^<4l

.'\%

4'J^

IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT-3)

&?-

^^^

t/j

1.0 !S<- IM

I.I

1.25

2.0

1.8

1-4 IIIIII.6

//.

0",

CIHM/ICMH

Microfiche

Series.

CIHM/ICMH
Collection de
microfiches.

Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques

1980

Technical Notes / Notes techniques

The Institute has attempted to obtain the best
original copy available for filming. Physical
features of this copy which may alter any of the
images in the reproduction are checked below.

Coloured covers/
Couvertures de couleur

Coloured maps/

Cartes gdographiques en couleur

L'Institut a microfilm^ le meilleur exemplaire
qu'il lui a dt6 possible de se procurer. Certains
ddfauts susceptibles de nuire d la quality de la
reproduction sont notds ci-dessous.

Coloured pages/
Pages de couleur

Coloured plates/
Planches en couleur

The
poss
of th
filmi

The
com
or th
appi

The

film(

insti

•

Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/
Pages d^color^es, tachetdes ou piqudes

Tight binding (may cause shadows or
distortion along interior margin)/
Reliure serrd (peut causer de Tombre ou
de la distortion le long de la marge
int6rieure)

Show through/
Transparence

Pages damaged/
Pages endommagdes

Map
in oi
uppi
bott
folic

Additional comments/
Comnentaires suppl6mentaires

Bibliographic Notes / Notes bibliographiques

Only edition available/
Seule Edition disponible

Bound with other material/
Reli6 avec d'autres documents

Cover title missing/

Le titre de couverture manque

Pagination incorrect/
Erreurs de pagination

Pages missing/

Des pages manquent

Maps missing/

Des cartes gdographiques manquent

D
D

Plates missing/

Des planches manquent

Additional comments/
Commentaires suppl6mentaires

The images appearing here are the best quality
possible considering the condition and legibility
of the original copy and in keeping with the
filming contract specifications.

Les images suivantes ont 6t6 reproduite.t avec le
plus grand soin, compte tenu de la condiUon et
de la nettetd de I'exemplaire filmd, et en
conformity avec les conditions du contrat de
filmage.

The last recorded frame on each microfiche shall
contain the symbol •—►(meaning CONTINUED"),
or the symbol V (meaning "END"), whichever
applies.

Un des symboles suivants apparaitra sur la der-
nidre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas:
le symbole —^ signifie "A SUIVRE", le symbole
V signifie "FIN".

The original copy was borrowed from, and
filmed with, the kind consent of the following
institution:

Library of the Public

Archives of Canada

Maps or plates too large to be entirely included
in one exposure are filmed beginning in the
upper left hand corner, left to right and top to
bottom, as many frames as required. The
following diagrams illustrate the method:

L'exemplaire film6 fut reproduit grSce d la
g^n^rositd de I'^tablissament prdteur
suivant :

La bibliothdque des Archives

publiques du Canada

Les cartes ou les planches trop grandes pour §tre
reproduites en un seul clichd sont filmdes d
partir de I'angle sup^rieure gauche, de gauche d
droite et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre
d'images ndcessaire. Le diagramme suivant
illustre la mdthode :

^^i!::^,T?flrj:'iffH-r^:|i|i!mti^!n^riT^

,;T;;n:<i»^i

j'k

mtU TfrlE CO|ffi>l.lKitNT8 0F

(

s
b

s
s
i:
t

To THE HUMANE.

The object of this puJbJftoation/ is to direct the

attention of the pubHc, ar^ particularly of legislators,
to the pressing need for a stringent law and regula-
tions under which unseaworthy, rotten vessels can
be detained, and the owners of seaworthy ships be
compelled to provide their vessels with a sufficient
number of good, strong, sound boats, always ready
provisioned and fitted up with life-saving appliances
so as to afford the largest possible safety. That
such legislation is necessary can be abundantly proved
by the records of sufferings copied from the news-
papers of Canada.

