File:Monthly nautical magazine, and quarterly review (1854) (14740143956).jpg

Identifier: monthlynauti118541855newy (find matches)
Title: Monthly nautical magazine, and quarterly review
Year: 1854 (1850s)
Authors:
Subjects: Shipbuilding
Publisher: New York : Griffiths, Bates
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Smithsonian Libraries

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g the ocean. It has, perhaps, never occurred to themerchant, or the underwriter, that it is at all probable that someof those vessels which clear from our custom-houses, and leaveour shores for the last time, never to be heard of again, were ofthis tender class. Such is the fact. However unwilling wemay be to cherish the thought, it is perhaps well enough to en-deavor to satisfy ourselves that a fearful collision with anothervessel, or with an iceberg, has sealed the doom of death to bothpassengers and crew, the most, if not all of them; but we saythat if the light of science and experience are of the least valueto the commercial world, we may learn that the existing tonnagelaws are either directly or remotely the fruitful source of moreshipwreck than every other cause. It were better to expungeall law in reference to the measurement of vessels from ourstatute-books than to dam up the streams of intelligence, andby the glare of a false light, decoy the unwary merchant and Tonnage. 149
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150 The Monthly Nautical Magazine. mariner into a strait where the difficulties render his escapehazardous. We may heap amendment upon amendment, Con-gress may enact laws in reference to life-boats, life-preservers,and the inspection of steam-boilers, and whatever else may seemgood, but unless they make an incision into the laws for measur-ing vessels, and allow its poisonous provisions to escape, littlegood will be accomplished ; on the other hand, if they shallstrike at the root of the matter, and enact a law that shall makethe vessel herself a life-boat, they will have secured the blessingsof unborn millions, who will compare the past ratio of disasterswith those of the future. In order that a more definite under-standing of its operations may be had, we exhibit in the accom-panying engraving a general outline of the same vessel, withsingle and with double deck ; this will be of service to the mer-chant, and may enable him, by due observation, to learn that histrue interest is more

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