New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-07-15
LAUGHED At By VEIERAN MARINERS
MR.. sHFPPARD's scHEME OF xnD-ocEAN LIFE
SAVING STATION.

MR. sHfPPARD's sCHEME OF MID-oCEkN LIFE
SAVING STATION.
Francis Sheppard has written letter to HE
TRIBUNE in which lie describes proposed inferna-
tional mid lifesavng signal and telegraph s'a
tion on the plans for which he says that he has been
engaged for some tine His plans contemplated glot
uar vessel made OF and Steel TO be provided with
mir shafts alright compartments, engine. electrical
apparatus for aghting. storage rooms caDie con-
nection, watch tower. life boat arope bn ise Tor
boarding ships warning belt, etc. The electric Lamps
are olsunea 20 rs 70 be converted ut win INTO flashlights
by which messages can be tclegrnphed in manner
similar to that used by cable companies Ills
strange SHIP which Is TO have room In its capacors belly
for ships ere and passengers, besides the eight men
who viii he needed 20 for IT. sHd the provisions
which such community might need during an enforced
soourn in the station Mr. Sheppard wishes TO see built
by the combined efforts of the nations OF the earth hs
estimated cost Is tring SIS go oo0) towed to cs
In midocoan in the track of TRANSATLANTIC Steamship
and there anchored He is at loss for plan by which
TO do this There should be four cables made OF iron
and wound with wire to gtye them great strenh
and these should be anchored TO hinge anchorage
composed and stones fastened together and sunk
D the bottom Of ocean" Zach one OF the four cables
should be able to hold the station to s Anchorage and
the weight of the cables should be overcome BY arht
compartments the top OF the globe inside so that It
will not sink the station over two unaeI Hase
any time =, he ewsa the sessins partly With tsis
machine Mr. Sheppard thinks vast sums OF money and
might be saved vessels De suppnea WIN pro-
Visions and water lines be fred 10 disabled yesse.
they came within signalling distance and great good DO
done generally. ..,,,.,
TRgBISE reporter submitted two veteran steamship
CAPTAINS with the following result Captain Bremner OF
tbe Cion steamship Nevada, said: It's mad scheme.
III IL were a possible thing IL would Lot Dc wof tho
money IL would cost IL would seldom 90 any good and
IL vould be q singular coincidence Indeed III Wrecks
wore 10 occur near the station. cannot remember
time An my experence when such SfafioA would lase
heined me- though have frequently been IN need Or as
sissnoe ajongside. What would prevent Il from be;ne
rim down All the electric lights and foghorns IN lhc
world would long there are feos IN command
who viii run their ships aground on lighthouse. re
sides he could anchor It. What four cables each ps
enough 10 hold in from 900 10 1000 fathoms! 10 ke
10 see the that woud remain above water VIII
tbem attached Its all folly. Why, nfteen or twenty
wears ago the English Government abandoned as inpac
ticabe plan anchor tsbip between the mcut1s
of the English Channel the water Is comparatively
shallow. The game wouldn't be worth the Candle
Captain Hams, OF the Cunard steamship Aurania Sns
irh be supposed be partial just row 10 any desico
lookng aid OF disabled vessels smiled NJ the IDEA
How you prevent the station from petns TN
down 2" WAS has first observation. would $40 10
the dangers OF navigation instead OF lessenne mem
The hghtship In the English Channel wae nhandonea
after years trial because did no practical good ana
wa. only one more danger be feared have crossed
The Atlautic hundreds of times and never wanted ht
ocean station vet Some such thing might ocexsionai
lie of service az OF the banks Of
land II connected with the Fable"