St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-10-20
THE MaRITIMECo

Some figures and statistics produced
during the proceedings OF the lnterna-
tional maritime congress which assem-
bled i'm Washington last week are sur
prise to the land lubbers who imagine
that ocean travel is fTaught with peril.
Comparatively, it is much safer than
land travel. The statistics referred to
show that the average loss on the ocean
during the last ten years has been about
1000, Notwithstanding there was more
travel than during any previous decade.
When compared with the mortality rec
ords of railroad travel, this is a marvel
0usly low death rate, and this compare
tive safety in ocean navigation may be
ascrlbed as much to the improvement
in the system of maritime laws and
usages as it is to the improvement in
shipbuilding.
The object Of the conference now in
session i'm Washington is to still further
lessen the dangers OF ocean navigation.
The congress is composed OF delegates
from all the maritime countries of Eu-
rope except Portugal, from the Central
and South American states and from
some of the countries of Asia. The
essential purpose or the conference
being to establish a common system of
maritime laws. regulations and usages
which shall be of advantage to all. the
members are discussing q number or
propositions that nave been submitted
for the consideration of the body. One
of these is a proposition to revise
the code of marine signals, which
shippers regard as not only Impractical
BILE in many ways, but SO confusing as
in many instances to be the cause of
collisions which they are designed
to avert. it is found necessary to
devise some test for cOior-blindneSS
among seamen, for this singular defectOf
vision is thought TO be the cause gilmore
accidents OH the ocean than all other
causes put together. 1t IS proposed also
to devise some more trustworthy means
of indicating the course and locality of
vessels in storms and fOgs. But the
most important proposition that Will be
brought before the conference will be
the one relating to the establishment of
an international police jurisdiction over
the great oceanic highways. to be d.
vided up among the different nations,
and each to have full supervision Jf its
respective station. 1t will be tie duty
of these police stations TO destroy float
ing wrecks. to give notice of danger
from all sources, to provide life-saving
appliances. to maintain uniformity in
- buOyS and beacons, to look after the
seawOrthiness of vessels and the qualifi-
cations of officers. 1t is proposed to eS-
tablish an international maritime COM
mission, which shall adopt some system
of general usage that will enable the
various nations to act in uniformity, III
stead of separately as now.
Marine skill and science have already
brought ocean navigation up to such a
standard OF excellence. combining high
rates of speed With proportiOnate
safety. that the ocean traveller laughs
at the storm and mOcks the pillows
which were wont to be the terror of
those who went down to the sea In
ships. We hope the deliberations of the
congress now i'm session at Washington
will result in reducing the dangers of
ocean navigation to the minimum by
providing all that is now lacking-a
uniform system of laws and usages.