The Pacific’s Lesson: Floating Decks and Real Sailors

LIFE-SAVING APPARATUS AT SEA.

The importance attached to this subject is of such vast moment to the maritime world that we hail with no inconsiderable interest any suggestions coming from thinking men having a bearing upon it. The following, from a well-known correspondent, “Rustler,” opens up what appears to us to be a practicable means of saving life, and at the same time contains some very valuable hints regarding the duties of crews, which should receive the careful consideration of all interested.

“I noticed in your valuable paper that Mr. Rhodes, of Victoria, has issued a circular calling the attention of all interested to devise means to save life on board vessels wrecked at sea. Like him, I am no mechanic, yet I have had some experience at sea and many close calls to visit the mysterious depths of old ocean, and would suggest a plan which, if it could be carried out, would be the means of saving many lives. Let the hurricane deck of all passenger vessels be constructed in sections to fit together according to space, with places in them for bread and water; always in place, with life-lines and bolts attached, ready at all times to launch, or if the ship sink, to float off, so people could cling to them until rescued. If the boats were not damaged they might take what they could with safety and make for shore, and so return for the rest; or if in mid-ocean could cruise for passing vessels, and notify them of the position of the life-rafts.

“I believe that more lives have been saved by rafts or parts of the wreck than by boats, and this should be taken into consideration in the construction of passenger steamers.

“The Pacific, with 300 passengers, only carried four seamen, or men that could steer; the rest were raw landsmen. If, perchance, her boats were launched all right the night of the collision, where were the sailors to man them? Four quartermasters could not pull six boats, and what dependence could be placed on the deck hands, or roustabouts, as they were called, some of whom never were in a boat in their lives. Since steamers have been invented, the real sailor has been passing away, and they have substituted a spurious article called deck hands. Why should steamships be allowed to go to sea with fewer sailors than a sailing ship? Owners say, ‘We don’t want sailors; we want men to handle freight.’ That is well enough; men to handle freight can always be got at either end of the route. In the meantime sailors, under proper officers, could be getting the steamer and boats, with all other tackle, ready for sea, which is now neglected until after she leaves port, like the Pacific, with all hands worn out with hard labor, decks and boats lumbered up, or the latter hanging to the davits with rotten falls or blocks, which the four quartermasters may fix up when they can find time.

“I have no doubt if there had been a watch on deck, some of them would have seen the Orpheus’s light in time to have turned round and gone the other way, and so avoided the collision; or, after, got out some of the boats.

“All men shipped on steamers running on ocean routes, carrying passengers, should be seamen, and picked men at that, capable of handling boats anywhere, and if the moving of freight interfered with their duties, or rest, it should be accomplished by laborers.

“No matter how well a vessel may be supplied with boats and other life-saving apparatus, it requires practical men to make proper use of them at the proper time.”