LIFEBOAT INVENTIONS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 559, 14 July 1909, Page 2

LIFEBOAT INVENTIONS.

Another new species of lifeboat is reported; \ by the Napier "Telegraph" ae'having been,/_-., invented by a person, resident in Nw.Zcv.: land; Mr. E;' A. Earnshaw, who recently ar-,:. ; rived from the Old Country. Mr.. EanW shaw's idea is a boat which can be made of".;. any size, to hold from one to fifty persons. ~ It is claimed to bo unsinkable\ and carmot .' be- overturned. The hull, it is. explained, ; consists of two halves, divided by a longrtu-.:•,.;.• dinal tunnel, within which an endless chara, carrying paddles is so adapted as to rotate ; round a pair of rollers by means of,a crankshaft and pedals projecting from the tunnel ~ into tho hull of. the: boat. Buoyancy is ob- , tained by cork floats attached to each eide ■ 'of the hull, and airtight, chambers extend.; from tho keol to,the,top of.tbe hull/at the - , stem and item. ..It. is claimed that in tbe . event of a person falling overboard, a.small,:. lifeboat ; could be thrown after him,, be ,:..- used in the same manner as a lifebelt...Also ■ it can be put over the side- of a ship without;; damage., and if .filled with water it will n0t,,. : , sink. Oars are not used, so that one person, , can use the paddles and steer,thp.boat at, • the same time. ...:'. '■:■■ , • I .' : i •-!,;;■.. : r.'.-;': J A lifeboat, which: seems .to somewii'ff!" r5>..,. sernWe that invented by Mr. Fishefj of : Wel« ' lington, has been patented ■in Canada,! the '•■// United' States, and Britain.! A. cut- . ting ■ (withvpicturo) l ;from the, ; Edinburgh ': "Evening Dispatch," •of May 22,- says: "Mr. ? James Mitchell, of Arrow River, Slanitpba, ■/ ' who is at present on a visit to; his , native ■ fiwn of Ha wick,,which' he left.,iu(, 1854, .ia,, theinventor of a new. lifeboat. -v : .t.'.. He.haa. brought tbe boat over to this country, with, j; a, view to competing for the. Pollock Prize J ' at Paris, and it is.at present lying at Liver- ' pool. Of cigar .shanb,. it is;claimed- for,the.:' new boat that it is self-righting j pan:.£o y down with , a -,foundering : ; veesel,, ( ,and..will, ; come up to the top' by- cutting inside; can.- be dropped, or ;slidvintp the.-, water from '-at good height, :wfth<)trti dapiage; : ; : ' can be'dropped 1 from the stern; ofraship at full spoed;;'rcan>>be">attaphed to ;aa-« abandoned ship ; ,with;lines, and can.be-.pror., '■■; ■' pelled with oars- or. sails,, :as: , l .w.eathef jper?-mits.'-Iti bas;;been;.well: tested,-- and favonr- , uponvby.;ina.val;-ofßcers;; wlie.jf, regardi-the'invention; as, a most useful' It is expected: that.. it will' be, testedj at v Paris before long, ■ and there is ,also : .'&'- .pro-, V bability.. of atrial, LertL" [>. ;!:,• •■-;;;-. •;,:■::'■,•■