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Leader (1850-1860), 13th October 1860, Edition 2 of 2, Page 10

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      G 66 The Saturday Analyst And Leader. [O...

      g The Saturday Analyst and Leader . [ Oct . 13 , I 860

      Wrecks Of 1859.* The Present Number Of. ...

      WRECKS OF 1859 . * THE present number of . the interesting , quarterly publication mentioned bolow , the organ of . one . -of the mast useLiU institutions in existence , contains a . valuable ; muss (^ information in reference to ¦ tho Important subject on whioh . it treats , AUimiai . Fitz-Roy , F . R . S ., contributes a paper . '' On ^ eallier ^ kis ^ . ^ We have an accountof " Additional Stations amllW Life-boaU _ " Barometers for Life-boat Stations " is the titleof an article that every inhabitant of the greatest maritime country in the uoil , ought to read . << The Services of Liie-boats , " ? % ioitkin a condensed summary , showing the vital importance of the hibjcot , and the extensive ffood that has been el ectetl by theni . But tiu . leading feature of the number is " Ihe Wreck Ivegiser andChait of 1859 , with nine columns of explanatory matter . On the B ¦ i i *> h coasts alone during' that fatal year , which terminated vuth a serTes o Snt storms , out of 4 , 0 U 0 shipwrecked persons ( in round numbers ^ on board , more than 1 , 400 . wrecks , upwards , or 1 , OW stink , never , to rise again . A million-and-a-lualt . . Ler lmg doe , not adequatelv represent the loss ot property-sustained . -On the Eastern coast " alone , more than ( J 20 vessels were wrecked bueh is an outline of losses in the gross ; the per centage of which xiiay be calculated from the statement , that last year the number ot vessels that entered inwards and cleared outwards , ^ as considerably above 300 , 000 , their total tonnage being nearly . ^ , , . uuu , and bearing a human freight of a million of souls . Indeed those who are acquainted with our Eastern coast know that as many as 500 vessels are often seen at one time frora . onc point . ot view , while an equal number throngs the outlets of the Mersey / and tlie Thames . The most disastrous tempests were those ot iotli-, ^ Otii , and 31 st October / and 1 st and 2 d jNovenibor . In the first of these e-ales there were 133 complete wrecks , and ISO serious accidents , with a loss of 800 lives ; the ill-fated Royal Charter alone contributing 446 . In the November hurricane , tho results were less frightful , and the total Wrecks did not so far exceed the accidents . ; there being 27 of each . But on tlio 28 th of April last , 42 L persons were engulfed at once in tho Pomona . "Accident" and " chance ,

      which in a scientific view , is but an expression ot our ignorance , as being applicable to unexplained cases of . causation , are curiously illustrated in the apparent freaks and caprices of natural phenomena , which , however , we know ,-act in conformity with rigorous laws , unbending in tlieir operation . Casualties to English vessels trading from our shores . ' to the United States rose froni J 2 / . in 1858 , to 1 , 187 in 1859 , while those accruing to foreign bottoms sunk from 209 to 188 . In the over-sea trade , one voyage out ot every 175 made by English ships is marked with a " casualty ; as-ainst 1 in everv 335 . such voyages by the foreigner . Whether against 1 in every 335 such voyages by the foreigner . \ v ntauei

      , this exemplifies the fable of " The Hare and tho lortoisc , or Shakspeare ' s saying that "it is the bright day that brings ioi-th the adder , and claims wary walking , " " \ vo don ' t pretend to explain in this article •; . ¦ British Jack may be too confident in his seamaushipj while the " foreigner" keeps his weather eye wider open , and winks it less frequently . If the vessels lost in 1859 , compared with 1858 , be classified by their cargoes , we have tho following results : 500 against 377 laden colliers ; 71- against 41 light colliers ; 130 against 101 oro ships , and 42 against 11 passenger ships , with general cargo . Then to analyse the losses : in the Reg-Wor" beforo . us , according to register and tonnage , wo have 491 schooners , 292 brigs , 12 ? « Ioops , 123 barques . Tiiero were 493 " casualtios" to vessels ranging from 100 to ? H )() tons ; 455 vessels from 50 to 100 tons ; under 50 tons thcro were 30 ( 5

      casualtios , and 1 G 0 to vessels over 300 tons . " It was amongst these numerous wrooks , " says the Journal of the National Lifeboat Institution > before us , " which often ocourred during fearful storms , that the life-boat was busily engaged . It is-a long list of noble services , and a few of them will bo enough to show what strong claims tho Institution has upon the sympathy and support of the public . " Wo must horo conclude this brief outline , and refer to tho periodical alludod to for further information on tho subject .

