The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1899-08-10
THE MANACLE ROCKS.
Where Many Ships Have Been
Wrecked and Hundreds
of Lives Lost,

information as 10 the number of cas-
ualtieS that have taken place latterly
within two or three miles of the Mana
Giles. One fisherman who is still in the
middle of life recalls s.. His list, how
ever, is incomplete, for more than so
have happened during the past 80 years.
OF these considerably more than half
may be classed as total wrecks. To
turn to the liFeboat records, it seems
that the PorthOustock boat, which, by
the way, was sent to the hamlet in con-
sequence of three quickly ensuing
wrecks, has since the year 1872 been on
active service 16 times and has effected
the rescue of 112 persons. The same
records show that 1l0 lives were lost
from the vessels to which the lifeboat
went out. There were at least 16 other
wrecks during that period, resulting in
the loss of A lives, to which the lifeboat
could render no assistance. In some in
stances the crews rowed ashore in their
own boats. In others hurricane from
the east made a launch impossible.
When one looks at this terrible array
of facts it may appropriately be asked
if the means of averting disaster and of
saving life are adequate in the neigh
borhood. A bell buoy certainly exists
at the Manacles, but it is of so little use
that it hardly deserves to be mentioned.
Next, there exists al Coverack, 2H miles
from the Manacles, a very good coast
guard station. The men attached to
this station have by their untiring yigi-
lance saved many ships from destruc-
ton. Only a single coast guard is sta
toned at Porthoustock, but previous to
the wreck of the Mohegan it was de
cided to increase the number to three
and to erect cottages for them in the
cove. 1t may be pointed out, however,
that from Porthoustock only a limited
view of the sea is to be obtained and
none ut all of the Manaclcs. Persons
thoroughly acquainted with the situa-
ton are most strongly convinced of the
eminent dcsirability of stationing these
men on Manacle point Had they been
there last October they would probably
have been able to signal the Mohegan in
time to prevent her from being
stranded.
-NCNls lIlC ldCt lIlCll Oll tllG III 1T VI tllC
wreck of the Mohegan the rocket APP
paratus at Coverack had to be laborious-
ly pushed by men up great hill directs
attention to the unfavorable position
in which the machine is placed. Save
in the actual cave itself there is no road
along the shore from Coverack in either
direction. In fully nine cases out of ten
O Stppn ASCENT RI I've D11Ip wit II h..
apparatus before it can be conveyed to
any point outside half-mile radius. AS
horses are a scarce commodity i'll
Coverack human labor must be en-
ployed. Obviously the best place for
the apparatus is st. Keverine, where
horses are always to be had, whence by
an easy descent any part of the neigh
boring coast may be reached. In the
great blizzard of 1891, when four vessels
were wrecked in two days, the delay in
getting the rocket apparatus TO the
scenes of the cataStrophes is locally
held to be responsible for much unnec-
essary loss of life. Finally, it might be
suggested to the iifeboat institution
that a boat stationed at COvcracll would
be likely to prove useful. Occasionally
very serious wrecks indeed, accom-
panied by great loss of life, occur at st.
keverne. -Four wrecks alone within
the last 80 years have resulted in the
drowning of no fewer than 40 persons.
In such cases one lifeboat is manifestly
insufficient. Boats coming from dis
lance, however brave and skilled their
crews may be, cannot render much
service. 1t is not possible for men who
have no intimate knowledge of the
night through all the intricacies of the
treacherous waters. At Coverack there
are enough experienced fishermen, ac-
ouainted by reason OF their yocations
with every rock and cove and shoal and
headland in the neighborhood, to man
a boat. These men in lifeboat might
have been able to save many OF the I'M
fortunate passengers and crew of the
Mohegan. who for a time We're kept
afloat by life belts only to be dashed
finally against the cliffs and powders of
the inhospitable coast.
Perhaps if the proposed coast guard
station were established on Manacle
point instead of in Porthoustock cove,
ii the rocket apparatus were removed
to st. Keverne and if lifeboat were
sent to Coverack, the force of the plea
for lghtship at the ManaclCs would be
greatly iminished.-London Times.