The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-10-31
Surf and seIf-R,sht,nx Life Boats.


TREASURY -ExPERMESTs BEFORE THE GOVERN
MENT COMMITTEE, BELOW SANDY H0oK-DEsCRIP-
TI0N OF THh BOATS, ETC.
The pubic have frequently Of late years been appalled,
by the magnitude Of maritime disasters. 1t has been
lamentabe feature incident to these great shpwrecks
that though there we're generally sufficient number oil
lie boats with the ships have saved all, or
nearly all the passengers and crew. that so few OF either
have been saved by them. Frequently the storm has
been violent that the boats could not live IN It, and
more frequently perhaps, they have been swamped or
Capsized in being launched from the ship into the sea- Al
other times-as the case with the Austra-the GAIA
NIFTY sudden that but few Of the life boats could
be got into the water. The prominent defects OF the
life boats principally in use are, that they are inca
pablo Of living in dangerous sea-tha they are liable TO
be swamped capsized or broken, as they launched
ana that they require too much time and in being
launched The neicency Of them has been prominently
felt along in rescung passengers from wrecks
During the last half century vast improvements have
been made in the architecture of the navy merchant
marine and yachts, while the progress has been
almost or entirely wanting in small boats. They have
received but little attention, and remain about as they
were years ago. True, there have been few mode
boats built, cvncng great improvements In their sty
OF architecture but they have not been brought into
raj, or hardly occa- ionai use.
In order TO encourage this important and too greatly
neglected department naval architecture and to
to the wreckers aioag coast the best life and sur
boats that have been modelled in this country Congress
their last session appropriated So 440 tor the best surf
and self rghng boat tor the coast OF New Jersey,
for each station $40 900 for the best life boat for the
coast Of Long Island for each station the boats to
be taken at the approval of the Secretary OF the Urea
sury. On "Wednesday at the first station south OF Sandy
Hook, Spermacet the time and place specified
for the examination and trial OF said boats All persons
having boats OF the quality specified in the appropriated
were directed to be present with them. The committee
appointed by the Secretary OF the Treasury Howell
Cobb, were Mr. Isaac III. Upton, OF New York; Captain
VIM. Smith, o. Philadelphia, and Captain John Whtcomb,
OF the revenue cutter service Six or seven boats were
present on examination ana the exhibition for Their quail
BUsKRs's LIE BOAT.
THIS boat was modelled by Captain Charles j Bunker;
il ID 70 feet long, feet beam, 26 inches deep,
built of cedar, copper fastened and rveted, clip
She built especially for the of the life saving
stations along the coas OF New Jersey and Long Island
She is fitted up with Bankers ife.savng shirts.
went into the surf with one Of these shirts on, when
Hoa,ed him high the water with perfect success Four
men can lift her from the ground she will carry thirty
persons.
Mr. Bunker presented another boat of nearly the
model but OF smaller dnnensons-viz 22is feet over
all Is feet keel feet beam, stem rakes feet inches
stem rakes foot inches feet deep, square stern
HOLMES SELF RICHrISG LfEsoAr.
