THE Board of Trade has recently published the Wreck Register of the United Kingdom for the past year. As usual, it is a most interesting document, convey- ing much useful information on a subject of national importance.

On the present occasion that department has made an attempt to consolidate the whole foreign and home wreck statistics into one book; but inasmuch as our object is to enlarge on the facts con- nected with the disasters which took place on our coasts and seas during last year, we shall confine our observations to that part of the register.

It may, however, be well to mention here that this home document embraces the cases which have happened in waters within 10 miles from the shores of the United Kingdom; in waters within any bays or estuaries; in waters around any outlying sandbanks which are dry at low water; in the seas between Great Britain and Ireland; and between the Orkney and Shetland and Western Islands and the mainland of Scotland.

In comparing the casualties recorded in the later years with those of earlier years, it should be borne in mind that, owing to the great importance of the facts, involving the loss of life and the destruction of hundreds of thousands of pounds sterling of property, the casual- ties have constantly been more and more accurately reported to the Board of Trade.

We find that the number of wrecks, casualties, and collisions from all causes on and near the coasts of the United Kingdom and in the surrounding seas, reported in 1870, is 1,502, or 612 less than the number reported in 1869, and less than the number reported in any year since 1864, and is 360 below the average of the last five years. The site of every one of the disasters can be clearly traced on the accompanying Wreck Chart, which also shows the stations of the numerous Life-boats which the NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION has happily been enabled, through the munificence of the public, to place all round our coasts wherever it is practicable to plant one.

It should, however, be remembered that the number of wrecks, casualties, and collisions reported may possibly increase from year to year, owing to the increase in the number of ships frequenting our coasts and narrow adjoining seas; whilst the particular number for any one year will be increased or diminished according to the prevalence or absence of gales of remarkable violence and duration.

1851 1852 1853 1854 1855 1856 1857 1858 1859 1860 1861 1862 1863 1864 1865 1866 1867 1868 1869 1870 This remark is strikingly illustrated on analyzing the records of the past twenty years, and dividing them into four periods of five years each, as will be seen from the following Table, giving a de- tailed list for each year:— 1,269 I ' .Annual Average , „„,, for five Years j 1'068 1,141) 1,153, 1,143 1,170 1,416 1,379) 1,494 1,483 1,664 1,3'JO 1,656 Ditto .... 1,252 Ditto .... 1,538 1,860, 2,090 1,862 1,747, Ditto 2,114 I 1,502 I In Oct., 1859, there was the Royal Charter gale, and a loss of 343 ships. In Jan., Feb., and Nov., 1861, there were N.E. and S.E. gales, which added 460 to the number of wrecks, &c. In Jan., Oct., and Dec., 1862, there were westerly gales, with upwards of 540 wrecks, &c.; and in Jan., March, Sept., Oct., Nov., and Dec., 1863, there were westerly gales, with 930 wrecks, &c. In Nov., 1864, there were 264 wrecks, &c., with the wind chiefly in the S.S.E. and S.W., but owing to the absence of any special gales of remark- able duration and violence in 1864, the total number in that year was 274 below the number in 1863. In 1865 the gales of Jan., Feb., and March, and Oct., Nov., and Dec., gave 766 wrecks, &c. In 1866 the gales of Jan., Feb., and March, and Oct., Nov., and Dec., gave 793. Of this number 279 occurred in Jan. The most serious disasters occurred on the llth Jan.

Of the shipping in Tor Bay on that day 61 vessels were either totally lost or seriously damaged, and 35 lives were lost from these 61 vessels. There were also numerous minor casualties. The fearful shipping dis- asters in Tor Bay and other ports in 1866, will ever make it memorable.

In 1867 the heavy gales experienced in the months of Jan., March, April, October, Nov., and Dec. added 980 wrecks and casualties to the list, and the whole of the wrecks, &c., reported in those months exceeded by about 400 the number re- ported during the same months of the previous year. 902, or about three- sevenths, of the wrecks, &c., of 1867 occurred in Jan. and Dec., and 251 occurred in March. With the exception of the month of Dec. 1863, when 466 wrecks and casualties took place, the numbers for each of the three months stated above are higher than for the corresponding months of any previous year. The most serious gale of the year 1867 was that which commenced on the 1st Dec., and continued until the 3rd; during the continuance of this gale 319 lives were lost, and 326 vessels lost or damaged. Of this number 146 vessels are reported to have been lost or damaged on the 2nd Dec- From the direction of the wind, which blew principally from the N. and N.N.E., this gale proved most disastrous to vessels on the east coast, and to fishing smacks on the Dogger Bank and other fishing grounds in the North Sea.

