The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-09-11
DANGER FROM DERELICTS.
Confined TO a Narrow Area Of the
North Atlantic Ocean,

Report Submitted to Secretary Car
] Isle Looking 20 the Provision of
Better Protection Against That
Worst of All Maritime Perils, the
| Abandond Wreck Recommendation
to Secure Information al Rules For
Their Removal or Destruction.
Dereliots Congregated Within Two
Per Cent. of the Ocean Surface.
| Washington, Sept 10.-Commission of
! Navigation O'Brien has submitted to
! Secretary Carlisle a carefully prepared
and exhaustive report making certain
| recommendations to provide for the better
/ protection of life and property in the
navigab bic waters of the United States in
! the North Atlantic ocean. He observes
that the loss of life has been considerably
! diminished during the past decade,
which, in view of the increased maximum
| Of speed of steamers from y to 22t5 knots
| per hour and the large increase in the
| tonnage, is most gratifying, but adds that
! this saving of life is due to improved
| workmanship in vessels aud machinery,
and the advances in skill, and the pru
! dence with which vessels are managed.
REMOVAL OF WRECKS THE GREAT NEED.
| The important duty. he says, remains,
| to stlu further remove the dangers at
| tending navigation by reporting, marking
| and removing wrecks, derelicts and other
menaces to that important branch of our
| commerce.
Commissioner O'Brien states that about
! 20 per cent. of the transocean interna-
! tlOnal commerce OF the globe is carried on
! over belt of water averaging about 900
| miles in width between Europe and North
| America, and yet this great route of COM
| merce embraces only "A bout , per cent. of
| the entire ocean surface of the globe. In
! this comparatively small part of the ocean
| at least 70 per cent. Of the "derelicts' are
! found
! INTERNATIONAL RULES FOR THE WORK.
Mr. O'Brien urges that the recon-
mendation of the marine conference of
| 1889 for an international ayr ement as to
! rules and regulations and inStrunentalitY
! for estrOying or removing derelicts may
! be adopted In this he is indorsed by the
/ Maritime Exchange of the port of New
! York, the American Steamship Associa-
! ton and leading transatlantic steamship
! lines. The commissioner has drafted a
| proposed international agreement which
| IN fifteen articles contains the conditions
! and rules under which the important
! work of Kidding the North Atlantic of
! dangerous dereliCts may be effected.
He also points to the Importance of
! measures for the removal or destruction
! of wrecks and other menaces to the navi-
cation of bays harbors and the naval jul
risdictiOnal waters of the United States,
and within 100 miles of the coast This
| IS work which devOlves upon the Uni
! ted States alone. Great stress is laid
! upon the Importance of measures to be
! taken by the United States of its own
motion, and by international cooperation,
! TO destroy the derelicts in the part of
! the N orth Atlantic ocean, which lies
west of a line drawn from Cape Race,
| Newfoundland, to the Bermuda islands.
CONFINED TO A SMALL AREA.
A very large proportion of the derelicts
of the North Atlantic are found in this
| comparatively small section of the North
Atlantic The measures proposed by Mr.
! O'Brien have been formally submitted to
many of the leading representatives of
the maritime interests of the country,
who express their desire to cooperate in
this important work
| 1t appears probable that congress will
be called upon at an early day to provide
measures to carry out the Recommended
| tiOnS made.