The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1896-10-08
LlFE-SAVING EXPERIMENT.
Ahe House-Boat Principle to BE Intro
duced by the Government.

ahe House-Boat Principle to BE Intro
duced by the Government.
| aThe government life-saving station
| service is about to try new idea, from
which great results are expected. Ii
is Undertaking to apply the house-boat
prl3ciple in the saving of life at sea.
PeThaps it is not very clear just how
hoHse-boat is going to be of much
serVlfe in an angry ocean storm. But
| the government officials have figured
outJa use for it that is new. This life
saving station will lie off shore, just
outside of the line sf breakers. In this
new station the life-saving crew will
live,{ and from there they will board
their boats.
The most difficult part of the life
saving work is getting a boat launched
in a)wildly-beating surf and working it
out beyond the breakers. In fact, a
very large proportion of the upsets,
the delays and the difficulties in reach.
| ing stranded or distressed vessel are
due to it.
The proposal is to build a boat 100
| feet long, 80 feet wide and six feet deep,
and strong enough to defy for years
the fiercest storms. The new craft is
to be fashioned very much like an old
style fiatiron. cut off square at the
stern. 1t will be anchored firmly, and,
of course, will always present head
to the wind.
Mere is to be curious cut in the
stern of the boat that is to be called
ne "harbor." This is an opening 80
| Eel "A length and II feet in width. 1t
is surrounded by walk six feet wide,
upon which the boats may be hauled.
The upper deck extends the whole
length of the boat, covering over the
top of the ''harbor'' as we'll
Thus, with her head always to the
wind, the "harbor" will offer easy in
gress and egress to small boats. The
hardest, most disagreeable and most
dangerous part of the work which life
saving crews have hitherto had to put
up with, the launching of boats through
the surf, will thus be entirely done away
with.
In the ''harbor" also will be moored
life-savers, and a surf-boat will hang
on davits near the end.
As a whole, despite its odd shape,
the craft looks good deal like the ira
ditional house-boat. 1t is to be built
in the most durable manner, heavily
bulkbeaded, and the main deck, which
is to be ten feet above the level of the
sea, will contain abundant room for
the crew of eight men and the captain
who will man the vessel. There is to
be abundant room for comfortable liv-
ing, and the boat is to be fitted up with
kitchen, dining-room and sleeping COM
partments.
On the deck is to be large pilot house,
seven feet in height, which will be used
as lookout. The station is to be fitted
with anchors, but no masts, machinery
or steering gear. If it ever broke loose
it would go where it liked, but for the
most part its movements will be di-
rected by tow line.
The new craft has just been completed
at ship yard near Noank, Conn, and
was designed by Assistant Superintend-
ent of Construction Henry f. Davis.
The total cost of the boat is about ST.
900, and it will be towed to Boston at
once, where it will be stationed off City
Point as the Boston bay floating life
saving station.
The government officials will watch
the career of the lifc-saving house-boat
with great deal of interest, and if it
proves the success they hope similar
stations will be established along the
entire coast of the United States. 1t
is probable that in time the boats will
be provided with connections with the
shore, and either the whole crew of the
station will be transferred to the house
boat or else the latter will be used as
an adjunct to the shore station.-N. Y.
Herald.