Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1871-08-31
AN INDIA RUBBER RAFT.
Captain Neiks' Proposed Sail Across
the Atlantic.
From the New York Herald.

III UlllS age OF WODurOuS discoveries
and startling wonders we have each day
some new announcement made which
startles the world and is soon forgotten.
Yachts crossed the ocean in safety :;
then two diminutive Liliputian vessels
the Red, White and Blue and the
City of Ragusa-made several trips
from the New World to the Old; and,
finally, emulated by their daring, Cap
tain Meiks sailed to southampton from
these shores, with two men, on raft,
i'll 1867, making the passage in forty
three days and some hours
The raft upon which the adventurous
/ journey was made was known as the
Monitor Raft Nonpariel, it being de-
vised as life-savlng apparatus. 1t
was composed of three inflated rubber
tubes, encased in heavy duck cylinders,
OK the strongest material, connected
/ together by heavy duck ilanges. On
top and across these cylinders We're
placed IA series of ''thwalts or planks, "
/ dashed at each end, and between each
/ cylinder by means of ropes; these
! thwarts answering the double purpose
of stretchers to keep the cylinders
apart, and seats for the men. Across
these at each end lengthwise of the
raft were fastened, by means of rope
/ lashings, stringer-pleces of timber,
/ bolted at each end to the thwarts, and
answering for gunwale, or for attaching
oar-loclls when they desired to use oars.
These stringer pieces were SO arranged
that they could be unlashed and swung
around in case they wished to take the
raft apart.
At one end of each of the inflated
tubes there was an air hole or nozzle
into which air was pumped from bel.
lows when inflated the raft measured
twenty-five feet in length and thirteen
feet in width on the top they had Il
canvass tent pitched, and they used
two masts. When Captain Meiks
reached the other side, his journey was
the universal topic of conversation,
and from prominent yachting men over
there he was the recipient of numerous
attentions and dinners. A section in
the Crystal Palace was obtained for
him and his raft exhibited, and crowds
focked to see it. The money obtained
from visitors, amounting to some t40O
or $500, was presented to the Captain.
Emboldened by the success of his
first effort, the Captain, who is de-
scribed by his friends rs a fine seaman
and a plucky, indomitable man, is
again about to undertake another trip
across the tempestuous Atlantic-this
time on raft OF three cylinders, Is
inches III diameter. When in the wa
ter it will measure Is feet III length,
and p feet in width He will have one
mast and three sails, iiblug and gait
topsail he will carry provisions for
sixty days and will be accompanied by
one man, and will sail from here some
time during the coming month
The Nonpareil made $50 miles III
twenty-four hours during the trip in
1867, and it is believed this new one
will make better time. 1t can be
brought alongside of a heavy sea with
out bilging. When on the last trip the
raft anchored off the coast during Sc
we're storm and remained stationary,
although large vessels dragged their
anchors. This new raft VIII carry a
patent anchor or drag Of the same pat
tern then used. 1t is similar in its
workings to "A log bag A canvas bag,
to which long line is attached, is
kept open by an iron hoop TO which it
+. is sewed. This being thrown from the
raft, fills with water md holds the craft
perfectly steady.
Some years ago superintendent OF
one of the rabber factories in this city
invented Il rubber raft, somewhat SINH
lar. 1t was quite extensively used on
the vessels in the navy, but it possessed
some radical defects which prevented
its adoption. a nephew of the inventor
remedied these detects, and obtained
a patent in 1864 from the government.
A company was formed called the
Life Saving Raft Company, who
bought the patent from Mr. Perry, and
it was for them Captain John Melks
made his seemingly perilous journey.
The raft to be used on his coming
trip, as was the first one, viii be manu-
featured by the Combination Rubber
Company OF this city, under the per
sonal supervision Of Edward l.. Perry,
the patentee
The success Of the Captains trip
fully demonstrated the seagoing quail
ties Of the raft, and numerous expert
ments made by naval and merchant Of
ficers showed the facility with which it
could be filled and launched I'm from
six to eight minutes), the weight 1T
would sustain lin one instance tifty-five
men, weight l45 pounds each-7,975
pounds altogether-and with this great
weight but half the diameter was sub
merged , also how readily number of
people could be landed on the shore
through the surf, none of the passen-
gers getting wet.