The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-12-15
Officia. Inspection OF the
Rhode Island District.
NARRAGANSETT BEACH.
Drill of the Crews with Lifeboat
and Mortar.


and furnished account OF the general routine Of
duty and OF tho manner OF examination made by tho
Board. The actual handling oil tha iiehoat
aud the mortar aud life reserved
tor tho present letter Az the manner OF
drilling tho men is the same every STALLION,
CONT Of The mAnmnvrcs at the station visited viii
servo To give general idea OF them. After leaving
Point Judith tho party proceeded TO Narragansett
PIER. u short distance from which upon the beach
located Life Saving Station No. OF this district III.
stye Of the structure different from all the other
stations, II Is two fnll stories high and
built half way up OF rough stone. Within II
Is comfortably plastered and Is lighted with windows
OF diamond shaped panes In all respects 1t u
modious and appropriate structure The main floor
Is devoted entirely the accom- odation OF the ap
paratus, unlike most other stations, where living
room is taken or the first floor When the inspectors
arrived they were received by Keeper McCamber, u
gray-haircd hut active and hearty man OF nhy-
two. The all in attendance and
proved 10 be mon much older and more experienced
than those at the nrst station visited. They will
average thrty-Avo years. The examination showed
them to be all fishermen who have been accustomed
10 ride the surf almost from infancy. 1t proved how
ever, that beside the keeper there only one
In tho who belonged 1t last year. and conse-
quontly, very strict examination was made by DR..
Sawtsle to their physical qualifications to begin
with. splendid set Of fellows they were, and not
fault found with their physiques. Then Lieuten.
ants Walker and Shoemaker questioned them one by
oncas previously described at the other stationin
respect to their skill In and knowledge Of their busi
ness. Not OF the new men knows anything OF the
process for restoring the partially drowncd and tho
Doctor has big task TO render them proficient In II
DRILL
Everything in tho house IL found in perfect order
,l,,Iol 49,
ordered TO prepare Tor drill According to the number
by which he designated In tho crew each man car
ries certain articles from tho big storeroom to the
beach. From its place the tho mortar, car
rying sh OF six inches diameter is first transported
TO the beach, another mau carries the powder and
other requisites Tor loading; two others carry tho
light line TO which tho shot Is to he attached. A
stake Is driven In tho sand about two hundred
and aity Yards distant to represent the mast of
u stranded vessel. Tho mortar Is held muzzlo
an .no cpambop Ths us, os ,na
level with the inside OF the gun. piece OF paper is
merely laid over the powder and the shot, which fits
bore closely Is dropped down INTO It's place,
Ing soldly against tho powder The Keeper gels the
mortar IN range with the stake and sand is tampcd
around the gun to keepit steady All IS ready, tho
stand clear, a match Is applied and tho Keeper
attempts TO step backward. Unfortunately heap Of
loose stones is behind him, and this no suddenly
sits down just as tho sound of the discharged
mortar thunders along tho shore and the
bal nora rises graceful arc aaa as Jar
1t. The line. however,, 10 carried but y few yards
and dropped suddenly II turns out that tho line
not fastened directly TO the shot but to spiral
spring aUout foot long which connected directly with
the missile, and thus It almost always does, had
parted, leaving the ball 10 wing It's light untram-
mclled. Another shot Is fired with the line tied d-
recy to the ball, and with perfect success, the end
being carried $50 yards In perfect line with tho
stake The spiral wires referred arc used under tho
impression that they are useful In preventing the limo
tr0 being snapped by the initial velocity Of the shot;
but say that when the line IS perfectly Tree there
Is no danger OF its swapping Down on Cape Cod few
weeks ago 10 practice limo was carried 800 yards
nery 200 yards was considered very good range to
attain, but the service Is constantly max ing expert
ments looking to Improvement IN that respect, and
distance obtanablc Is being contin Increased
EXPERIMENT.
