The Sea: Its Stirring Story of Adventure, Peril, & Heroism Volume II Part 24

"At this time, when all our plans had become unavailing, those who had been acting with me below went to the top of the cliff. Being exceedingly exhausted I was unable to follow. I lay down on the brink of the precipice, nearly on a line with the top of the rock upon which the sufferers were, and feeling as a human being should at so heartrending a spectacle, when all hope of saving a single individual was almost extinct.

I exclaimed, 'Good G.o.d! are there no means left to save them?' At this moment I took a view of the east promontory and the west. The thought-the happy thought-flashed across my mind. I immediately perceived that Providence favoured us with a tolerable certainty of success. I ascended the precipice, and made my brother acquainted with my plan. We both suggested it to others, but it was disregarded, owing to the great distance between the promontories and the immense height of the cliffs.

However, I saw a glorious prospect before me of rescuing my fellow-creatures from an awful death. Heaven inspired me with confidence, and, in conjunction with my brother, I could not be diverted from making a trial. My brother and the neighbouring gentlemen sent in all directions for lines and ropes. On getting them, we commenced putting my plan into execution. The first attempt failed through want of sufficiency of rope and the setting in of night. When the rope was carried to the rock and there secured, I perceived that one man got upon it. Had he alone ventured, all would be right; but the eagerness of another poor fellow was so great that he attached himself to it, and the weight of the two was overmuch for the rope to bear, and it consequently broke. How we felt at this dreadful occurrence your readers may imagine; I cannot describe the fearful thrill of horror which pervaded every breast. It was now dark night; we had therefore to discontinue our efforts until the next morning.

We left the lines during the intervening night as we had adjusted them the evening before. My brother left two of his men, with one of Lieutenant Charlesson's, to preserve the rope and property during the night.

[Ill.u.s.tration: RESCUE OF THE SURVIVORS OF THE "KILLARNEY."]

"To return to the subject of my communication, I should state that, on ascending the cliff I met Lady Roberts and Captain Knolles. I told them of the loss of one man, not knowing at the time that a second had also suffered-this information, indeed, I afterwards received from yourself. I, notwithstanding this sad disaster, felt persuaded that if I had a sufficient quant.i.ty of rope all would be saved. I mentioned this to Lady Roberts, upon which her ladys.h.i.+p a.s.sured me that I should be plentifully supplied with this article. Though painful to our feelings to be obliged to leave you to spend another night of gloom and horror, we were under the necessity of doing so for want of a sufficient quant.i.ty of rope. On the following morning (Monday) I arrived at the cliff, accompanied by my brother and his men, an hour before daylight. The weather was dreadful beyond conception, rain and snow falling incessantly. We immediately proceeded to bring into operation the plan of the former day. We were at this time much better enabled to do so, having obtained a sufficiency of rope by the directions of Lady Roberts, who, to the honour of her s.e.x, was present at that early hour, exposed to the inclemency of the weather.

Lieutenant Irwin, Inspector of the Coastguard at Kinsale, arrived about this time with Captain Manby's apparatus. This gentleman, having, I presume, had some previous experience of the capability of similar machines, commenced discharging b.a.l.l.s from it. This suspended the operation of my plan for some time, but it was found altogether ineffective; but I consider it right to state that no man could have manifested a greater anxiety than Mr. Irwin to do good. The lines and ropes which he brought us were essentially necessary in putting the successful plan into execution; he also brought the cot....

"In about two hours I had the satisfaction of seeing fourteen persons safely landed from the rock, but one of them, I regret to say, died of exhaustion a short time after having been brought on sh.o.r.e.

"The hawser, as you perceived, had to be taken down a precipice of nearly three hundred feet. To the end of it was joined the line which you had primarily received upon the rock, also a basket of refreshments. I myself took it all down to the lower cliff, where I received each person on being drawn from the rock. The dangers to which myself and three of the coastguard were exposed on that occasion were not, I a.s.sure you, trifling."

About a fortnight after the wreck of the _Killarney_, a large portion of the rock upon which the remnant of the crew and pa.s.sengers had suffered so much was carried away in a storm. It is worthy of remark that during the American War a vessel conveying a company and band of the 32nd Regiment of Foot was lost on the same rock, when all perished.

