Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1904-06-02

derelicts. This request seems per-
fectly legitimate: if we have to de-
vote whole fleets to the purpose OF de-
strcying men, why should we not also
send out a few ships for their preser-
walton? The petition also called for
the establishment Of large prizes
for captains who are willing to stop in
the middle of a voyage and burn or
blow up dangerous derelicts. Not in
frequently the vessels Of the American
navy have gone on special cruises
with the sole object of Kidding certain
regions of drifting hulks, but this has
been scarce more than sporadic eff
fort, since warships cannot be con-
tinuously diverted from their legiti-
mate business. On the other hand,
as regards drifting ice, which in GER
tain parts of the North Atlantic con-
stitutes an additional danger, the
United States Pilot Chart of the North
Atlantic, a monthly publication which
records as exactly as possible not only
the route pursued by drifting ice but
also the position of abandoned ships
according to the reports of captains
who have encountered them. These
measures have shown themselves so
useful that they have recently been
extended to other seas, notably to the
Pacific Ocean.
Moreover the American government
now orders sea captains to destroy
derelicts or at least such is the burden
of existing laws; but in practice this
mandate is without effect. A more
radical measure is one that was put
into operation only few days ago.
The naval section of the American
senate has just passed bill appru
priating s375,000 for the construction
of vessel which will do nothing but
remove or destroy derelicts in the
North Atlantic and along the American
coast. The news is welcomed in Brit
ish maritime circles with far from
disinterested enthusiasm.
Indeed it must be noted that, when
ever the British government has been
urged to undertake the destruction OF
derelicts at its own expense, it has met
the plea with the answer that the duty
of Kidding the seas of these dangers
was incumbent upon the nations
whose ships were allowed to put to sea
without being subjected to the restric
lions regarding safety and navigabilit'
which Great Britain imposes; it argued
in a word, that the expense should be
borne by those who create the peril.
Were it not that human lives are
thus endangered and that Great Bri
tain possessed nearly half the tonnage
of the world, this would have been &
legitimate line of reasoning. This is
not saying that the responsibility o
other nations is less grave. And il
this matter the United States is no
above reproach. The American author
tiles show great leniency in the wa,
they allow coasting vessels to carr.
enormous quantities of lumber piled III
on deck, and not infrequently this mm
her is washed overheard and drift!
away. They also permit immense
RATS of legs to be towed along tn,
coast, with the result that in rougl
weather the rats get broken up ant
scatter innumerable obstacles far ant
wide upon the sea.
A few days ago our attention wa
called 10 a raft which is now bein,
put together and which consists of ;
huge mass of tree trunks, which ar
to be dragged along the Pacific coas
from Puget Sound to San Francisco
this raft is to be 655 feet long, As fee
wide, and So feet deep; its 604,00'
cubic feet of timber will be kept il
place by chains weighing lilo tons. l
is clear that when such a mass of lum
Ter as this breaks loose from its tug il
gale the raft itself becomes a serious
menace for a long time and later on it
disintegration strews the sea witt
huge logs, which the waves hurl lik,
battering-rams against the hulls o
ships that come in their way.
We may well congratulate ourselve
upon the measures taken by the Amer
lean Senate. since we may reasonabl,
hope that the example will be followet
by the other great maritime powers.
How many warships might be Pre-
fitably employed for this purpose?
Indeed it seems that, since the Sc;
is neutral ground, the great maritim
nations ought to bestir themselve
and enforce certain obligations upol
navigators who abandon their vessels
while at the same time they should az
range periodic cruises for the destruc
ton of derelicts. In these days
when conventions are got up for ever,
conceivable purpose (or for none a
alb, al International conference to in
sure safety on the sea could hardly fai
of universal support and appreciation