The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-02-05
LIFE SAVING AT SEA.
WHAT THE CAPTAIN OF SOUND STEAMER
sAys-PRovwIOHs ENOUGH AGAINST FIRE
BUT NOT AGAINST DROWNING.

WHAT THE CAPTAIN OF SOUND STEAMER
sAYs-PRovsIOSs xNoUaH AGAINST FIRE
BUT NOT AGAINST DROWNING.
The disasters reported during the past forty.eight
hours as having been caused by the storm have
served attract considerable attention to the TACT
that the National Board OF Steam Navigation, which
is composed principally OF men actually engaged in
the steamboat business. IL trying TO obtain certain
important changes in the law as IL stands rea-
tive 10 their business. They have been urging their
views and the justice OF their claims upon Congress
curing the present session, and are now confident OF
obtaining certain amendments that Will, they say,
serve their interests and at the same time be con-
ducive to the safety oil the travelling public.
Having understood that Captain Peck, the CON-
mander of the steamer Continental, plying between
Now York and New Haven, was interested in this sub
ject, ana was, moreover radical in the matter Of
providing safeguards against accident ON his own boat
HERALD reporter called on him for information. On
learning his VISITORS errand he willingly showed th q
lie saving appliances Of the Continental and ex-
planned the changes oil tho law which ne thought de-
sirable and which, as delegate OF the Nationa
Board oil steam Navigation he favored.
STRANGE DEVICES
''As the law stands now, he said, We are obliged TO
buy kinds vi lite saving Rats and TO have
machinery lifted up with certain valves stop
cocks nj all that sort vi thing leaving US 10 dscre-
ton IN the matter 1t used TO be so that had to
buy lie preservers vi certain patents. | remember
KIND that we had TO buy In which thcrc were Two
patent holes IN the canvas covering. don't know
wnat the holes were iur, ana don't think anybody
did, excepting that they offered pretcxt Tor
u patent which somebody availed himself OIL The
reason OF ali tins Is that men WHO nave Trends IN
power get up some new patent and then contrive TO
have clause inserted In the Steamboat Di competing
The owners OF vessels 10 BUY their devices. They may
be useful or they may not Dut we nave buy them"
'But ISN'T 1t necessary to compel owners provide
against loss OF iilcY" asked the reporter
end Is well attained u would be Uy allowing
owners TO h up their boats as they choose subject OF
course, the approval OF the Board OF In pecors.
Now, as II stands, do not thins we are properly
guarded against loss OF lie IN OF wreck, al
though have as perfect arrangements for lire as
possibly think OF. Yet we have all the appliances
Obliged by law TO have and many Others ADDITION.
deck he pointed out the lifeboats, hung ready Tor
use, with wooden covers oil his own contrivauce
made IN sections, so that they can DO stripped
of IN moment "The pieces" lac said, "can
be thrown overheard, and might, perhaps, save
nle' Besides the liieboats cylinder RAFT on tho
deck "Now, that is a thing G are Obliged to have"
he sad "and yet believe II is by no means the best
Thing 10 have. 1t would take twelve or niteen mon TO
get II overheard II II was wanted and vi sucn
Il disaster as would make It's use necessary We would
not have so many men 70 spare"
Going below he pointed TO tho rows OF life pro-
SAID These all tho lie preservers We
are obliged 10 carry and they are placed Ia accordance
with the law, but they would no think, be sufficient
In case OF disaster am trying to act some liiepre
serving mattresses on abe boat TO be made partly Of
cork and parity OF HAIR Now, If we had one OF these
III the upper berth vi each stateroom II would be a
sufficient support for two or three persons In tue
water woud have one IN each statcroon, IN the
upper berth, and would have them Ia the borths In
the lower CABIN"
PROVISIONS AGAINST FIRE
Speaking OF The provIs IONS against hro he pointed
tue apparatus prescribed by iaw-the coils OF nose
placed as the law requires. Now, these" said he
'thc inspectors CONSIDER ready Tor use. don't cali
them 50, and have an Independent apparatus--tbat
hOse strung along the cabin, ana similar lengths be-
low outside. IL Is 80 hung that DO directed,
inside OF minute into any siateroom any part
OF tho boat ABOVE below IL fastened with
linen threads, just stroDg enough to hold II, out
wncn would give way AZ hght pull, SO that no I'M
coil ng placing In position Is necessary. What wo
ought 10 have" he continued, us law That viii
enable us 10 J up our boats properly, and then not
oDlge Us 10 buy tBInes that have no recommendation
except that OF beng patented by Influential men,"
TINS view was Indorscd by other steamboat 70
whose opinion was asked, and Is hero presented Tor
what IL ~ WORTH