The Washington herald., 1908-02-16

equipped Win SpeCldi apparatus never
before used for the purpose. These in
novations, declares Harper's Weekly, are
expected to make possible rescues from
wrecks not accessible by any means
hitherto available.
Along the Atlantic coast. where the
| iife-saving stations are close together
and the service is well drilled and equip
ped, it often happens that vessel is
driven ashore where the surf is so viO-
/ lent L = a Ifeb0at cannot be handled
in it al all There may be a gale blowing
on shore, and the ship may be so far out
that it is impossible to shoot a lifeline
10 it. In such cases the life-saving crew
can do nothing. Sometimes tugs can ap-
proach a wreck near enough to commUni-
cate with those on board without being
able to do anything 10 help hem.
On the Pacific coast, particularly the
northwestern part. the conditions are
even worse than aIsng the Atlantic. The
Strait of Juan de Fuca. the entrance to
Puget Sound, the most important en-
trance on the whole coast, through
which 6O00.0J0 tons of shipping pass an
nually, is particularly dangerous Not
only do fogs and L1ze prevail for half
the year. but the currents are so erratic
that even the pilots who navigate the
waters constantly do not understand
them. No dependence can be placed on
the lead, because deep sOundings may
often be obtained close inshore
President Roosevelt Interested.
In the last fifty years something like
700 lives have been lost in wrecks in the
vicinity. The climax TO a long series Of
disasters came in the wreck Of the coast
/ ing steamer Valencia, from San Fran
cisco for Seattle. with a loss of 135 lives
on January p, 1906. The Valencia went
ON the rocks at the foot Of high cliff
on an unsettled part Of Vancouver Island
during "A fog. As she did not go TO pieces
I for thirty-slx hours after she struck,
there was ample time 10 save many Of
! those on board If only the means had
I been available. This disaster made so
/ profound an impression in the North
west that President Roosevelt appointed
| a Commission 10 inquire into the cause Of
/ the wreck and to devise ways and means.
! if possible. to prevent similar fatalities
/ ia the future.
After recommending additional light
ships, telegraph and telephone lines, f0g
| signals, and wireless telegraph, the com
mission also advised that a firsI-class
/ ocean going steamer. Offered and
manned by the most skillfui Hfe-saving
crew that could be procured. and equip
I ped with the best possible life-saving ap-
/ pliances and wireless telegraph. should
/ be stationed at Neah Bay. five miles from
! the entrance 10 the strait Congress sig
nifed its approval of the commission s
recommendation by appropTiating S2o0000
for building the cutter. Plans were drawn
by a board of officers from the Revenue
Cutter Service, and construction was
promptly begun.
The Cutters Equipment.
The cutter which in general external
/ appearance resembles a frst-class tug. is
l52 feet long. q feet beam and II feet
deep. She is 10 have engines OF 1,209
horsepower, and cruising speed of L
knots. As it is expected that the cutter
will not infrequently be called upon to go
/ IN search Of missing vessels. she viii
carry enough coal To make cruise of
$3.50 knots.
No. Is viii be equipped with a mo-
I ANal t4lth'fdL- LNt NA4lfH Ii4tI'ftAS Oh tlif
/ self-righting. lf-bailing type. a life raft.
I liEe-throwing gun a complete equipment
OF life buoys and life preservers. wireless
telegraph the Ardois system of night
/ signaling. two powerful searchIights, one
at each end Of the deckh0use, SO that the
guest OF missing ships may be pursued al
night as well as by day; wrecking pumps.
fre-eXtinguishing apparatus, and a steam
windlass and steam gypsy for towing. No
matter what the situation Of distressed
I vessel may be. the life-s8ving cutter will
I he prepared to render instant and ef-
I fective aid.
The distinguishing feature, which is ex-
/ pected to enable the cutter to effect res
cues under conditions that have hereto
/ fore precluded the possibility Of help. is a
wonderful galloway over which a breeches
I buoy can be operated between the mast
/ head of the cutter and the wreck, far
above the reach of the waves. No mat
ter how wildly the cutter may be plung-
/ ing and tossing, no matter how vicioUsly
the mast may be thrashing the air. the
galloway viii always keep taut. so that
/ the occupant of the breeches buoy Will
be able to make the passage in safety.
The cable is kept at fixed tension by
an automatic reel, safely housed below
/ deck. where its operation cannot be in
terfered with by any waves that may
come aboard. The instant the pitching
of the mast allows the cable to slack, the
engines Of the reel automatically take it
up at lightning speed. only 10 pay il out
again when the cutter pitches the other
way but always keeping the cable at an
even tension sufficient to hold it and its
burden far above the waves The breeches
buoy can thus be operated as readily.
rapidly, and safely as if it were mounted
on shore. On reaching the cutter an in
geniOus contrivance will automatically
lower the buoy and its burden swiftly but
gently TO the deck
Effectiveness of Device.
The galloway being loco feet long. the
cutter will have plenty Of room to maneu-
yer, It VIII be able to approach "a wreck
from the windward near enough to shoot
a life line aboard and anchor. The people
on the wreck win have only to haul in
the life line and make fast the galloway
The crew of the cutter viii do the rest.
Often it may be possible to save treasure.
| baggage. and even the more valuable
portions of the cargo in small packages.
The life-saving galloway is the inven-
/ ton Of Spencer Miller, of New York. who
has dfty-seven patents 10 his credit In his
own name and an interest in q dozen
others secured in cooperation with vari-
Gus inventors. Mr.. Miller is the inventor
of the marine galloway, by means OF
which ships are cOaled at sea at the rate
of 50 to 100 tons an hour while steaming
eight TO ten knots an hour.