Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 12.djvu/259

LIFE-SAVING SERVICE. high which firmly suspends the line between ship and shore. The breeches-buoy block is usually snapped upon the hawser and the buoy is hauled

WHIP-LIXE TAIL-BLOCK A>'D TALLT-BOABD.

to and from the wreck with the whip-line. Small wooden tablets called tally -boards, bearing print- ed directions in English and French for hand- ling the lines, are attached to the whip and hawser and sent off to the people on the vessel to enable them to cooperate intelligently with the agencies at work for their rescue. In the usual drills at the stations the life-saving crews accomplish the rescue in about five minutes, althougli it has been made without error in two and one-half minutes. Of course such time can- not be expected in actual senice at shipwrecks,

THE BREECHES BUOY.

where many unfavorable elements conspire to obstruct progress. The survivors from a wreck within scope of the service are cared for at the station nearest the scene of the occurrence. The victims of ma- rine disaster are often recovered from the water apparently drowned or dead from exposure. Tn such cases the siirfmen attempt restoration by the methods in which they are drilled, their ef- forts in about lialf the trials turning out suc- cessfully. The Life-Saving Service, owing to its relation to commerce, and the assistance it renders in the collection of revenue and the prevention of snuig- gling. is connected with the Treasury Depart- ment. The chief officer in charge is the general superintendent, appointed by the President, the incumbent in 1902 being Sumner I. Kimball, who has been the head of the service since it was established in 1S71. The general superintendent is assisted in the performance of his duties by an assistant general superintendent. A captain of the Revenue Cutter Service is detailed as inspec- tor of stations. He personally visits them at stilted times and discharges such other duties as the general superintendent directs. The super- intendents of construction of life-saving stations arc also captains of the Revenue Cutter Service. Each district is under the immediate charge of a superintendent who has been promoted to his position from the ranks of the keepers. His business is to conduct the general atl'airs of the stations under his supervision, which he visits at least once a quai-ter, recommend supplies, re- pairs, etc., pay olT the men, inspect public proper- ty, fix the patrol limits, after consultation with the resident inspector, certify the names of eligi- bles for vacancies in the ciews. and see that the regiilations governing drills and discipline are faithfully fulfilled. The district superiiiten<lent3 and keepers are, under the law, insi)ectors of cus- toms and as such take care of the (iovernment in- terests in relation to duliiihle property wrecked within their jurisdiction. Assistant inspectors for the various districts are obtained from the officers of the Revenue Cutter Service, who periodically inspect the stations, drill the crews, make investigations into the conduct of keepers and surfmen, Avhen such action is necessary, and in cases of shipwreck within the domain of life- saving operations attended with loss of life, and give attention to such other matters as may be assigned them by superior authority. For the purpose of examining and testing devices, plans, and inventions for the improvement of station equipments, an advisory board is con- stituted, consisting of experts, which meets an- nually, as a rule, to consider matters submitted to it by the general superintendent. Members of crews, including keepers, who lie- come disabled in the line of duty may be con- tinued on the rolls of the service, under ]>ay, during the continuance of their disability, not to exceed one year, except in the most meritorious eases, but not longer than two years in any case. In case of their death, from disease or other cause incident to the service, their widows and childien under sixteen years of age, if they have any, arc entitled to receive for two years, in equal portions, the same pay that the husbands or fathers would have received had they lived. Gold and silver medals are awarded in cases of heroism, where persons endanger their own lives in rescuing or endeavoring to rescue lives from the perils of the sea. These rewards, how- ever, are not confined to the professional life- savers, but may l)e bestowed upon others who have shown conspicuous heroism on such occa- sions.

Tlie general superintendent, in accordance with the requirements of an act of Congress, iniblishes annually a complete report of life- saving operations. Incorporated in this is also a collection of st.itistics of marine disasters, at home and abroad, put in tabular form for con- venient reference, which is of gi-eat value to commerce. The net cost of maintaining the service during the fiscal vear ending June 30, 1901, was $1^682,793.74. The results of service operations for the same period are as follows:

Number of ilisasters ^ ^ ^''O Value of propert.v involved $7.5fi7..>40 Valu'* of prnyitTtv saved $6.50.^.275 Value of priipertv lost $1,002,265 Xumher of pprsoii.s involved 3,775 XninbPr of ]>prs«>ns lost J' Nnnibor of persons sneoored at stations *>*7 Nunibpr of tia.vs succor afforded 1,214 Xuniber of ve.ssels totally lost *3 In nearly all maritime countries some organized means exist for assisting the shipwrecked from