Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1885-10-16
Saved From shipwreck.


The method of saving lives from ship
wreck at present in use In our United
States Life-Saving Stations may be best
understood by supposng an actual case
and describing the operations Of the
surfmen. If the sea will permit, the
people on the vessel are brought ashore
in the "surf-boat." If high sea is
running, however, this is rendered i'm.
practicable, and recourse is had to the
"Breeches Buoy" When the discov-
cry of a wreck is announced at the sta
ton, all the apparatus is at once carried
along the beach to the point nearest the
wreck. The Lyle gun, a small brass
cannon, which weighs III pounds, is
loaded with powder. Then into its
mouth is slipped long steel "project-
ile," to the outer end Of which is at
tached light but stout line, called the
"shot line" Then the gun is aimed
and fired. The projectile, followed by
the long cord, flies out toward the
wreck, passes over it and drops into the
sea, and the "shot line" falls on deck.
Thus the first means of communication
is established between the wreck and
the shore.
The crew of the vessel now pull in
this "sbot line" until they draw on
deck pully block, which the men on
shore have tied to it. Through this
pulley block is running an "endless
line," that is, long line which is call
ed endless, because the two ends have
been fastened together. 1t runs also
through another pulley block, which
has been kept on shore. The sailors
then tie their pulley block well up on
the mast, and the men on shore fasten
theirs TO sand anchor" which they
have firmly buried in the sand. You
have often seen the double string which
children, living across the street from
each other, run between their houses
and call telegraph" 1t is long,
endless lire, running through pulley,
or staple, at each end, and when a
basket or other article is tied to one side
of the double line and the other side is
pulled in the basket of course moves off
across the street. This is like what has
now been rugged between the vessel
and shore. SO now the men on shore
can tie anything to the endless line,
running through Il pulley block at each
end, and starting the circular motion OF
the line, soon send it out to the vessel.
What they do tie Oh is the end of a
great hawser, or heavy rope, and when
this hawser is drawn on deck, it is at
once fastened to the mast a few feet
above the pulley block. Then the other
end of the hawser, which has been kept
OH shore, is hauled in as tight, or
"taut," as possible, and also fastened a
few feet above the pulley block, which
has been tied 20 the sand anchor. Now
the "breeches buoy" is brought out by
the men on shore. This is a circle or
large ring of leather stuffed, of perhaps
two feet in diameter. Hanging below
it is a pair Of stiff canvass knee-breech-
es. 1t is now hung from the heavy
hawser so that it can slide freely to and
fro upon it. Then it is securely fasten-
ed to one part of the endless line, the
other part of the line is hauled steadily
in, and away moves the buoy, slipping
along on the hawser from which it
hangs, and drawn by the small endless
line to which it is secured.
One person is dropped in through the
circle, with one leg in each side Of the
canvass breeches. The circular line,
which has been described, is fastened
also to the buoy, and is again put in
motion, and the buoy retraces its course
to the shore. The rescued person is
taken out, and again and again the
buoy makes the journey until every one
on board is brought safe to land
Youths Companion.