The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-10-05

dL4 N~LIJ GDHEleS &QtfGH s-C stations Dt-
tween Cape Henry and Hattoras Inlet are
connected by Telephone.
The regular crews consist Of seven men
selected BY the Keepers from able bodied
experienced surfrnen III the vicinity OF the
stations. To oppose political, social and
family Influences in the selection of the
crews, regulations were established making
fitness the prmeFequTremeDt ana in 1882
these regulations received the Sanction of
congress. Politics do not enter into the
service, It's blue jackets represent no
party. As SUPP. kimbau once said to a
mem Der Of congress who.was urging an ap-
pointment for political reasons:
With the politics of tho man have
nothing to do. When ship comes ashore
in the black gloom of night, her timbers
rlven and crew clingiug to the Keeling
masts the situation calls for surf men and
not politicians"
Owing to the faithful adherence to this
method the service is filled with the very
pick and flower of the hardest race of
beachmen in the world As an evidence OF
this 1t is only necessary to refer to the rec
ords which show that in a few cases errors
OF Judgment have been made, while there
Is not single case of cOwardice reported.
a regular routine of duties IS appointed
for each day in the week and rigidly per-
formed. Monday, drill with the beach APP
parauus, boats ana gearing; Tuesday, prac
ice with the boats; Wednesday, signal
practice; Thursday, general practice; Fri
day, practice of res tOring the apparently
drowned Saturday, cleaning house
This rontine is enforced throughout the
year, daily report from each station being
sent TO the department. In addition the
regular lookout is maintained from
sunrise to sunset At points where
| the patrol system is required the
duties are even more arduOus.. The
night patrol IS divided into four watches,
two surfmen beng designated for each
fpl lrarr cat NM in ,r3f Il
tons keeping as near as practicable to the
| shore until the men from the adjoining
| stations are met, when checks are eX-
| changed, which are returned and recorded
| on the respective journals, The pauolman
| Is provided with q beach lantern and
several red hand lights Upon the dis
covory of a wreck or vessel in distress the
| red light Is used, which gives assurance of
speedy assistance. ,re
ThRmaunen of rescue is practically the
! same everywhere. The turbulent waters
| between the wreck ana the shore are
| either crossed by a life boat or spanned by
| strong lines by means Of which life saw
ing basket is passed back and forth. The
| Lyle gun, which has a range of GA yards,
| IS the one adopted to throw the shot line
| 1t is regarded as Jhe most efficient gun
| known for the purpose, the English gun
only having q range Of 40 yards. A greater
| range than That OF the American gun would
be impracticable. The life line could
not be made sufficiently taut to be
free from the water and the wrecked ones
would be drowned before reaching the
shore The scope Of operations, however,
is from five TO twenty miles, many reseues
having been made Out of sight of land
Before enlistment a surfInan is subjected
to rigid examination by a surgeon of the
marine hospital service. Subsequently he
undergQes another examination as to his
eXpertness in the management of boats and
/ mt hrr G -.
district. His habits must be correct and
temperate, no excesses of any sort is toler-
ated. The discipline of the surfmen is
as severe as that of the regular
army, its responsibility as, great,
its requirements as eXaCting and the pen
atty for failure moro humiliating. Unlik @
the soldier who has periods of months and
even years IN camp or garrison the life
saver Is always IN. the face of the enemy.
His vigilance is not permitted to wane
His purpose is a nobler one, that Of saving
instead of taking life, A proper perform.
auce OF duty in times of peril requires the
sublnnest courage ana involves the great
est danger To life. The surfmau vino
plunges into breakers, rolling mountain
high, places his life upon hazard as
doubtful as that of the field of battle
The origin of the lifesaying service in
this country was established in l71G by the
Massachusetts Humane society, dedicated
TO the rescuing Of the shipwrecked along
the Massachusetts coast. 1t was volun-
tary service and drfted along until lS4S
when William A, Newell secured an appro-
prlatlop from congress Of $4,000 In Feb
ruary, 1871, sumner !. Kimball, the present
superintendent, who was at that time chief
OF the revenue cutter service, secured an
appropriation of 100000, by the AID Of
which, as nucleus, he has been able to
evolve the present elective and compre-
hensiye system
The results OF the service are remarka-
Bile. On Fec. 3, 1850, ia anight of intense
darkness, wild with sleet and snow, the
entire crews Of four vessels were rescued
upon the New Jersey coast without q mis-
nap During this year only nine persons
were LOST out Of $3.50 imperiiled The
smallest number lost in any year was in
loSS. Out OF $3.50 lmperillod only II met
death. In the memorable biz ard of that
year, fourteen sail essels and two steam
ers we're assisted near the Lewes, Della
ware Breakwater only two lives being
lost
During tho destructive tempest in 1889
three crews near Cape Hculopeu rescued
1914 persons FROM twenty-five stranded yes
sells not a soul being lost.
From 1900 10 $50 jl2 lives We're lost on
the Long Island and New Jersey coasts
alone, while under the present system from
1871 To 1891, with q largely increased com
merce and corresponding increase Of dis
asters, there were lost only 1919, an average
OF less than seven Per annum, being re-
duction OF 80 per cent. The loss of life
under the existing system has been only n
small fraction over one in 100.
| Inc enIire loss on all the coasts of the
United States since 1871 has been only
torty-eght In excess Of the loss on the Long
Island aud New Jersey coasts during the
preceding twenty years There has been
attendance at O3l disasters, involving 81,
SIS lives, only G53 being lost, including
| twenty eight unfortunate wreckers.
IN addition 70 lives saved, property to
the value Of slU, tle,8l9 has been saved.
Inc department IS in charge Of sumner
] !. himhau, general superintendent, and
Horace l.. Piper, assistant general super
iutcndcut