The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1895-09-27
MARINE WRECK STATISTICS FOR
1894

The London Times says: 'The statis-
tical summary of vessels totally lost
condemned, ETC., now published by Loyd's
Register, shows that during the wear
1894 the gross reduction in the effective
mercantile marine Of the word amounted
to 1,151 vessels of 7OS971 tons, excluding
vessels of less than 100 tons. or this
total PSI vessels of 329, ,92g tons were steam
ers, and S73 of 9,O42 tons were sailing
vessels These figures exceed the aver
age of the preceding three years as re-
CARDS steamers by A vessels of 52OOD
tons. This excess is not due, however TO
aceual casualties, but to the unusual
number of steamers which have been
broken up, condemned. ETC., during 1894.
AS regards sailing vessels the present re-
turn is somewhat below the average for
the three years.
THE summary exhibits interesting da-
ia as to the relative frequency of the diff
ferent kinds of casualty, etc. which con-
clude the existence of vessels Strand
ings and kindred casualties which are
comprised under the term Wrecked are
much the most prolific cause OF disaster.
To such casualties are attributable no
less than AZ per cent Of the losses OF
steamers, and As per cent of the losses of
sailing vessels. The next most frequent
termination of a vessels career is by
condemnation, dismantling, ETC.; 25h per
cent OF the steamers and nearly IS per
cent OF the sailing vessels removed from
the merchant fleets are accounted for
IN this manner. OF the remaining causes
OF loss collision is the most general for
steamers Qo per cent? and abandonment
at sea for sailing vessels az IA per cent?
Cases of abandoned, foundered and mis-
sing vessels may perhaps be regarded as
frequently more or less in the circum-
stances of loss. If these be taken collect
lively they comprehend II per cent of the
losses of steamers and nearly q per cent
of the losses of sailing vessels. The per
centages here given are based on the
present return alone, but the order of
frequency of the several classes Of cas-
ualty appears to be normal.
The return has been compiled from
Lloyd's register in such a manner as TO
enable a comparison to be made between
the percentages of loss suffered by each
or the principal merchant navies of the {
world, Great as tine absolute amman
loss OF vessels belonging to the United |
Kingdom appears to be, it is seen to
form very moderate percentage of the
mercantile marine of the country. and
to compare favorably with the losses
sustained by other leading maritime coun- (
tries. The merchant navies which ex-
ceed total of 100000 tons are those
of the United Kingdom, the British col
onies, the United States of America. /
France, Germany and Norway. OF these !
countries the United Kingdom shows the /
smallest percentage of loss, viz, 9.S per
cent of the vessels and 22 per cent OF
the tonnage owned; France follows with [
S9 per cent of the vessels owned, and .
2e per cent of tonnage; and Norway is
the highest, with GA per cent of vessels
and per cent of tunnage AS regards
steamers, the average percentage of loss
for the six countries is 2.3 while the per-
centase for the United Kingdom stands
at 2.S3. For sailing vessels the six coun-
tries give an average of 5.5 as compared
with S.9 per cent for the United King
dow.
Apart from questions of navigation,
1t Is no doubt the cases of abandoned,
foundered and missing vessels which af- (
ford most scope for investigation and /
conjecture as to whether the ultimate
causes of loss were unavoidable. 1t is
1 satisfactory feature of this and sim
lar previous returns of Lloyd's register,
hat they show for vessels owned in the
United Kingdom a steady reduction of
his class of casualty, In 1891, 73 United
Kingdom vessels were shown as aban-
loned, foundered or missing; in 1892, 6S
'essels; in 1898, G. vessels; in 1894 the
lumber had fallen to A."