Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-05-31
Men Who Put Off Columbian in
Lifeboat Were Often
: Near Rescue.
CUTTER SERVICE HEAD
SEES LESSON IN TRAGEDY
Safety Matches. Flash Powder or
Electric Signals Are Recon-
mended for Sea Safety.

The terrible experience of four men in
boat. survivors Of the crew of fifteen
Of the british steamer Columbian. aban- !
doned on fire at sea. May A. who after
fourteen days afoat in an open lifeboat
were picked up by the revenue cutter
Seneca, might all have been averted and
their companies, lives saved had there
been even a dry match aboard. For the
night of the very day the lifeboat cast
of from the Columbian. a big ocean
steamer passed within mile and a half
of the castaways, and would not nave
failed to see the faintest glimmer OF
light from the lifeboat: but their match
supply had been dampened by spray, ana
there was no other signal apparatus
aboard
The inability of these men TO make
night signal. comments Capt. r., -
Johnston. commanding the Seneca IN MS
report Of the rescue made to the revenue
cutter service, seems to point out tnat
something should be provided that water
will not spoil. would suggest tnat LOT
.afety at sea each boat be supplied with
a hand electric torch and three or 1our
snare batteries for 1t. BY means OF
this torch they could not only make
light but could send Morse code signals
Is Lesson of Sea.
result. in some government regulation for
navigation under the American nag. ana
perhaps produce International action OF
som. sort. The convention for safety of life
at sea. adopted by the international con-
ference on safety al sea. held in Lon
6on January N this year. is now pend
ing before the United States Senate u
approved to carry out me spirit Or tie
convention regulations 10 govern amer.
Ne i0,D0Scd
nv direct law of Congress or through au-
tho-ity which might be vested IN ..e
steamboat inspecIion service OF the MT
go States, . e..
me safety Of life az sea been in force |
al this time comments Capt h A Bert
ho,f commandant of the revenue cutter /
service the nfeboat of the Columbian; t
m compliance with its provisions Wou'o
have been adeouatelv equipped with sig
nal lights Item C.. section ;. article
". of the convention. requires that every
boat and every pontoon RAFT shaii ne
provided with a number of self-ignitinS
red lights and a watertight box OF
matches. -
cant Rertholf was OF the Ameri-
can pIenipotentiaries at the London con-
ference He had much to do tn tram
ing the proposed convention. and is
anxious for the evolution OF appliances
that will add greater security to travel
az
Near Other boals.
The Hfeboat of the Columbian with its |
human freight doomed to be ightered |
from fifteen to four men before rescue. |
after seeing the big steamer the night OF
their first day out were within four and |
two miles of two other steamers the fol- |
lowing day, but were not seen. and could |
not attract attention Not another yes
sci was seen by them until the Seneca |
picked them up. In the meantime. with !
food gone. they subsisted on leather |
mixed with crumbs. and short allowance !
Of water. One man drank sea water and |
died deirious. A second went violently |
insane and died when put in restra mt. |
4 cabin boy had dreamed Of the catas /
tropf1e before he sailed from his home in
Antwerp. and that he would be fourteen (
days afioat in an open boat he died !
few hoprs before rescue And eleven was
the toll OF starvation and exposure
The suggestion made by Capt. John |
.ton of the Seneca, that lifeboats he
equipped with an electric torch and bat
teries. useful for fash and signal pur
There is considerable discussion of the
value of the idea. although the prac-
ucableness is not doubted.
Byron r. Newton. assistant secretary
OF the Treasury. in charge Of tn revenue |
cutter service. is much impressed with !
the suggestion He intends tina, a test |
shall be made of what he regards as an
original thought. specifically al least
For there many ways of providing for !
night signals. but no law to enforce them |
as equipment for Iifeboats on merchant |
men in interna tional commerce
Some Are skeptical.
Any iarng light is generally regarded /
by mariners as an adequate night signal |
There is some measure of skepticism as |
70 the value of a signal device which |
would permit use Of code signals Still |
there is no reason to regard that addi- |
tionai attribute as detriment IL the |
signal light itself has sufficient faring
power 10 attract attention at long range
But until The pending International con- |
vention is put into effect by ratification |
and followed by specific regulations for
navigation. putting into effect the pro- |
VISIONS OF the convention in respect to !
vessels nying the flags of each respective |
national party TO the convention mer- |
chantmen will provide agans, sea ca
tastrophe as seems lest to each OF them |
or IN part or not at all 1t is hoped by
those who are interested In safety at |
sea that the ratification Of the convention
VIII be the means of imposing the duty of |
providing boat boxes as equipment for
every hfeboat on the sea or navigable |
waters.
The vessels Of the United States NAVY
ano OF The revenue cutter service and |
n fact, all ships owned by the United |
states government. are subject TO regula- |
lions winch aim to provide for the emer- |
Senry use of lifeboats. All lifeboats must
be equipped with boat box" boat |
equipment for locomotion. such as oars
aud rovlocks. rudder. mast and sail and /,
also lanterns and bailers also pro- |
visions box. lardered with hard bread
and canned meats. must always he |
slowed away handy so that il can be put |
aboard without delay
= Contains Equipment.
The boat box" is supposed to con-
Tam hatchet- cod chisel boat caIking
IRON. giant tool andle MARINE spike,
palm. sail needles packages of as
sorted nails. screws and tacks a piece
of sheet lead. wire 'sezing' lamp
WICK. spun yarn. fish hooks, lines and
sinkers. lead line. tallow candles white
lead. safety matches in d hermetically
sealed DON. medical emergency pack
age. a can of Illuminating oil and six
CASTOR lights. The CASTOR lights are
provided for signaling purposes
CASTOR lights are composition of
Greek IRE. each is waterproof about
six inches long and an inch and a half
in diameter. Set alght. they give "A
faring light. visible for miles and
burning brightly for four or FIVE min
utes- Conservative mariners regard
these as the best device for night sig
mailing purposes. There is some ques-
ton whether IAN electric light could
be adapted TO signal purposes so as to