Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-07-13
The Dangers of Ocean Navigation.


The following article from the New York
Maritime Register possesses considerable in
terest to the maritime fraternity generally,
and hence we transfer it to these columns ::
''We have often called attention to the
necessity of destroying derelicts on the
ocean. No plan or measure has yet been
adopted for that purpose. And there will
probably be nothing attempted unless the
subject is kept constantly agitated, and the
practcability of lessening these dangers to
ocean navigation is demonstrated. AS the
Maritime Register was the first to point out
this necessity, we propose to keep the mat
ter before our readers until an organized
effort is made by some maritime power to
patrol the ocean and destroy or remove the
ocean tramps, otherwise known as derelicts,
which endanger the safety of good vessels.
We have shown repeatedly the dangers
which derelicts and floating wreckage
must present In ocean navigation. To-day
we call attention to two derelicts, which
were highly dangerous to the navigation of
the North Atlantic, but which have been re-
moved and taken into port. The Norwe.
gian bark Cito was abandoned at sea on May
10, while on a voyage from Wilmington,
n. c., for Rotterdam. When her crew left,
there were three feet of water In her hold,
she was badly strained and was leaking.
1t was probably supposed that she would
sink. But on the contrary, she was In such
good condition that on May %, prize
crew from the Norwegian bark Colonist,
Captain Tellefsen, was put on board, and
on July 4, the Cito was taken into Ply
mouth, England. Two things are proved
by this case: first, that such derelict, had
she not been boarded. would in all probs-
bility have foated tor some time,
and by consequence been highly
dangerous to other vessels;
and second, that although she was aban-
doned in a supposed sinking condition, yet
she was not so badly damaged but that a
prize crew could take her into port, thereby
saving some property and removing one
floating danger from the track of vessels.
The second derelict to which we would call
attention is the British bark, The Queen,
which was abandoned on April 9th in lat.
AZ, Ion. 26, while on a voyage from Pensa-
cola for London. She has been reported
repeatedly since that date by other vessels.
On June 18th, nearly two and half months
after being abandoned, she was fallen In
with by the tug Lord Brandon, aud towed
into Queenstown. Considering the time that
elapsed between the date of abandonment
and the date on which she was towed into
Queenstown, the distance she must have
drifted and her condition, there could be
nothing more dangerous to the many
steamers that crossed her path than this
derelict. Now what has been done in these
two cases can be done In Others. Govern
ment vessels could patrol the ocean in
search for just such wrecks, and II possible
tow them in or put prize crews on board.
And when this is impossible the derelicts
could be blown to pieces. The plan is Ger
tainly worth trying, for 1t is practicable,
entails no extra expense upon the govern
ment, and has the merit of serving humanity
and commerce by lessening the perils Of
ocean navigation,