Untitled

Colonist, Volume II, Issue 167, 27 May 1859, Page 3

. Wrecks and Casualties is 1858.—Last year there svere 117O.wrecks'and casualties on and near the coasts of the United Kingdom against 114.3,1153, and 1141., in 1807,. 1856, and 1855; whence it would follow that Weeks, as Mr. Buckle says of suicides and other offences against the laws, are a constant or unvarying .quantity,.and that, so to ,spe«k,. a certain number of wrecks, as of suicides, &c, must, per force, take place •every year, in accordance with some mysterious law hitherto not patent., The tons burden of the ships wrecked in 1853 was 205,243. The number of " hands I employed in these unlucky vessels was 8979, or, strictly speaking, 17,958, if the nautical phrase be taken literally. In the months of January, February, March, April, October, November, and December, the number of wrecks was always above 100, and in May, June, July, August, and September below that number. The number of casualities to-ships registered in this kingdom and in the colonies was 957, and to foreign ship's 209. Old ships appear to be comparatively ■exempt from risks, as the number of casualties to those •"between the age of 61 and 100 wns only 15, whereas 151 perished in . infancy, i.e., under three years "of age, 106 under seven years, 193 under 20, and 104 under SO years of age. The 1170 accidents included 48 to pfcfiamships, 102 to barques, ■280 to briga, 85 to brignritihes, '45 to galliots, 26 to' luggers, 55 to ships, 374 to schooners,' 89 to sloops, 55 to smacks, arid 4' only to yachts.' ' 'Trows, " hermaphradifce"," and chasse-marees, • were exempted altogether from casualty.The total loss on these ships (as reported) was £435,656; others were insured to the amount of £414.817. The to.^nl losa by collision was 'CO. Out of 1895 lives in actual peril from shipwrecks, iOnly 340 were los, and J 555 saved, including 206 by .lifeboat and 210 by the rocket and mortar apparatus, 'The lives lost in the last three years shew a gradual .and '.satisfactory decrease. £4523 was disbursed for •ike-purpose of encouraging the saving of-lifa at sea.