[ 356 ]

CAPT. MANBY'S METHOD OF RESCUING PERSONS FROM

VESSELS STRANDED ON A LEEWARD SHORE.

(Concluded from p. 261.)

The occurrence of shipwreck, at a distance from the land, which, unha ppily, has been but too often witnessed, made it evident that great benefit would result from the discovery of a plan, by which a boat might at any time be gotten off from a flat beach with facility and certainty to the relief of the sufferers. The importance of the design was still more deeply impressed, by the endless relations which we hear of such instances of shipwreck, from persons resident on the different parts of the coast, that had happened, year after year, to the destruction of immense property, and, what is far more lamentable, the loss of great numbers of most useful lives.

I look back on no part of my various designs and efforts for stopping the waste of human life, by maritime accidents, with more satisfaction (nor do I consider any of greater importance) than my successful attempts to devise a plan of relief from shipwreck under such horrible circumstances. For this purpose, two mooring anchors, at least 60 yards from each other, are to be

laid out parallel with the shore, some distance beyond the point at which the waves break in surf. These are to be connected by about forty fathoms of strong rope or hawser, the slack of which is to be suspended by a buoy fixed on the centre, as in the plate.

The buoy shall be of sufficient size and power to keep the rope always suspended, as well to prevent it from being chafed on the bottom, where the bottom is rocky, as from being bedded in sand, where the coast is sandy. The liability is so great in the latter case, that the experiment of having a hawser constantly out, made fast to an anchor in the offing, was unsuccessful, the rope, when its service was required, having been inextricably buried in sand.

In laying out this apparatus the exact depth at high water of the place where it is to be fixed, should be ascertained; and the slack of the rope between the anchors so proportioned, that the buoy may appear above water at that point of the tide, and yet be unable from want of more rope to rise any higher; otherwise, on dropping with the falling tide, it will let the rope too much on the bottom.

For rendering this apparatus conducive to getting off a boat from a flat shore in a storm, when attempts by the mere power of the oars would be fruitless, bring the mortar to the beach, with the rope with the barbed shot (described above) attached to it laid ready in the basket, or oblong wooden frame. The barbed shot is to be projected over the rope joining the anchors from the mortar, laid at as low an elevation as is consistent with a sufficient range; for the lower the elevation, the less will be the parabola or curve, described by the flight of the shot, and, consequently, the less slack rope carried out.

The moment the shot has fallen, begin to haul in the slack of the rope with great quickness, to prevent the effect produced on it by a rapid tide. The slack gathered in, let the rope be drawn gently towards the shore, that the barbed shot may catch and fasten itself on the rope between the anchors. When it has effected this, it will bear the force necessary to haul off a boat through the surf into water deep enough to admit of an effective use of the oars.

As cast-iron anchors will serve equally well for this purpose, and are much cheaper

1821.] Capt. Manby on Preservation of Shipwrecked Persons. 357 cheaper than those of hammered iron, I recommend that such should be adopted. I submit a representation of one weighing 1 cwt. which the Honourable Navy Board permitted me to get cast at the expense of the Government for making experiments.

White

When, from the loss of masts, or the fury of the wind under which no sail can be carried, or from having parted from her anchors during the gale, a ship is observed driving on shore, the point at which she grounds may make the difference of life or death to the crew. It is, in such a case, of the last importance that some signal by those on shore could be made to the people in the vessel, by which they may be instructed to run aground at that point where greater depth of water, and other favourable circumstances, diminish the evil, and offer more probabilities of escape. The most simple signals for this purpose are gestures of the human body; but a more conspicuous method is by a triangular flag (of three colours as in the figure), which, I propose, should be an appendage to the apparatus at every one of its stations. The appearance of this flag, fixed directly against the least dangerous part of the shore, would at once give hopes to the crew, inspirit them to exertion, and point out to them the spot to which they are to endeavour to direct their vessel. Other signals may be made by different gestures of a man, who should place himself directly before the staff of the flag; such as the following, which the possession of these instructions both by those who are in charge of the signal stations, &c. and the masters of ships will make mutually understood.

Red

Blae

your breast-bone.

Similar gestures by the people on board the vessel may serve as signals of

reply that they are ready.

As

358 Capt. Manby on Preservation of Shipwrecked Persons. [Oct.

As shipwrecks frequently happen in nights, so dark that it is impossible to discern the spot at which the unfortunate vessel lies, and consequently to take aim with the mortar ; while the waves that break over her have driven the crew for refuge to the tops, or other circumstances, preclude them from having any light by which their situation may be ascertained by those on shore; I should have considered that my plan left much to be desired, if I had not provided the means of enabling, in the darkest night, first, those on shore to discover the vessel, and take aim with the mortar; and, secondly, those on board to discern the course of the shot and rope, and the part of the vessel on which the latter lodges.

