The Washington herald., 1906-12-25

I KinbaII general superintendent
- the Lifesaving Service, in his annual
report. submitted to the Secretary of the
Treasury yesterday. says that during the
fiscal year ended June 30 last, 357 docu-
mcnted vessels met with disaster
On board these vessels were 4,099 per-
sons. - Of whom lost their lives. The es-
timated value of the vessels was $10,1SL-
as, and of their cargoes. S454S, sos making
the total value of the property imperiled
Sl4. 7S6 $50. OF this amount Sl1,972.2SO was
saved through the efforts Of the Life
saving Service. and only S2,z64070 lost
The number of vessels totally lost was 49.
Undocumented vessels. such as sail and
power boats. and rOwboats. the report
also says. sustained casualties in the
vicinity Of life-saving stations. On these
1,221 persons were imperiled, 10 of whom
were lost.
The estimated value of property in
these cases was 1904 100. Of which, ap-
proNimately, 'S293, $50 was saved, and $40
go lost During the year I, ~ days relief
was furnished to ST shipwrecked persons
and necessary articles Of clothing were
supplied 10 l66 persons
Assisted Many Vessels.
The Hfe-saving crews, the report adds,
also assisted 3g1 other vessels, making
the total to which aid was extended l,24a
In addition to this. 81 steamers and u
sailing vessels were discovered running
into danger and were warned by abe
patrolmen and station lookouts Of the
service and thereby saved from possible
disaster.
The report contains a tahUlated state
ment of the operations of the service
since its establishment in ISL up u the
end of the last fiscal year. In that period
the total number Of disasters reached
1919, and the total number Of persons
involved ll6.H2 The number Of lives lost
was 1.127 The total value of the vessels
involved was Sl71.5O5. SO. and the total
value of cargces involved $1.I7IS34. The
total value of property saved was $l92,-
O246l2. and of property lost was $685. S7.
Considerable loss TO the service resulted,
the report SAYS, from the San Francisco
earthquake and fire of April last The
stations in the vicinity OF San Francisco
We're more OF less damaged by the quake,
and the storehOuse at San Francisco was
destroyed. Upon that occasion the life
savers rendered valuable service in fight
ing the fire, Transporting supplies. assist
ing the homeless, and in other ways
ministering to the needs of the eartn-
quake sufferers.
Power in FffebOHts.
Notable progress was made. the report
says, in eq,npping the stations with
power lifeboats. During the last year
seven of the largest size lifehOats were
equipped with gasoline engines, and one
new power boat constructed. These
boats, Mr.. Kimhall believes. will enlarge
the radius Of effective action Of life-sav-
ing stations. as they enable the crews TO
cover a greater distance more speedily,
and allows their full strength to be used
in the actual work Of assisting "a wrecked
vessel, whereas with the old style OF
Towb0at Of the litesaveTs We're often COM
pIetely exhausted by their efforts TO
reach the wreck
Supt. Kimbau repeats his recommends
ton for the extension of the benefits of
retirement 90 the officers and men of the
service who become disabled in the serv-
ice or through inirmity Of age. The lack
of proper provision for the superannu-
ated, he says. has seriously affected the
personnel Of the service.