Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1899-10-17
a NEW LieE BUOY.
RSricIENcr or IT WHEN THE MAINE
WAS OUT m A STORM.

The Franklin life buoy, unique In
veution Of Rear-Admiral Hichb0rn, 10
now In use, not only on all vessels Of
the United States navy, but also to
great extent on the vessels OF all con-
siderable naval powers, Gays the Scien-
tific American. Like ell other useful In
ventions, 1t ID simple In principle, being
. hollow, alright, metallic ring, provid-
ed with two automatic torches which
make It possible to locate tho buoy at
night.
The torch staffs are 90 pivoted to the
ring that they will lie In the same plane
and stow neatly against the side Of the
ship when the buoy 10 not Ia use; but
when It 10 dropped they assume, by vir-
tue Of the weight Of their lower ends,
vertical position 10 the water, thus rails
Ing the signals above the surface. Each
torch staff 10 fitted with . chamber ct
the lower end containing calcium ph0s-
phide, chemical which ignites by con-
tact with the water. When the buoy 10
dropped the seals Of these chambers are
broken automatically, and admission OF
water is permitted, and the gases OF
combustion ascend and produce large
flare Ut the top, the combustion being 90
regulated that there 10 no danger OF
overheating. The hotation OF the buoy
IL sufficient to sustain three men, the
central space accommodating one In
sitting position, supported by chain
which crosses the opening. Generally
two OF these buoys are hung near the
stern, where they can be most easily
dropped entirely clear. The most strik-
ing test Of their efficiency In our service
occurred on the Inflated "Maine," about
year before she was blown up In Ha.
vana harbor.
On the morning OF Feb. 6, 1897, In lati-
tude "a degrees north, longitude 20 de-
srees, ~ minutes vest, = position III
tie south Of Cape Hstterss, the Maine
was bressting q terrific storm, such as
would have tried the sesworthiness OF
the stanchest ship. In executing an
order, Gunncr's Mate Charles Hassel and
Seaman Kogel we're washed overheard.
The two buoys were Immediately drop
ped, and Hassel WAS seen TO reach one
of them, but Kogel seems TO have been
stunned, for he made no apparent effort
TO save himself. Seeing this, Lsndsman
william J. Creelmsn jumped overheard
and made futile attempt To rescue him,
and after failing succeeded In reaching
the same buoy TO which Hsssei already
clung. In the meanwhile the port life
boat, manned by volunteer crew, under
command OF Cadet Walter Gherardi, Was
lowered, but II was found that 10 the
terrific sea It was quite impossible TO
reach the lmperlled men with the boat,
and the crew were hauled aboard by
life lines, the boat being abandoned. BY
this time the two men on the buoy had
been lost sight of but their bearings had
been kept, and when the ship steamed In
their direction, the torches were soon
sighted through the binding mist Of
rain, and by the most skillful handling
the two men were safely hauled over the
bow and landed on deck, so little Injured
by their adventure that both returned TO
duty the next day, one OF them, Hassel,
ouly to perish in the terrible catastrophe
OF the following year. Creelmsn is now
A gupuer's mate on the Iowa.