New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-12-10
AT THE RANDALL WRECK.
SUPERINTENDENT KIMBALL'S VINDICA-
TON OF THE LIFE-sAvING SERVICE
THE GUNS AND LINES lie SAYS. WERE IN GOOD
CONDITION AND WE'LL WORKED But
TILE; VESSEL WAS TOO FAR OFF
SHORE TO DE REACHED.

To the Editor Of the Tribune.
Sir: An article among the minor editorials OF
The Tribune Of to-day Is likely 10 lead. without
any intention your part. TO such an unfortunate
misconccpton of tho actual facts In regard 20 the
efficiency Of the Life-Saving Service at the wreck
OF the Louise H. Randall the other day on the
Long Island coast that think / ought TO call
your attention to the errors before the story gets
SO far on it's way that correction would be too late.
The statement In the article does not require any
defence Of the crews, for they are not criticised.
and refer 10 them only 70 thank you for paying
them that tribute 70 their valor and skill which IL
their just desert and has been universally accorded
The portion of the article that wish to correct
relates the distance OF the vessel from the shore
(Which from 100 yards. first reported TO mo. has,
contrary to the usual rule that story grows IA
It goes" Gwindle1 TO 100 fecD: TO the quality
OF the lines characterized rotten: to the In,
:lmatlon Of the need of thorough investigation OF
all the apparatus short Intervals to discover ana
promptly remedy defects. and to the alleged In
ability to throw line over the ship Jason,
wrecked night before last on Cape Cod
Immediately upon the receipt OF news that the
life-saynG crews had been unable TO effect com
munication with the Randall dispatched Iieuten-
ant b. l.. Reed. very careful officer Of the Rev
enue Gutter Service. and an assistant inspector oil
the Lfe-Saving Service thoroughly 70 investigate
all the circumstances connected with the disaster
He has not yet completed his report. but he as
sures that the distance from the shore TO the
wreck. by measurement. was go yards. lie further
states that he found the shot lines in proper con-
diton that there no signs Of rottenness about
them. anything In the whole process of the
operations at the wreck 70 indicate 10 persons well
acquainted with such matters that they were In
any way weak unsuitable for their purpose.
The fact Is but little Is known by people in gen
eral Of the history Of the Efforts that have been
made to obtain adequate range In throwing lines
IN u-rec lgl ar az no essential
TO secure what has far been attained They
seem to entertain the idea that II a shot fails 10
reach n stranded vessel by falling short II is be-
the gun Is not large enough. and II the line
breaks IT is because 1t is rotten"
RANGE OF THE GUNS.
No subject since the early days OF the reorgani-
zaton Of the IIfe-Saving Service has received
more digent attention than that Of increasing
effective line communication between the shore ana
wrecked vessels The matter had previously com
manded much attention In Great Britain. France
and Germany. with the result that the Boxer line
carrying rocket. which Is now used In Great Brit
ain. received general acceptance az the most ef-
fectvc appliance. Captain -. \. Lyle. OF the ord
nance Department OF the United States Army who
devised the Lyle gun" while engaged upon expert
nents for extending range under the direction OF
the Lfe-Saving Service found that in England In
1870 III Boxer rockets fired successfully "at proof
gave an average range % 373 yards. the maximum
range being 470-the last under most favorable
conditons-and In his official rcpor, he quotes Mr..
J. +. Spence honorary secretary OF the Tyne
mouth Life Brigade than whom" he says. ~
would be difficult to quote better authority IN
these matters" replying to the Inquiry. What
Is the greatest range you have reached" 81 pre-
sumo you will mean when firing at "A ship In dis
t-ess on the sth % February. 1870 at $50 =.
a large bark stranded on the Spar Hawk.
n spi, Of sand abou, half mile east Of the Black
hidden Rocks Mt the mouth OF the Tyne. She
would be about 80 or 3G) yards-at least go yards
by measurement from the nearest poirt OF the
rocks on which could stand 10 use the ap-
paratus The first shot fell far short Of her.
suppose because It had not sufficient elevation and
the line was wet The second rocket was laid with
a few degrees more elevation. with new rocket
line quite dry and fresh. and few right between
her masts The wind southeast by south.
force H. blowing almost athwart the line This
grand shot; never saw better. No one
thought the vessel could De reached"
The figures given above may be taken tho
.lrni, Of shotlne range In 1870 Since then. the
result Of the attention given 10 the matter In this
country, Captain Ottnger. Of the Revenue Cutter
Service while detailed 10 the Life-Saving Service.
reported having obtained C3l yards. extreme range.
under favorable circumstances. Captain Lyle un-
der similar circumstances. has attained with the
Lyle gun G9i % yards while the Hunt gun on
simultaneous firing tests with the Lyle gun has
exceeded the range o: the latter by average OF
between thirty and forty yards. although ! be
leve 1t has attained the extreme range above
quoted The Cunningham rocket has carried line
over 100 yards or It will b. understood
that these extreme ranges are far greater than
can be obtained In any case 81 actual shpwrcck.
when almost always 1t IL necessary 10 FIRE against
the wind. and other unfavorahe conditions exist.
This is plainly enough shown In the above quota
ton from Mr.. Spence. who was a3tonishei at the
nttainncn, OF $50 or 800 yards at a wreck with a
ctrat v,h,e ma. ffrtr rlc I
think 1t will be conceded that good progress has
been made In this matter since the Life-S1ving
only b. the careful and exhaustive study ana
experiment.. and It's achievement has involved the |
the projectiles. the lines and even the pow1cr-a
" which have to be manufactured specially for |
world n contrvancc that will carry send line |
4 distance even approxmatins the range OF any !
The Lyle gun ls preferred for general to the
HUNT gun for The :eason that It can throw line
one. The Cunningham rocket has the same obJec |
Ion, and like all rockets The additional one OF re-
5 Garfield high IN The air-nsunliy far above the
# the wind making it Liable in falling to noat
vide 81 the mark and fail 10 drop across the vessel
lovices and TO wha,eynr various conditIons ap.
,licable. they were all the ground at the wreck
}, the Louise H. Randall and were all put In use
SIZE AND STRENGTH or THE LINES.
The lines used OF three Sizes. designated by
ne numbers y ana T. being y-J2. I-32 ana az or |
IN Inch IN diameter. The No. 7 and No. 0 are en-
,loyel whenever practicable. for the reason that
heir size admits OF their being readily
handled by the benumbcd sailors than the smaller
80. 4. and much stronger The No. IL used
My where extreme ranges are required. and being
90 weak 10 bear the great strain OF the larger
Ines belonging to the beach appartus has to be
supplemented by an intermediate line thus cOnsun-
ng time and the strength Of the shpwreckel
The same conscientious care and exhaustive X |
erment have been bestowed upon the selection OF
lave been devoted 10 the means for projecting |
hem. Tensile strength and lightncss are the
hief requisites. and TO determine the materials
possessing these In the greatest degree the princ-
al manufacturers OF and dealers in coriage and
materials for Its manufacture were invited 10 fur
sh samples for tests on the testing machine OF
he Watertown Arsenal. generous response waa