The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-12-13
YEAR 19260NE
OF WORST FOR
STORMS AT SEA
Losses Would Have Reached
Startling Figures Had II
Not Been For Radio

new YORK, Dec. l3.--t4)--The year
1926, one Of the worst on record for
storms at sea, has proven, paradox
cally, that safety at sea is the new
slogan Of sailors.
Radio this year has fought one of
its greatest sea battles to save lives.
Standing against it on the failure side
of the ledger are listed under the
brusque words. totally lost" in
Lloyds Register, l24 vessels for tine
first three months Of 1926, against
loss of los for the same period the
previous year. While this years loss
es have not yet been completely COM
piled. the figures show more than
400 craft lost in the Florida hurri-
cane and 100 schOoners wrecked in
Havana harbor in the Cuban blow.
Standing to the credit of radio is
the assertion of shipping men here
that the losses at sea this year would
have reached startling figures had
not wireless on shipboard sputtered
its cry for assistance. To those who
sail the seas the wireless has given
a comforting thought Of safety that
mariners and travellers Of other days
have not known.
80 Warnings Sent Out
Within ten months there have beer
two hurricans that swept the south
Atlantic scaboard and the weather
bureau has sent out 80 storm warn
ings to ships at sea. Those who in
sure shipping say this years losses
have not been abnormally large and
that insurance rates, based on "A fall
ing off of claims since the use of
radio became general. have been
reduced. Many ships which otherwise
would have been total loss have
been saved by wireless and towed to
port.
Wireless has changed the stories Of
the sea which are now those Of thrill
ing rescue rather than Of total
disaster and lonely death. The Royal
Humane society gave its medal for
the bravest deed in 1925 to IL sailor.
With the wireless a new hero was
born-the radio operator. Half for
gotten by the passengers so long as
all goes we'll, his is courage not
of action but Of endurance. In the
pc-mnda sterm Of last October. the
Valerian, a British naval sloop, turn
ca turtle. by the time the cruiser
.Capetown had fought her way to the
scene only 10 survivors Of the crew
Of 1903 could be found clinging to the
life RATS. In o bald statement they
told q story which is almost . COM
mOnplace Of the sea, yet which car
ries implications of u glorious forti-
tude. 1.-THE wireless operator" they
said, event down in his cabin, still
sending out the sos"
From all over the world come
stories Of storm and shipwreck, and
heroic rescue in answer to the sos.
A little freightcr last January encOun-
tered storm in mid-Atlantic that
was too much for her. With the
equipment washed overheard by the
waves she began to founder in the
sea. But her SOS had gone out, anu
was picked up by Il gxeat ocean liner,
which hurried to her assistance.
AntinOe's Crew Saved
The AntinOe sank, but her men
were safe abroad the President Roose.
Welt, thanks to the spirit Of courage
and brotherhood among sailors, and
the marvel of the wireless.
During the exigencies Of the gen
eral strike in England last spring
over thousand vessels were per-
mitted to sail without wireless opera
tors, 1t was made the subject OF
question in the House of Commons.
Yet there are a few ships which must
rely on themselves alone, as of old.
One Of these was the Manchester
Producer, q freighter, which to lessen
the suffering of her cargo Of cattle,
attempted to change her course in q
January storm. Her steering gear
broke, and half Of the terrified cargo,
believing wildly, had to be driven
overheard to keen tn ship from cap
sizing. Unable to summon help, the
Manchester Producer, drifted for
weeks until the food gave out. ano
the remainder of the cattle had to be
hoisted one by one from the deck
and dropped into the sea Il. save them
a more agonizing death from starva-
ton.
More than a month passed, and the
Manchester Producer was more than
thousand miles off her course when
she was found by Dutch tug ana