The Sun.
London, England, 1856-08-22 00:00:00

Tli E SELF -SIMMER. IPLITMER.

M. Danduran, a French civil engineer, now in
London, has invented an ingenious little apparatus
under this designation, which he exhibited on the
Serpentine on Wednesday, by means of which per-
sons wholly unable to swim, including even women
and children, may be protected from drowning
under all ordinary circumstances ; and in the re-
collection of all the calamitous accidents which
have occurred this very summer, and are constantly
happening from bathing, we are but performing a
service to humanity in bringing an invention under
public notice in the least calculated to prevent or
lessen such lamentable casualties. It simply con-
sists of two round instruments, made of tin, zinc,
or copper, enclosed at both ends, each about 15
inches in length, of the diameter of an inch and a-
half at one extremity and four or five inches at the
other, and constructed in a crescent shape so as to
accommodate themselves to the armpits, where they
are intended to be used. They are covered over
with any kind of light linen fabric, and fastened
together with a few yards of strong riband in such
a wanner that a person can put on the apparatus
in a moment, as if it were a waistcoat, and with or
without his or her ordinary clothing. Its buoyant
power is so great, that any one wearing it in water
cannot by any possibility sink, though wholly unused
to swimming as an art ; and another essential cha-
racteristic of it is that it invariably, under all cir-
cumstances, maintains the head and shoulders
above water. Even to an expert person it would
la 3 of immense advantage in an emergency, in
enabling him to rest at pleasure when he had a
long distance before him to swim or a tempestuous
sea to contend with, and it might be the means of
his salvation in case of an attack of cramp; while
to one wholly ignorant of the art of swimming it
would be of the last importance, for it would keep
him above water an indefinite length of time, or
until relief came to his aid. Had Mr. Stavert
worn it when bathing at Scarborough the other
day we should not have heard of the casualty
which deprived him of life, nor, with it, would the
two sons of Mr. Cunningham, of King's College, or
the near relative of Dr. Forbes Winslow have met
with so deplorable an end. If all persons, indeed,
made it a point never to bathe without the use of
M. Danduran's apparatus, the, public mind would
cease every now and then to be wounded by such
sad accidents as these, and friends would be spared
the grief which prostrates them in such cases. The
instrument is also invaluable as an aid in learning
to swim, enabling, as it does, the novice to lay
himself at once along the water without the slight-
est danger of sinking, which is the first requisite
to the acquisition of the art. M. Dandurau will
exhibit his apparatus on the Serpentine about 3
o'clock every afternoon on which the weather will
permit for a few days.

A board of Engineer officers concluded an inquiry
yesterday afternoon at Brompton Barracks, Chatham,
into the circumstances connected with the accident which
t >ok place on Chatham Lines on Tuesday during the
siege operations. The accident is now understood to
have arisen in consequence of the wires of the voltaic
battery, used in firing the gunpowder, having acciden-
tally come in contact before the men had left the lodg
meat. The proceedings of the board will be forwarded
to the Duke of Cambridge.

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.

SOUTH-EASTERN.

The directors of this company have resolved to recom-
mend the proprietors, at the ensuing half•yesrly meeting,
to order payment of 9s. 6d, on each 301. stock, which, with
the dividend of 13s. 31. paid last half-year, is at the rate
of 31.155. 10d. per cent. per annum.

LANCASTER AND CARLISLE.
The directors have decided to recommend a dividend for
the last half•year at the rate of 71 per cent. per a nouns.