The Savannah morning news., 1901-09-29
NEPTUNE'S TOLL.
Annual Statistics of Maritime
Casualties by Lloyd's Register.

From the London Mariner.
The statistical summary of vessels
totally lost, condemned, etc, published
by Lloyd's Register, shows that during
1900 the gross reduction in the effective
mercantile marine of the world
amounted to S4S vessels of 677,1S2 tons,
excluding all vessels of less than 100
tons. OF this total 296 vessels of 1885,
304 tons were steamers, and $50 or 290,-
S7S tons were sailing vessels. AS re-
CARDS steamers, the present return ex-
ceeds the average of the previous nine
years by sixteen sailing vessels, il is
below the average by 274 vessels and
83.96S tons. The figures relating to
steam and sailing tonnage owned in
the United Kingdom are below the av-
erage by 1900 and 10000 tons respect
lively. Apart from vessels broken up,
condemned, ETC.. the United Kingdom
steam tonnage lost during 1900 is be-
low the average of the preceding nine
years by about 10000 tons, while the
tonnage owned has increased during
that period by over 3,250,000 tons. The
summary exhibits interesting data as
to the relative frequency of the diff
ferent kinds of casualty, etc. which
conclude the existence of YES
sells. STANDINGS and kindred casual
ties, which are comprised under the
term wrecked" are much of the most
prolific cause of disaster. To such cas-
ualties are attributable AZ per cent. OF
the losses of steamers and 40 per cent.
of the losses of sailing vessels. The
next most common termination of
vessels career is by condemnation.
breaking up, ETC.; about IL per cent.
of the vessels removed from the mer-
chant fleets of the world are account
ed for in this manner. OF the re-
maining causes of loss, collision is the
most general for steamers (about IL
per cent?, while, for sailing vessels,
cases of abandonment at sea come next
in order of frequency (also about IL
per cent?. Cases of abandoned, toun-
dered and missing vessels may perhaps
be regarded as frequently more or less
similar in the circumstances OF loss. Ii
these be taken collectively, they COM
prehend 10 per cent. OF the losses Oh
steamers. and 2S per cent. of the losses
of sailing vessels. -
Tba return has been compiled by
Iloyd's Register in such manner as
TO enable a comparison to be made
between the percentages OF loss sur
fered by each Of the principal merchant
nayies in the world. Great as the ap-
solute annual loss of vessels belonging
10 the United Kingdom appears to be,
IL is seen to form a very moderate per-
centage of the mercantile Marine OF
the country, and to compare favoraoiy
with the losses sustained by other
leading maritime countries. The mer-
chant navies which exceed a total OF
/ 900 900 tons are those of the United
Kingdom, the British colonies, the
United states of America, France, Ger
many and Norway. OF these countries,
the United Kingdom and the British
colonies show the smallest percentage
of loss. viz, 2.39 and 2.34 per cent, re-
snectiyely, of vessels owned; Germany
follows with 1888 per cent, and Nor
way is the highest, with 6.39 per cent.
As regards steamers, while the percent
age for the United Kingdom stands at
los. the average of the percentages OF
loss for the other five countries is 2.53.
FOR sailing vessels, the other five coun-
tries show an average percentage of
I 90. as compared with 4.01 per cent.
for the United Kingdom. The percent
ages given at the end Of the preceding
paragraph suggest that steamers nave
a much greater immunity from disas-
ter than have sailing vessels. This In
ference Is borne out II the losses, etc,
sustained by the chief remaining mer-
chant fleets of Europe be also taken
into account. While the losses of steam
ers amount only 10 2 per cent. OF the
number and IS per cent. OF the ton
mage owned, the losses OF sailing YES
sells reach ST. per cent. Of the number
and 4.6 per cent, Of the tonnage