A NEW LIFE-SAVING DEVICE FOR SHIPS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 15, 12 October 1907, Page 11

A NEW LIFE-SAVING DEVICE FOR SHIPS.

Lieut. Lyje, ;.an American, , has invented -a gun which is superseding ;the old rocket system on .American steamers.' .Instead of rockots they, -carry line-firing guns, tested to- fire ISOO foot from tho ship to.,tho shore. The Lylo (run has" been, approved by ; the United. States Board 'of . Supervising Inspectors of jSteam'Vessels,-and besides the largo number fitted to' passenger steamers; iriany are . Used' on the' United', States live-saving - stations; There is riot much about 'tho, system . that : .needs explanation. ■' With, tho . gun arc threo projectiles. aiul'.threo lines .'and "faking boxes" to .ebntain fthe ; lines, in a cbmpiict : ahd < portable form when not in use, and yot in such a condition, as to',p6rmit. it ..to - "render" , with the least rcsistiinco when tho shot is fired. Ho would ■ b'ft .a- poor, marksman indeed who . missed. tho .shoro, close-, in as tho stranded vessel, almost, invariably is, but the lino and projcctilo can ho reeled in. and fired again if necessary. The gun, with tho comploto outfit, occupies but little spate, and in addition to its spceial use .we are told that it makes a very good gun for saluting | or fo<* signals. 'On the whole, we gather that tho . apparatus is far moro useful than anything of the kind we have herej. arid tho that the carriage of a line-throwing by vessels is compulsory in. the United States warrants an early investigation of its merits by, our steamship companies and the Board of Trade. Tho ordinary, rockct apparatus of course would be bettor but there cannot he much difference in tho cost of this and tho new Lyle device.