THE Wreck Register which has been issued within the last few days by the Board of Trade affords, in its elaborate and care- fully prepared tables, abundant matter for consideration and thought. Many of the facts laid before us draw from us the deepest regret; while others, reminding us of the old proverb that " every cloud has a silver lining," cannot but give any well-regulated mind a considerable amount of satisfaction.

We find that during the year ended the 30th June, 1884, there were 3,647 shipping casualties on our shores; but, although this number seems, and is, terri- bly large, it is well to know that during the preceding year it was exceeded- by 7 wrecks. It is still more reassuring to find, on further examination, that while the casualties of the year ended the 30th June, 1883, entailed the loss of 1,020 precious lives, those of the year we are now considering resulted in the loss of 661 lives only, or a decrease of no less than 359. It would be difficult to account definitely for this remarkable falling off in the number of lives sacrificed, but while it is possible, not to say probable, that the elements themselves may have had something to do with it, we cannot but think that the efforts of the last few years to improve the seaworthiness of vessels, added to the spread of education and the application of scientific improvements, must to no mean extent have brought about such a satisfactory result.

The 3,647 wrecks above referred to include all classes of casualties—total loss, partial loss, collisions, etc.—and when the total is subdivided it is found that the more serious cases of wrecks fell from 551 to 473, leaving a balance of 3,174 to repre- sent minor accidents. This fact in itself is worthy of notice, but the diminution in the number of wrecks resulting in the loss of life was even more important, the total being 163, or 57 less than that of the previous year.

Doubtless the falling off in the number of wrecks is partially due to the fact that fewer vessels came to and went from our shores. In the year 1883 669,148 vessels, with a tonnage of 144,793,457, entered and left our ports, whereas last year only 656,744 vessels, with a tonnage of 144,000,375, came in and went oat, showing that there was a decided decrease in the import and export trade- of the country. It is estimated that there were not far short of 4,000,000 people on board the vessels coming and going.

. In order to put matters clearly before our readers, we will now give a tabular statement, showing the number of ship- wrecks which have occurred on the British coast since 1854:— 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; 1879-80,2,510; 1880-81, 3,575; 1881-2, 3,660; 1882-3, 3,654; and 1883-4, 3,647.

It will be gathered from these figures that in the last thirty years alone there have been as many as 66,377. wrecks, and those wrecks entailed the loss of 22,312 lives. This last total is sad enough, but what would the numbers have been had not the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTI- TUTION been in existence. The means adopted by this Society were providentially so successful that no less than 22,161 lives were saved within the same period, and since the foundation of the Institution in 1824 the lives of 31,872 persons have been rescued. It will be seen, however, that the number of lives lost exceeds that of those saved by the Life-boats, so that if the position is to be reversed more sup- port must be given to the Life-boat cause, and means taken, which cannot be done without funds, to render the service even more efficient than it now is. The Rocket apparatus of the Board of Trade also did a great and important work in the year 1883-4, the 2'97 stations where the apparatus is supplied having been instru- mental in saving 202 lives.

4,405 vessels were involved in the 3,647 casualties mentioned above. This will be readily understood when it is ex- plained that in collision cases at least two vessels are necessarily involved, and last year there were 42 more vessels so impli- cated than in the previous twelve months.

We regret to notice that in the year 1883-4, notwithstanding the total number of casualties fell to 3,647, as before stated, there was a very considerable increase in the number of collision cases, which rose from 685 to 721. Of the remaining 2,926 casualties, 407 resulted in total loss, 833 in serious damage, and 1,686 in minor accidents, so that although there were 43 less wrecks, excluding collisions, the total losses and serious casualties increased from 1,152 to 1,240. Not taking into account collisions, 2,613 of the 2,926 casualties happened to British and Colonial vessels, and 318 befell foreign ships and steamers. The British and Colonial vessels were thus . employed:—In our coasting trade, 1,664; in the oversea home and foreign trade, 661; in fishing, 288. Only 19 casualties occurred to foreign vessels trading on our coast, 237 to those bound to or leaving our home ports, and 57 to foreign vessels not trad- ing to or from our shores.

The localities of the wrecks other than collisions were as follows:—East coast of England, 892; south coast, 535; west coasts of England and Scotland and east coast of Ireland, 1,014; north coast of Scotland, 116; east coast of Scotland, 92; and other parts, 277.—Total, 2,926.

As regards the loss of life resulting from casualties of all sorts, it is curious to notice the remarkable change which took place last year in the local distribu- tion of such loss. For many years the east coast of England was by far the most fatal to the shipwrecked mariner; but what was the case in 1883-4 ? While on the east coast of England the number of lives lost fell from 466 to 142, there were •as many as 282 lives lost on the west coasts of England and Scotland and the east coast of Ireland, the loss on the south coast of England being 92, or 6 less than the year before; on the north coast of Scotland 59, or an increase of 13; the east coast of Scotland 25, or 62 less than the preceding year, and other parts 61.— Total, 661.

The annexed chart gives at a glance an admirable idea of the wrecks which took place on our dangerous shores during the year ended the 30th of June, 1884, and it will be observed that very small por- tions of the coast have immunity from shipwreck, showing how important it is to protect properly, by means of Life- boats, our whole coast line.

