San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-02-13

InlscellaneOusi lU0 met disaster In
November. "A in April, &C In October,
81 each in December and January,
and 5S in March.
Very few persons know the number
of ships that have never been heard
from after leaving port: In Great
Britain alone, in 1873 "a. there were
so vessels missing; In 1874 rs, 1877, and
in 1875 79, lOl; between 1864 and 1869
OF l0, 5oS reported lost the fates of SAG
are unknown, and even this list is
less than more accurate information
would show. A careful investigation
of causes OF wreckage shows many
causes and unexpected results.
Among other general principles that
have been deduced Is that over
one-half the wrecks occur when the
wind blows less than q fresh gale, or
when o ship II properly found, manu-
ed and navigated, could keep the sea
with safety. From 1864 to 1874, go
vessels were wrecked during calm
weather; $50 in light air; 1910 in light
breezes; 405 in gentle breeze 1857 in
moderate breezes, 2l31 In fresh
breezese2329 in strong breezes, 9l9 in
mod erste gales, 1920 in fresh gales
1913 In storms 666 in hurricanes, 81
variable and 500 unknown. The
number of wrecks Is proportiOnately
larger for new vessels than Tor those
that have reached in averag age Of
service. OF the 662 casualties on our At
lantic and Gulf coast during the year
ending January, 80, 1880, lis hap.
pened TO vessels between the ages of
8 and Z years, 1913 to those between Z
and IA years of age, and 121 to those
between IA and 20 years. The great
est loss for England Is between the
2lst and S0th ye.-rs Of the ships age
3,4lS being lost then as compared to
l,SO2 between the 3lst aud 10th years;
Lay were lost between the 18th and
2Qsh years, as compared to 3,,4l be-
tween the 3rd and 7th years.
A much smaller per ceDtage of
steamers Is lost than of sailing yes
sells. Allowing three voyages per
year for sailing vessel and fifteen
for q steamer, the first Is lost once in
seventy-two voyages, and the second
in 400 voyages, giving the latter class
one-seventh the risk of the former.
The ordinary lite or q ship is, In
the United States, Is years; in France
20 years; in Holland, % years; in Ger
many, 25 years; in Great Britain rs
years; in Italy % years, and in Nor
way, 80 years. The annual death
rate of the worlds shipping Is about
4 per cent and the birth rate five per
cent. .U.
After making q proper allowance
for the larger number of vessels en-
gagged in certain kinds of trade it is
- no II
an excessive number of wrecks cor.
responding to certain classes Of car
goes. Coal vessels are the MOST ex
posed to danger, then ships in ballast
and then ships that are lumber laden.
The cause OF SO many disasters to
lum berladen vessels is undoubtedly
the venerable age and decrepit char
acter of the craft so employed. With
steamers. grain, coal and cotton are
the most dangerous cargOes, because
of their liability to take fire, For the
enormous mum 5ers OF disasters at sea
and the great loss of life the British
Board of Trade assigns the follow
aforementioned causes as the princi-
pie: Q( Accident; (2) errors of ig-
norance or neglect; ~ detective ma
terials: az perils oil the sea. To these
four must be added in modern times
q fifth cause: the perils of insurance
Scores OF vessels are annually "sold
to the insurance companies" Some
years ago there were 2l5 British
ships in the Baltic. nearly all OF
which were insured. There were
229 swedish ships in the same waters,
few of which were insured. Ten
British ships were lost to three
Swedish. Investigators of the sub
ject are well aware that it Is no un-
common thing for ships to be sent to
sea with the express understanding
between the owners and masters that
they will never reach their ports of
destination.