Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-12-15
PERILS OF THE OCEAN
INVENTIVE GENIUS 70 THE AID or
DISTRESSED MARINERS.

Considered BY the Life Saving Services
Hoard-Cstting the Throat Of the Timid
with Feather.
In order that the surfmen who patrol
our beaches ready to lend their assist
ancs to distressed mariners, may have
ct their command tho most efficient ap-
paratus inventive genius can suggest, a
board on life saving appliances appoint
ed by the secretary of the treasury is
connected with the life saving service
and convenes upon the call of the presi-
dent about once year to consider the
merits Of all boats, apparatus or meth.
DDS which may be presented to them
with a view to adoption in that service
public tests Of the apparatus presented
Tor adoption, and their report is en-
bodied in the annual report Of the life
saving service for the year in which the
Investigations were made.
Many valuable suggestions are
brought to the attention of the board
which secure for the use of the service
strong lines and effective gear. But
some Of the schemes and apparatus of.
fered in good faith are SO ridiculously
absurd as to require but very short re-
port, and the decision is found i'm
practicable the board being good
enough to ''cut his throat with o feath-
er" in order that timid genii with
meritorious apparatus may not be un-
duly discouraged or frightened at the
decision made upon these devices and
thereby deferred from presenting some
thing which might be of incalculable
value to humanity.
One of the peculiar facts ascertained
by the Investigations of the board is
that those who are probably most apt to
submit models and descriptions are those
who know least about tho real dangers
and consequent needs Of a stranded or
stranding vessel. Some of the concep-
lions of the inland residents are truly
marvellous.
The subject easily divides itself into
three heads: Boats for going out through
tho surf, apparatus for ehocting COM
munication between the shore and
stranded vessels, and means for prevent
| ing STANDINGS. The devices to be con-
sidered as coming first are most natural
~ those to prevent STANDINGS, and only
recently q scheme was presented in
which the government was urged to
stretch q very large cable the entire
length of tho coast some distance from
the shore anchored with mushroom an
chors. Thus If vessel were dragging
her anchor she would float over this ca
bile toward the rocks until the hukes Of
her anchor engaged with the cable,
where she would be held safe and sound.
No provision is made for preventing the
parting of her chains, however. But the
scheme of stretching q large cable from
Maine to Mexico and stringing thereon
mushroom anchors like bangles on q
necklace will hardly meet the approval
of congress
Another amateur submits sketches
and drawings, minus the pretty painted
model, however, of q great boat intend
ed to run simply by opening q gate
valve in two large longitudinal tube:
which open fore and aft below the wa
ter line The valves are open when the
|
into the forward intake and passes out
ut the stern. The water, passing out
pushes the boat forward, and the intake
helps relieve the resistance on the bows,
SO that the boat, of course, is pro
PEELED by the water passing through
these tubes. The boat thus goes ON for
ever through the surf most speedily be-
cause the water is driven out through
the stern most forcibly in boisterou:
sea. To stop the boat the valves ar
closed.
Another bright man with a less cum
bersome continuance, although the &C
ton is as hard or harder to understand
suggests lifeboat or life raft built upon
the exact model of q window shutter o,
blind, arguing that the water, operatin,
upon the Stats, will set them vibrat
ing, and that this vibration by its nc
ton upon its own motive force viii
cause the boat to work forward agains
wind and tide. Bathers ut Atlantic City
q couple of summers ago will no doub
remember this inventor and his shutter
A heart swelling with pity-it ough
to be a woman 's-for the poor drenchet
captains wife, rescued through tn
mountainous surf from a vessel fas
breaking up. has suggested a canva
cover similar to a wagon cover Tight.
fastened down to the gunwale as q pro
lection from the wet. The dear soul
however. never stopped to consider tn
tremendous force with which the break
ers, which at times turn "a foot life
boat end over, would ride down tina
fragile protection, burying in its fold
every one underneath. And those mem
bers of the board who had served at SO
shivered when they read the description
of this protection" and pictured t
|. themselves their exciting endeavors {
extricate themselves from the ruin G
! the death dealing continuance suggeste
, in love and kindness by an ignorau
friend. Star.
No Dire ConHuslon.
At Northwood, Ia, Nov. 8, "a won
en- voted, under the new law, ut q spt
cial election, on the question Of bono