The Life-Boat

THE LIFE-BOAT, OK JOURNAL OF THE NATIONAL SHIPWRECK INSTITUTION. No. 9.] IST JULY, 1853. [PRICE 2 been rendered alike by MANBY'S mortar and EFFECTING COMMUNICATION WITH DENNETT'S and CARTE'S rocket apparatus is STRANDED VESSELS. undoubted : the question of their compara- THE mortar and rocket apparatus around tive merits we need not enter on, further the coasts of the United Kingdom, as stated than to state that we beleive no material in an early number of this Journal, is for the difference exists in the range obtainable from most part under the charge of the Coast- each. The rocket has the advantage of guard, who have frequently performed in- being more portable for conveyance along valuable services with it, and who, from shore, and is therefore better suited for many being a disciplined body, acquainted with localities; but it is sometimes uncertain in the art of gunnery, and being constantly on its action, is more liable to deterioration the look-out, are, without doubt, the fittest from damp or the effects of time, and, being persons that could be entrusted with its more costly, those having the management management. of it cannot be so frequently practised in its There are, however, many places where, use as may be the case with the mortar, from there being no Coast-guard stationed where only a few ounces of powder are on the spot, or from other causes, it is com- expended at each discharge. mitted to the care of private individuals, The mode of discharging a rocket or who may not always be equally acquainted mortar is so simple and generally under- with the mode of using it, as has of late stood, that we need scarcely occupy our been painfully illustrated in a British Port. space by describing it; besides, it will be Again, the crews of merchant vessels are much better learned by practice: we shall, sometimes so ignorant of its use, that they therefore, confine our remarks to the ma- know not what to do with a line after it has nagement of the apparatus subsequently to been thrown over them. As an instance of a line being thrown over the wreck, and which, on one occasion, as many as five men especially to the manner of communicating tied themselves in a mass to the end of the by signal between the rescuers and those to line, and jumped overboard together, wherf be rescued, which we believe may be im- they were hauled to the shore by it to be proved upon. sure, but all, excepting one, were drowned Much of the success of the operation will in the operation of dragging them through now depend on the fitness of the gear as the water. well as the proper use of it. In addition to These are both extreme cases, but having the lines attached to the shot or rocket, and happened once, they might occur again; a projected by them over the wreck, the few explanatory remarks and suggestions on articles required are the following :— the subject may not, therefore, be inappli- 1st. A whip, formed of a small line (about cable at the present time. l£ inch), rove through a single block with That invaluable services in the cause of a tail to it; the line to be at least twice as " Preservation of Life from Shipwreck" have long as the mortar or rocket is capable of No. 9. THE LIFE-BOAT, ("Jtrar, 1853. conveying the first line, and the tail of the may be readily conceived that cases might block about two fathoms in length; the often arise where it would be of the utmost ends of the whip to be spliced together, and consequence to avoid the delay occasioned so converted into an endless rope, by securing and setting up the stay, although 2nd. A hawser, or stay, as it is termed, where no such immediate baste was required which should be half the length of the whip we should recommend its being employed. line, and of 3 or Si-inch rope. An ingenious mode of setting up the stay 3rd. A chair, sling, basket, or other such to the cart which is used for conveying the contrivance, for securing the rescued person, apparatus, employing one of the wheels as a and hauling him along the stay to the shore. windlass, has been proposed by Capt, JEE- 4th. A double block-tackle purchase, for KJJTGHAM, E.N., a description of which will setting up the stay with, be found in the Report of the Northumber- 5th. A piece of stout plank, about 5 feet land Committee, Appendix, p, 59; as, how- long, and having a fathom of chain, with a ever, a cart may not always be on the spot, ring at the end of it, attached to the middle we have included the tackle amongst the part of it. This is to be sank four or fire feet articles required to be used. deep in the sand, shingle, or earth, with the We will now suppose that all the before- ring above the surface to receive the stay named necessary apparatus is supplied, and through, and set it up. that a shot or rocket with line attached 6th. T%ro or three spades or shovels, and has been thrown over the wreck. The some small line for lashings or seizings, in proceedings can then be no longer conducted case of their being required. by one party alone but jointly by two, at The whole of the rope should be of Ma- the opposite ends of the line. It will there- nilla line, as it will float on the water, and is fore be of importance that some signals or much, lighter than hemp for conveyance means of communicating to either, the pro- along shore. ceedings and requirements of the other, Several stations on the East Coast of should be established, England are supplied with an article of the We will first describe the operation from following description, for conveying persons the moment of the communication being along the stay from the wreck to the shore. effected by a line, and then the signals to be A large circular cork ring-shaped life-buoy, employed, similar to those known as Mr. CAKTE'S, has As quickly as possible after the line has secured round its inner circumference a been thrown over the wreck, make the in- strong linen or canvas bag, with two large shore end of it fast to the whip, bending it holes in it for the legs to go through, making round both parts of it about two fathoms it similar to a pair of trousers with the legs from the tail-block, and make the signal to cut off at the thighs. The buoy is slung so those on board to haul it off. as to hang horizontally by four small lines, As soon as it is perceived, either by with a thimble ia the centre to run on the signal or with the assistance of the telescope, stay, and the person to be conveyed along it that the whip block is made securely fast on sits in the bag with his legs through it and board, those on shore will make the bight of his arms above the cork ring, by which he the whip (which as before stated has an holds on. The advantage of this contrivance endless fall) securely fast to the stay, three is, that if the hawser from any cause becomes or four fethoms from the end, which they too slack and hangs in the water, the buoy will then haul off to the vessel by it. will float the person within it upon the When the stay is (by signal or otherwise) surface with less risk of his being dragged ascertained to be made fast on board and under water than in the common sling. the whip detached from it, set up the former On the Norfolk Coast several persona have on shore by the luff tackle, or a capstan, or been successfully brought on shore in one of any other available means, to the plank of these buoy bags by the whip alone, without wood or spar previously buried three or four a hawser being rove at all. And indeed it feet under the ground, and having a pendant EFFECTING COMMUNICATION WITH STRANDED VESSELS. 27 with ring attached to it and brought to the short inscriptions on them, hauled on board surface. This will be found to bear a much by the whip at each stage of the operations; greater strain than an upright post, however one made of parchment or canvas, being deeply driven down. attached to the mortar or rocket line, at a The bight of the whip will next be secured short distance from the shot or rocket. to the sling, or seat, which will run on the A black board, having the required com- stay, either by a snatch-block inverted, a munications written with chalk in large leaden horse-shoe collar, or a large thimble; characters, might also in the daytime be of either of the two former methods being great service, when the vessel was within a preferable, as being less likely to get jambed. short distance, although beyond hail from Having command of both parts of the the shore. whip, the party on shore will then be en- Again, as the persons on board may often abled alternately to haul the traveller on be so situated as to have scarcely any means board and the wrecked persons on shore, of making a signal in return, probably no- until the whole have been landed in safety.

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