San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-01-06
GOODWIN SANDS.
The Dreaded Marine Cemetery LO-
GATED or Ramsgate.

The loss OF the BrlCISn snip EnCor'
kin with all hands, off the coast o
Ramsgate, England, is but a type o
the many casualties constantly occur
ring on this most dang eroHs portion
OF the British coast.
The tourist who pays summer
visit to Ramsgate and watches with
delight the thousands of children
crow ding the bright yellow sands. oil
listens to the strains of the bands
floating from different parts of the
town, can scarcely imagine what this
same town is like during q storm In
the months of November or Decem-
Der. II he lie at all nautical, however,
the very shape of the har Dor, the out
line of the coast, and the long strips
OF sand lying few miles out to sea,
will be sufficient to give him hint oil
what may be expected.
THE harb Dor is inclused by piers OF
solid stone masonry, extending about
half mile out, and gradually ap..
preaching at their extremities until
they appear almost to meet. There is
lust room, however, for about the
largest ship afloat to pass In. At each
of these extremities there is power
fuilight.
Half way cross the space of the wa
ter thus inclosed there'is another stone
wall inclosing what Is known IS the
inner harbor. Into this ships pass
through openings spanned by revolv'
ing bridges, and unload their cargoes.
In the outer harbOr is the lite boat,
floating, all ready for service,
and q couple of powerful steam
tugs, one of which generally
tOws 1t out aud stands by 1t IN the
storm to render assistance. And from
November to March there is never q
week, scarcely q day, in which the
services of one or both are not re-
quired.
In the summer this fine stone es-
planade is crowded with gay pr )men-
aders, chatting and laughing and en-
Toying the fresh sea breeZes. In the
winter during q storm. it is q case of
hold on or you will be blown down,
and at high tide the water 0ashes
clear over into the harbor.
The town is built On chalk cliffs
from 100 to 200 feet IN height, descend
ing sheer down to the sands beneath,
which are covered by the sea at flood
tide. Stand on these cliffs at low
water and look about three miles out
to sea. There you will notice long,
dark streak, or, rather, series OF
streaks, extending abOut n mile and .
half. These are the well known Good
win and Gslloper sands. What a
veritable deathtrap! When the
sea gives up its dead, there will
be large muster on the
Goodwin sands. 1t gives one
. strange feeling to get on board
of the many pleasure yachts plying
between Ramsgate and the Goodwips
In summer time, and sail out to the
dr. eadful marine cemetery. There
they lie, shining like'gold In the sum-
mer sun, low down In the water, only
rising about foot above Its bridge,
and gently Tapped by the ripping
waves, looking fair and innocent, as
many another beautiful thing In na-
ture which yet has sent many TO their
death. But in the dark nights OF
winter, with the wild northeaster
rushing dead on shore, the
rain and sleet blowing in par
allel lines and cutting into your flesh
like particles Of steel, the thunder Of
the breakers against the tall, white
cliffs mingling with the screaming of
the blast, one thinks with horror OF
the fearful array of white, tossing
waves which are pouring over those
sands. You picture to yourself the
coated with ice, the slippery
decks, the helm held down by 8 trok.
en- spoke, cutting into the hand like a
knife, but which must still be held
for dear life. the momentary expecta.
ton of the final crash which will send
all on board to the bottom without Q
vestige of hope, and cry. involuntary
ly, God help the poor wretches who
are near the Goodwins tonight"
Ramsgste stands, rs any one car
see by looking at the map of England
just around the corner Of the south
east angle. Margate stands on the
corner preceding 1t, to the northward
These two places consequently NEE
in winter time the full blunt o!
storms from the northwest, east and
outheast, the most terrible winte
storms that blow. 1t Is n grand sigh
to watch the white waves clim bin!
up those tall cliffs to a height OF s.
or 100 feet, and falling In shower
of spray back into the sea
But there Is one class OF peopl
at Ramsgate who never seem Il
see any beauty in it, and that is tn
sailors wives. There 10 no brave
race of sailors on the English COss
than the Ramsgate men, and no bet
ter boatmen, but the attempt {
struggle with the elements in q stOrr
on this dangerous coast in time I
save life Is frequently hopeless. Thi
week, out OF thirty-One persons o
board the EnterkiD, only one wa
saved, the apprentice lad, and h
| was almost frozen. And when q storr
like that occurs on the coast of Rrit
ain, the wrecks may frequently b
uum bered not by tens or Invented