New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-02-01
BOATS AND BULKHEADS.
DISCUSSION AS TO MEANS OF SAFETY ON
OCEAN LINERS.

TIGHT COMPARTMENTS IN
VARIOUS PARTS OF
Is ocean travel reasonably safe. are the mod
ern means Of life-saving so loudly Wanted a de-
fusion and snare? This was the question that the
general public asked itself yesterday and which
the steamship people must answer II they wish
continuance of public confidence" Bulkheads and
lifeboats ard febelts had proven wofully inefi-
cient the Elbe disaster and the angry question.
why was II thus? arose everywhere above the
general expressions of grief and sympathy for the
| sufferers.
Tribune reporter started TO get some kind OF
consensus OF expert opinion. Steamship men and
shipmasters slow 10 respond. for the reason
that facts TOO meagre upon which to base
much of opinion OF the Elbe fatality. and for
the further that they disliked to say any
thing that might seem harsh criticism upon the
North German Lloyd Company while that great
corporation down by the first shock Of the
terrible blow it had suffered
IT'S impossible to say who blame said
a veteran sea captain who is of the
perenced nspe ctors OF the Atlantic Mutual Insur
ance Company, whose speciality is marine risks. IF
the Ebe struck the port side. seems to
be the case. the blame should be, apparently. laid
upon the other ship. Keep to the right is the rule
OF the road the well on land. II the
North German Lloyd liner struck on the port,
abou, her business and that the other fellow crowd
ed down On her.
But how is it possible for ships to come to-
gether in this way clear night on the high
seas?' he asked.
We'll. II the report OF the survivors tina, the
wal-h the Eibe alert IL true. and that
signal rockets were sent up from her, /, would look
as II the other fellow must have been asleep"
rs the fact that the German liner was struck
and not he one that did the rsmming. significant"
APPARENTLY THE STRANGERS BLAME.
certainly. 1t all tends to confirm the original i'm
preston that the stranger to blame. He struck
the Ebe abaft the midships. according TO the re-
port Now IL he had had his wits about him long
enough 10 slow his engines or reverse them for
even minute before the collision, that would have
given the Ebe time 10 slip by unless the other
steamer bearing nard down on her In direct
violation OF the regulations. Unless II was an az
gravated case OF this kind. the captain Of the
Elbe could have diminished the destrucveness OF
the shock by following the rule which says that
when a collision abaft the midship section is seen
10 be unavoidable. the helm should be thrown over
so as to swing the stern away from the Prov of the
approaching vessel. though 1t turns the bow
toward the danger. This would have made the
blow more OF a glanclng one and 1t would not have
penetrated the vitals Of the Elbe As 1t was. she
was struck in such a manner. evidently. that her
own momentum served TO drag the strangers PROV
sim deeper into her.
Have the insurance companies anything 10 10
with enforcing the carrying OF means Of fesaving?
mo. We merely deal with the general question
Of seaworthness VIII the vessel stand storm?
Is she strong and tight
RULKHEADS AND COMPARTMENTS
Are bulkheads and water-tight compartments OF
much Importance. after all, as protection?
1T depends largely where the vessel ia struck II
she is struck by strikes another in the bow the
collision bulkhead. the first one Is called. and
Dulkhead
usually stands and the hotation power OF the yes
sol is not materially reduced This bulkhead Is from
twelve to twenty-five feet back from ihe bow. ana
A heAd-on collision rarely smashes things back OF
this The same is Of blow at the stern
But when ship Ia struck annld"hps ouih'Va'S "'e
not 50 eficacioLs
.pon't Won think that the danger would be less
oned in cases where ship punges far into an
other II the one striking ;he blow would not back
of but leave her nose IN the other ones SIDE t
tho Messengers and crew could get into the Doats
That's 60. undoubtedly. in smooth water. SAID
,ha can,ain i've had eXp' riencc or that
Kind myself But II wouldn't work IN rough sea
The TWO hulls would grind and hammer each olher
inro a worse condition than ever, ana then wheh
,h.v we're thrown apart by the action Of the waves
49, ,h,. soon mus, be- the condition OF each would
~. NOR. critical than II they had backed away m
rocdiately after the collision.
THE QUESTION OF LIFEBOATS
.no tho steamships carry enough boats safely TO
handle a full complement Of passengers
They are compelled TO do so by the Government
inspectors but il is not an easy 'hihe u 'aunc"
ho,,. and load them safely with panic-stricken
n,ssengers IN a heavy sea. The talls are apt 10
-, ,angled no. and in cold weather ike this tho
- ahsorh enough moisture to freeze stiff, even
q, Inv are not actually covered with ice. COLLAPSE
h,o boats are useless in a twenty-mnute panic. and
tho lfe-rafts are in the middle OF the vessel ana
a little difficult, TO launch in hurry
..Can loaded boats hope to escape the suction OF
, rapldly sinking vessel Of such enormous size?
..rbat would depend the way she went down
7, che went bow first stern first. sliding under
tho water lengthwise the suction Is not so danger
OILS but when vessel is cut nan IN TWO ana SCI
ues straight down she is apt to take everything
along with her
victoria. CamperdoWn and other modern ships
adm, indicate that the big iron vessel was more
t,,erous than its modest wooden predecessor. the
old shipmaster sal1
THE wooden ship would stand 'olisioh hettsr
She would float longer after being struck but the
iron steamers are the most seaworthy. They VIII
Two where a wooden hull would founder, and II
all kinds Of accidents are taken into account the
iron hull is vastly safer for passengers and cargo
Vernon II Brown. agent of the Cunard Line,
said: The only thing enc can say on an occasion
OF this kind is to express the fullest sympathy Tor
the sufferers and the company invoNe ed ana 10 re-
fran from all CRITICISM I'LL iHe l"lS are IuhS 'O'-
looted and sifted. Casualties Will hsI pen in every
walk in life. | passing up Broadway the other
d,v when a granite block fell from The top OF the
tall building going up az Pine-st.. and came crash
ing down through the scaffoldinG. BY The greatest
good luck nobody under it. but that WAS all
that prevented a horrible accident. As long az
ships sail the and railroad trains rush over
the land there will be occasional accidents No
human care and foresight avoid them all.
Are watertight compartments and bulkheads
Ia pf
agains, the sinking OF vessel" Mr.. Brown was
asked.
THE MOST VULNERABLE POINT.
mo human agency can forestall and meet every
emergency he replied. The Elbe was struck in
her engine compartment That is necessarily the