In the year 1868 one of the most serious gales occurred on the 22nd and 23rd Aug., a month in which our coasts are seldom visited by heavy gales, and the number of wrecks and casualties reported during that month was more than double the number recorded during the same month in any previous year.

In the year 1869 a gale from N.N.E., and N.E., which caused great destruction to shipping, occurred on the 15th and 16th June. The most serious gale of the year 1869 occurred on the 19th Oct., when the direction of the wind was from N. to N.E.

Few gales of remarkable force and duration occurred during the year 1870, and to this may perhaps be attributable the reduction in the number of wrecks and casualties. The most serious gale of the year commenced on the 12th Oct., and during that and the following day 99 wrecks and casualties are reported to have occurred. The direction of the wind during the two days was from S.E.

westerly to N.W.

The gales of 1870 were chiefly from the following directions, viz.—Jan., from S.W. to W.; Feb., from E.N.E. to S.; March, from N.E. to E. During April no serious gale occurred. In May a gale occurred with the wind from S. to W.S.W.

During June and July no serious gales occurred. In Sept. a gale occurred with the wind principally from S.W. to W.

The Oct. gales were from N.E. southerly to N.N.W.; Nov., from S.W. to W.N.W.; and Dec., from E. to S.E. The. two latter months are this year remarkable for the almost entire absence of serious gales.

During these two months only sixteen wrecks and casualties are reported to have occurred on or near the coasts of the United Kingdom, with the wind at force 9 and upwards.

The month in which the greatest num- ber of shipping disasters occurred was Oct., when 399 vessels came to grief.

The number of ships lost or damaged in the 1,502 wrecks, casualties, and collisions reported as having occurred on and near the coasts of the United Kingdom in 1870 was 1,865, representing a registered tonnage of upwards of 404,000 tons, and having on board crews numbering 16,348 men and boys. The number of ships in 1870 is less than the number in 1869 by 729. The number of ships reported is, as has been formerly stated, in excess of the number of casualties reported, because in cases of collision two or more ships are involved in one casualty. Of the 1,865 ships 1,552 are known to have been ships belonging to Great Britain and its dependencies, with British certificates of registry, and 271 are known to have been ships belonging to foreign countries and states. Of the remaining 42 ships the country and employment are unknown. Of the British registered ships 1,101 were employed in the British coasting trade, and 451 were employed in the (over sea) foreign and home trade. Of the ships belonging to foreign countries and states, 14 employed in the British coasting trade met with casualties.

Of the total number of wrecks, &c.

(1,502), reported as having occurred on and near the coasts of the United Kingdom in 1870, 361 were collisions, and 1,141 were wrecks and casualties other than collisions. Of these 1,141 wrecks, strandings, and casualties other than collisions, 411 were wrecks, &c., resulting in total loss, and 730 were casualties resulting in partial damage more or less serious. The whole number of wrecks and casualties other than collisions on and near our coasts reported in 1869 was 1,653, or 512 more than the number of wrecks, strandings, and casualties, other than collisions, in 1870.

It appears that there were 411 total losses from causes other than collisions, on and near the coasts of the United Kingdom, in 1870. Of these 160 happened when the wind was at force 9 or upwards (a strong gale), and are classed in the returns as having been caused by stress of weather, 63 arose from defects in the ship or in her equipments (and of these 63 no less than 28 appear to have foundered from unseaworthiness), 77 appear from the reports made by the officers on the coasts to have been caused by in- attention, carelessness, or neglect; and the remainder appear to have arisen from various other causes.

Of the 730 casualties, i. e., cases of partial damage, from causes other than collisions, on and near the coasts of the United Kingdom, 350 happened when the wind was at force 9 or upwards (a strong gale), and are included as having been caused by stress of weather; 154 arose from carelessness; 74 from defects in the ship or her equipments; and the remainder appear to have arisen from various other causes.

The total number of ships which, ac- cording to the facts reported, appear to have foundered or to have been otherwise totally lost on and near the coasts of the United Kingdom from unseaworthiness, unsound gear, &c., in the last ten years, is 528; and the number of casualties arising from the same causes, during the same period, and resulting in partial damage, is 586—facts which reflect the greatest discredit on us as a nation.

In 1870 there were on and near the coasts of the United Kingdom 83 wrecks and casualties to smacks and other fishing vessels. Excluding these 83 fishing vessels, the number of vessels employed in the regular carrying trade that have suffered from wreck or casualty on our shores during the year was 1782. If this number be again subdivided, it will be found that nearly half of it was repre- sented by vessels of the collier class, chiefly employed in the coasting trade; and for the six years ending 1870 the number was more than half.