      Foreign Correspondence Special. Iianovje...

      FOREIGN CORRESPONDENCE SPECIAL . IIANOVJER , Oct . 9 , I 860 . FOB . some time post a report was in circulation that the Prussian Ministry had hud proposals beforo tho Prince Regent for the nomination of a certain number of new members to the Upper Iloueo of Parliament . These proposals nro now accepted , eighteen persons having been creator ! members of tho House of Lords for life . Tho Prussian Wochenblatt which , according to general belief , is tho organ of tho Ministry , lino an article , upon

      the subject , and it is , therpfore , interesting . to learn tho motives of the moasuiQ j and tho hopes which tho Government rests upon . it . After pointing out tho oppositionnl spirit and position of the Upper House to tho present Govoriinienl , tho article in question proceeds to state , tliat oven on tho olmngo of Ministry which took place with the Regency , when it was feared that tho Upi er House would die ] . Jay tlie Bum © fcystenuuic oifoeition to tho ndviseis of tho Crown that had characterised it in its relations to tho people , good reasons existed for tho opinion that the moment had armed to correct so sensible an evil l > y the employment of tho prerogative which the Constitution had placed in tho Crown . Iho Government , however , doubtless clefsircd to au ' wd

      the Upper House the opportunity of proving that its members Would comprehend and confirm to the altered ¦ circumstances of the time . JJufc although the experience of the last . session has shown that that legislative body so far forgets- the condition ' s of its existence , that relying ui on its position . in tho State , ifc has thought proper to adopt as ; , stem , of toe lies , the aim of which is to transform this monarchy into an oligarchy , yet the hesitation , and delay of the Government has gained tho advantage- that . tho defects and prejudices of that body have become felt to -the fullest extent . It was felfc . as a most . oppressive evil , that in the . midst <_ . f the Upper House itself tho views . of the Prince liegent and of ( ho people met with ' the ' most determine ! resistance , and that all tho

      reasons brought forward , l » y the Ministers . of tho Grown in support of any inoastu \\ . were totally disregarded by tho ja-ejuiiiced majority . Another consider , it km for iky ( . ioyerninont : w ;; s tl > . ; circumstance that in the Upper liouso not a voice was raised that found an echo in the people . This was most deserving of attention , for it gave proof that tlie assembly hald aloof from ihe nation and hindered its progress—it . had entirely broken oft' all eonncctinn with the age in which we live , and . that is , for a political institution a sure sign of approaching dissolution .. It was , therefore , the Woclunblatt - concludes , high time iov the Crov / n , by ihe employment-of its prerogative , to make . a first attempt at redress . The ( xoveriiinont of the Prince Regent luis thereb y ¦' rendered it

      evident that it comprehends the nature of the evil , and that it is resolved to apply tlie needful remedy , 'iho nominations made by the Government will introduce into the Upper ll . ou . se elements which , will b 3 a guarantee that this body shall not sink df cpjr and deeper in its oligarchical slough . They will foun th . ; nucleus ( if a political . ' 'party that perceives , in an active , progressive tlcvelopement ,, the vital law of Prussia ; and tho power oi truth upon which this opinion is bass 1 will undoubtedly exercise an in . iluv .-nce . The act of the Crown will iii-nilly—and : upon this we l . > y the greatest stress—be regarded by the majority of the Upper ll . ou = o as a serious reminder of the position and duties of this body , and will tend to dispel the dangerous illusion that itpossesses tlie power " to decide the fate of the couiiiry- in opposition to tho \\ iit of the ¦

