A NEW LIFEBUOY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXI, Issue 185, 7 August 1890, Page 4

A NEW LIFEBUOY.

At Port Chalmers a few days ago, at the export pier, some experiments were made with a new and improved lifebuoy, invented and patented by Messrs Young and Gardner. The new buoy, although somewhat similar in shape, differs very much from the style of those in general use on ehipe afe the present day. The firsb new feature is the impossibility of the buoy jinking through long immersion, as ie the caee with cork buoys. The new buoy contains within it a small vessel filled with oil, which discharges its contents drop by drop when the buoy takes a horizontal position in the water. This oil is intended to make 1 calm belt in the vicinity of the buoy, thus loing away with the danger from the spray of breaking seas which proves so distreesng to anyone battling lor " dear life." Che buoy also containa within itself a ressel charged with chemicals, which, ipon coming in contact with the water, jvoives a large quantity of tfas. This jas # creates a brilliant blue flams, vhich sufficiently illuminates the surrounding , water to make it a ;omparatively easy matter for the •escuing boat to find the whereabouts of my unfortunate person in the water. The present life buoys have a signal light attached by a small lanyard, but before the nioy is thrown over the signal light has to >c pierced at both ends by a pricket proridedfor that purpose, and although this iperafcion takes but a short time to perform, he minutes or so thus lost is long enough

n most cases to have left the poor unforunate a long way astern and out of roach f the friendly buoy, hence the reason why b few rescues are made.

Combined with the buoy is a patent deaching arrangement, which is perfect in etail and admirable for its simplicity, ?he buoy may.be placed anywhere in posiion, and at the elighteet touch of the gear y the officer on watch, or any other person, iis allowed to fall (not thrown over) into he water, and fimultaneouely the oil flows tit of the tube, and the email but brilliant ame begins to burn. All who witnessed ie trial were fully satisfied with ifca prac6al utility. The inventors should reap a ibatantial harvest from the sale of the lifeuo'ys. Messrs Young and Gardner have iken steps to patent the invention, both i New Zealand, Europe, the United States, id Australia,