The writer's attention was first directed to this
subject through reading of the wreck of the steam-
ship Wai'iJiouth, lost on the Magdalen Islands late
in the fall of 1882. After the ship struck the crew
took to the boat, which capsized in the breakers.
The survivor relates how the perishing boat's crew
strove in vain to climb on the bottom of their
upturned boat, only to fall back and perish in the
seething waters. The boat, bottom up, was thrown
on the shore a few minutes later, but the crew, save
one, had all found a watery grave. The sole sur-
vivor floated to the shore on a plank.

Of the crew and passengers of the steamer
Vernon, lost on lake Michigan, only one of fifty
souls was saved. He says he was awakened about
the middle of the night, by the cry, "the ship is
sinking." He sprang out of the cabin window and

■tV

found himself on a life-raft with six others. It
seemed but a moment till the vessel sank ; all but
a few went down with her. An awful night was
passed, and one after another of his companions
were washed off the raft — perished from cold and
hunger, when abandoned the raft was only 8 miles
from Shoboygan. Stone, the only survivor, was
near dead from cold and hunger, having been sixty
hours on the raft without food.

The following letters speak for themselves :

North Sydney, May 27. — The barque Kate McGuire, Capt.
Temple, arrived here this evening from Buenos Ayres, having on
board two American fisherman, who were picked up in a dory off
Canso. The men were in a terribly exhausted condition having
been six days without food or water. Their names are P^dward
Hogan and John Brown, of the American fishing schooner Ricliard
Lester, Capt. John E. Vibert, and were fishing on the Banquero
banks. They belong to Quebec and Boston respectively. They
left their vessel, the Richard Lester, of Gloucester, Mass., at 4
o'clock on the morning of Thursday the 19th inst., for the purpose
of visiting their trawls, a dense fog prevailing at the time. After
rowing about for some time and being unable to find their trawls,
they discovered that their compass was out of order. They im-
mediately pulled in the direction of their vessel, but were unable
to find her. The next day was-also passed in fruitless search for
their schooner. They then gave up all idea of finding her and re-
lied on the hope of being picked up by some passing vessel. They
saw several vessels pass, but could never get within hailing distance.
Their sufferings during this time were fearful. They had not a
drop of water. On May 24th they had given up all hopes of being
saved, and one of them requested the other to cut off his arm and
alleviate their thirst by drinking the blood. This offer was
not accepted, and next morning about S a. m., they sighted a large
barcjue and feebly rowed towards her. Fortunately, Captain
Temple of the barque, noticed them and bore down upon them.
They were soon alongside and were lifted on board, being in a
most helpless condition. The men say that had they not suc-
ceeded in attracting the attention of the barque they had fuHy
intended to have given up and laid themselves down to die. They
were carefully attended to on board the barque and will be taken
in charge by the American consul. They were 44 miles fioin

Canso when picked up but thought they were only about six, their
compass being altogether useless. Their hands and limbs being
very much swollen from the effect of their exposure and hardships.
— Halifax Herald.

Detroit, Oct. 7th, 1887. — The Tug Orient, with all hands
went down near Point Pclee, Tuesday afternoon. Shortly before
the Orient went down her crew where seen bailing with pails, but
their efforts were unavailing. Her fires were put out, and she went
down head first carrying every living soul, 6 in all, with her, As this
vessel sank only a short distance from the shore, it is only fair to
assume, that had she been provided with a good boat the crew
could have saved themselves. — The World of Toronto.

Drifting about in an open boat without food or water, for ten
days, with never a sail in sight, and three of their number dead,
and the survivors slowly dying of cold and hunger, and too weak
to answer the rescuers' welcome hail. Such was the story told
by the seven survivors of the American barque " D. Chapin,"
which foundered in the Atlantic, Jan. 24th, 1888, The old story ;
a staunch ship, no thought of danger. A storm, the ship founders
and the crew adrift in an open boat on the wild Atlantic. All
night the wind howling a funeral dirge, and the seas breaking over
them constantly drenched to the skin, not a particle of food nor a
drop of water, their misery can be better imagined than described.
On the morning of the 29th, Capt. Hall was delirious and dying,
he thrust out his parched tongue and cried for water, he raved of
home, his wife, and his lost vessel. In a rational interval he
slipi)ed a gold ring from his finger and handed it with a small
chain to his chief officer, and bade him in a whisper to " send
these to his wife in Boston," and then added " I am going to
pray." His last words were, " 1 would give all I possess for a
pitcher of water," A day later the steward died, and the next day
a sailor died piteously begging for water. On Feb. 2nd, the seven
survivors were suffering from cramps in the stomach, and salt
water boils covered them from head to foot. /\ breeze sprang up
on Feb. 3/d, and tying a coat to an oar for a signal, they looked in
vain all day for a welcrmie sail. A passing vessel at last seen this
signal of distress, and rescued them, but they were so weak as to
have to be hoisted on board the schooner Louis G. Rabel where
they were kindly treated. And all this misery and death might
have been prevented, if this ship had been provided with boats
furnished with life saving appliances, and stores of food and water.
—From the St. John Sun, Feb. 28, 1888.