During the past ten years disasters to comparatively new ships on and near the coasts of the United Kingdom show a very high proportion to the whole number.

During the year 1870, 130 wrecks and casualties happened to nearly new ships, and 307 to ships from 3 to 7 years of age. Then there were wrecks and casu- alties to 366 ships from 7 to 14 years old, and to 518 from 15 to 30 years old.

Then follow 206 old ships from 30 to 50 years old. Having passed the service of half a century we find very old ships wrecked in proportion to their numbers.

Thus 49 disasters occurred to ships between 50 and 60 years old, 20 from 60 to 70, 4 from 70 to 80, 5 from 80 to 90, and 1 old coasting vessel was upwards of 100 years NOVEMBER 1, 1871.] THE LIFE-BOAT.

179 old. The ages of 259 -wrecks last year were unknown.

The following is an interesting table, as it shows the number of casualties on and near the coasts of the United Kingdom, which were attended with loss of life during the past ten years—distinguish- ing British and foreign vessels and giving the number of lives lost:— •oJB YEARS.

1861 1862 1863 1864 1865 1866 1867 1868 1869 1870 Totals ten yei 705 617 533 475 597 792 1,106 720 800 676 7,021 170 130 129 96 147 172 i 245 ; 177 ; 183 I 101 forl1 , :arsj ' 550 BRITISH VESSELS. FOREIGM VESSELS.

•0.1 8 •£'-' 3 t°& "S •gf JL- J? II 30 179 16 73 22 87 12 41 17 101 27 104 34 227 19 104 28 133 ! 23 J8 228 1,147 It will thus be seen that, during the past ten years, 8,168 lives have been lost on our coasts from 1,778 of the wrecked vessels; while, in the case of the remain- ing vessels, totally or partially lost in the same period, reaching the very large num- ber of 19,014, it is gratifying to know that no loss of life resulted therefrom.

We observe that of the 1,865 vessels lost or damaged on and near the coasts of the United Kingdom in 1870, 69 were rigged as ships, 195 were steam- ships, 481 schooners, 276 brigs, 234 barques, 199 brigantines, and 124 smacks; the remainder were small vessels rigged in various ways. Of the 1,865 vessels referred to, 790 did not exceed 100 tons burden, 659 were from 100 to 300 tons, 304 were from 300 to 600 tons, and 112 only were above 600 tons burden.

As usual, the greatest number of wrecks occurred on the East Coast, as will be seen from the following list, to which we have appended a column showing the average per centages of the disasters on the different parts of the coasts:— No. of Per Wrecks. Centage.

701 46-67 Parts of the Coasts.

EAST COAST: Dungencss to Dun- cansby Head (inclusive) ... .

412 163 27-43 10-85 WEST COAST: Land's End to Mull of Cantyre (inclusive) ...

IRISH COAST 9-86 SOUTH COAST : Dungeness to Land's End (exclusive) .

46 3-06 Sorth and "West Coasts of Scot- land, from the Mull of Cantyre to Duncansby Head ; including the Northern Islands, Hebrides, Islay, Orkney, Shetland, &c.

Isle of Man, Scilly Islands, and Lundy island ..*...

32 2-13 100- We also learn that westerly gales con- tinue to be far more destructive than easterly gales—the most destructive being.

from south-west.

In 1870, 795 wrecks happened when the wind was at force 6 or under, that is to say, when the force of the wind did not exceed a strong breeze, in which the ship could carry single reefs and top-gallant sails; that 141 happened with the wind at forces 7 and 8, or a moderate to a fresh gale, when a ship, if properly found, manned, and navigated, can keep the sea with safety; and that 492 happened with the wind at force 9 and upwards, that is to say, from a strong gale to a hurricane.

In other words, 795 happened when the wind was such that a ship could carry her top-gallant sails; 141 when a ship ought to bo well able to hold her course ; and 492 with the wind at and above a strong gale.

We also observe that 427 vessels were lost last year while under the command of masters who held certificates of competency ; and that in 180 other cases the masters held certificates of service. But there is also the distressing circumstance that no less than 819 vessels were wrecked last year that were under the command of persons not possessing, and not required to possess, certificates of com- petency, in addition to 165 cases -where it is not known whether or not the masters held certificates, and 274 where foreign masters not holding British certificates were employed. It is matters like these that call loudly for legislative interference.