There can be no doubt that a life-boat, had there been one, would have rescued many more of the poor unfortunates, left on the rock from Friday afternoon to Monday afternoon, with considerable ease. During the year 1876-77, not very far from _five thousand_ lives were saved by the fleet of 269 boats of the National Life-boat Inst.i.tution. Let us examine the wreck record of that period.(100)

We find that the number of British vessels which entered and cleared from ports of the United Kingdom during the year in question was 581,099, representing the enormous tonnage of 101,799,050. Of these s.h.i.+ps, 224,669 were steamers, having a tonnage of about two-thirds of the above amount.

During the same period 60,000 foreign vessels entered inwards and cleared outwards from British ports, representing a tonnage of nearly 20,000,000.

These 641,099 s.h.i.+ps, British and foreign, had probably on board, _apart from pa.s.sengers_, 4,000,000 men and boys.

In 1876-77 the number of wrecks, casualties, and collisions, from all causes, on and near the coasts of the United Kingdom, was 4,164, which number exceeds that of the previous year by 407. 511 cases out of this large number involved total loss, 502 and 472 representing the same cla.s.s of calamities for the two preceding years.

During the past twenty years-from 1857 to 1876-77-the number of s.h.i.+pwrecks on our coasts alone has averaged 1,948 a year, representing in money value millions upon millions sterling in the aggregate.

"In making this statement," says _The Life-boat_, "we lay aside entirely the thousands of precious lives, on which no money value could be placed, which were sacrificed on such disastrous occasions, and which would have been enormously increased in the absence of the determined and gallant services of the life-boats of the National Life-boat Inst.i.tution.

"In the Abstract of the Wreck Register it is stated that, between 1861 and 1876-77, the number of s.h.i.+ps, both British and foreign, wrecked on our coasts which were attended with loss of life was 2,784, causing the loss of 13,098 persons. In 1876-77, loss of life took place in one out of every twenty-two s.h.i.+pwrecks on our coasts.

"It is hardly necessary to say that gales of wind are the prime causes of most s.h.i.+pwrecks, and that those of 1876-77 will long be remembered for their violence and destructive character. Of the 4,164 wrecks, casualties, and collisions, reported as having occurred on and near the coasts of the United Kingdom during the year 1876-77, we find that the total comprised 5,017 vessels. Thus, the number of s.h.i.+ps in 1876-77 is more than the total in 1875-76 by 463. The number of s.h.i.+ps reported is in excess of the casualties reported, because in cases of collision two or more s.h.i.+ps are involved in one casualty. Thus, 847 were collisions, and 3,317 were wrecks and casualties other than collisions. Of these latter casualties, 446 were wrecks, &c., resulting in total loss, 902 were casualties resulting in serious damage, and 1,969 were minor accidents. The whole number of wrecks and casualties other than collisions on and near our coasts reported during the year 1875-76 was 2,982, or 335 less than the number reported during the twelve months under discussion.

"The localities of the wrecks, still excluding collisions, are thus given:-East coasts of England and Scotland, 1,140; south coast, 630; west coast of England and Scotland, and coast of Ireland, 1,259; north coast of Scotland, 129; and other parts, 159. Total, 3,317." "It is recorded that the greatest destruction of human life happened on the north and east coasts of England and Scotland."

It is interesting to observe the ages of the vessels which were wrecked during the period under consideration. Excluding foreign s.h.i.+ps and collision cases, 221 wrecks and casualties happened to nearly new s.h.i.+ps, and 396 to s.h.i.+ps from 3 to 7 years of age. Then there are wrecks and casualties to 631 s.h.i.+ps from 7 to 14 years old, and to 907 from 15 to 30 years old. Then follow 459 old s.h.i.+ps from 30 to 50 years old. Having pa.s.sed the service of half a century, we come to the very old s.h.i.+ps, viz., 71 between 50 and 60 years old, 33 from 60 to 70, 24 from 70 to 80, 9 from 80 to 90, and 5 from 90 to 100, while the ages of 68 of the wrecks are unknown.

On distinguis.h.i.+ng these last named casualties near the coasts of the United Kingdom, according to the force of the wind at the time at which they happened, we find that 739 happened with the wind at forces 7 and 8, or a moderate to fresh gale, when a s.h.i.+p, if properly found, manned, and navigated, can keep the sea with safety; and that 1,046 happened with the wind at force 9 and upwards, that is to say, from a strong gale to a hurricane.