Just think of it! One hundred and twenty-seven fishermen
drowned last season in vessels belonging to Gloucester, Mass. A

:.>

large number of these men belonged to the Maritime Provinces,
some of them to this Island. Every year we hear the same old
story. Vessels are built and sent to sea regardless of danger
ahead. Many of these vessels look well enough, and their sailmg
cjualities are all right in moderate weather, but they wretchedly
fail when forced to face the storms that so often overtake them on
Georges Hanks. Trusting to them, many a j)oor fellow has met a
watery grave. There are some parts of this Island, such as eastern
King's Courity, where there is scarcely a family in the neighbor-
hood but has lost a son or brother in these treacherous Gloucester
crafts. It is time that our young men abandoned them and their
Bank fishing altogether. — Daily Examiner, Dec. //, i88y.

Mr. Henry F. Coombs, who is just now visiting Charlottetovvn,
has left at the Examiner office the model of a boat fitted with a
view to the saving of life in case of shipwreck. It i*^ claimed that
boats can be made comparatively safe by the use of the appliances,
which consist of longtitudinal strips of iron at the sides to which
persons who unfortunately suffer an upset may cling, or by means
of which they may climb up to the keel, or under favorable
circumstances right a cajjsized boat; of air chambers at the stem
and stern; and of air and water-tight lockers under the thwarts in
which {provisions may be stored and kept undamaged. These are
certainly great improvements on the ordinary shii)'s boats, and
Mr. Coombs' proposal that an order should be issued for theii
adoption by the owners of all Canadian vessels, seems to be a good
one, if the saving of life at sea is to be considered. Mr. Coombs
is ready to yield up his patent right to the improvements without
any recompence, if only the government will accept his proposal.
Concerning the improvements, Mr. A. M. Smith, president of the
Collingwood & Lake Superior line of steamers, writes:

"I have examined the life-saving appliances for ship's boats,
invented by Mr. H. F. Coombs, of St. John, N. B., and I
consider them the best and most practicable attachment for that
purpose that I have seen. As far as my judgment goes, I think
it would be a wise and humane action if the government would
make it compulsory on shipowners to have the attachment on all
or some of their life-boats."

This is a strong recommendation from a high authority. — P. E.
Island Examiner, Dec. 14th, 1881.

Hamilton, Nov. 4. — When the barge Oriental was lost with
all hands a few miles off Port Dalhousie, about ten days ago, a
despatch from that place said : — " It is supposed that the straining
of the Oriental in the heavy sea opened her seams, causing her
to fill and sink."

