BURNING OF STEAMER BEN. SHERROD. -The news of this terrible disaster, reached Louisville on Saturday evening, but was not confirmed until Sunday, May 21st. During that day it was the subject of anxious apprehensions and a visible gloom weighed on the spirits of all. As yet (May 3,) we have no certain account of the number of lives lost by this calamity, but by the lowest estimate yet given, it exceeds ONE HUNDRED. Thus by the most horrible of deaths, without a warning, our neighbors, relations, and friends have passed into eternity. If any thing can arouse a too careless community it is an event like this. May God grant that the impression do not pass away from our minds like the early dew, but produce reflections calculated to be of lasting service.

Within the last two or three months, four steamers have been entirely consumed, and one partially so, on the Mississippi river alone.* Accidents from snags are becoming rare, and when they occur, are seldom dangerous. Those from collision are too numerous, but are

*Ben. Sherrod, Rob Roy, Ione, Fancy, Sultana. The four first were wholly destroyed.

wholly unnecessary. Those from explosion are far less destructive than what arise from fire. FIRE is the greatest danger, and has caused the most dreadful loss of life. But it is perfectly clear, that this awful havoc, is more the result of carelessness than of necessity. It need not be. If the community were alive to the subject-if owners and officers would take the proper precautions, at least nine-tenths of the fires might be prevented. And if the passengers and crew, and officers,had presence of mind after the fire was discovered, not one life need be lost where fifty now are.If, for instance, the following precautions were taken, could fires be as frequent as they are now?

is burnt, it is generally in the night time. 1. Keeping a Watch. When a boat Why? Because if it catches in the day, it is seen and immediately extinguished. But in the night half the boat is a perfect solitude, yet the fires are burning in the stoves, the candles on the tables, and the sparks flying about the roof and guards. If there was a man whose business it was to look about the boat, and visit every part of it frequently, many fires would be prevented. A proof of

this is the following fact. A passenger on the Sherrod was saved by swimming several miles. He had also been saved in the burning of the Fancy. His mind was so impressed with these two fearful scenes, that he determined not to sleep another night on a steam boat till he reached home. Accordingly, in coming up to Louisville, he walked the boat all night long, examining every part, and in this voluntary office of watchman, actually discovered a state room on fire. He gave the alarm, and it was extinguished, but had it not been for his watchfulness, he would have been a third time exposed to death from this element.

2. Another precaution might be to make the wood work partially incombustible by saturating it with some alkaline preparation. The intense heat of the boilers makes the wood work like tinder. It is so inflammable that it burns with wonderful rapidity. But it might easily, even by a preparation of common potash be prevented from burning so rapidly, and afford time to extinguish it, or at least for the passengers to escape.

3. Another precaution might be to allow no candles but only hanging lamps with glass covers, to be used in the state rooms, clerk's office, steward's rooms, &c.

4. There should be an ample provision of cork mattresses, or India rubber pillows and Life Preservers. If there were enough of them, no one need be drowned in a river like the Mississippi.

5. There should be a fire-engine to every boat connected with the engine, with the hose constantly attached and ready for use, so as to deluge at once any part of the boat with water. This was of great service, we believe, on the Sultana.

Many other precautions might be adopted, such for instance, as iron rods in the place of tiller ropes, which in the present instance, would have saved all on board the Sherrod. But as long as neither the law nor public opinion commands them to be adopted, we fear there is little use in naming thein. While the community are so indifferent to their own safety as to be equally ready to patronize a notoriously careless boat and a safe one, we can hardly expect owners or officers to trouble themselves about such things or feel any' responsibility for the lives of those confided to them. Public opinion alone can set this matter right. While the present recklessness and indifference to life prevails, so long must accidents continue to

happen. It is the duty of every one then, to discountenance by word and example, this mad disregard of life. It ought to be seen, that so far from being the same thing as true courage, it utterly disqualifies a man for showing true courage in the hour of danger. These same passengers and crews on our Western boats who scoff at precaution, and ridicule the idea of danger, who throw themselves recklessly in the way of it, lose all presence of mind when it comes. They are like a flock of frightened sheep. This is, indeed, the other great source of the havoc of life on these occasions that the officers, crew, and passengers, lose all presence of mind. When the Brandywine was burnt, we have been told, that the passengers jumped into the boat while it was hanging at the stern, without waiting for it to be lowered, and then cut away the rope on one side, by which of course all were instantly pitched into the river. Others made a raft of planks, and launched it so that twenty were instantly carried under the wheels and killed. The great loss on the Sherrod was owing we are told, to the tiller rope being burnt, so that she could not be steered into shore. Was there no one who had presence of mind enough to cause a foot plank to be run out at her bow, or a cable let go astern, by which means we are assured, a boat might easily be turned? There is another difficulty, we know, especially felt at such a time, and that is the want of subordination. There is no one to command. The captain, pilot, and engineer are three equal and sovereign powers, who all act according to their sepa rate judgments. This evil must be remedied before there can be safety on the river. The captain must have the entire and supreme command.

But even suppose the boat wholly on fire, not to be put out, nor capable of being run into land. Even in this case, there need not be such a loss of life if the passengers keep their presence of mind.

Surely, though the Mississippi is a very rapid stream, and full of earthy matter, making it difficult to float without a sup port, some kind of support might be found by each one-a stick of wood, a chair, a hencoop, a plank would secure the life of any one who should confide themselves with courage to its support. But yet many remain on board, and are burnt, rather than venture themselves in the water. great is the fear which many entertain of the river, that they will not plunge even at the last moment, but are burnt alive.

So