New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-08-19
THE HUMAN EQUATION.

The disastrous collision between INC lhinS-
vala and the Geiser is a fresh Illustration OF
the danger attending any plan, the successful
working of which depends largely or wholly
upon that most mutable and unstable of factors,
tba human eauation. The owners Of the
Danish line would have made this catastrophe
impossible by sailing their vessels on the lane
system. Instead Of adopting this prudent
method, they adhered to the old arrangement
under which, going and returning vessels fol
lowing the same course, the danger OF COLLISION
can only be avoided by constant vigilance and
as constant presence of mind on the part OF
both officers and crew. Experience proves that
this reliance is not trustworthy; that it is liable
to fail at the critical moment. In the case OF
steamers this liability is peculiarly great be-
cause the swiftness of their movement leaves
little time for protective action, and none at
all for the repairing Of blunders. Given
sleepy officer and watch, thick night, and the
sudden discovery that another steamer is bear
ing down upon them the chances of momentary
confusion. leading to wrong order to the
ouartermaSter, are evidently very great; and
the momentary confusion entails the fatal col
lison
no business to be so close together but fol-
lowing the same course there was always the
liability that they might meet, and herein lay
the error of the management. 1t is not worth
while at this stage of the case TO discuss the
question which of the vessels went wrong
Naturally enough, the people OF the IhlnGvalla
are disposed to try to shift the responsibility
on to the Geiser. The officer who was IN charge
Of the latter at the time is drowned and pos
sibly all the watch who were on deck with him.
II NAV therefore prove difficult to determine
this point, but regarding the broader one
which involves the accountability Of the Thing
valla Company, the issue is not doubtful.
1t is the duty Of every passenger steamer cor
poration to minimize the risks as much as pos
sible. The first obligation in carrying ont TINS
policy is to make it certain that at all events
the vessels of the company shall not run into
one another. This security is obtained oy
making them follow one route in gong TO Eu-
rope and another in returning Had the lhlhg
vaa Company followed the first OF these gen
eraI principles the Geiser and hundred ana
twenty lives would have been saved.
It is to bo.noted in connection with TINS
collision thatsif has demonstrated the value OF
the transverse section clearly. The sinking
of the Geiser was caused by the simultaneous
opening Of several sections. Had the 1hing-
yalIa been drawn out of the hole she had made
instantly, it is probable that the Geiser would
have kept ahoat long enough to save the pas
sengers and crew. The Thingvaila only had
one section injured, and the others held last
and took her to Halifax under most trying con-
! ditions. Without the sections it is perfectly
| certain that both steamers would have sunk IN
five minutes from the collision, and probably
every soul would have been lost. As to the
stories about leaky boats and davit-tacke that
damned, such things always happen Boats
on the davits or inboard will get dry and open
their seams. and there is no way to prevent IT,
The tackle, however ought to be and can be
kept in good working order though this is a
precaution too commonly neglected on pas
sengcr steamers New ropes will swell manila
ropes particularly, and jam in the sheayeS. No
captain. Of course, ought to permit this but 1t
is to be feared that the majority do Nothing
can obyiate the i'll effects of panic at Crisis,
and panic may render all preparations against
disaster futile. This is another reason why cor
norations should do their utmost to AVOID tho
contingencies in which panic is apt to appear