The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1901-08-09
UNsINKABLG LIFEB)AT.
New Device Adopted Nv N, Navy De-
partmsnt

Safety a, last Tor the drowning a,
sea- The navy department, thinks that
IL has solved the problem. and our new
war ships are beIgg -puippcd with the
contrivance that loes III, buslaes.
. I, u a llte-sayIng noa.. and apparent.
ly /, represents an entirely new deplr,-
use In rs way. For ne thing /, doe1s nor
require that N. person who Is 90 make
use u Il shall b. a skl'.ul swimmer and
an acrobl, on the contrary &, Is cs-
pecally adapted FOR usefulness 20 wo.
men, chiIdren ana other persons wao.
through lack NJ physical strength ana
nata;orv clsyern-ss are helpless 10 The
water.
Dh You eyer notice that the tyerag
fire escape ls d.s gn-d apparently or
use by acroba,s and prar;icrl athletes
only? l. Is the same way with wa.er.
escapes The latter are of no value t5r
ordinary folks In an emergency. II a
fsrryboat cOlIlies with another vessel
and Il sunk. the l.fe-preserycrs ARE ellh-
er not available or no good Thus {, Is
within a few yards o. the city docks
At sea, hundreds of miles from land. the
situation signalizes horror, despair and
hIdejus loss Of llfe
Naval vessels are subject 10 accidents
Ike other crafts For many wears the
navy department has been looking for a
life preseryrr suitable for It's purposes.
and the specifications have been both
numerous and exacting. I; was F-QuIr-
ed tha. the apparatus should hold
large number Of persons. and at the
same time be so small as 10 occupy the
least possible space on the deck OF a
ship. 1t must also be very light and In
constant readiness. 30 az 10 require no
preparation FOR Instant use beyond the
cutting Of Its lashings Furthermore. IL
must be 80 easily handled as 10 be pick
ed up by a couple ~ men and thrown
overheard without the aid " tackle or
davlts.
The new lIfe-savlng hoat seems 10
meet all these conditions. II consists of
a copper tube, elllptlcal in shape. with
many alright compartments. encased
in a sheathlng Of cork, and finally COW
cred with canvas 50 as 20 be absolute |
ly wafer tight Attached 20 Il In a rope |
netting. from which Is suspended a |
wooden SLATED bottom. Thus. when the |
float Is thrown overheard. no mItter |
wha side It lands upon. There is no |
Of righting or Adjustment the |
raft !s always In proper condition and |
ready Tor occupancy when 10 strikes the |
water. Oars are attached 10 its Sides |
by which II may be easily manag d.
Floats " this kind are go cons rucled |
that several Of them u different sizes |
may be- "nested" together, thus ecOno- |
mzlng space on the vessel. and In this |
manner support for many persons may
b. condensed into less room than was
usually occupied by a single He raft of |
he old style Three Of them, arranged /
In this way. Occupy a space only Il by Q |
feet and 2ia fee high ye; when thrown
into the sea they VIII hold and save
from drowning eighty or nlncty persons.
one point In View Of this kind Of float
Is that u Is claimed II cannot be sunk
by all he persons who are able % get
aboard " Il. Unlike life boat. it can
not capsze or founder and Ike a life
raft II cannot smash itself 70 pieces
against the sides 0f a sinking shlp from
which 10 may b. cast The seas may
.oss but hey cannot wash the occu-
pants out Of the float.
Floats u this kind are being adopted
'Or army Transports and Il is thought
hat similar cOntrlyances, with more
'Olld bottoms, may be utilized for light \
ring vessels-especally In getting
lorses ashOre.-New York Journal.