A New Device.

Progress, Volume VI, Issue 6, 1 April 1911, Page 611

A New Device.

It, is new to the Dominion at all events. The Ancient Mariner opened his eyes when I told him about it as we were going down to meet the boys at the finish of the Ocean Race. When J had explained he said he didn't understand. Hadn't been' listening, for that matter. Didn't like to doubt my word, in fact. Thought it would be too much like telling me to pack up for Porirua. "You know very well," he .said, "that when the screw stops you must either mend the shaft or the crank, otherwise you stick." I explained to the Ancient that this avoided all that trouble. It was a new screw, engine, crank and shaft complete. It touches the boat in two places, and is there clamped on. 'The places, are the taffrail and the stern post. In a few minutes you can start the engine and away you go. The Ancient saw the picture and was amazed. I then read for him what he called fairy stories of the work done by this machine, known as the outboard motor. It was like walking into him after he had been doubled up. He gasped out: "No boat ought to go to sea without one. So cheap, so handy." When he recovered he became practical—just like Lord Nelson, who criticised the tiller ropes of the "Victory" as he was carried by on the way to the cockpit. "How do you fix the blamed thing?" I tell him the upper clamp is arranged for attachment to any square-sterned boat.

"How about whaleboats?" says he, quick as lightning. "For pointed sterns, old man, there's an extra fitting.'' He wanted to know all about the pace. I had heard of a 16 foot row boat, with six people aboard, doing her 8 knots comfortable. The Ancient was incredulous, but cold print convinced him. "I have another brick. It is a farmer's statement to the effect that "he had once put a Gin. leather covered pulley on in place of the propeller, and ran a belt on to a pulley connected with a 14in circular saw, and the way it went through a 2in. kauri board was a wonder." It was the last stroke needed. The Ancient rose up an enthusiastic convert. To hear him you would have thought he was the inventor, and had fought noble battles getting it introduced. He wanted more information. I referred to advertisement in another column.