"We must say one word on the subject of casualties to our s.h.i.+ps in our rivers and harbours, as the fearful calamity to the steamer _Princess Alice_ last September in the Thames has directed afresh intense attention to them throughout the civilised world. We find from the Wreck Register Abstract that the total number during the year 1876-77 was 984, of which 17 were total losses, 245 were serious casualties, and 722 minor casualties.

"Of these casualties, collisions numbered 658, founderings 13, strandings 184, and miscellaneous 129.

"These 984 casualties caused the loss of or damage to 1,725 vessels, of which 1,020 were British sailing-vessels, 560 British steam-vessels, 118 foreign sailing-vessels, and 27 foreign steam-vessels. The lives lost in these casualties were 15.

"With reference to the collisions on and near our coasts during the year 1876-77, 48 of the 847 collisions were between two steams.h.i.+ps both under way, irrespective of numerous other such cases in our harbours and rivers, the particulars of which are not given in the Abstract. No disaster at sea or in a river is often more awful in its consequences than a collision, as was too strikingly ill.u.s.trated last year in the cases of the German ironclad _Grosser Kurfurst_, and the Thames steamer _Princess Alice_.

"As regards the loss of life, the Wreck Abstract shows that the number was 776, and of these 92 were lost in vessels that foundered, 57 through vessels in collision, 470 in vessels stranded or cast ash.o.r.e, and 93 in missing vessels. The remaining number of lives lost (64) were lost from various causes, such as through being washed overboard in heavy seas, explosions, missing vessels, &c.

"This number (776) may appear to the casual observer a comparatively small one by the side of the thousands who escaped disaster from the numerous s.h.i.+pwrecks before mentioned. We are, however, of opinion that it is a very large number; and when we bear in mind the inestimable value of human life, we are convinced that no effort should be left untried which can in any way lessen the annual loss of life from s.h.i.+pwreck on our coasts.

"On the other hand, great and n.o.ble work was accomplished during the same period, 4,795 lives having been saved from the various s.h.i.+pwrecks. In bringing about that most important service, it is hardly necessary to say that the craft of the National Life-boat Inst.i.tution played a most important part, in conjunction with the Board of Trade's rocket apparatus, which is so efficiently worked by the Coastguard and our Volunteer Brigades.

"Nevertheless, the aggregate loss of life is very large, and so is the aggregate destruction of property. The former is a species of woe inflicted on humanity; the latter is practically a tax upon commerce.

While the art of saving life on the coasts is understood (thanks to the progress of science-the earnestness of men-and the stout hearts of our coast population), the art of preserving property is as yet but imperfectly known amongst us, and still more imperfectly practised.

"On reviewing the Wreck Register Abstract of the past year, we are bound to take courage from the many gratifying facts it reveals in regard to saving life, which, after all, is our princ.i.p.al object in commenting upon it. n.o.ble work has been done, and is doing, for that purpose; and is it not something, amidst all this havoc of the sea, to help to save even one life, with all its hopes, and to keep the otherwise desolate home unclouded?"

Among the useful works undertaken by the National Life-boat Inst.i.tution is the discussion in its journal of all matters connected with the art of swimming, and swimming and floating apparatus. The Society also issues a valuable circular on the "Treatment of the apparently Drowned," to which further allusion will be hereafter made. The writer is so satisfied that no humane or charitable inst.i.tution in the wide world is better or more economically managed than that under notice, that he would urge all readers of THE SEA to contribute to its funds. And although every reader may not be able to afford his guinea or guineas, he can contribute his s.h.i.+llings or half-crowns, and his influence in aiding one of the local branches, or in forming new ones. A number of life-boats stationed on various parts of the coasts were the gifts of other a.s.sociations and bodies. The Civil Service, Corn Exchange, Coal Exchange, Freemasons, Odd Fellows, Foresters, Good Templars, and other orders, have contributed n.o.bly. Several boats and stations, generally named after the particular fund, were contributed by London and other Sunday-schools, Jewish scholars, commercial travellers, workmen, yacht, boat, and other clubs; while three were the result of an appeal to the readers of the Quiver, two are credited to the _Dundee People's Journal_, and one each to the _British Workman_ and _English Mechanic_. And in concluding the second volume of THE SEA, the writer considers that he has a special right to urge the claims of the Society on his readers, the subject-matter of its pages being taken into account.

END OF VOLUME II.