has been carried IL he lower hold of
these steamers without even shifting board but
the general cargo slowed On top OF the grain fasens
The New York Underwriters believe that tho great
loss OF steam vessel property IL due IN part TO the
lack of Thorough survey by underwriters OF every
vessel loaded with grain to determine its fitness tor
a TRANSATLANTIC voyage. 1t IS claimed That many
surveys have been conducted most loose and ir-
responsible manner, by class of sO-called indie
pendent" inspectors, operating outside of tho OLD
organized Boards of Marine Underwriters. 1t is
also asserted that shippers OF grain, IN a
T IN the exposure of life and property,
OBTAIN tnelr CcTuDcaJeB III quarters where tnc IeM
est questions will be asked, the least Inconvenience
accustomed ami where there IL only remote prOba-
bhty of any detention of the vessel expense
otherwise resulting. A certificate from such in-
spectOrs is frequently taken without question by
some underwrI ers hence where certificates have
been granted merely to meet the wants of masters
and owners, the proportion of vessels lost is
very large. On the other hand, il is
shown that where vessels are 80 loaded
as to DO approved by the Inspectors of
the New-York Board of Underwriters the number
lost IL very small. This IS due to the efficiency OF
the surveys, the inspectors beng chosen from IN
.ellIgenL shIpmasteTs quallteh by long eYperienca