FISHER'S ,LIFEBOAT. A SUCCESSFUL TRIP.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 58, 6 September 1909, Page 7

FISHER'S ,LIFEBOAT. A SUCCESSFUL TRIP.

This morning, about 8.30, the Fisher patent "non-collapsible lifeboat" left the boat harb.our at Oriental Bay, with Mi. G. M'Laine in charge, and a passenger list of four — three ladies, Mesdames Fisher, M'Laine, and Davies and the inventor's small daughter. Approaching 11 o'clock the boat was towed alongside the Glasgow Wharf The passengers disembarked in good order and condition, and expressed themselves as well satisfied with the journey across the harbour. There had been no inconveniences of any kind. The three ladies conjointly manipulated the driving gear attached to the torpedo-shaped craft, the apparatus working excellently, while Mr. M'Laine steered. After leaving the boat harbour, the boat was cut away, and the man in charge manoeuvred her across the harbour for a distance, and •demonstrated her qualities as a traveller stern first. Altogether the j lifeboat was on the water for a couple of hours or more, and the passengers inside informed a Po?t representative that the ventilation was quite equal to all the demands made on it. On arrival at the wharf side, the inventor — who, with the aid of a boat's crew of four boys, had towed the lifeboat in from the contre of the harbour, that faith might be kept with the public, who had been advised that a demonstration would be given at 11 o'clock — with the aid of onlookers and several ropes, endeavoured to capsize the craft, but without success, the vessel absolutely refusing to roll more than half-way over. When tho boat was being transferred from the harbour to the Maori, .which takes it to Lyttelton to-night, a quantity of water ran away from her. This, it is said, was the result of the previous exhibition, the water not having been all bailed out. Mr. Fisher states the demonstration to have been in every way satisfactory. The boat is only a rough example as yet, but when properly fitted up, which will include more ventilation valves, and inset bull's-eyes for the purpose of noting where one is going (the latter will do away with the conning tower at present in use), he expects his invention -to convince most sceptics. A The ideal boat, in support of the self-righting principle, would be built doubly heavy down below, thus lessening the chanco of a capsize, though the inventor does not at all fear the latter. It is understood that improved plans of the life-saving vessel are in active preparation for patenting throughout the world.