OUT-OF-THE-WAY THINGS AFLOAT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2497, 22 January 1902, Page 73

OUT-OF-THE-WAY THINGS AFLOAT.

Now the repair ship does mending on the spot. How complete they are will be realised when it is mentioned that some contain over 80 steam engines. Distilling ships provide fresh water not only for the crews, but also for the engines, a most vital consideration, for salt water in the "coil" boilers produces most damaging and dangerous results.

SEEN IN HOME AND FOREIGN WATERS. This is, as it were, a pige from an illustrated catalogue of interesting things placed by moa on water, c alt or fresh. To commence with, we depict the floating elevator. This can be tow ed about from harbour to creek, and there anchored. By means of the endless chain of buckets

the contents of barges moored bei.eath are scooped up. carried aloft, tipped out, and ' „. r ,l , „ , ', i.. 1 ... delivered along the lengthy shoot on to the land or into the warehouse ashore. \ Some of these contrivances are of colossal 6 j ze As a contrast to this modern mirvel, next comes from the Philippine Islands j something primitive, natives forcing a , loaded canoe up stream. Each man has a 1 long pole. When tlu bow of the canoe j reaches him he steps from the shore on j board and faces down stream. Placing his ' pole firmly on the bottom of the river, he ' lit! its end into a depression that long use | has made in his shoulder, and. pressing ; against the pole, treads the boat from

under him. When the stern ot the boat comes to him, he jumps, ashore and hurries back to the bow again. . The left-hand upper small picture shows paddling in an inflated vulcanised rubber dress. "Various air-chambers, when inflated, stretch thin rubber tightly around the wearer, preventing any water from entering, and the voyager can float in either of the positions shown. Sometimes, lying flat, he rigs up a sail on himself. One daring expert has paddled thus 26,000 miles. On the right floats a bell-buoy. Notice that the bell i« fixed, and the swinging clappere strike it as the waves rock the buoy. Two more examples from abroad appear

The larger boat is a Nile dahabiyeh. a craft that has been in use since the time of the Pharaohs. It is commanded by a reis, or captain, ;.nd the uevr aie Shellalis, tht finest boatmen on the gieat Egyptian stream. Many tourists now use dahabiyeh% some of which are propelled by steam. The smaller era.ft is a catamaian. or double canoe, of the South Paciic seas. To gain spetd the native uses a huge till. This would overturn a single canoe ; but with two side by side, and connected by a firm platform, the little vessel stands up stiff to the wind Xo present-day vc-fe's are bettor v. orth attention than tho repur "-hip"- and water - di«tilhng ships thai .fiend 011 naval Uecf. Formerly a disabled battleship might have to go liundrtds of mile- tj (.ffcit iciniis.