We have already stated that out of the 1,502 wrecks and casualties on our coasts last year, 361 were cases of collision; and on analysing these collisions, we find that 73 involved total loss, while 288 caused partial damage, more or less serious, to the vessels engaged.

The total number of collisions in 1870 (361) happily proves to be 100 less than the number in the previous year, and is 12 below the average (373) of the total and partial collisions during the past ten years.

We observe that 149 of the collisions in 1870 took place in the daytime, i.e., between six A.M. and six P.M. ; and 212 in the night, between six P.M. and six A.M. ; the numbers for 1869 being 174 for the day, and 287 for the night.

The following short table gives the par- ticulars of the classes of vessels that came into collision with each other last year: No. of Collisions.

Collisions between steam-vessels, both being under way '9 Between steamers, one under way, and the other at anchor* 1 Between steamers and sailing vessels:— Both under way 68 Steamer under way and sailing-vessel at anchor 20 Sailing-vessel under way, and steamer at anchor 2 Between sailing-vessels:— Both under way 137 One under way and one at anchor ... 57 Collisions caused by vessels breaking from ! their anchors or moorings 57 j Total ...... 361 j A further noticeable feature in regard j to these collisions is the fact that only 28 j happened in dark weather, while 160 occurred in " clear and fine" weather, 127 in hazy, cloudy, or thick and foggy weather, and 46 in squally or "unknown" weather.

* This and anolher such case in Oct. 1857, are (he only occasions during the past 21 years in which a steam-vessel at anchor has been run into on our coasls by a steamer under way.

On further searching into the causes of the collisions, we lament to find that 75 were caused by bad look-out, 16 by the omission to exhibit proper lights, 45 by neglect or misapplication of the steering and sailing rules, 17 through want of seamanship, 39 on account of general negligence and want of caution, 47 by error in judgment, 17 through inevitable accidents, i and 105 from various other causes.

It will thus be seen that more than one- half of the collisions last year might have been avoided if greater care and skill had I been displayed by those who alone are responsible for these sad disasters; and it } should not be forgotten that, of the lives lost last year on our shores, 112 perished from the 361 collisions.

As regards the loss of life, the returns show that the number of lives lost from wrecks, casualties, and collisions, on or near the coasts of the United Kingdom, in 1870, was 774. This is 159 less than the number lost in 1869, and less than the number in any year since 1865. Of the lives lost last year (774), 180 were from one vessel—ttie ill-fated steamer Cambria, and 200 were from nine other ships, some of which were several miles from the shore. Thus nearly one-half of the lives lost were from only 10 ves- sels, the remainder (394) perishing from 114 other ships. Of these wrecks 99 were laden vessels, 18 were vessels in ballast, and in 7 cases it is not known whether the vessels were laden or light. Ill of these ships were entirely lost, and 13 sus- tained partial damage. Of the 774 lives lost, 105 were in vessels that foundered, 112 through vessels in collision, and 467 in vessels stranded or cast ashore.

The remaining number of lives lost (90) were from various causes, such as by being washed overboard in heavy seas, by explosions, &c.

Whilst the greatest number of wrecks, &c., happened on the east coast, the greatest loss of life, during the ten years ended 1870, occurred in the Irish Sea.

The number of lives saved during the past year is, altogether, 4,654. Hundreds of these were happily rescued from an inevitable death by the Life-boats of the NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, whose sphere of usefulness on our coasts is ex- tending every year. It has now a noble fleet of 231 Life-boats under its management, and assists every year in the saving of about 800 shipwrecked persons. Altogether, this great and national Institution I has contributed, since its first establishment, to the saving of upwards of 20,000 j Shipwrecked sailors. i The Board of Trade maintains in a state j of complete efficiency about 290 Bets of i the rocket and mortar apparatus, which are mainly worked by the Coastguard, i whose principal duties, in these peaceable times, consist in helping to save life from Shipwreck.

Again, our coast boatmen and fishermen are ever ready, in their own frail boats, to do nobly their part in the same sacred work.

Wo have thus attempted to analyze briefly this important Wreck Register, and wo have seen that death levies a heavy toll on our journeys on the sea.

Every one is now familiar with what is done by our noble fleet of Life-boats, the Life-preserving Apparatus of the Board of Trade, and various other means, to diminish the havoc of the stormy waves, and to give safety to the 4,000 or 5,000 poor creatures who suffer from Shipwrecks every year on our coasts.

It is true that no man can quite triumph over the elements. It is inevitable that Shipwrecks will occur, from various causes, | in our seas and on our coasts; but we nevertheless maintain firmly that skill and pro- j caution can to a largo extent successfully I battle with the heaviest storms.