LIFEBOAT INVENTIONS

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 219, 16 June 1925, Page 9

LIFEBOAT INVENTIONS

EXHIBITED AT WEMBLEY. Some curious and interesting exhibits arc being shown at Wembley this, year by the Royal Humane Society, consisting in part of models which were made for them well over 100 years ago (says an exchange). The inventors of. that period, which was before the lifeboat era, were full of suggestions as to the most- suitable type of boats, and while some of them are decidedly amusing, others are of quite a practical nature. Thus it is quite clear that Captain Marryat in 1820 anticipated the use of airtight compartments to keep a boat afloat. On the other hand, the model of his boat, which is beautifully made, shows the whole of the crew rowing in a form of top hats then affected by the lower public employees of the time. John Davison, of Bishopwearmouth,, in 1818 supplied a model of a boat which was actually in use in the port of Sunderland. It is, of course,. different from the modern lifeboat, but it possesses all the characteristics of seaworthiness. . I Another interesting exhibit is by Lieu- ' tenant Rodger, of the Royal Navy, who I evolved a type of raft in 1818 Y” 1 ?” was apparently tried out successfully by ’ the Navy at Sheerness. This was an I elaborate invention, consisting of not merely an ordinary raft, but of airtight barrels which supported it .on | each side. It was doubtless effective, but it occupied an immense amount of space. Still, in those days they did not mind overcrowding, since Captain Marrvat in his boat planned to carry 128 people, although the structure was j only 30ft. long, Bft. wide, and 3ft. deep.