Year: 1870




yesterday, to inspect new model floating on the
Thames, were for some time unable to convey to
the railway porter an idea which would serve him
to guide the exeursionsts to the spot they sought
The chief Of the party explained the kind Of craft
whose whereabouts he wished.to find, and the man,
Frightening up, hit at last in the expression "Oh
it's that four-eornered thing, Is 1t ~ whereupon,
with glance savoring of pity at the band, he i'm
parted the desired information. A few steps
through the struggling and not over fagant river
side collection of houses brought the strangers to
the wharf, where they sat upon halEdecayed Wher-
ry, while negotiations were conducted with Graves
end waterman. who, being accidently on the spot
wished to make the most of his luck BY demanding
three times the amount ultimately given him to row
the party OF tothe "thing" which had been termed
four-eOrnered. The fckle wind and sullen sky did
not proclaim sailing morning. From the high
wharf, the white hulled something looked like A
huge starsh with four rays, resting low on the sur
face Of the Thames. with five main and mzzen fore
andaf sails, and jib, summing themselves above the
back Of the creature. One gentleman who had the
smell of the kitchen garden still about him. and who
had never a star-fsh hinted that the affair re-
minded him rather of peculiar kind Of vegetable
marroy (the custard narrow which be had carefully
watered at dsybreak. Everybody agreed that the
article was novelty; and the strongest expression
upon the faces of the boat load OF visitors was un
doubtedly polite increduty. Upon approaching
the craft Telegraph Station " was seen inscribed:
upon rounding her the words "sea Refuge" ap-
peared. The visitors walked gingeriy over the up
per she'll of one of the star-ishs nays and were for
mally welcomed on board Captain Moody's model
of proposed floating battery. Electric Telegraph
Station, and lightship. This novel invention wc
will attempt to describe, leaving the reader to form
his own opinion TO its merits. The invention,
being to great extent innovation, and far, in
the eyes of many, revolutionary win be plentifully
assailed and discussed; and all We propose "a to
provide the materials for the cheerful occupation Of
assault, If need be, and discussion Captain John
Moody is old sailor who has been connected with
some of our leading steam services, and he has in
his retirement conceived, and at his own cost pro-
duced, this model, which many distinguished naval
authorities have pronounced a wonderful and IN
valuable thing He broached his scheme before the
Inventors Institute of which he is member, stat
ing that the breakdown Of the Atlantic Cable first
set him thinking, the npshot of his thought being
the conviction that floating telegraph ships would
be necessary In order to insure perfect telegraphle
communication between oeean-parted countries
Practically, by means of his ships be would divide
cable into short lengths-a plan which he contends
would lessen the diameter and weight Of the cable
and therefore reduce Its cost well the expenses
Of laying The cable would be sunk from the CEN
tire Of the floating station, where the Injurious ef
fects of oscillation and fraction would be reduced to
a minimum. Here, OF course, arises the essential
question as'to the safety of the curious structure
In to this the inventor says his vessel can be
moored and abide In the most tumultuous Of seas
The four equal projections or rays proceed from a
circular deck in the CENTRE which Is protected by
iron bulwarks sloping outwsrds. By means Of
clearing valves and water-tight compartments her
buoyancy is said to be certainty, and her eaPszlng
or sinking an utter impossbility. The vessel Is
constructed to defect the waves they strike and
the casting out Of four anchors is relied upon as
holding her against the worst tempest


small model 12 feet from ray to ray) was placed
at Souhend last year, and Lloyd's agent there re-
ported that it rode out heavy storm and tremen-
dous sea without shipping pint of wkter although
it was fastened only by very small piece Of fisher
mans bass. One of the party yesterday was mer-
chant captain of long experience and he, though at
first prejudieed against the vessel bore testimony:
"This thing would ride safely when everything else
have seen would founder" The model off Grsys
is SO feet from ray TO ray. There is light and
usually airy cabin below, so feet in diameter The





made IS feet from ray to ray, which the inventor
considers would be the proper dimensions for full
sized telegraph station the draught would be only
21S feet The strange boat sailed we'll being fitted
with sliding keel and rudcer answered its helm to
perfection gave comparatively little motion In swell
and stayed and wesred as the helmsmsn required
The breeze it should be added, very light but
the skipper stated that the capacities Of the craft
would be still better brought out in a stiff wind


The principle once admitted, there Is hardly limit
TO its application. Captain Moody's scheme includes
-First-Floatng batteries for harbors, rivers, and
roadseads and other situations where they may AID
established forts. This was proposed before the
United Service Institution two years ago. Second,
midocean floating station, where ships could call,
and masters communicate with their owners using
it a postofice, storehouse, or rendezvous for
aid Of various kinds, including feboats built the
same principle as the station ITSELF Third-A light
house fixed upon tower, mast, tripod, nised
from the centre OF gravity, which the inventor de-
clares he carry from 90 TO 100 feet high without
detriment to the telegaphing department These
are the novel ideas which Captain Moody, at great
personal expense has embodied In bis floating tes-
graph station In the Thames. Heinvites inspection
and judgement according to strict desserts only and
is about to make long voyage to prove his faith In
the invention. The vessel is not BY any means un-
graceful in appearance.