MESSRS HAMILTON'S IRON LIFEBOAT. (Times.)

Waikato Times, Volume IV, Issue 196, 12 August 1873, Page 2

MESSRS HAMILTON'S IRON LIFEBOAT. (Times.)

The subject of lifeboats for passenger ships lias received muoh attention in Liverpool since the lots (of the Northfleet and Atlantic. On Friday a series of experimental trials was conducted at Hamilton's Windsor iron-works, Gtarston, near Liverpool, with a view of subjecting »n iron lifeboat, constructed on the same principle as that which gained the gold ireJal of the Society of Arts, to the most severe tests which could be devised, in order to prove its efficiency in cases' of shipwreck. Among the gentlemen present to witness the trials were Mr H. D. Oavies, of Spring-grove, a director ; Mr S. H. Louttit, C.E., the London manager of the company) Mr Sharrock, C E., the manager of the Liverpool works ; Mr Sinclair Robertson, and other gentlemen who take an interest in the subject of lifeboats. The lifeboat selected for the trials was of the same size and measurement as that described in the letter of Captain Ward, R.N., in the Times of Thursday, as having been tested in the Regent* Canal dock, Liinehouse, with the most satisfactory results, in the presence of the Committee on Ships" Lifeboats appointed by the Council of the Society 'of Arts. The boat is 25 feet long, with 7 feet beam, and 3 feet 3 inches inside depth. She ia doublo-bowed, with aide and end air-chambers. Having been lowered into the company's dock, whioh contained about 10 feet dopth of water, the boat was measured, and found to have, when empty, 2 feot 8 inches freeboard amidships. The trials then commenced. Eleven men were made to stand upon the edge of the gimwalo until the water of the dock just touched the edge of the gunwale on the loaded side. The boat vi as kept in this position for five minutes. Twenty-one men thon jumped on board, and the boat being trimmed level, the freeboard was found to be 2 feet If inches, or only 6f inches deeper in the water than when empty. The boat was then tested as to the carrying power. She was filled with as many men as she could conveniently hold, and her ample accommodation for passengirj in proportion to her width and length, and her remarkable air buoyancy, were shown by the fact thnt with 47 men on board the boat prewired a freeboard of 19 inches. With this number of men on board the hoat was rocked heavily from gunwale to gunwale, but shipped no water. .The men were then ordered out, and told to jump into thp boat hurriedly, in order to realize the behaviour of n lifeboat under circumstances of confusion and emergency arising from fire, collisions, &c. The steadiness and buoyancy of the boat enabled her to f tind this test also satisfactorily. The boat was then filled to the outside level with water, and with 21 men on board she had still a freeboard of 16i inches. She was again rocked heavily, when it was seen that the water acted as ballast and promoted steadiness, the motion of the water .being checked and confined to the centre of the boat (in conformity with the requirements of the Ships' Lifeboat Committee) by the perpendicular shape pf the inner side* of the tide and end cases or compartments. As another test of buoynncy, the boat was filled tp the outside level with water, but with no one on board, when (ho freeboard showed 20J inches. The boat was then filled with wator to tho thwarts, in order to show her manageability in the event of being filled by a heavy sen. Two plugs in tho bottom of the boat were then drawn, and the bout, gradually relieved herself of the water until it hud subsided to the level of the water in which the floated. The lasi. test of buoyancy was to fill the boat with water to the outsidp level, and then to direct twelve men to stand on the gunwale. The water of the dook thereupon just touched the edge of the gun wide, showing that the wafer-ballast gave her rcnlly greater buoyancy and stability. Lastly, to test the enormous strength of iron boats constructed on this principle, a dingy of a size suitablo for consting vessels— l 2 feet long by 5 feet beam, and 2 feet 4 inches in depth inside — was dropped from the crane bodily into the dock— a height of upwards of 21 fret. It fell perfectly flat, with a tremendous force of impact and a noiie as of thunder. On examination it was found that the bottom of tho dingy on the starboard side was slightly flattened, but that not a single joint or rivet had been started, and that the buoyancy of tho boat had in no wise been affected. Tho impression made by these ciuoial trials was that Messrs i Hnmilton and Co. have, in their present lifeboat, in the worcjs of Captain Ward, Inspector of Lifeboats to the National Lifeboat Institution, provided a bond fide lifeboat for passenger ships and merchant vessels, and that if the Northfleet and Atlantic had been supplied with these boats and a proper bout-lowering Jipparatus, hundreds of lives might li-vp been «nved " Thp extra buoynncy of these boats, which secures their manageability after being filled bj a heavy sea, is obtained by means of inoloeod air. The lateral stability nnd steadiness in n heavy sea uro secured by distributing this ajr-buoyunoy along tho rides of the boat, while an areplo

Wn.fiU.nt, of end-buoyancy gires longitudinal 6tabilitj and! JWTenU \h& water being slipped in a heavy sen from rushing to eithey o^d of the boat. This side and end buoyancy ia obtained by means of a leriei of portable water-tight case* or fccwa, conforming to the boat's sides, and fitting close to. tbt>jn. When in l)tvrhQr, and the beat is required to carr/ omrgo, these> watw^i^ht portable cases can be removed, and easily and quiokly replaced on a vessel procreding to sea^ It was &tAt«c( |hiik Mr- Keed l C a., Ute Cluef Constructor of »h« N«tt, hat itdapterl li^milfcon and Co.'s bo^tats fch« lifeboats to heMrried o« ho&rcl tlie apleadid passonger- ship 1 ! now being «iiv|ruct«l \l«ik x v bis designs. O(,he? «hipbuildon htkTO also seat in ardor* for those boats, whiqh ai»e uiS'A^vcelusirelj og board the Novth German liloyd'i „' an 4 <^ther-sea-going passenger ahjps, Tho firm ha,Te also Under construction t* aimitar lifeboat ftjr tha Gove^umentof India.