As the revolving year comes round, the direful effects of storms and shipwrecks are vividly brought tinder our notice by the details of the Wreck Kegister recently issued under the auspices of the Board of Trade. From it we regret to observe that the number, of wrecks, casualties, and col- lisions on the coasts of the United Kingdom was 1,056 in excess of those of 1879-80, the number shown in the Kegister being 3,575, and resulting, unhappily, in the loss of 984 lives.

It should, however, be remembered that of these 3,575 wrecks, only 705 cases in- volved total loss, and that there was loss of life from only 238, or about 1 in 18, of the vessels lost or damaged.

After deducting 705 from the casualties of the year, we find that the remainder is made up of 1,314 more or less serious and 1,556 minor disasters.

Thus the Wreck Register for the period under consideration is full of information concerning the fearful storms which raged on our coasts during the year, and of the shipwrecks, the immense destruction of valuable property, and the fearful loss of lives.

When, however, we take into account the great and increasing shipping interest NOVEMBER 1,1882.] THE LIFE-BOAT.

663 of the United Kingdom, and the certainty and violence of the storms which visit every year our seas and coasts, shipping disasters appear to be inevitable.

Prom the last Annual Statement of Navigation and Shipping it appears that the number of British and foreign vessels that entered inwards and cleared outwards to and from ports of the United Kingdom last year, including their repeated voyages, was 668,000—representing a tonnage of 134,079,623, and carrying on board pro- bably between three and four millions of persons on all occasions.

For nearly thirty years the NATIONAL LOTS-BOAT INSTITUTION has periodically called attention to the annual record of shipwrecks on our coasts. The fol- lowing is a list of them from 1854 to 1880-81:—1854 (last six months), 458; 1855,1,141; 1856, 1,153; 1857, 1,143; 1858,1,170; 1859, 1,416; 1860, 1,379; 1861,1,494; 1862, 1,488; 1863, 1,664; 1864,1,390; 1865, 1,656; 1866, 1,860; 1867,2,090; 1868, 1,747; 1869,2,114; 1870,1,502; 1871,1,575; 1872, 1,958; 1873 (first six months), 967; 1873-4, 1,803; 1874-5, 3,590; 1875-6, 3,757; 1876-7% 4,164; 1877-8, 3,641; 1878-9, 3,002 ; 1879-80, 2,519 ; and 1880-81, 3,575 ; making a total number of wrecks in twenty-seven years of 55,416, and what is still more lamentable, the actual loss of 19,534 lives from these very disasters.

It is, however, gratifying to find that, during the same period, 1854-1881, the Life-boats of the NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION were fortunately the means, under God, of saving 12,667 lives, and that since its formation, the Institution has, by its Life-boats and other means, contri- buted to the saving of twenty-nine thousand one hundred and eighty-one lives from vessels wrecked, stranded, or in distress.

On the other hand, it should not be overlooked, in accounting for the excess of the lives lost in this and other periods over those saved, that the Life-boat Is often and often launched in reply to urgent signals of distress, and, after toiling all night, sometimes returns home without a single soul of the shipwrecked crew, the "wild wind and ruthless seas" having previously engulfed them.

The 3,575 wrecks, casualties, and col- lisions, reported as having occurred on and near the coasts of the United King- dom during the year 1880-81, comprised 4,297 vessels. The number of ships in that period is unfortunately larger than the total of the previous year by 1,159, and is in excess of the casualties reported, because in cases of collision two or more ships are, of course, involved in one casualty. Thus 713 were collisions, and 2,862 were wrecks and casualties other than collisions. On subdividing these latter disasters, we find that 636 were wrecks, &c., resulting in total loss, 670 were casualties resulting in serious damage, and 1,556 were minor accidents.

During the year 1879-80 the wrecks and casualties other than collisions on and near our coasts numbered 1,916, or 946 less than the number reported during the twelve months now under discussion.

Excluding collisions, on which we shall presently have a word to say, we observe that out of 2,862 casualties, 2,569 occurred to vessels belonging to this country and its dependencies, and that 293 happened to ships which belonged to foreign nations. Of these 2,569 British vessels, 1,732 were employed in our own coasting trade, 667 in the (oversea) foreign and home trade, and 170 as fishing vessels. There were 15 casualties to ships belonging to foreign countries and states employed in the British coasting trade, and 220 to foreign vessels bound to or from British ports, although not actually engaged in our coasting trade; while there were 58 casualties to foreign ships which were not trading to or from the United Kingdom.

The localities of the wrecks, still ex- eluding collisions, are thus given:—east coasts of England and Scotland, 1,088; south coast, 503; west coasts of England and Scotland, and coast of Ireland, 987; north coast of Scotland, 82; and other parts, 202. Total, 2,862.

664 THE LIFE-BOAT.

[NOVEMBER 1,1882.

The loss of life, collision cases now being' included, was as follows:—east coast, 585; south coast, 94; west coast, 162 ; north coast, 54; other parts of the coast, 89. Total, 984. It will thus be seen that the greatest loss of life happened, as usual, on the east coast of England.

