Marine Losses on the Lakes in 1854.
The following tables show the cause of disaster, amount of loss, and character of vessel, in 1854,
The disasters for the several months compare in number as follows:
| Months. | No. In 1852 | No. in 1853 | No. in 1854 | Amount in 1854 |
| April | 7 | 19 | 48 | $320,900 |
| May | 19 | 30 | 27 | 217,000 |
| June | 24 | 17 | 11 | 40,900 |
| July | 15 | 11 | 13 | 58,921 |
| August | 16 | 28 | 21 | 68,000 |
| September | 21 | 30 | 40 | 129,000 |
| October | 27 | 39 | 66 | 408,000 |
| November | 85 | so | 84 | 456,000 |
| December | 15 | 12 | 68 | 490,000 |
| Total | 229 | 268 | 384 | $2,186,921 |
| | Steam Vessels. | Sail Vessels. | Total. |
| Causes. | No. | Loss. | No. | Loss, | No. | Loss. |
| Wrecked and sunk. | 9 | $480,000 | 51 | $509,626 | 60 | $787,626 |
| Fire | 4 | 240,000 | 2 | 22,500 | 6 | 262,500 |
| Stranded | 2 | 110,000 | 51 | 507,626 | 53 | 617,626 [1] |
| Damaged, &c | 54 | 140,800 | 198 | 321,875 | 252 | 461,675 |
| Jettison | 8 | 72,000 | 22 | 36 , 770 | 30 | 108,770 |
| Collisions | 10 | 100,700 | 18 | 155,650 | 34 | 256,350 |
| Total | 93 | $1,143,000 | 291 | $1,043,991 | 384 | $2,186,921 |
RECAPITULATION.
| | No. | Loss. |
| Steamers | 41 | $463,400 |
| Propellers | 52 | 679,500 |
| Barks | 17 | 148,000 |
| Brigs | 55 | 184,125 |
| Schooners, &c | 219 | 711,796 |
| Total loss | | $2,186,921 |
The proportion of losses on each of the four large Lakes traversed by the shipping is shown by the following figures for the past three years:
| Lake: | 1852. | 1853. | 1854. |
| Ontario | $ 78,939 | $288,077 | $ 246,300 |
| Erie | 741,800 | 250,512 | 1,113,271 |
| Huron | 89,600 | 161,338 | 411,500 |
| Michigan | 78,820 | 212,316 | 397,950 |
The proportion of steam to sail craft by which losses occurred during the last seven years is shown by the annexed table.
| Years. | Steam. | Sail. | Total. |
| 1848 | $140,000 | $280,512 | $420,512 |
| 1849 | 185,900 | 182,271 | 868,171 |
| 1850 | 281,700 | 277,126 | 558,826 |
| 1851 | 348,700 | 881,837 | 730,537 |
| 1852 | 635,620 | 359,039 | 994,669 |
| 1853 | 461,800 | 412,343 | 874,143 |
| 1854 | 1,143,000 | 1,043,991 | 2,186,921 |
The loss of life attending the disasters of 1854, is stated at 119, of which 18 were on Lake Ontario, 40 on Lake Erie, 12 on Lake Huron, and 49 on Lake Michigan. The loss of life for the series of seven years, compare as shown by the figures below:
| 1848 | 55 |
| 1849 | 34 |
| 1850 | 395 |
| 1851 | 79 |
| 1852 | 296 |
| 1853 | 81 |
| 1854 | 119 |
The nature and causes of the disasters which resulted in these losses, during the last three years, compare as follows
| Causes. | 1852. | 1853. | 1854. |
| Wrecked and sunk | $730,709 | $608,871 | $987,626 |
| Fire | | 132,055 | 262,500 |
| Stranded. | | | 110,000 |
| Damaged | | | 461,675 |
| Jettison | | | 108,770 |
| Collisions | 261,950 | 55,823 | 256,350 |
| Explosions | | 77,394 | |
Refs: The Canadian Journal, a repertory of Industry Science and Art. September 1855.
[1] [Back] typoed as $110,000 in the original
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