The Evening dispatch. [volume] (Provo, City, Utah) 1891-1895, 1894-12-15
PERILS OF THE OCEAN
INVENTIVE GENIUS TO THE AID or
DISTRESSED MARINERS.

Many Absurd Devices Profrered-AI1 Are
Considered by the Life Saving Service
Board-Cutting the Throat of the Ttmid
With Feather.
In order that the surfmen who patyol
our beaches, ready to lend their assist
ance to distressed mariners, may have
at their command the most efficient APP
paratus inventive genius can suggest,
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 view to adoption in that service
If found practicable This board makes
public tests of the apparatus presented
for 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 ridioulously
absurd as to require but a very short re-
port, and the decision Is ''found i'm
practicable, - the board being good
enough to ''cut his throat with feath
err in order that timid genii with
meritorious apparatus may not be I'M
duly discouraged or frightened at the
decision made upon these devices and
thereby deferred from presenting some
thing which might be of inoaloulable
value to humanity.
One of the peculiar facts asoertainod
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 the real dangers
and consequent needs of a stranded or
stranding vessel. Some of the concep-
tions of the inland residents are truly
marvellous.
The subject easily divides itself into
three heads: Boats for going out through
the surf, apparatus for effecting 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 a scheme was presented in
which the government was urged to
stretch very large cable the entire
length of the 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 fukes 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 large cable from
Maine to Mexico and stringing thereon
mushroom anchors like bangles on
necklace will hardly meet the approval
of congress.
Another amateur submits sketches
and drawings, minus the pretty painted
model, however, of great boat intend
ed to run simply by opening a gate
valve in two large longitudinal tubes
which open fore and aft below the wa
ter line. The valves are Open when the
boat is launched, and the water rushes
into the forward intake an passes out
at the stern. The water, passing out,
pushes the boat forward, and W. 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 boisterous
sea. To stop the boat the valves are
closed
Another bright man with a less cum
bersome continuance, although the ao-
ton is as hard or harder to understand,
suggests lifeboat or life raft built upon
the exact model of a window shutter or
blind, arguing that the water, operating
upon the Stats, will set them vibrat-
ing, and that this vibration by its ao-
ton upon its own motive force will
cause the boat to work forward against
wind and tide. Bathers at Atlantic City
couple of summers ago will no doubt
remember this inventor and his shutter.
A heart swelling with pity-it ought
to be woman's- for the poor drenohed
captains wife, rescued through the
mountainous surf from vessel fast
breaking up, has suggested a canvas
cover similar to wagon cover tightly
fastened down to the gunwale as pro-
lection from the wet. The dear soul,
however, never stopped to consider the
tremendous force with which the break
ers, which at times turn a "a foot life
boat end over, would ride down that
fragile protection, burying in its folds
every one underneath And those mem
hers of the board who had served at sea
shivered when they read the description
Of this protection" and pictured to
themselves their exciting endeavors to
extricate themselves from the ruin of
the death dealing continuance suggested
in love and kindness by an ignorant
friend. Washington Star.
Roman House Heaters.
Methods used by the Romans for