The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-01-10
Az OCE1N .GHBULINCE.
Important Addition to the Navy to Fight
Death AT sea

An ambulance ship TO aid wounded and
drowning men during n naval engagement
is the latest addition TO the United States
navy. and Surgoon-General Tryon and
Secretary Herbert both believe they have
figures and statements showing that such
"a craft would save the lives Of 30 per
cent of the injured in conflict VINO
would probably die under present coiul-
tiOns of service. As the ambulance snip
viii have 10 be the target of shot ana
she'll. those IN charge viii have 20 lace
death In order 10 save life. ana ltIf
courage will necessarily be the requisite
for officers and attendants. Ine Ntsst's
utilized for the service viii have 20 pc
swift steamers. of good capacity for SICK
room. and yet not so large as TO prevent
quick turning and rapid dartins around
among "a fleet OF vessels.
10 is am uuwritten law OF every civilized
nation that wounded man and the man
who aids him should be protected. and II
o. calculated that the crew of the amnu-
lance ship viii Dee insured the same tftti-
ment accorded the Red Cross brigade.
lu naval conflicts a. great number or men
are blown into the water. and many uu-
injured men fall from the rigging INTO me
ocean IL is n curious fact that three
utfls Of the sailors in the uifertnt naNlca
cannot swim. and therefore I'm many ln-
stances to drop from the rigging or 20 be
accidentally forced overheard during
battle is sometime as sure dcnlh as I"
stop a bullet. The men on nodlu li.
ambulance shin viii Doe looking Tor luat
such accidents ail the time. and boat
crews Will Dee dispatched n such qua is
Ieeded. During ,le last naval battle
between the Austrian and Italian tcets
thirty years ago. more than four num-
dred men We're drowned who could have
easily been savco had an ambulance snip
been in attendance
II IS proposed that the new ambulance
ships should Doe fitted mp Ike naval nos
pitfalls. The ship viii be controlled by
"a naval ambulance association for the
treatment OF sick and wounded az sea.
and while the Government would exercise
parental guardianship. the ambulance
shin would really bee "a ship or mercy.
The spar-deck. where there rs the great
est amount of air. W,h Dee devoted To the
most serious cases. and additional wards
viii De- located in The remaining decks or
the vessel. while artificial circulation viii
De- produced by means OF steam spray
osfr4ctiur apparatus. as well AS "a steam
fan blast that will pump in an adequate
The pcrccutaee IT recovery Of injured
mon On board of lu ambulance ship prop
crly equipped would Doe fuily ohe-hhti
greater than al present. ia a mah-oi .
war the sick ward is always locat .d IN
the bow. although naval authorities nave
protested against 10 for years, for, owing
Do the hlWse holes. this DIS part OF the
ship most likely 10 be flooded in case OF
heavy weather. IL is the 'sea-slck
quarter of the ship also. or course, II
would DE absolutely impossible for an
ambulance ship 10 care for an the Wouno =
ed during an engagement unless that
engage ment were simply between TWO
vessels The truth OK this statcmtn Is
shown by the fact that tho ordinary oat-
uoshlp. who complement BE- five hundred
men will have, within few minutes on
the time when action begins thirty men
killed and hundred and twenty wounded.