The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1869-01-20

As these are times of extensive traVe! ,When
many Ego down to the sea in ships, and
others would like so to do but for its. dan
gers, it becomes a matter Of interest to all
to learn that the progress of art and science,
through inventive genius, are surely cons
batting the adverse elements. The day is
not distant when one shall be enabled to
witness the dangers Of the deep without be-
ing endangered thereby. And to this end
another agency has been added to The net
work of protecting power that will guard
against the subtle forces Of nature. Among
the recent patents is one taken out by an
adopted Newberrian now SHjourning in
Char;eston-Mr. Thomas Mortimer. It is
a revolving davit and self-detaching appa-
ratus, Something entirely new,) to be used
in lowering boats from burning or sinking
ships. We have examined the model, and
will, as matter of general interest, give
brief description Of it. The clumsy as well
as dangerous mode Of putting women and
children into the life boats heretofore, SuS
pended at or over the side Of the ship. is en-
tirely overcome. This revolving apparatus
with its screw>plate, lever aud shaft, is Of
simple yet most powerful construction. 1t is
revolved inwardly to the hurricane deck,
where the passengers are safely slowed IN
the boats, aud then revolved outwardly and
over the side of the ship. An officer stand<
ing upon the platform, watches his oppor-
tunity and upon the rising cap of a faVorirg
wave, touches the trip line and away goes
the boat clear of the vessel, and upon any
angle, nth the momentum of the ship IN
the boat and her passengers. Or the boat
may be allowed to descend, and so soon as
she does she instantly detaches herself. But
one minute is consumed in dispatching a
boat, containing twenty-five passengers, thus
in five minutes one hundred and twenty-five
passengers are released. The boat cannot
descend other than in horizontal position,
let the excitement and terror be what 1t may
there can be no irregularity in the lowering
and detaching of the boat. In the ordinary
davit two men are employed, and it often
happens that one of them lowers faster than
the other, and the boat enters the water end
foremost, prccipitating its inmates into the
sea. It was thus, if we remember Alright,
that Young North was lost in the ill-fated
AndauSia; and many persons have been lost
between the ship and small boat. Such a
catastrophe can never occur, when the re-
volving shaft is used, for it is beyond per-
adventure for the rods to be inverted other
than simultaneously. Other advantages are
that the boat is not incommoded with the
apparatus, the same being left with tEeship,
and one apparatus sufficing for any number
of boats. This detaching apparatus can be
used with any kind of davits.
The above apparatus is the great desidera-
tum for steamships, &c. The fate of the
Perseverance, and of the Matanzas, an iron
ship, which burned so rapidly that the crew
barely escaped with their lives, is fresh in
our memory. What condition of things
would there have been on board said ship
had she had passengers? Again, for the
landing of troops from transports, it is ins
valuable: for with two apparatus, hundreds
could be landed in few minutes, while the
ship is under headway: each boat taking its
angle with the ships momentum and reach
ing its objective point in few moments.
We wish our honored townsmau great sue
cess with his wonderful invention, and hope
r.,.rrr s,v 1,.y sv4rivrr TO"
= IN L. of fame
for his triumph.