54 



SAFETY OF LIFE FROM FIRE AT SEA. 



The following table for the same years will show the actual facts as to fires on duly in- 

 spected vessels resulting in a loss of life as well as other interesting particulars : — 



Note. The 481 lives lost mentioned here were from accidental drowning, suicide and other miscellaneous causes 

 for which inspection, condition or construction cannot be held accountable. 



From this table it will be seen that the number of lives lost by fire on vessels in 1912, 

 1913, and 1914, was one for 42,229,540 passengers carried. 



The number of lives lost by causes coming under inspection, including fire, one for 

 1,159,863 passengers carried. 



The number of passengers' lives lost by fire in 1912, 1913, and 1914, one for every jop,- 

 682,291 passengers carried; and these numbers do not include the millions of passengers 

 carried on vessels like ferryboats which are not required by law to report same. 



Of the eleven vessels upon which there were fires resulting in loss of life during 1912, 

 1913, and 1914, there were six under 100 feet long and five between 112 and 165 feet long. 



It will therefore be seen that the figures of Mr. Teague's table are misleading when given 

 with his subject "Safety of Life from Fire at Sea." 



Mr. Teague commences his paper with "Safety first !" Well, taking the same nine years, 

 1906-1914, inclusive, mentioned by him, we find from the records of the Steamboat-Inspec- 

 tion Service covering all vessels propelled in whole or in part, all gasoline and other boats 

 carrying passengers for hire and all freight and towboats {vide Revised Statutes, Sections 

 4399, 4426, and 4427) there were from fire, collisions, explosions, wrecks, foundering in se- 

 vere storms and sinking, a total of 2,312 lives lost on all of the classes of vessels before men- 

 tioned; and there were carried during the same period 2,983 millions of passengers. That is 

 to say, one life was lost of crews and passengers for every 1,290,000 passengers carried. 

 Where in the world were so many people carried with such small loss? What other form of 

 public service can show comparable results ? 



It is not impossible that this marvelous record may be changed, but let us do the owners, 

 operators and inspectors of our vessels the justice of giving them full credit for their present 

 record, which certainly gives no reason for causing their passengers unnecessary alarm. 



As has been truly said before, traveling on the streets of our large cities is more dan- 

 gerous than traveling on our steamers. 



Mr. Teague (Communicated) : — ^The communicated discussion by Mr. Stevenson 

 Taylor gives valuable data as to the loss of life from fire at sea, accurate statistics being 



