BOAT DRILL ON THE COPTIC.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXVI, Issue 9494, 17 August 1891, Page 6

BOAT DRILL ON THE COPTIC.

[Bt Ode Shipping Eepoetee.] One day lasi: week an interesting and somewhat novel sight was witnessed at Lyttelton. Captain Kempson, E.N.E., of the S.M.S. Coptic, offered a prize amongst the crew of the vessel to the winner of a competition at boat drill. This is a branch of the duties of the crews of most steamers, that is sadly neglected, and although we have seen similar competitions in Lyttelton previously they are few and far between. In these days of ingenious, and, in many cases, valuable marine inventions, it is inexcusable that a ship should be sent to sea unfurnished with the best of those life-saving appliances which numerous able and laborious inventors have submitted to owners. But it does very often happen that when a shipwreck occurs a score of contrivances for life-saving which ought to be aboard are wanting. Boats are sometimes stowed bottom up, and the ship sinks before they are lowered; or it may be that they are so*leaky with constant exposure to the sun and weather that they fill immediately they touch the water. It would be possible to fill a whole hook with instances of the little attention this most important matter receives at the hands of shipowners and masters, even during these days of progress and inyentiqn, and perhaps a trifle stricter laws. Such contests as that -which Captain Kempson arranged for yesterday cannot fail to have a beneficial effect. Of course, on board all large ships, lists are posted allotting the station of each man in case anything should happen to make it necessary to take to the boats. On the Coptic yesterday the positions were taken up, and upon a given signal the boats were manned, the davits swung out, and the boats lowered. The boats then put off from the steamer, and were rowed clear of the moles, when, with masts and sail hoisted, and before a fresh breeze they were headed for the reef buoy. The large boat, under the command of the second officer, was lowered in best time, and was well clear of the ship before the last boat got into the water, the delay being partly owing to a slight accident to one ot the crew. The course was round the reef buoy and back, the back journey to be done without the aid of the sail. It was hardly to bo supposed thatthe rowing would be any thing, approaching regatta form, but it was such as propelled the heavy boats at a good rate, and, after all, that was the main thing. The second officer’s boat continued to increase her lead and got home some minutes before the second boat, which was steered by the third officer; the other three boats tailing off a bit. In steamers where the crews are constantly changing, it is not to he expected that the form displayed would bear any comparison to the work done on one of Her Majesty’s vessels for instance, but the drill the men were subjected to could not but stand them in good stead should an accident unfortunately happen 'by which the same work would have to be done at sea.