Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-08-25

| ing it's existence. But in case the big ship
should be in danger Of shipwreck. the cap
| tain has the deck board covering the life
| boat instantly removed, and orders the pas
sengers to crawl down into their places.
There the passengers wait. IT the huge
| vessel is destined to sink the occupants of
the lifeboat are safe. When the ship keels
| over and disappears beneath the waves,
| the lifeboat is released automatically. and
issues ont Of the laundering carcasses like
| a phoenix from the ashes. Air chambers
make the lifeboat unsuitable, and clever
device is provided which enables the life
boat to resist the suction from the sinking
ship.
Detachable Deck.
A nearby exhibit from another French
firm of shipbuilders shows an automati-
| cally detachable deck, which separates it
self from a laundering steamship. and as
sures a safe asylum to a hundred per-
sons
Sea- Is the inscription on one of the walls
of the long gallery. The exhibit Of this
English manufacturing establishment, that
is famous for that branch of industry. is
the largest and one of the most complete
in all the exhibition. Each device is dem
onstrated by working models, shown in a
big tank filled with water. One Of the most
practical and effective of the Roper inven-
tons Is a steel life raft. built in cellular
compartments for air chambers. One device
employs this raft as the captains bridge
on an ocean steamer. Another shows 1T
slowed on top Of the deck house. For both
of these methods thoroughly practical ap-
paratus with which the ship is equipped en-
ables two persons to launch the raft. right
side up. with the utmost speed. When this
apparatus. hastily sprung into position by
turning crank, is in place. the raft glides
smoothly to the sea surface even If
loaded to its maximum capacity. Oars
or sails may be employed as a motor for
the raft.
thor ontfn inv Of
exhibitor are a series of patent davits. in
finitey simplifying the usual methods of
shipping lifebOats. By the of these
davits, worked by powerful winches oper-
ated by two men. a boat with her full COM
PIGMENT of passengers and stores already
aboard can be lowered in less than one min
ute, however rough the An improved
releasing gear, operated by one person, dis
engages both ends Of the boat simultaneous
ly. doing away with the dangerous hang
ing up" of lifeboats. so often responsible
for great loss of life
Closing BuIkhead Doors.
A patent process for closing bulkhead
doors is another practical British exhibit.
The invention is made applicable equally
by electricity, by hydraulic or steam press
ure or automatically. By the simple turn
ing of a lever requiring no expenditure or
force whatever. all the bulkhead doors of
ship may be closed simultaneously from
the captains bridge the chart house.
Experts consider this most valuable, con-
tribution to the means of preventing whole
sale loss Of life at sea.
An inventor of New York city sends a
model oil rocket design to spread oil on the
troubled waters in its most literal sense,
which has been often proved to be eff
fective means of preventing disaster at sea.
The mortar or cannon shoots a metal pro-
jectile a distance of a couple of hundred
yards. The projectile is loaded with oil.
which is automatically released from the
fiagon by the impact of the falling object
against the water. The class jury were
much impressed by this invention. An
other American invention of a startling
character is the model of ship sent by
New Yorker, who has patented q project
ing rubber belt. fitted rubber springs.
covering the entire circumference Of the
vessel The purpose of this armor is to
serve buffer in Of collision, the
inventor considering that the elasticity of
the rubber would send two colliding ships
bounding back again. like billiard balls.
In fact, it would take a book to describe
all the clever, quaint, interesting, eccen-
trio things sent to the show. Even if the
general result did not warrant the award
of the entire prize 1t Is the unanimous epin-
ion Of the expert jury that the exhibition
has been a great step toward the develop
ment Of improved methods Of life saving
at sea- ". G.