The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-07-29
AN INDIA RUBBER RAFT.

Captain mciks' proposed sail Across the
Atlantic.
In this age OF wondrous discoveries and startling
wonders we have each day some new announcement
made which startles the world ana Is soon forgot.
ten. Yachts crossed the ocean In safety; then two
dimnutlve Liliputian vessels-the Red, White aud
Blue and the City Of Ragusa-made several trips
from the New World to the Old; and, finally, EMU
lated by their daring, Captain John Meiks sailed
to Southampton from these Shores with crew Of
two men, q raft, in 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 devised as ife-saving apparatus. IL was
composed Of three inflated rubber tubes, encased In
heavy duck cylinders, OF the strongest materials.
connected together by heavy duck Ranges. On
top and across these Cylinders we're
placed series OF sthwarts or planks" dashed
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 lengthwlse on the raft were fastened by means
OF rOpelashlngs stringer.pieces OF timber, boed at
either emu 10 tne tnwarts, ana answering ior gun,
TO use their oars These strlnger-pieces were so
arranged that they could be unashed and swung
around In case they wished TO
TAKE THE RAFT APART.
At one end OF each or the inflated tubes there was
an air hole or nozzle into which air was pumped
from u bellows; when minated the raft measured
twenty-five feet in length and thirteen feet In width
on the top they mad canvas tent pitched and they
used Two maSis. When Captain MekS reached the
other side his journey was the universal topic OF
conversation, aud from prominent Yachting men
there he was the recipient OF numerous atten-
tons and dinners. A section In
THE CRYSTAL PALACE
was obtained for him, and his raft exhibited, and
crowds Hooked to see 1t. The money obtained from
the VISITORS amounting to some f4OO or f5O0 pounds
sterng), was presented to the Captain.
EmbOldened bv the success OF his first effort the
Captain, who Is described by his friends as u fine
seaman and Dlucky, indolntable man, Is again
about 10 undertake another trip across the tempest
Gus Atlantic-thls time on a raft OF three cylinders,
10 inches in diameter. When In the water 1t will
measure 10 feet In length and IA feet In width. He
will have one mast and three sails, jtblug and gaff
topsa; he Will carry provisions for sixty days and
VIII be accompanied by one man, and Will sail from
here some time during the coming month.
The NOnpareii made 1870 miles IN twenty-four
hours during the trip IN 1857 and II Is believed this
h hrw ge alonasde Of heayy sea Without biapS
when on the last trip the Iaft anchored on the
coast during severe storm and remained station.
airy, although large vessels dragged tneir anchors.
TINS raft will carry patent anchor or drag OF
the same pattern the one then used. IL Is similar
In Its workings 70 log bag. canvas bag, TO which
a long line Is attached, Is kept open BY an iron
hoop 10 which IT Is sewed. This being thrown from
the raft, fills with water and holds the craft perfectly
steady. 80
rubber factories in this city invented
RUBBER RAFT,
somewhat similar. IL was quite extensively used
on the vessels III the navy, but 1t possessed some
radical detects winch prevented It's adoption.
nephew OF the inventor remedied these defects and
obtained patent IN 1884 from the COVE nment. A
company was formed called the Lille Saving Ralt
Company who bought the patent rom MIR. Perry,
and It was for them Captain John Meiks made his
peril0us journey.
The raft to he used on his coming trip, as was the
first one, Will be manufactured by the combination
Rubber Company" OF TINS city, under the personal
supervision OF Mr.. Edward L. Perry, the pateRtee.
The success OF the Captains trip fully demon
strated the seagolng qualities OF the raft, ana
numerous experiments made by naval and merchant
o1icers showed the facility with which IL could be
hed and launched I'm IRON six to eight minutes,
The weight II would sustain Tin one instance lfty-
ave men, weight las pounds each-7,975 pounds alto
getner-and with this weight out half the diameter
was submergedi also how readily NUMBER of
people could be landed on the shore through the
SURF, none OF the passengers getting wet