The evening times., 1899-07-29
TO save lives At SEA
The Proposed Competition for a
New Device.
Many Inventions Have Been Patent-
ed, But Nome Have Yet Proved SUI
to Open Communication Between
Distressed Vessels and the Shore.

The information to the State Depart
ment, through Ferdinand Peck. the Ameri-
can Commissioner to the French EXPOSE
tion in 1900, that prize of 100000 francs
has been offered by three nieces Of the late
Anthony Pollok and his wife, Of Washing
ton, who were drowned in the Bourgogne
disaster on July 4, last year, to the in
ventor OF the best contrivance for saw
ing life at sea. has created a profound
interest in this city, where all the parties
mentioned are we'll remembered
The ladies who offer the prize are in
Paris. They offer the prize as tribute
to the memory of their late relatives, the
Polloks, who were millionaires. Although
the competition will be held at Paris, it
will be open TO competitors OF all nations.
An organization for this purpose was
started in this city some months ago. and
Capt. Sumner l. Kimball, General Super
intendent of the Life Saving Service of the
United States, drew up a scheme which win
probably be adopted under which the con-
test will be conducted and the prize award
ed The affair will be managed in Paris
and have no connection whatever with the
Life Saving Service of the United States.
Other prominent men of this city are deep
ly interested in it, however, and will see
that this country is we'll represented in the
French competition. The affair will be
open to the whole inventive world.
In 1882 a reward CT 9100 was offered
by Great Britain for the best method or
device for effecting communication be-
tween a stranded ship and the shore. The
competition was great. Among the inven-
tions was the mechanism OF the kite at
tached to a buoy floating in the water. 1t
was called a submarine sentry-an instru-
ment which gave automatic warning from
q vessel In distress, or to a ship of its ap-
proach to shallow water. Another inven-
ton was sea-rocket. 1t was torpedo
propelled by an explosive. In apparent
danger the ship could throw forward into
the water this torpedo which On striking
dangerous obstruction, would explode and
give warning to the vessel. Another in
vention was line-throwing apparatus The
range Of its rockets was from go to 500
yards, carrying tanned manila throwing
lines. torpedo intended TO carry a cable
ashore from distance of l 900 yards was
another device There was also screw
hold ship above water and prevent it for
an indefinite time from sinking These
novel inventions and hundreds of Others
were designed for the ship and the shore
fhe contest for the prize, however was
said to be failure and although Great
Britain has experimental for 100 wears 10
secure improved life-saving devices. she
depends today principally en- the Hfeboat
and the life-saving device similar to that
in vogue in the United States
There have been a great many inyen-
ions for saving life at sea registered at
the Patent Office of the United States.
Notwithstanding this and the apparent
Feasibility and practicability of some of
them. nothing has been deemed fit 10 take
the place Of the life-saving devices long in
vogue.
Captain kimball at the head of our Life
Saving Service. says the ultimate means
employed by life-saving stations is the
same. The tumultous waters between the
wreck and the shore are either crossed by
hfeboat sent out to the imperiled people
or are spanned by strong lines by which
breeches buoy or other vehicle is passed
back and forth. There are various kinds
OF Hfeboats, however, and many devices
for efTecting line communications The
type of boat in most general use in the
United States is distinctly known as the
Sur1DOat. There are several varieties OF
this type. They are propelled with six
oars. without sails, and are expected to
carry, besides their crews, from ten to
twelve persons. Their cost ranges from
$210 to s275. These boats are very light, and
can be launched in very shallow water. In
the dexterous hands of American surfmen
they are maneuvred in the breakers with
marvellous ease and celebrity. This facility
of handling is of great advantage when
working in proximity to a wreck, enable
the boats to eyade collision with floating
wreckage and to quickly slip up alongside
stranded vessel at favorable moment
and receive it's freight. while it is easily
Tended of from contact with the lurching
hull.
These boats are supplied at nearly all
the stations of the United States, and on
the Atlantic seaboard they are relied ON
almost exclusively. One or another variety
of these boats, together with their appli-
ances, will enter the competition at Paris
for the Pollok prize. No modern or i'm
proved invention it is said. has yet been
discovered to do better work or to take
their place.
Girl Inmates Were Whipped.