/ Superintendent kinbal and his assistant Captain
Merryman, impressed with the idea that tn ere are
many paris Of our coast when vessels may get
aground at longer dist from the shore than the
old fashioned mortars would carry a line, aud
surf through which . boat could not iivc are
experimenting with s,eel-iined gun intended
10 carry a limo double the distance obtai ned
| with mortar, and the results thus lar emf
nently satisfactory. In respect to the lines. also,
| stations IN this vicinity arc OF . nne quality Of
Itaiian. which was formerly considered the very best
material. but recent tests have led the officers in
charge the service the conclusion that u braided
smooth cord OF cotton, hall inch In diameter the
| most serviceable and the safest A considera able
quantity has been manufactured Tor the purpose and
| Il Is now being shipped 10 The various stationa
LAUNCHING THE
As there facilities tbs beach where this
station Is located for rigging the lie car APP
paratus that was dispensed with and the
were ordered TO launch their boat In this
| station two boats OF entirely different
patterns. Tho Que Is a heavy sheet iron craft,
sharp at each end with mir chambers which together
with the peculiar shape the boat, render IT impos.
sibIe for It to remain otherwise than right side up
the water Tor more than moment so that 1t Is self
righng, and, II capsizcd by sea, would At
sumo lis proper position. Inside tho boat there is
deck with several valves OF peculiar construction
set IN IT, When the boat ships heavy this DECK,
being above the water line, permits the water 10
escape below through tho valves. which prevent IFS
return making the boat also self-baliDg THIS craft
Is mounted upon wagon for transportation
to the waters edge, but u so heavy that
tho keeper stated II was impossible to move It
over the sand without horses, and that oven wnen
launched II was so heavy that the crew could
II against heavy sea For these reasons It is said TO
be useless at this point such . boat cannot DO
launched in surf, and In England where similar ones
arc used, they arc always launched near piers where
the still ana then pulled out TO the vessel
among the breakers There Is a pier hall a mile from
the station IN question: but tho general character Of
the coast renders the use OF such boat almost i'm.
possible, anu II will probably DO removed
other point, probably upon The lakes where con
siderable number oil similar oolts built OF wood In
stead oil iron are now In USE The other boat, aud the
one which the really use, Is the ordinary
surf boat used along this entire coast II Is simply
cedar open boat, about twentvsix feet long, without
MIR chambers or any other remarkable feature except
Its immense sheer curves, which throw tho bow
high up and prevent the breakers from tumbling IN
before the little vessel upon their crests
Vi course tue boats havo TO DO adapted 10 the cnarac
ter OF the coast, aud consequently many different
styles used by the service. The boat just de-
scribed Is very similar to those which the fishermen
VINO compose the crews have been accustomed all
their lives 70 manage, and therefore they are more
| apt be expert with II Than they would
i DO with one OF strange pattern This boat lies
upon the floor oil the station with the cork Jackets Of
the men 81 suspended from its raL These jackets are
large noat the wcaror breast nigh out OF tho
wafer. The men obliged 10 don them every time
they 10 out In their boat Thus ACQUIRED each surf
could easily take helpless person upon his back
ana float ashore with HIM IL taxes but minute Tor
the put these jackets, and placing their
IN the boat they range themselves three either
with the Keeper behind TO push they slide the IT.
tie vessel along on It's ko0l out OF thc down
| TO the waters edge. All the men wear high rubber
boots and venture into the water Tor little
| distance with IMMUNITY. with = roar the surf
| comes rolling Ia TO break foam around
| tho little vessel, which Is held with her bow out
| toward the soa by the stslwart crew. The keeper
with critical eye watches wave alter wave II rolls
Ia upon the beach. Suddenly no a chance to get
out IL is a moment when no very largo breaker Ia
| app reaching A sharp command to the aud
with lusty shove The boat Is got into tho
ms Just float clear OF tho sand Now roller breaks
around the ieet OF tho who stand la the water