New-York tribune., 1908-03-12

.h- cause OF modern safety appliances on ooaro
.essels and approval by the Hoilalo-Ah'eh1od
line ADDS this company to the list OF lAe tI"1i'-
narration enterprises which have during the last
two years placed over seventeen hundred sets on
tlei- ships in all parts of the world Among those
VINO have been quick TO appreciate the advantages
cf this rractical apparatus are the Allan French
White Star. North German. Royal Mall ana liam liam
g-Anerican lines; the sGandi4ayan: f E
land: the Southern Pacific Railroad ana tiie hey
Route for their ferryboats between san ,rftfI
and Oakland the tJapanesep loyo flsen sen, no $50
Iaisha. for their TWO splendid new turbine shps'
snd others
MODERN DATTrS BADLY NEEDED
Among all the various appliances designed by
modern ingenuity for the protection Of passengers
aboard water craft none have been found by eN-
lerience 10 he Of greater Importance than those
which enable the occupants Of a vessel TO le9Ne
il in safety. There are numerous patents covering
and other such portable appliances, some Of which
and Of practical searnen. The question, however,
Of getting these passenger holding contrlVanceS
collision or other casualty during stormy weather
with the vessel at list, has nn1ll . IegeIdg
factor owing chiefly rhe difnculty IN finding
among tie numerous patented appliances Tor
lowering boats one that practical. not pro
hibitory in price. and which dla NOT lake up 700
lowering boat requires the IftSelce I OF SiA , :"
boat da1it is employed. ANY who has ever
Witnessed boat drill aboard any vessel VIII fetall
Of The davits and that the boat lt ltseif
must be raised before the occupants may enter
during which time. il the vessel is rolling HeaI-
ilr. sailors and passengers may be crushed pc
;ween the boats and The daVitS- Furthermore
should the boat be successfully swung out clear
of vessel. granting that there he no hst, II
seldom that IL reaches the water on even efdS
The records of great marine disasters give
ample evidence that even when a successful
swinging clear takes place. the passengers are
often spilled by the Clogging of the fallS
Comments by Investigating boards of the lack
Of proper dsEiiS and the insufEciencY OF men L"
properly launch boats critical moment "ii'
seconds count have been frequently made IN OF
Ilcial communications
In the cas-. Of the investigation OF the steamer
General Socum which vvds burned near Hell Gate
l-orT New York. years ago the United states
Circuit Court Appeals If il be true as
he defendant 1t~tifies Captain William Van
Schaicl0 that there but seven effective men
in the crew, and that II requires six men TO lower
q life properly. VIII be seen At a glance
how utterly lnaueQ Were the means pToNloto
the emergency in case OF fire
ck OF efficient davits mainly respon-
sible for the loss of life in the Larchmont case ac-
cording 10 the United States inspectors in their
report OF the sinking of that vessel by collision
with the schooner Harry hnowlton in the Long
lSfrnd Sound in 1e07 They stated: While II Is
rrl:e that the I-archmont was equipped with boats
and RATS i'm excess OF lawful requirements. only Il
sufficient proportion of her boats 10 cover the
boataEe prescribed for passenger steamers or her
tonnage efficiently ddrfted- 1t was therefore