The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-11-08
Wrecks ON tho High Seas.

Congress at its recent session performed
an important service to commerce by pass.
ing Mr.. CUMMINGs's joint resolution for
the reporting, marking, and removal OF
abandoned hulks in the North Atlantic
Ocean. The resolution authorizes the Presi-
dent to make an agreement on this subject
with the various countries interested In the
navigation Of that ocean. thus putting into
effect recommendation OF the lnterna-
tional Marine Conference held at Washing
ton four years ago.
Commissioner Of Navigation O'BRIRN re-
Gently declared that while charts have done
much for commerce by showing the posi-
lions Of $50 vessels abandoned on the high
seas, and by marking the drift tracks OF 139
Of them. they have failed to show the tracks
OF 825 derelicts that were reported. They
are rowing feet" says the Commissioners.
"but they always hover closely upon the
very pathway Of commerce They are more
dangerous than feet OF pirates, because
they are vastly more numerous. strike even
more by night than by day. and are more
merciless when they do strike" This is
rather an exaggerated way Of putting the
fact, but It brings out the aggressive quail
ity Of these menaces to navigation. when.
impelled by winds or currents. they drift
across or along the great transatlantic
lanes Of travel and traffic.
II we take the $50 derelicts whose posi-
lions on the high seas were known. and the
625 whose tracks. IL they drifted. were not
ascertained. we find q total Of 957 reported
during period OF five years. up to and in
Guiding 1891. That makes an average Of
about sixteen a month. although perhaps
there should be allowances for the duplica-
tion OF reports. 1t appears from the report
OF the Commissioner of Navigation that
during those five years there occurred
thirty-eight collisions with derelicts. which
would make an average OF about eight each
year. 1t Is found that the average time
during which a derelict remains afoat Is
thirty days. Some OF them pursue their
course for months together. travelling hun
dreds OF miles. forth and back. before they
are sufficiently dashed by storms and waves
to break up or to become so thoroughly
watersoaked as to sink. The pilot charts
for one month during tho present year
showed afloat in the North Atlantic forty
five dereliots. twenty-five Of which were In
the track Of transatlantic steamers.
As has Just been said. the average Of known
collisions with derelicts is about eight a
year; but how many other collisions may
there have been In which the victim went
down with every soul on board3 When it
Is considered that these abandoned hulks.
often mastless. sometimes keel up. and
usually just awash. give scarcely any indi-
cation Of their presence on a dark night or
in fog or thick weather. the danger will be
more apparent. A reef or a lee shore may
give timely token Of its presence by the
roar OF the breakers: an iceberg Is said to
convey a warning Of its whereabouts to the
practised navigator by certain chilliness
in the air: but with these low-lying hulks
there is no such signal. and accordingly We
can only wonder how often they may have
been the cause OF destruction OF vessels
that have left port in seaworthy condition
and have never afterward been heard of.
One reason for thinking that there may
be little difficulty In carrying into effect
Mr.. CUMMINGS Joint resolution. and pro-
curing the international agreement 1t calls
for, is that the area to be patrolled Is not q
very large one. The Marine Conference OF
1889 came to the conclusion that the only
part Of the water surface OF the globe which
lantic. and even there only very limited
belt. Derelicts elsewhere on the open
ocean are 80 few that 1t is not worth while
to arrange by international compacts for
removing them. About two-thirds of the
whole international commerce going by
ocean is carried on between North America
and Europe. mainly within zone about
1000 miles long and of width aver
aging about 600 miles. The Conference
OF 1889 further noted that most Of the
derelicts were found in that part Of the
ocean belt which lies west of line drawn
from the Bermudas to Cape Race. A great
many, no doubt. are lumber-carrying craft
or others engaged In our own coastwise
commerce. which. on being wrecked and
abandoned, drift in the Gulf Stream north
eastward across the steamship track be-
tween the northern part OF the United
States and Europe.
1t is therefore evident that neither the
labor nor the cost Of marking and remov-
ing these derelicts will be very great. when
shared by the many maritime nations con-
cerned. Our navy at present does much
work in removing such distractions when
they are found within the coast waters OF
the United States. A single vessel or two
assigned by each country to a like task for
the ocean area which 1t should undertake
to police. would be sufficient to perform 1t.
1t Is duty which merchant vessels. deeply
interested In 1t as they are. cannot be ex-
pected to perform. They could not secure
the consent either OF their passengers or
OF the owners or consgnees Of their cargoes
to stop for such purposes. They do not
carry the explosives and electrical appara-
tus needed. nor are they built like war ships.
with rams that may prove the best appli-
ances for quickly disposing Of some hulks
Besides. they may not be willing to risk the
chance that the owner Of tho abandoned
vessel may be on his way to tow 1t In or
to save part Of the cargo. In every way it
Is desirable that national vessels alone
should undertake this task.
Doubtless 1t will be found necessary to
have various consultations. with view to
adopting the proper international rules.
R,,f A,et CT Ia 1,i 10, h,,