New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-03-27
DISTRIBUTION OF LIFE-SAVING CREWS.
Try TELEGRAPH 70 THE TRIBUNE


WASHINGTON. March 26-The bill to promote the
efficiency of the Life-Saving Service which was
passed by the Senate last Friday, now goes to the
House for action on the amendments. Up 10 this
time this service has been an example, and almost
the only one of what the Civil Service may be
made in point of efficiency if freed from the lniiu-
ence of politics and sectional jealousles 1t has
been allowed to grow up and shape itself in accord
ance with the necessities of commerce ana with
the Judgment, based upon experience, OF
those in charge of it. In this bill
new departure was made The charge was
brought by Southern Senators that favoritism to
the North had been shown in the distribution OF
stations and amendments were offered providing
for a number of stations along the Southern coast
Eleven new stations were then ordered, without
any apparent understanding by Senators who asked
for them of the which govern Iii the selec-
ton of the localities for stations or any apparent
reference to the necessities of commerce. III con-
versation with General Superintendent kimball
this matter was fully explained TO a correspondent
of THE TRIBUNE.
Probably" SAID Mr.. Kimball, "the Senators
who make the charge of sectionalism do not reflect
that the winter storms so dangerous to commerce
are confined TO the North while their own climate
is balmy. But there other and
much stronger reasons, as I think, for
the present distribution of stations Many
moro vessels come into the Northern ports than into
those of the South Vessels from Europe for the
great American ports pass along the coasts OF Maine,
ew-Hampshire and Massachusetts, The vast COM
merce of New-York passes between Long Island and
Jersey, and that of Boston passes along the
coast of Cape Cod an exceedingly dangerous local
ity The great commerce of Philadelphia has to
pass between the NewJersey coast and the coast of
Cape Henlopen and Cape Charles. while
80 pa1f hn
coasts and that reaching from Cape Henry to Cape
Eatteras Probably the commerce of the ports
have named comprises Dln3ty-tve per cent OF that
Of the whole country. The principal commerce
passing along the Southern coast rs that which
comes ont of the Gulf of Mexico and passes up
through the Florida Straits. After passing through
the straits unless they bound to some Carolina
or Georgia port, ships from the Gulf give the land
swide berth, in order 10 clear Cape Hatteras. Ii
yon glance at the map you Will see that the land
trends of to the westward between Cape Hatteras
and Florida, that the only vessels exposed on
that coast are those bound for ports in the neigh
borhood. while the Northern districts have to deal
with the commerce of the world.
Another reason for the present distribution OF
stations is found in the character of the coasts On
the coast south of Hatteras disabled vessels are
generally driven close TO the shore that there is
bttle difficulty for those board to reach land.
Along almost the entire length of the Northern
ooast however, there sand-bars from 200 to 400
yards from the shore, upon which vessels strike
and where they remain and are dashed to pieces by
the waves The boats which are fitted for the life
saving work are peculiar, and require men pecu-
iiarly trained to handle them. Then we have
apparatus for use when the storm is too severe 10
permit the use Of any boat. II is for this kind
Of service that organization is chiefly formed.
On the east coast of Florida the shore is also bold
bat there we have houses Of refuge simply because
the land is uninhabited and castaways would other
wise starve after escaping from the waves. These
houses of protection have been found to be all that
was required for that coast, except that they
too few In number and the present bill remedies
that difficulty. The Live-Saving Service, as its
name indicates is designed primarily to save life.
0u crews save o vast amount of property and haul