Between 1861 and the end of June, 1884, there were as many as 3,965 vessels wrecked on our coast, all of which casualties resulted in the loss of lives, numbering in all 18,473.

It is highly satisfactory to find that the number of British vessels totally wrecked on the shores of the United Kingdom, not including collisions-, either on account of the vessels being unsea- worthy, or of the officers, pilots or crews being ignorant or careless, fell last year in the first case from 33 to 13, and in the second case from 68 to 44; the total losses arising from other or unknown causes having decreased from 101 to 96, and those caused by stress of weather from 197 to 187.

The casualties resulting in serious damage arising from the same causes, were as follows:—through defects, 37; errors, 96; weather, 380; break down of machinery and explosions, 138; other causes, 78; while the cases of minor damage were:— through defects, 115; errors, 190; break down of machinery and explosion, 113; stress of weather, 909; and other causes, 217.

It is somewhat curious to note the ages of the various vessels wrecked during the year 1883-4. Not including collisions and foreign craft, disaster befell 262 almost new vessels, 302 to ships from 3 to 7 years of age, 483 from 7 to 14, and 992 from 15 to 30 years old. As regards the casualties befalling old and very old ships, 402 vessels were between 30 and 50 years old, 41 between 50 and 60, 20 between 60 and 70, 10 between 70 and 80, 9 between 80 and 90, 7 be- tween 90 and 100, and 6 were more than 100 years old. The ages of 79 of the vessels wrecked could not be ascertained. Irrespective of collisions, 764 steamers and 2,162 [sailing vessels were wrecked on the coast during the year.

Of. the 2,613 British vessels which were wrecked, excluding cases of collision, 1,385 did not exceed 100 tons bniden, 679 were from 100 to 300 tons, 162 from 300 to 500 tons, and 387 were above 500 tons burden. As regards the 340 British vessels totally lost (not including col- lisions), 42 were constructed of iron, 33 of them being steamers and 9 sailing ves- sels; the rest were either of composite build or of wood.

We notice that we are furnished with the force and direction of the wind in only 1,348 of the 3,647 cases of wreck, and on examination it seems that the winds which wrought most damage on our coasts during the year were:—N. to E. inclusive, 192; E. by S. to S. inclusive, 168; S. by W. to W. inclusive, 566; and W. by N.

to N. by W. inclusive, 422.—Total, 1,348.

As regards the force t f the wind at the time these 1,348 casualties occurred, 938 happened with the wind at forces 9 to 11, or a strong gale to a storm, while the remaining 410 occurred when the wind was 7 to 8, or a moderate to fresh gale, when any vessel properly found, manned, and navigated, might be expected and ought to travel safely.

As to the 721 collisions on or near our coasts, 287 happened in the daytime, and 434 at night; 57 were between steamers under weigh; 161 between steamers and sailing vessels, both being under weigh; and 227 between steamers or sailing vessels under weigh, and steam or sail- ing vessels at anchor. Of the remain- ing 276 collision cases, 156 occurred to sailing vessels, both ships being under weigh, and 120 were caused by vessels breaking from, or fouling at, anchors or moorings.

On examining further the tables of the Register, we much regret to learn that although there was a falling off last year in the number of wrecks around our shores, there was a very serious increase in the casualties to vessels in our harbours and rivers, the number of total losses having doubled. The figures were:—Total losses 38, against 19 the year before; collisions, 836; founderings, 4; strandings, 319 ; miscellaneous, 122. Total 1281, or 263 I more than in 1882-3. This total resulted ! in the loss or damage of 2,207 ships, of which 1,165 were British sailing vessels, 913 British steamers, 97 foreign sailing I vessels, and 32 foreign steamers. The number of lives sacrificed consequent on these casualties would, curiously enough, ! have been the same as in the preceding year, viz. 31, had it not been that 124 lives were lost at the launch of the Daphne in the Firth of Clyde, which brought up the total to 155.

We have before alluded to the very considerable falling off in the loss of life resulting from the wrecks which took place last year on our coast. It will be remembered that the number sacrificed in 1882-3 was 1,020, whereas last year the number fell to 661, giving a decrease of 359 lives lost. Of these 661 lives 62 were lost in foundered vessels, 75 in colli- sions, 228 in vessels stranded or cast ashore, and 242 in missing vessels. The remaining 54 lives were lost from various causes, such as explosions, being washed overboard, etc. The total number of vessels from which lives were lost was 163. Of these 145 were British/entailing the loss of 581 lives, and 18 foreign, in- volving the loss of 80 lives.

The thought which naturally suggests itself to our minds after considering these facts and figures is how thankful we ought to be that such a noble Society as the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION not only exists, but is actively at work.

Were it not for its 290 Life-boats always ready to launch to the assistance of those in distress on our rocky shores, how much greater would the sacrifice of life be than it is? Surely then it be- hoves all who recognise the value of human life to use every means at their disposal to maintain and extend such an important and absolutely necessary work—a work second to none in the world.