That was no doubt true, but it was only part of the story. Such
events occur so often on the Great Lakes that they have lost their
significance by their terrible freciuency. Year after year vessels go
down and are forgotten the next day by all but the widows and
or|)haned children of the unfortunate sailors, who, like the crtw of
the Oriental, have drowned within sight of the lights on shore.
Only sailors know how many coffin-ships are fitted out every spring
with every probability that they will never see the close of the
season. In this country there is no law to regulate the cjuantity
or quality of a crew even in a well-found seaworthy vessel. She
may leave port with as many or as few men or boys as the
owner chooses. There is no inspection of sailing craft except by
the insurance companies for their own information, and this covers
only the hull. No matter in what condition the rigging or outfit
of a vessel may be, no attention is ])aid to it by authority. Life-
saving api)aratus is unknown on lake vessels. " I have seen only
one schooner in my time that carried a life-buoy," said Mr. J. V.
Carey, master of the St. Catharines' Seamen's Assembly, to a
Globe reporter. " Every vessel has a yawl boat, but many of them
are unfit to float in smooth water, let alone carry a crew in a sea."
In insurable and fairly well-found craft the sailor's lot is perilous
enough, but of this he makes no complaint. It is against the
dangers that he should not be asked to face that his only mouth-
piece, the Seaman's District Assembly, speaks for 6,000 sailors.
They are exposed to many hardships and dangers, to stress of wind
and sea, the natural accom|)animents of their calling. But the
risks of navigation are added to by the coffin ships, unseaworthy,
overloaded, undermanned vessels. Perhaps one-tenth of the sail-
ing vessels on the lakes are, like the Oriental, without a rating,
that is, they are so old and frail that even the insurance companies
— which will take some pretty risky risks — will not touch them.
"A man does not need to ship in a vessel that he doesn't think
seaworthy," says the careless reader of the sailor's complaint. It
is true that good sailors are seldom found in the coffin-ships, and
this is another danger, for the crews of such are usually green, in-
competent men or boys, unable to handle their vessel in a blow.
But a vessel that is seaworthy, with her proper cargo, is easily made
unseaworthy by over-loading. Ask a captain about this as he
watches his forechains sinking deeper and deeper under the dusty
load that the elevator spouts are pouring into his hatches. Suggest
to him that if he should meet a "snorter" on the trip his vessel
would not live through it. He knows the danger better than you,
but he says "what can I do? My orders are that rates are low
and I must put into the vessel all I can get. If rates are good the
owner must make hay while the sun shines. I know it's taking
pretty hard chances, but I've got a wife and little one's at home,
and if I don't do it there are other men waiting for my job. I

guess we can dodge along and keep out of the way of the snorters."
Soniotinies he can't avoid "snorters" and when a gale strik»,'s his
over-loaded ship, she founders, and to the act of Providence is
charged that for which man alone is re3|)onsibie The sailors think
they can ride as fast as "the old man" — the captain — can drive
and so they go to their deaths. There is loss of life and property
every year, which no human jjrudence could forestall, for the vast-
ness and might of these great lakes are such as few can realise.
But such losses as that of the Oriental are preventible, and the
way to prevent them is to j)rohil)it such craft from leaving i)ort.
The Oriental was a 21-ycar-old schooner, her to|>masts taken out
and used as a barge. She had so little canvas as to be unable to
proceed under sail when cut loose from the steamer, even had her
crew been competent, but her com|)any consisted of only a cajjtain
and mate — presumably from their positions capable seamen — and
two men who had never sailed before. Only two men able to reef
or steer in a three-masted vessel loaded vuh over 700 tons of
coal! What could these unfortunates — compelled no doubt by
the necessity of earning a living to shiji in such a vessel — do but
wait for the howling seas to swallow their coffin-ship, while the fiery
eye of the Port Dalhousic light alone saw them go down. Other
vessels on the lakes are like her, and their end will be the same.
The B2 vessels of to-day are the coffin-ships of next year, and the
ranks are kept well filled. Some of the tows of steambarges trading
on the lakes are not fit to cross Toronto Bay, but no law says they
shall not carry men to their destruction. "Some of them are so
rotten that I can pick pieces out of them with my fingers and they
would go down in a summer squall that is over in half an hour,"
said Mr. Carey. " I have seen sailing vessels leave Port Dalhousie
with holes in their sides patched up with pieces of canvas and the
Niagra, with a hold only thirteen feet deep, was loaded down till
she drew fourteen feet. As a rule vessel-owners are willing to pay
reasonable wages and carry good men, but some prefer cheap, in-
capable crews and will take any chances with their vessels." The
sailor man has had but little legislation for his benefit, and not
long ago an attempt was made to have rescinded the regulation re-
quiring certificated officers for vessels in tow. If the safety and
proper construction of buildings on land come within the authority
of the community, surely, he says, some supervis!)n should be had
over the edifice that float. P"or a dollar and a half or two dollars
a day the sailor undergoes hardships and perils such as none know
but himself, and it cannot be said that there remains nothing to
be done for the men whose lives are spent on the mighty waters,
marked with all the round of fantastic names from the passage of
Death's Door to the reef of Skilligalee. — Toronto Globe, Nov 4.
1887.

