Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-10-17
DEVICE ON LFEDOATS
LESSEN SEAS PER|lS
SeH-Launching Arrangement
Is to Be Considered at In
ternational Conference.

| The establishment Of an international
m.dwinter patrol OF the northernmost
routes Of ocean-go.ng craft between
Europe and America. with a view 10
prevent such accidents as happened to
the Titanic and the vo'turno. or to pro-
vide prompt and effective aid. IL the
| subject or the conference to be held
| next month In London. British. Cana
dian and American representatives OF
governmental maritime interests will be
present
| Capt. E. p. Bertholf, commander OF the
revenue cutter service. viii represent the
Treasury Department The Navy De-
partment. the Department OF Commerce
and other administrative departments
viii also be represented. Capt. Bert
holt will depart for London late this
month.
| In connection with preventive meas
ures and improved devices for safety
purposes the failure of the volturno to
safely launch her small boats-which
were smashed against her sides or up
set In TAX ng the water-has called at
tention to recent experiments and tests
on American battleships % establish the
value OF a 'lifeboat disengag ng gear.
Some remarkable accomplishments. re-
leasing lifeboats automat caliy or by a
release lever, are recorded by observers.
The BELIEF Is expressed that had the
| small ioats Of the Vo'turno been so
| equipped they would have made the
water in safety. no matter what heavy
sea was running.
| Tests on the Florida.
These experiments and tests took place
on board the battieship Florida. at sea
on the Virginia capes. last month. Tests
were made In moderate sea and wind.
with the ship hove to and under way,
and under nearly every cond ton that
would establish the worthiness or defec.
tiveness OF the d sengaging dev'ce. This
severe and practical test under all sorts
of conditions resulted. ii is asserted in
a demonstrat on OF the perfect working
qualities of tn 8 device.
! With twenty-four men aboard. under
the most severe OF all the tests applied
the lifeboat was lowered to within two
feet of the water and then released with
the tripping lever. Effort was made tc
release the boat by stepping on the guide
lines leading to the tr piping lever. The
men in the boat. by jumping up and
down, tested the gears strength. with
out disclosing any de'ect.
The device has two prominent faculties
It can be released by the disengaging lev
er. or. IL set automatically, Will release
itself when the keel Of the boat hits the
water. Both. the automatic, or self-re-
Teasing, IeaLuTcS, WutTeOy Tic DOat Wde
released when water borne, and the posi-
/ tive feature, whereby the boat was re-
leased by the uee Of lever attachment
u when water borne or not, worked per-
fectiy in the varied tests conducted. &C.
4 cording to the testimony Of observers
There were more than thirty tests made
Launched Under Roadway.
! with the sea and wind to the side
from which the tests were being made
In one of the tests. and with the battle.
ship going at six knots an hour. the boa'
was suspended about FIVE or six fee
above. water until a sea large enough
caused the boat to be water borne. Both
tackles released simultaneously, II liz de
clared.
Whether the device will be adopted fol
the navy and for the boats Of the revenue
cutter service army transports ETC., vii
depend upon the reports made by the ON
i cial observers Of the tests. That the re-
ports will be more than favorable and
| declare the absolute infallibility OF the de-
| vice is,anticipated.
i I: There would be no smashing Of boats
against the sides Of ship. even In stress
! of storm, were these devices connected
with the lifeboats of ocean passenger
ships like the Volturno. in the opinion oil
experts The small boats would havs
safely made the water on even keel and
been promptly released for a getaway
| 10 is believed. no matter what the subse'
/ uuent fate of the small boats.