Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-06-07
THE PARKER LsFEBOAT.
It Successfully Stands the Test of
Anchorage In the Surf

Correspondence OF the Richmond Dispatch.l
VIRGINIA BEACH, June 4, 1883.
In nv Telegram Yesterday IN regard TO the
launching OF the new Parker hfe6ost | said
she bad been anchored amid the breakers,
thing hitherto unknown. An open boat will
IN with water and sink sometimes in ten
minutes-I mean IL left to herself. Last
night there was heavy WIND, and IL was
feared this boat would DRAG her anchor, IS II
was improVised and net very heavy; but her
position find is not changed. She Is 800
wards from the besch. The motion IS "iOre
and aft" a. the sailors ssy. she don't rock
perceptibIy at this distance. Before leaving
The boat Or. Parker (tbe INVENTOR had all the
openings except the yentilator closed; but
he now regrets be did not leave them all
open, as he is certain no water would enter
them.
But for the fact thst one OF the surfmen
brought by Captain King from Norfolk had
10 be married that evening, and must needs
leave by the 4:30 train, the boat would have
been put TO other tests. The Doctor bad
determined to put five or six men on the
roof while the boat was in the trough Of the
sea. so a. TO show how impossible 1t was TO
espsize her.
Several seamen expressed fears about the
boat floating ashore after breaking her
anchor, but Captain King said: "Let her
come ashore, she can't be hurt She can
land on any coast, except one rocK-bound,
with safety.
As you NAV know the life aud surfboats
are the only two kinds Of boat that don't
"live" in the water, but on, OF the water,
and are only put into the water In an emer-
geucy. Ii was the Doctors purpose to
make boat, as he told Captain Kendall in
New York last June, which would weigh
4
when put in the scales this boat weighed
5000 pounds. 1t is both cheaper and easier
to make liant boat, so this objection TO the
new boat Is one OF little worth. n boat well
bsllasted weighing 1900 pounds, and ada
crew 900 pounds, would give you 2,5OO
pounds. Keep the present very strong top,
UOo strong, Captain King thinksb 400
pounds. and you have the bottom six times
as heavy as the top, and this would prevent
capsizing. The present boat, asyou know,
Is eleven to one. leu men, indeed eight
good men, can take this boat by its iron
guards and carry 1t anywhere. They would
need no carriage. EAch man would have TO
lift only about $50 pounds.
The shape OF The bottom OF the llfe-boat Is
important. 1t should be something Ike the
runners ON a sledge With a. little friction as
possible. An iron boat with light galVan-
lied iron top and larger windows at each car.
lock, and a big bulPs-eye window IN 'front.'
would make both 8 safe and very durable
boat The canvas top would not probably
last more than two or three years-the gal
vaniZed.iron almost rs long as the body OF
the boat. The Doctor thinks all the openings
ON the top OF bis boat ean be enlarged, as the
water will probably never reach them, exs
eept perhaps IN ve,y stormy weather.
] got life-saylng-seryice man whose IA
thsr before bun grew gray in the SER
vice 10 examine my boat He thinks
IL too heavy, as | know. but says IL
10 the very thing for stations located i'm
Inediately on deep water. and would also be
excellent TO carry on ships, rs II could never
lie swsmped. 1 told HIM had thought OF
having 10 the bow OF the boat q cistern OF
oil communication with the hollow gas pipe
that encirees the boat four inches below the
guuwale, so that IN bad weather the oil could
De turned on and let out OF small holes slong
The under surface Of the pipes made for the
purpose. Tbis would keep the boat all the
time surrounded by OIL. A good deal Of al
tention has been lately gwen TO this subject.
When / appeared before the Llfe-Ssying
Board 10 New York last June genllem an
had an apparatus looking 10 pouring OIL
upon the "troubled water" aud the board
told me they thought well Of II. don't TO-
member the nature Of his invention, except
II was for suips. This young man (Mf.
UNes) liked the idea for the suri-boat
Yours, a. Is. c.