Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-06-24
DIR. PARKER's BOAT
Before tho BOARD or Life-snving Ser
vice I'm New York.
new YORK, June 90, 1888.

To the Editor of the Dispatch:
appeared before tho Board OF Life
Saving Service convened here yester-
day by invitation from Washington.
Ihe board is well constituted. All its
members are not from the navy some
from the army, and the president is q
civilian. / have no doubt it is very
impartial tribunal. Captain Kimbal,
the superintendent of the hfesaying
service for the whole country. is not q
member of the board, but takes part in
the proceedings. lie is the fright man
in the right place" He is enthu-
siastic in his profession, and is very
genial and courteous. Two other
persons with improvements appeared
before the board yesterday one
with an oil to quiet the waters, and a
young man from Detroit, who is in the
life-saving service, and who has invented
an improved method of bringing passen-
gers from a stranded ship in the basket
as now used. He can do it better and
quicker. he board was well pleased
with his invention. He is about twenty
two years OF age and named Carver. tie
saws the service in winter on the lakes is
terrible indeed, and complains Of the
poor pay.
Captain KimbalI says what the service
has been looking for ever since its or
ganization is boat that can't be CAP
sized that some years ago they thought
they had one. This was q raft with air
chambers in it. Old surfmen thought it
was the thing itself--at least some
of them did-and he was asked to try
it. 1t had been in the surf for some
time and seemed to act very well, but
he doubted whether it would answer the
purpose. Presently it was not only cap
sized, but the men on it Cor some of
them) came near being drowned. This
raft was utterly helpless to right itself.
Once over it remained over.
do not claim in my patent that my
boat cannot possibly be capsized,
but 1 do claim and do know with
absolute certainty that If capsized she
Will instantly, in the twinklinR OF an
eye, right herself. This is, l think, self
evident. / have two boats-one to be
carried on ship (this has a saiD, and one
for the surf without a sail. The sail
boat, 1 find by experiment, Will right
herself nth the sail, which does pre-
sent some obstacle; but the second or
surf-boat is simply hollow cylinder,
say 81 by 6 feet, ten times heavier IN
the lower or wooden half than on the
upper or canvas-coyered half. There is
10 sea or surf that can by possibility,
certainly only for an instant, inyert the
law of nature in the case. l met an in
telligent gentleman In Norfolk last sum-
mer who examined ny boat NOW at Vir-
GINA Beach,, and he said 1t would be
impossible to capsiZe her. ] told him L
did not think so. He said the sail was
too small and too far forward to upset
her. and that the top of the boat was so
light that it would not gounder the water,
though she would roll n great deal.
Since my trial of this boat at Virginia
Beach last April | am much inclined
to think this gentleman may be cor
rect. OF course hope he is.
l have engaged Captain Fox, OF our
city, to build me a surf-boat, which |
propose to take to Virginia Beach Sep
TENDER next and test this question.
In conclusion, am glad to say that
no question asked me by the board yes
terday has shaken MY faith in the inven-
ton. Indeed the boat seemed altogether
new to them. No criticism OF any seri-
GUS character was made by any member
of the board. But of course they have
yet carefully to examine all the details.
tits satisfactory to know that the question
involved is one capable Of practical solu-
ton, and trust that solution will come
before New-Year's. Yours, W. ". Z.