      Regent . The majority v . ill perceive , . act , a reminder that-, in ease the opposition hitherto dL ^ Jnyed- ho persisted in , the . ' Crown poscc-wes ^ the power io eru-Ji them into xx minority , and to . conilne their much-boasted inllucnce r Within a very unirrow circle . It is to }) o lu : >[ el iliac this measure will sulliec in the Upper HoUcC to lend iorce to ii ; e sjiirit of moderation and pohdeal prude . ico , and thereby ciUiblo mis institution to take iirni root in the cuuntry . An the rninioiviiil

      organ observed , this acb is merely intended a ? j a reminder ; and , ¦ indeed , considering the provocation both ministry and pi-o [ L have received at the hands of the feudalists of the Upper Hou . jl-, a \ ery mild one . There is , it is true , a throat , of another bh . w at no dLstaut date , but thu iipplication of it will prove as dis . iytrou : j to liberal progress as to . the feudalist o . That tho R . ^ ent is t ho roughly jastiliei in the stop takon no one can qujstion who has followed the proceadings in the last session of thePru-sian Parliaiifjiit . The

      anger excited by the during opposition , ua-iupporied by any arguments , was so great that a cry was raised for the abortion of tliu Upia ' er llouso altogether . The liberal . press strainel eyeiy iu-i' \ c to calm tlio popular mind , fearing that the Regv . it and lii . iiiuiii . sier . y might be induced to strika a bJow which would tiitcrly destroy their still weak and undeveloped constitutional exLteiu-j . Tiio paopla bore the insolence of tho feudalists with pai-ii'iice , and ministers have made the mildest possible use of iho j . revoguiivc . They have created eiglitoon votes when thoy require at . lmwl one hundred . The votes upon which tho ( iovci-nnient coulJ count fur all inoasuroa of a decidedly liberal character munbuuiil , mi ilie most favourable occasions , about forty against one luimlivd and twenty . But to obuiin thia number the niiniotry was forced tu

      make the widest concessions . That an addition of eighteen or twenty-four membera will produce little change in tho tactic * ot the feudalists is Kelf-evideufc ; tho monaco of a nomination in greater number may . Tho National Zeitung ' observes , that among the noble landed proprietors in the upper house not' more than two liavo shown thomsolvqs consistent advocates of liberal moaaured . i ' orliapa tho ministoi-B imagine that by adding , to these about ten others , thoso liboraUy inclined foudalislB may bo atlractQd who havp hold aioox from , a feeling of annoyance at being obliged always to vote with burgomasters . Is I hero no stuff in i ' vusisia , asks the National , otU of Avhich a Whiff party miaht bo formed V It la very much to bo to the

      doubted . The f rut = siaii nobility boars no lvsumbLinoo Knglish . That party of the Prussian nriwtocracy which follows ( lie banner of the Krcuz Zdluntj roproson ( 8 a iirejiidieed Kii ^ oxoilioua caste wlio , with tliou" narrow-mi ' mloil viown nml auliisli intei'e . Ttfl , have nothing in common with tho people , whoso lnngungo llioy , m fact , hardly understand . ( Should ihef . o cNtvinon ngain ntlam to power , « s in the years of ro-notion , their yolso would bo oven I 1 IOUJ oppressive than a foreign one , im to denpotio opj refiHion A \ oultl » jo added thoprido a'nd iiiholonoj of ; in lui . ovtud cliMiiiiotion ol ruci > . n would Tbo absurd to conn are ilicio foiulnlists witb the hngliwiJ Tories . On tho other hand , thoso of ihu nobles-who sepai'iiti ) themselves i ' rein this clique , luiuilgmniito will ) , and arc lost in Uio people , I horo Luing no lohtieal i lo ^ rnmino , no i any which they ooulcl kiinand bt tho loidcivj cl ' Couwnuoniiy hule « lll °

      , -como ; . oan behold out that the attompl , to create iu tlio Upi-ur UoiweHii element wilh an aristocratic aud yot liberal staiup , will moot wiii succees . After all struggling uud oxporimenthig tho 1 ) obw w » u have to be ohangedupon whioh , afcpresout , the Upper House rosis .

      * The F.L/0-Bont, Or Tho Journal Of T/W ...

      * The f . l / 0-bont , or tho Journal of t / w j \ ' « t ( an «( ll / v-lwut I / i «( Uu (( on , No . U 8 Oot . 1800 . LoiuUmi OllKso or tlio HiHtltutlou , 11 , JoIm . Hlroot , AdcJphl , W , V 8 ( j ( ? rotary , R , J . tiwls , ICsn

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Oct. 13, 1860, page 10, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_13101860/page/10/