The Sun.
London, England, 1866-06-14 00:00:00

BILL.

Mr. C. IL BARRY moved the second reading of this
bill, the object of which was to alter the system of poor-
rating in Ireland by substituting an union rating in
place of that of electoral divisions. (Hear, hear.) lie
said that the present system had worked most mis-
chievously, in consequence of the inequality of the towns
compared with the rural districts, and it was to remedy
that state of things that the present bill was introduced.
Mr. GREGORY, as an amendment, moved that the bill
be read a second time that day six months. He was of
opinion that it was a measure altogether uncalled for and
unnecessary.

Lord C. HAMILTON, who seconded the amendment,
was addressing the house at a quarter to six, at which hour
the debate, according to the standing order, ceased.
The other orders of the day were thea disposed of and
the house adjourned.

SAFETY IN SHIPWRECK.—We understand (re-
marked the Times of the 7th inst., that Capt. H. W.
Hire, of her Majesty's screw troopship Orontes, has sub-
mitted to the Admiralty a plan for utilising the present
bridges on the upper deck of troop and other passenger
screw steam vessels as lifeboats. The screw now having
superseded paddle wheels in these vessels, the old paddle
box lifeboat is lost as a means of saving life at sea, or of
landing quickly any large body of troops. It is with a
farhasbeenandMr. matured.
for the Orontes which will also serve as a bridge. It will
be 10ft. in width and 50ft. long, the breadth of the ship,
and it will be constructed on Lamb and White's patent.
When launched from the ship and filled to the gunwale
with water, it will, by means of air cases, be able to carry
150 men, each man
carrying with him 201bs. of food or
stores. There can be no doubt as to the fitness of
Lamb and White's patent in the construction of such a
boat, and the most important point afterwards remaining
for consideration is the mode proposed for getting the boat
in and out of the ship from its bridge position, above the
level of the hammock nettings, to its position, afloat on the
*water alongside the ship, and back again from boat to
bridge. This is accomplished in the following manner :
The boat is mounted athwart the ship's deck, as a " bridge,"
the keel of the boat fitting in a groove, and
on a platform which is nothing more or less than a set of
launching ways,
the bilges of the boat resting on the side " ways." These
are
u cu
to t in
be to
lowered
a w large
port on each side rather wider than the boat, and when
openw a bul-
warks
throws n neat
tw
the screw stanchions are lowered on '
the side
required, the port opened, and the boat
lowered down until the lower end of the waysonitsways
onrest the
ship's side over her waterway. The stri •
king up then of an
ordinary dogshore releases the boat, and sends her
off and
e s
afloat alongside the ship, ip. In getting her in again two
threefold tackles, from •
davits fixed at each end of the
ways, lift one end of the boat on the lower end of the in-
clined ways ; another tackle from their further end hauls
the boat into its seat ; the ways and boat are then swayed
into position again, screw stanchions are set up and fasten-
ing made good, and the whole has now become a bridge
again. The boat is thus got in and out of the ship without
any purchase from her masts and ysris. The platform
of of the bridge is formed of properly fitted plankng I d
over the boat's thwarts, and left on board the ship when
she is sent afloat. The only objectionablefeature suggested .
the probable weight of the
on consideration appears to be
on
board a steamship
boat and its ways when in position
Capt. Hire will have to deal
as her bridge. This, however,
be carried into practical effect
with ; and if the scheme. .
will be made to the troop_
'clerabie addition
a very eons).
landing powers of our screw troop steamships and to the
all screw steamships at
sea.
life-saving powers of .
The Ceylon Company
anyhave issued a report to be
submitted to the shareholders at the forthcoming
meeting on the 19th inst., recommending a dividend
of 10 per cent. per annum, and the appropriation
of £5,000 to the reserve, leaving X 6,687 to be carried
forward.