The accompanying Wreck Chart is for the past year, and its appearance is cer- tainly most striking, and, we are com- pelled to add, very discouraging, from the fact that while the Life-boats and the Rocket Apparatus save undoubtedly every life that it is practicable to save, the num- ber of shipwrecks on our coasts every year is overwhelming, and baffles not only all means for their prevention, but all efforts for their yearly appreciable diminution.

In twenty years—between 1861 and 1881—the number of British and foreign ships that came to grief on our coasts, and from which life was lost, was 3,347, resulting in the loss of 15,695 lives.

It is distressing to observe that the number of English ships, excluding col- lision cases, which appear to have foun- dered or to have been otherwise totally lost on and near the coasts of the United Kingdom from defects in the ships or their equipments during the year, is 34; while 92 happened through the errors, &c., of masters, officers, crews, or pilots, 319 through stress of weather, and 95 from other or unknown causes.

The number of casualties arising from the same causes during the year, and resulting in serious damage, is as fol- lows :—Through defects, 32; errors, 86 ; stress of weather, 368; other causes, 122; and the cases of minor damage were, through defects, 82; errors, 155; stress of weather, 954; and other causes, 230.

The ages of the vessels wrecked during the past year are also thus given in the Register. Excluding foreign ships and collision cases, 146 disasters happened to nearly new ships, and 322 to ships from 3 to 7 years of age. Then there were 506 to ships from 7 to 14 years old, and 932 to ships from 15 to 30 years old. Then follow 463 old ships from 30 to 50 years old. Having passed the ser- vice of half a century, we come to the very old ships, viz. 59 between 50 and 60 years old, 34 from 60 to 70, 6 from 70 to 80, 7 from 80 to 90; 5 from 90 to 100, and 6 upwards of 100 years old; while the ages of 83 are unknown.

Excluding collisions, 495 steamships, and 2,367 sailing vessels, were lost or damaged on our coasts last year.

Of the 2,569 British ships which met with disaster, 1,341 did not exceed 100 tons burthen, 791 were from 100 to 300 tons, 170 were from 300 to 500 tons, and 267 were above 500 tons burthen.

Of the 540 British vessels totally lost irrespective of collisions, 44 are known to have been built of iron; and of this number, 34 were steamships, and 10 were sailing vessels.

As regards the force and direction of the wind, the Wreck Register only gives the winds in 1,553 out of the 3,575 cases of the year. Dealing with these 1,553 cases only, we find that the winds that have been most fatal to shipping on and near the coasts of the United Kingdom during the year were as follows:—N. to E.

inclusive, 660; E. by S. to S. inclusive, 412 ; S. by W. to W. inclusive, 322; and W. by N. to N. by W. inclusive, 157; variable and unknown, 2. Total, 1,553.

On distinguishing these last-named casualties near our coasts according to the force of the wind at the time at which the disaster occurred, 421 happened with the wind at forces 7 and 8, or a moderate to fresh gale, when a ship, if properly found, manned, and navigated, ought surely to be able to keep the sea with safety; while no less than 1,132 disasters happened when the force of the wind was 9 and upwards, that is to say, from a strong gale to a hurricane.

The casualties to ships in our rivers and harbours continue also to be nume- rous ; the number during the year having been 821, of which 31 were total losses, and 790 were partial casualties.

Of these, collisions numbered 540, founderings 14, strandings 180, and miscellaneous 87.

The 821 casualties caused the loss of or damage to 1,397 vessels, of which 727 were British sailing vessels, 562 British steam-vessels, 80 foreign sailing vessels, and 28 foreign steam vessels. The lives lost in these casualties were, happily, only 13.

With reference to the collisions on and near our coasts during the year, 63 of the 713 collisions were between two steam- ships both under way; 148 between steam and sailing vessels, both being under way; and 72 between steamships under way and steam or sailing vessels at anchor.

The importance of these facts cannot be overrated, for it is hardly possible to conceive a casualty more fearful often in its ultimate consequences than a collision between two great ships at sea.

As regards the loss of life, the Wreck Abstract shows that, as we have above mentioned, the number was, unhappily, 984 during the twelve months. Of these, 66 were lost in vessels that foundered, 96 through vessels in collision, 481 in ships stranded or cast ashore, and 237 in missing vessels. The remaining 104 lives were lost from various causes, such as through being washed overboard in heavy seas, explosions, &c. Of the 238 ships from which the 984 lives were lost, 208 were British, involving the loss of 852 lives, and 30 were foreign, causing the loss of 132 lives.

In the midst of records of scenes of such desolation, it is satisfactory to contem- plate the great and noble work of the NATIONAL LITE-BOAT INSTITUTION, which knows of no abatement, and is as thriving and active to-day as at any former period in its history. Thus after nearly sixty years, the LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION toils on with an increasing sense of its great responsibility, and appeals with re- newed assurance for a continuance of that liberal support which the Public has hitherto so generously extended to it.