r. G. Holmes, Esq. has been an agent Of the Phadei
pha and New York Boards of Marine Underwriters for
the last eighteen years being constantly engaged the
Erecking business. lie has modelled boat which he
deems perfectly adapted TO the exgences OF surf and life
Saving boat She is Is feet long feet inches BEAM
feet inches depth of hold, inches spring OF keel rs
inches sheer IN the gunWalc; bottom Is u inch cedar,
plank % foet long aud inches wide, put without
butts; tmbcrs white oak 4 inch by 4 inch, and in
piece from gunwale 10 gunwaie and inches apart Bot
tom copper fastened and ryetcd wood ends boled with
and nuts has 81 bushels OF cork in the end
OF the boat Crew consists Of men. VIII carry so
men and support in the around her many
get hold OF the oats which attached cords fas
tened the gunwaes Of the boat She built very full
aud Gat sharp at both nd and steers and sas well either
end foremost
Owing 70 deep sheer with her buoyant properties
a. each end when capsLcd her gunwaes amidshp hardly
a@trhf tau TIux atuh If Tho hnaf h,tr
thus above the surface Of the water she necessarily turns
over and rights herself
In the event OF the boat becoming filled with water
from any cause, provision made whereby she will par
tally free herself through valves which elfactng
keeson, eight to tenfee long which contains about
barrels Of water N ballast draws about nine inches,
with crew on board and tank Tiled with water
Capt. Lee, o. the Navy yard, Philadelphia, TO Light
house Board used the following language IN regard TO the
boatHcr model the pseesi lever saw (and she only
touches the water amh and sits so cork IKE on the
water, think you could her, you would pronounce
her 10 perfection than anything OF the kind yon
ever besore think she IL the craft have been
looking for for years. The boat Is patented, and
tue only one present, believe that pretended TO be
Nessrs Morrell 4 Townsend had a little model Of a boa,
present, which thrown In the water every way,
and would always light top side up ifcarezed, u would
right itself again IL lad twelve air chambers below the
deck, which, answered floor, and two above II. Tie
keel headed as to produce the requisite weight TO
LRcHARs errrA pKRcsA LyxBoAr
4 10 feet long feet beam, "a feet deep THIS little
model, but merely TO show the advantage " the material
OF which che constructed OVER wood or iron. She Is
Keel ncluded. The seats and top frame are Of wood
There danger Of smashing this boat up against The
SIDES OF ship IN a storm, or against rocks or beach
The material i rather costly, but - claimed that Il will
last forever From experiments made upon t. there
be no doubt but the material the safest strongest and
best In the world for boats II be successfully applied
o. superior model like that Of Holmes would produce
40 almost perfect boat The material Is indcsiructibc,
and there would be hte or no danger OF smashing IN
Of N
Then with line attached 10 one end, could be thrown
from the highest deck Of any vessel and would always
Light right side up IN the water All unnecessary delay
would be saved Ia The excitement and confusion of
great danger If cars,xed In the seaand all boats Of
whatever construction, liable To be overturned at
tmes-she would right herself Immediately, with all
hands aboard II they would stick TO her. Such boat
tages desired In surfor c boats such be the csc the
fact Is too important to be passed by dsrcgarded or g
nored by our government aud people.
Mr. wADMIs Roar
u q feet the bottom, % feet over ALL 30 inches
deep, feet beam enker built square stern, and viii
ASKR ALIENS pon.
Has 80 iect bottom, IS feet all feet deep, feet
beam 1ush built, OF cedar material, with white oak tim
bers, square stern, and will carry thirty persons
There was an old belong ng 70 one q the sta
tous present for examination. II very heavy has
been laid NJ not adapted for service, and little aten
There va but little surf running on wednesday 50 the
experiments did not amount 70 much The committee took
down the OF the boats and their dimensions, then
each boat drawn high up the beach, and alter
nateiy taken by lis crew launched rowed out the
breakers and back 10 the beach, the time occupied Ia each
case being noted by the committee A that time depended
entirely upon the weight Of the boats aud the capacity OF
the different crews will convey idea OF the merits OF
the boats life boats their models.
After the experiments had ceased Wednesday, two
6shcrmeu started in their boat TO cross the surf h. 90 out
fishing usual The surf struck the boat caTszed u,
aud Of the mon, named John sherman, drowned
In water MT his bead The accident occurred 80
quickly thai 81 the surf boat-al q which were ly
Ing upon the beachoOua be 50, Oh in time TO the
drowning man.
cAMrs
Gu Friday, at Up. NJ, the committee examined Camps
life boat Oh the Battery The boat Is Of peculiar
struction being decked entirely and propelled by
which Is moved by men and machinery beneath
The deck The boats dimensions keel twenty
feet thirty feet ALL eight feet beam, four and half
feet deep She will carry from sixty TO seventy passen
gers, and worked by sixteen Her machinery
Zone weighs 1850 pounds. She has water tanks air
chambers aud bread chamber beneath the deck. is