To effect the first purpose, a hollow ball (of such a size as exactly to fit the mortar) was made of cartridge paper, pasted together to the thickness of half an inch, having a hole at the top to receive a fuze, the head of which was drilled, and strands of quick match, at equal distances, inserted in it, so carefully as to make it next to impossible that they should fall out by accident and miss firing the fuze. It was filled with about fifty balls, containing what the makers of fire-works call stars, and a sufficient quantity of gunpowder to burst it and inflame the balls of stars. The fuze was so graduated as to communicate with the gunpowder, and burst the paper shell at the height of 300 yards. On its explosion, the balls of stars were scattered, and spread a brilliant light a great way round; and for nearly the space of a minute, which transpired during their descent, in the darkest night, gave a clear view of the object, and afforded leisure to place a frame in exact line with the vessel, by which the aim of the mortar is then to be directed. This frame is made of a piece of wood 4 feet long, 9 inches wide, and 3 inches deep (so heavy as to give a requisite degree of steadiness from its own weight), with a slender stick at each end, in a right line with one another, painted white, that they may be more discernible in the dark.

To accomplish the object of enabling the crew to mark the course of the rope, and the place where it falls, a shell, with four holes in it on the side which has the eye, is to be provided. This is filled with a composition which, in burning, sheds a keen glare of light, and a fuze, prepared in the same manner with the fuze of the paper shell which I have already just described, is to be fixed in each of the holes. This shell, substituted for the shot, is fixed to the rope, and igniting on being discharged from the mortar, pours a torrent of vivid flame during its flight from each of the four holes, and gives the clearest sight of its course, the rope it draws with it, and every surrounding object. I subjoin a representation of this shell in its flight.

1821.] Capt. Manby on Preservation of Shipwrecked Persons. $59

From a consideration of its vast importance, I have devoted much of my attention to produce boats calculated in any weather to rescue lives and property from wrecked vessels, convinced as I was, from my own experience, during my visits to different parts of the coast (when honoured with the commands of Government to take a survey of the coast, with a view to the establishment of a a system of escape from shipwreck), that no such boats were yet in existence. The boat, generally called the Life Boat, though admirably calculated for particular services, is so large and cumbrous, that it is at times very difficult to convey it to the point of danger; and its unwieldy size exposes it so much to the force of the winds and waves, that to get it off from a flat beach in a storm is utterly impracticable. It differs also much in its construction from that particular form of boat which obtains in different maritime districts, to which, it is well known, those who use it are stubbornly attached, and in which alone they possess skill and feel confidence. These and other causes have not only thrown the Life Boat into disuse, but have produced such a neglect of it, that, in some places, I found it decaying, and, in others, actually gone to decay and falling to pieces. I am therefore induced to submit the simplest and least expensive mode, that has suggested itself to me, of giving to boats, of whatever size and construction, the principle of the Life Boat.

To effect this (as in the manner represented in the engraving above) empty casks were lashed and secured in the boat to give it buoyancy, notwithstanding immersion; and to keep it in an upright position, while launching from a flat shore, or while beaching again, it was fitted with billage boards of equal depth with the keel. A piece of iron or lead was let into or made fast to the outside of the keel, which operated, if by any accident the boat was upset, to bring it instantly right again. A stout rope, with what is called a mouse by the riggers, on different parts at intervals of it, was carried round the gunwale, the stem, and the stern, and protected it from the ship's side, while lowering or when driven with violence by the waves against the vessel to which it went with assistance. The casks for this service should be strong and perfectly staunch. Those which have contained oil are to be preferred, for saturated with that fluid, there is less reason to fear the admission of water, from the contractions of the staves by the heat of a warm climate *. It will be prudent to have them every year repainted or smeared with tar. Finding, however, from trial, that the number of casks, employed in this method, gave more buoyancy than was needed, and that as two gallons of air are enough to support a man's body, one cask, vertically placed (as in the annexed cut) under each thwart of the boat, would render it unimmergible, and that it was a more simple and less expensive mode than the former, I gave it a decided preference. After this plan, it is but to place an empty cask beneath each thwart in an upwright position, and secure it by two pins on each side, and the properties of a life boat are given to the most common boat in use. If the boat, thus fitted, should fill, no more is neces

Casks for this purpose, that are nine gallons in measure, may be purchased at three shillings each.

sary

Dr. Carey on Preservation of Shipwrecked Persons. [Oct.

sary than to pull the plug out, and the boat, rising from its less specific gravity, will let all the water through at the plug-hole; an injury, consequently, to its bottom, while on service, will be attended neither with danger nor inconvenience.

We have received a letter from our old Correspondent Dr.Carey, respecting Captain Manby's ingenious plan, in which he decidedly claims the "honor of the original invention." In justice to Dr. Carey, we insert his own words, without wishing, in the least, to depreciate the merits of Captain Manby.