own progress, and seem to have forgotten that other nations advance as well as themselves. They appear to imagine that while they are going a-head all others are standing still: forgetting that England with her immense resources is much more likely to surpass them than to be left behind. We must now examine the question of the proportionate security in steam boat travelling in the two countries. The following table, extracted from the Report of the Commissioners on Steam-boat Accidents, will show the casualties which have occurred in this country in ten years. The greatest ascertained number of lives lost at any one time occurred by the wreck of the Rothsay Castle, when ...... The greatest number at any one time from collision The greatest number at any one .... 119 persons perished. The principal portion of this loss of life has been occasioned by vessels having been built for sale, and not sea-worthy; an occurrence too common, I am afraid, in both countries. The author of " A Voice from America" states the list of steam-boat disasters, on the waters of the United States, for twelve months out of the years 1837-38, by bursting of boilers, burning, wrecks, &c., besides numerous others of less consequence, comprehends the total loss of eight vessels and one thousand and eighty lives. So that we have in England, } 634 loss in ten years In America, .... one year, 63. one year, 1,080. The report of Mr. Woodbury to Congress is imperfect, which is not to be wondered at, as it is almost impossible to arrive at the truth; there is, however, much to be gleaned from it. He states, that since the employment of steam vessels in the United States, 1,300 have been built, and of them two hundred and sixty have been lost by accidents. The greatest loss of life by collision and sinking, was in the Monmouth,* in 1837, by which three hundred lives were lost; Oronoka, by explosion, by which one hundred and thirty or more lives were lost; and Moselle, at Cincinnati, by which from one hundred to one hundred and twenty lives were lost. The greatest loss by shipwreck was in the case of the Home, on the coast of South Carolina, when one hundred lives were lost; the greatest by fire, the Ben Sherwood, in 1837, by which one hundred and thirty perished. The three great casualties which occurred during my stay in America, were those of the Ben Sherwood, by fire; the Home, by wreck; and the Moselle, by explosion: and as I have authentic details of them, by Americans who were on board, or eye-witnesses, I shall lay them before my readers. The reader will observe that there is a great difference in the loss of life mentioned in Mr. Woodbury's report and in the * Indians transporting to the West. statements of those who were present. I shall hereafter state why I consider the latter as the more correct. LOSS OF THE BEN SHERROD, BY A PASSENGER. "On Sunday morning, the 6th of May 1837, the steam-boat Ben Sherrod, under the command of Captain Castleman, was preparing to leave the levée at New Orleans. She was thronged with passengers. Many a beautiful and interesting woman that morning was busy in arranging the little things incident to travelling, and they all looked forward with high and certain hope to the end of their journey. Little innocent children played about in the cabin, and would run to the guards* now and then, to wonder, in infantine language, at the next boat, or the water, or something else that drew their attention. "Oh, * The guards of an American steam-boat are an extension of the deck on each side, beyond the paddle boxes; which gives great width for stowage. |