The Statesman.
London, England, 1812-05-04 00:00:00

CAPTAIN iIANBE'S INFEATION:

On Saturday considerable Dumpers Were att:tirlei
to Hyde Park by Capt. MaNcx s experiments for
saving the lives of shipwrecked persons. A little
after twelve the Duke of Yosa arrived, and the ex,.
periments commenced. Th:! apparatus was placed
ou the south side of the Serpentine river, on the
level bank near the new watercourse; a fort of the
Guards were stationed round it, to keep off the mul-
titude; and the circle was filled with some cf cur
principal chemists and people of distinction: Tho
ropes attached to the balls were coiled in different
forms on the grass. The first experiment was, wa
presume, merely to shew the range of the mortar,
which threw a shell across the river, and to a cowl,
dersble distance on the rising ground to the north.
A shot was then thrown with the rope attached to it,
which fell with great precision at the water's edge
on the opposite side. The shell was nest thrown
in the direction of a tree, which was to repre-
sent the masts and rigging of a ship in distress. The
. shell fell entirely over the tree, and left the rope
hanging, as was intended, among the brandies.—
'I The neatness and obvious utility of this expeti-
meta excited great admiration. A young person,
equipped in the life-preserver, thetv walked into the
water, remained perfectly at his ease at a consider-
able distance from the side, blew a post-horn, moved
1 his arms in all directions with complete facility,
land concluded by swimming across in the direction of
the buoy which was fixed as the ceutre of operation.
These experiments were exhibited to the whole extent
of Capt. MANSY'S inventions. The light-bell, which
on occasion of shipwrecks at night is used to point
out the vessel to the people on shore, was thrown up
Ito a considerable height, burst at its highest eleva.
tion, and poured down a shower of stars, which, in
the darkness of a tempestuous night, must have
o thrown a powerful illumination upon its object.—
The process of discharging ordnance without the
application of fire is one of Captain MANitIN
ventions, and one which will probably be of sig-
nal importance to the service ; but the conception
I of the plan for preserving human life, and that per-
haps the most interesting and valuable species of
human life, deserves a higher praise than our's. Alt.,
no country has a finer and more useful race of
men exposed to the perils of the sea, there is perhaps
no shore on which, from the peculiar nature of its
difficulties, the invention can be applied with more
entire success. The idea of forming a communica-
tion with the vessel when no boat could venture to
sea, was of itself honourable to the person who con-
ceived it; but the subsequent arrangements, the con-
trivances at once delicate and durable, and the sim-
plicite which now makes the whole apparatus at once
within the compass of almost any purse, and the ma-
nagement of almost any hand, finish and complete
I the merit of the discovery. There is not a shore of
Europe on which it may not be established ; and we
must hope that no exertion of wise and active hu-
t manity will be wanting to its establishment on every
perilous district of our own.
The day was cold, and the multitude of course
comprehended many who were not philosophers ; but
the admiration excited by the process was so strong,
that they lingered through the length of the experi-
ments without reluctance. The su ans had, perhaps,
O the greatest reason to complain of the exhibition; and
; the moment the lad in the tife-preserver plunged into
I the water, a detachment sailed rapidly towards him
to reconnoitre, or take vengeance on so_ singular and
uttusal an ititruder4

NArdl, INTEI.LIG K NCR.

PO !ITSMOU tf, APRIL 3.

arrived his Majest)'s ship Brisk, from the West Gales. left
her cons uy in charge of the Prometheus, oil tit. CatherMe*,:;
awl the 'faraciati, from a maize.

Sailed his Majesty's chip (iamu•tt, on a erui2e; Crr•sy. for
thr lialti•'; letoe, st ilh a consny fur 6uernsey and Jersey
on a cruize ; and the tiepins, with French prisoner,'
fur Leith.