New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-09-09
TO HONOR AN OLD INVENTOR.
A GOLD MEDAL FOR JOSEPH FRANCIS.
HOW THE L1rE-BoAT CAME TO BE MADE-A fHAo
TICAI. TRIAL OF 1T.

HOW THE, LIFE BOAT CAME TO BE MADE-A fhAc
TICAL TRIAL OF 1T.
Tho voneroblo Joseph Francis. who for years has
n,c,dca with Congress for recognition Of HIS claim as
tho inventor Of the lifcboa which recognition other
Governments had already given, has been ihior'nc"
that Congress, a few days ago, passeu rosoi"''o"
which saws that ain view Of the lifelong services 10
humanity and TO his country OF the no" Vencr"o''
Ioeeph Francis in the construction of fc-saving APP
pllances by which many thousands OF lives nave
been saved the director of the mint hereby author
ized and required TO strike gold medal, WIN
suitable device and inscription, prepared unncr ,he
direction Of the Joint Committee on the Library W
be presented by the President OF the on'eu STATES
to Mr. Francis in recognition OF his eminent services
The venerable Joseph Francis Is now cigh'y-s'N
wears old and for many years lived at the Stevens
House on Lower Broadway, but went to San Diego
Cal, last winter. He has spent the whole OF MS
life since he was eleven years old, in the study ana
perfection Of lfc-saving appliances Those VINO SEQ
him for the first time are reminded OF soho vi 'no
genial old characters in Dickcnss works. he mas
broad and high forehead, with his moderately long
gray hair brushed smoothly back from the temples,
a neatly trimmed gray mustache and wee bit Oh
goatec. Add to the pleasing expression OF MS iac"'
his pale blue eyes, which twinkle beneath his shaggy
eyebrows. and his old-fashioned black frock coat,
black trousers and high standing collar ana one mas
tho quaint appearance OF member OF the Ola so"'l
Joe, Francis used to spend his time after school
hours reading stories of the terrible shipwrccks and
he finally encouraged to devise some means OF
saving life 1t was shown that when only eleven
years old that he made small boat Of his own modei
and made compartments in the bow and stern which
he filed with old pieces Of cork lie then filed the
boat with water and was surprised TO find that u
would not sink, even after four men got into IT, III
was the first llfe-boat built IN this country lie
kept on making improvements until 1919. when no
boat which he to the Massachusetts Mechanical
Institute received favorable mention" This was
his first bit Of encouragement.
Six years later he brought 10 New York the first
buoy ant wooden boat which he called lfc-boat' ana
exhibited It in the presence OF the leading shppnS
merchants at the foot Of Wall-st lie tossed IL
overheard, bottom up and endwise and she rghed ~
once Then he dropped her from the end OF yard
arm OF ship and she went out OF sight, but almost
instantly to the surface, right side up. lie
filed her with who tried to capsl1e and to SINK
her, but to no use Tho boat was exhibited In DINER
cities, ard his order for boats from Gan
ada. From that time his fortune began. inc I'm
perOrs OF Russia ard Brazil gave him orders for two
State barges ard he had orders for pleasure boats anu
yachts. He continued improve upon the lfe-bOat.
and 1915 he had perfected iron life boat but the
United states Government refused 10 order any OF
them until he hal given II n practical trial.
Finally, January II, 1850. the British ship Ayr
shire. with 200 people on board. went ashore on mo
jersey coast and he threw line to her and ran ms
new fc-car back and forth several times, and saved
all but This made him the hero Of the day, and
crowned heads came forward to do him honor En-
pelOr Napoleon. before whom he gave special eA-
gold snuT-box. Tho box bore the imperial mono.
gram and crown, and was studded with elghty-sN
rht Of St. Stanisais. He received medals of honor
and diplomas from all Of the crowned heads and when
he returned home he found that his lliecar and pom
wagons for naval and military purposes had been
adopted by this Government