The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1888-02-12
WHERE ARE THE INYEN1ORSs
Can Nobody Make an Engino FIT to Drive .
Lifeboat Through the Surf


Lifeboat Through the Surf
It is not q little discouraging to those in.
terested in maritime affairs. and particularly
to those interested in devices and schemes for
saving the lives Of the stipwreckod. to read
that the efforts OF a committee appointed on
Oct. l Of last year by the Royal National Life.
boat Institution Of Great Britain to obtain a
plan for propelling a liteboat by some Other
means than oars in the hands OF its crow. had
entirely failed. In December. 1886. while en-
deavoring to save the crew OF a vessel wrecked
on tho coast OF Lancashire, II lifeboat and her
crew were overwhelmed by the waves and
lost. The disaster was Of the sort to rouse
tho attention of tho entireiBritish nation. and
the Royal Lifeboat Institute at once set about
improving the lifeboats in service along the
British coasts; Among. other steps taken
s Ts t Inc 81 As ST. Frederic q ! Gom%l'f f. r. eG =.
rdhS,ny ,n ;bs all m msn having SIo special ,Ssm know;
and MANUFACTURERS OF Iifeboats OF some new
s shsn m aS Ss P iabsr 81 t Rs s Sars: .s sSSsrt for %sf ie
stance. as steam or electricity. The committee
for the bsst Of tnese pro pose ds SiIves mould mould
any be offered. while the successful inventor
would. OF course; have, received a number OF
the award was made. Entries closed on Oct. i.
At which time so many. had been presented Mt
- Ar'hi nv tuub /. IlttS lhhtu
all the time OF the committee for nearly four
months to comaplste their examination Of the
the report. says that no design worthy OF a
silver medai: or even Of special mention. was
perhaps some YANKEE may now succsed. '
The need for some such device for prorelling
ttsno ande SeS %hfss t S5eP2iH vss 3, when fhs sh the soHdii
season season Of y the year: The wrecked ship drives
maps hall Il mile from the beach whence the
liIeboat, must be launched. md always. too. il
Point. on Q bar a good many hundred feet from
enone' and d1 Il II pa ns nigbt, t 1Sr,n nan word to the
ths vino and slset or snow that chill them
a sh hessy 5 sna t 6rs 9 q. T ssna labor q %n Of drasfins
warm them before thoy must wade out into ma
Icy surf that drenches every thread they wear,
oars and pull for their own lives. as we'll as he
next wave. #. 1t does not huri them BACK on to
the sani !. half buries them in its freezing cold
% wrpns x shd tss 'TnK leaves Fi,h them with coats and
Unmlndfai OF the discomiorts and terror,
aIS nn am ana before them, the He savers strug.
their danger. especially IRON floating and fail
made last 70 he 's SHIP. oyer xhi ths tho %ss soh ID
water swasps, with tremendous force. and then
s sns T hslpis :; wh Ss ass l g iSxa ir .f' ,n sIss Ing iiIs!
boats. 1t IL a work requiring the nerve and
sst y n1syfo Of a man In his hs Prime 70 undim:nishsd
men VINO have bsen. perhaps for M hour or
more. s,rainiHg every nerve to its utmost ton.
HaiIops are ali il }n's the ni Soat, pAf Hum asa'nri pow W.
strained and stand the test. Fncumbersd
labors in securing the load, the lie save AZ
cast pr ne line that holds them TO the
wreck o and y, wl tacO weakened ,nu grasp take uGins
2 mariner is ever, exposed, the danger Of land.
Ing .nsD th ,bs thou q heavy surf Small wonder i
r. men; md they DRIFT :oward shore Ms'f Father
he critical moment to pull toward tho open
SEA, and are caught by,a booming roller and
rom which they had launched their boat to
Then # is most needed. 1t ought not to be
q difficult or expensive thing to pro-
$ : about 20 iee' long, I wide, and So deep. il
mi the hold beneath IS divided into compHrf.
nonts, which are usually ,ilcl with cork and
hat 4 the comnsrtmont lie broken open it viii
'al IA, T' anS y q ssxsM " rsap'Fs an 9 sTsw Of Ds six
s sssd boat T mas I nransi1Sr a Ssy,c his yslshi
90 pounds. Y would therefore net hut
or he boat, but something ought to DO made
\ these days Of temporei, steel and aluminium
hat would weigh lcs ii some Of thu man
ilo are taking uHf pr'nntS for car couuler4,
,!lroad switcl."s.nnd w'"llnG machines ~ he
o. a n"@rn = M",I, MI, me- r",+nnnl],
."t Of their Il aNir"r "Cfr 20 turn their n,r"u-
ION i"n NJ - IL a.I, "a IT, ;2 + Ell E9,th} ias n,'ra.
perhaps eyen Of a silver medal, might
. produced, When 1t Il, considered that such
1900. each. the margin for profit 10 sbDsraAt