Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1897-07-02
HYDRAULIC LIFEBOAT.
Description Of Novel Llfe-saver
Built in England.

nuHC IN EN- AAnUs
Within month the Queen, a new
Hydraulic lifeboat built for the Royal
National Lifeboat institution, will be
ready for service, stationed at Liver
pool, says the London Daily Mail. A
representative called at Church wharf
and the manager of the works gave
him full and interesting particulars of
the new vessel. From these it will be
seen that the old traditional appeal OF
man the lifeboat," that has been so
often responded to on our coasts by
ready volunteers, is likely to be re-
placed by the more prosaic order OF
stoke the lifeboat," and the hydraulic
machinery, driven by steam, will need
but the services of half a dozen hands
all told. I'm the Queen we have in
PRODUCED an arrangement for feeding
the furnace with oil so as to economic
coal after steam has been got up said
the manager. "The boat carries four
tens OF coal and two tanks of oil, and
the latter, sprayed into the fires, will
last the same length of time that the
coal allowance will. The dimensions
of the new vessel, which is built en-
tirely OF steel, are fifty-fve feet in
length and sixteen feet in breadth at
the deck. When loaded and carrying
thirty passengers she displaces about
thirty tons and has water draught of
three feet three inches. The hull con-
talns eighteen water-tight compart-
ments. The engines and boiler occupy
two and the coal bunkers another two.
The Sea water is scooped up by open
mouths in the side of the boat amid
ships, and shot out stemward by means
IF centrifugal pump through tube
ON each side Of the vessel with great
FORCE, and the impact OF these columns
with the surrounding body of the
ocean drives the lifeboat ahead at a
speed CT nine or ten knots an hour.
Steam is supplied at pressure of AS
pounds per square inch, and the en-
giEes develop about 250-horse power.
There Is no reversing gear, but by
lard the bow the water may cut off
and shot forward and the boat can be
brought to stop from full speed in
seven seconds. Again, the beat can be
turned more readily than if she had
twin screws by directing, say, the star
board water column astern and port
ahead. This is owing to the control
ling power being amidships in place of
astern, where the leverage is more diff
1lcult. The steersman directs the two
water shoots as he thinks proper by
means Of two handwheels near the
steering wheel aft. The rudder is of
the large size necessary for deep-sca
working and projects below the boats
keel, but by means Of handy mechan-
ism, it can be raised for sailing in
shallow water. The boat carries lug
sail and staysail for use when neces-
Sary. The absence of 4 screw is a
great advantage, especially when ap-
preaching wreck at sea, when there
is possibility of the propeller being
caught in floating. masts and rigging,
and you are free from the dangerous
racing of I've screw so perilous to a
boat in rot !, choppy waters. We are
also enabled to reach this lifeboat
without any fear of injuring the ma
chinery-an impossible matter with a
projecting screw. In the tests made
at speed trials lifebuoy was thrown
overheard while the vessel was 60
ing full steam ahead. The jets were
directed bowward so as to stop the way
or and drive the boat astern, and the
lucy was recovered in one minute. In
thus going astern the steering was eff
fected by the jets only. The same test
was repeated, and the boat was steered
so as to describe circle, returning to
where the float lay, and the maneuver
occupied precisely the same time. This
new lifeboat is not only capable of
propelling itself, but can take two or
three ordinary lifeboats to a marine
disaster or tow vessel of 200 to $50
tons burden into port"