The foregoing are only a few of the hundreds of
recorded cases of suffering and death from shij)-
wreck. Hundreds of wrecks occur of which we
know nothing, but doubtless, on these, chapters of
horrors could be written, of how the ship's crew
and passengers, adrift in poor boats, died one by-
one, until the last man or woman perished from cold
and hunger, — and how they suffered will only be
known when the sea shall give up its dead.

The life-saving stations, which dot the shores of
the United States and Old England, have de-
monstrated that by the use of proper appliances
thousands of lives have been saved from a watery
grave. Doubtless if all ships were provided with a
sufficient number of boats fitted with air chambers
in the interior, at the stem and stern, and boxes
securely fastened, kept filled with food and water, and
a comj^ass and sail, with oars securely chained to the
boat, and metal rowlocks, a can of oil, and some
simple, compact signaling apparatus, and last a few
iron rods fastened lengthwise to the bottom of
boats, to assist in righting in case of a capsize, or
as a last resort to help in climbing upon the bottom
of a boat. With these a boat, if not picked up
by a passing vessel, would reach a port of safety.

The writer, as already intimated, seeks no personal
gain and is ready to abandon, without fee or reward,
any patent rights he now may have, if only legislation
can be obtained whereby the needless loss of life at
sea may be prevented. The assistance of legislators
and other humane people and societies, is earnestly
requested to secure the end sought for by the writer, —
namely, to succor the perishing.

The thanks of the writer is due to the clergymen
whose names here follow, for their kind words of
approval, and to A. M. Smith, Esq., for valuable
assistance rendered.

HENRY F. COOMBS.

Mr. Henry F. Coombs,

My Dear Sir, — You have my heartiest sympathy in your
humane efforts to make less perilous the calling of those who
follow the sea. I have no doubt our legislators will gladly, as far
as possible, second you in such a work of love.

Respectfully Yours,

GEO. O. GATES,
St. John, N.B., April i8, 1888. Pas for 0/ Ger. St. Bap. Church.

Mr. Henry F. Coombs,

Dear Sir, — The matter of providing for the safety of sailors
and passengers is something that calls for the most earnest
attention and the use of every available appliance.

Even if the best were done the danger would be great, and the
story of sufferiiig and death would be sad enough.

It is surely possible to prevent unseaworthy ships from going to
sea, to prohibit overloading, and to compel owners and captains,
when they do not of their own accord, through the dictates of
humanity, do sc to provide every vessel with the best known
appliances, so that in case of shipwreck or other disaster those on
board may have some chance of saving their lives. That these
things are not attended to as they ought to be may be known to
any one who is accustomed to travel.

I have, myself, been on a lake boat which sometimes carried
hundreds of passengers, where I distinctly saw the seams opening
and closing with the straining of the ship, and the green water
springing from the rotton planks. The vessel was soon afterwards
sold and went to pieces on her first trip on one of the upper lakes
where she was exposed to a heavier sea.

I heartily join with all who ask for the utmost protection being
afforded to seamen in every way within the control of the
authorities.

St. John, N. B., April 17, 1888.

G. BRUCE.

Mr. Henry F. Coombs,

Dear Sir, — We have much pleasure in commending your
pamphlet to the thoughtful consideration of legislators and other
humane people, and you have our best wishes in your efforts to
bring about legislation that shall reduce, as much as possible, the
loss of life and sufferings of those who go down to the sea in
ships.

^Signed on behalf of St. John Preachers' Meeting.

W. LAWSON.
St. John, N. B., Canada, April 16, 1888.

* The St. John Preachers' Meeting is presided over by the President of the New
Brunswick and P.E.I. Confen ce.

,'our
who
far

irch.

ilors
nest

the

igto
ains,
is of
lown
e on
hese
n to

rried
ining
vater
I'ards
lakes

aeing
the

your
other
ts to
?, the
sa in

New