The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-27
FIRED TO SAVE LIFE.
The History or n Cannon Rail Now In the
Cu.tody OF the Lifc.SnvInE Service.

From the Washington Ercnfng Star.
A twenty-four.p pound round shot. with a short
chain attached, now lying on the table Of GEN.
eral Superintendent Kimball Of the life-saving
service. calls UP a noted occurrence long since
forgotten, except by n few old people. which
was In its time a celebrated case. The ball 10
no less than tho first shot ever fired in tho
United States for the purpose OF saving life,
and after performing its most noble service 10
lay for twenty years in the bottom OF the soa.
On tho Goth of Decembcr. 1910, the British ship
Ayrshire sailed from Newry, ireland, bound for
Now York, with 202 passengers on board. mostly
immigrants, seeking homes and fortunes in tho
States. In those days transatlantic steamers
were not numerous, tho first regular line, the
Cunard. having been established only nine
years before, and thousands of immigrants wero
transported in tho famous sailing packets of
the time. Six weeks later the Ayrshire was off
the port OF destination in The midst of a north
cast tempest, which rolled and pitched her about
About midnisht of Jan. l.. 1850. she struck
bottom with terrific force, heeled over toward
her sides in great volumes that drenched and
terrified all on board; Many of the passengers
crowded into one OF the small Lighthouses or
iashod TO the bulwarks and rigging to prevent
dark and bitter cold and for two hours despair
refined on board. for there was little hope that
no hope of escape should she go to pieces before
tn time.
However. about two hours after she struck,
the half.trantic, company beheld a flash of light
inshorc, then detected a sound as OF a muff1ed
cannon. and a moment later heard a heavy iron
ball crash on board. That was the ball referred
10. Attached to it was a life line that was TO be
the means OF resculng all save one OF the entire
drawn to the ship by the sailors. and then came
the life car. then n new ana untried device. It
was ID small iron boat. covered over so that it
was very nearly alike on both sides. and having
in the top an opening through which persons to
then shut themselves up. when they would he
hauled ashore. To some OF the more timid tho
but all finally concluded, that in tho little ark
was to be found their only safety: and eventu.
the smallest mishap. The person lost was a Mr..
Bell OF New York. whose sister ana her two or
were about TO be sent ashore when he insisted
upon t aeGS0im n, dn ;hs them "nr he AZ sod there was ssds no
IooR to ,oe el h1@ to ins the o sns GS5 of it, itoG and, as S "a mst:
ter OF course, was washed off and drowned.
,b so %1es st' Sep 1he ,o STERN ssliIe w S"w oI i% thu 5se sa hSlk a1 Of
was finally wholly covered up. There it lay for
strong current along shore that dug away tho
sand and once more exposed the skeleton OF tho
old wreck to, view, y party OF wreckers were
across the old mortar ball.
There was no doubt Of it's identity. and 1t was
returned 10 the companionship of the little
mortar which sent it whizzing seward on its
errand Of humanity more than twenty yeare
before. Since the recovery of the ball it and
the mortar have been on exhibition at all tho
great interstate and international eXpositions.
At present they are awaiting transportation to
the exposition nj Omaha.
When the Ayrshire was wrecked the life
saving service of the United States, now 30 i'm.
portRnt, WAS little more than "A name, and many
n ships company as thereafter lost on tho
back and ugly coasts Of Long Island and New
Jersey.
1t is known that during the twenty years
from 1850 to 1870 as many lives were lost by
shipwreck on the two coasts named ne woro
lost under the present lifo-saving system In tho
next twenty years on all tho ocean and lake
coasts of the entire country.
The old life car has been superseded by Alight-
err though larger one, and for ordinary rescues o
device known as the breechcs buoy was adopted.
BY this agency two persons may be taken ashore
at a time, and when the number on board 10
handler and preferable appliance.
place OF the old mortar. This gun is the inven-
ton OF Capt. b. A. Lyle of the United States
Army and u Jealous member of tho life-sayin9
board on devices for rescuing tho shipwreckod.
To its design and perfection he devoted himself
as to a labor OF love, and with the result that to-
day the lifc-saving service of the United States
has the most far.reachlng gun and the oest
equipments pertinent 10 il of any similar estab-
lishment in the world. the gun, the powder.
shot and line being made expressly for II.
The old round shot and mortar had their day
and are entitled TO respectful attention and the
gratitude OF many n rescued castaway, but the
Lyle gun. with its extended range and unfailinR
reliability, is as much ahead or the old-time APP
pliance as the modern cannon is in advance OF
the ancient carronade.