Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-02-06
LIFESAyING APPLIANCES AT SEA.

inferred ~ Tic ;'ostoce 81 Alexandria, Virginia, :.
| sccCnd-cIass mHt.sr.l
LIFE, E,SAVING APPLIANCES AT SEA
The wreck of the steamer City OF Colum-
bus once more calls attention to the practi-
cal failure of every accepted means Of saw
ing life in disasters at sea. The City OF
Columbus was supposed to be fully equipped
with lifc-saving appliances. She had seven
metallic boats, life raft, aud several hun
dred life preservers. Yet only one OF her
| boats reached shore, her life raft only in-
sured The death of those who trusted to it,
| and there is no evidence that single person
vas saved by the life prescrvers. Year
| after wear the fertile resources Of inventors
are drawn upon for additions to the already
volumnous list Of liie-saving apparatus, and
at every exhibition one Of the most attrac-
tive departments is that which contains
models Of these ingenious cOutrlyances. In
the Appliances for rescuing people from
stranded vessels near enough to the shore
10 establish communications, and also III the
models Of litcboats, and in the projection of
signals and life lines from shore stations,
,hero have been important practical i'm
provcnents during the past twenty years.
But when we come TO the problem OF saw
ing life in disasters at sea or under any cir
cumstaGces where the wrecked ship must
furnish the appliances to be utilized, it does
not seem that much progress has been made.
The boats are always OF doubtful avalla-
bility, TO begin with. 1t is necessary, i'll
carving boats on sea-going vessel, so
to place and secure them as that they shall
be at once accessible in case Of need,
10
from stress of weather. OF course this is
very difficult for if they are too accessible
thcv are liable TO be carried away in a storm;
and if they are secured TOO firmly they may
not be available at critical moment. As q
rule the davits are swung inboard, the boats
secured by canvas covers and bands, the
plurs and oars removed, and the tall-tackle
rove III theory only q few minutes are re-
ouired TO cut of the bands ana cover (which
is laced, put in plug, oars and crew, swing
The davits cupboard, and lower away. But
nine times out OF ten the plug and oars have
to be searched Tor, and then the blocks of
the lal-tacklc are jammed, and then the
patent clip which ought TO release the boat
when il touches the water fails 10 work.
Sometimes one end is released only, and
then Of course the boats crew are pitched
overheard. This accident has often &C.
Cured. and when q vessel has struck and
has q heavy list, rs in the case of the City OF
Columbus. Inc boats OH the lower side become
useless, while it is doubiy hard TO launch
those which are on tho side out of water.
Should q vessel founder in q gale at sea, the
chances are that it will be impossible to
launch auv orthc boats, even If they have
not been stove or carried away before the
crisis comes. And even il one or two can
he launched. the danger OF their being dash
ei nroiust the vessel before they can get
away is SO great as to leave little prospect
of cscape. As to life RATS, while many in-
perious contrivances Of the kind have been
invented, we do not remember an instance
of the preservation of life through their
means at sea- The truth is that as q rule
neither boats nor RATS will live IN the seas
| in which ocean steamers founder, ana even
in the case OF lleboats which cannot sink,
they could only keep their occupants above
water long enough to let them perish from
exposure. As to life prescrvcrs, they may
| heID cool swimmer, but it is doubtful
whether in se:,-way they can ever preserve
from drowning for any length of time per-
sons unable to swim and delicate women.
For when the sea is high it is difficult even
for an expert swimmer to keep his head
above water. He must watch his chances to
| take breath, and must constantly dodge the
heavy waves, or he will have the life liter
ally beaten out Of him. This is what hap
pens to the majority Of those who trust to
life preserves i'll II high sea- :.
What is wanted is some life-savlng appll-
anCe which needs no preparation which is
always in full working order; which viii
float its occupants high out of water; which
can be got clear OF Il stranded or laundering
vessel without swapping Or staving. 1t Is
clear that none Of the life saving apparatus
al present in use on sea.Soing vessels 1uihls
these requirements, and equally clear that
no apparatus which does not fulfil these re-
ouremcnts can be Of much practical service
in emergencies. 1t is difficult problem to
solve, no doubt, but there ought to be enough
inventive genius in this country to solve it
aud it ought to be taken in hand more ear
nestly than ever, seeing what is at stake
! ~ \. Tribune.