THE mortar and rocket apparatus around the coasts of the United Kingdom, as stated in an early number of this Journal, is for the most part under the charge of the Coast- guard, who have frequently performed in- valuable services with it, and who, from being a disciplined body, acquainted with the art of gunnery, and being constantly on the look-out, are, without doubt, the fittest persons that could be entrusted with its management.

There are, however, many places where, from there being no Coast-guard stationed on the spot, or from other causes, it is committed to the care of private individuals, who may not always be equally acquainted with the mode of using it, as has of late been painfully illustrated in a British Port.

Again, the crews of merchant vessels are sometimes so ignorant of its use, that they know not what to do with a line after it has been thrown over them. As an instance of which, on one occasion, as many as five men tied themselves in a mass to the end of the line, and jumped overboard together, wherf they were hauled to the shore by it to be sure, but all, excepting one, were drowned in the operation of dragging them through the water.

These are both extreme cases, but having happened once, they might occur again; a few explanatory remarks and suggestions on the subject may not, therefore, be inappli- cable at the present time.

That invaluable services in the cause of " Preservation of Life from Shipwreck" have been rendered alike by MANBY'S mortar and DENNETT'S and CARTE'S rocket apparatus is undoubted : the question of their comparative merits we need not enter on, further than to state that we believe no material difference exists in the range obtainable from each. The rocket has the advantage of being more portable for conveyance along shore, and is therefore better suited for many localities; but it is sometimes uncertain in its action, is more liable to deterioration from damp or the effects of time, and, being more costly, those having the management of it cannot be so frequently practised in its use as may be the case with the mortar, where only a few ounces of powder are expended at each discharge.

The mode of discharging a rocket or mortar is so simple and generally under- stood, that we need scarcely occupy our space by describing it; besides, it will be much better learned by practice: we shall, therefore, confine our remarks to the ma- nagement of the apparatus subsequently to a line being thrown over the wreck, and especially to the manner of communicating by signal between the rescuers and those to be rescued, which we believe may be im- proved upon.

Much of the success of the operation will now depend on the fitness of the gear as well as the proper use of it. In addition to the lines attached to the shot or rocket, and projected by them over the wreck, the articles required are the following :— 1st. A whip, formed of a small line (about l£ inch), rove through a single block with a tail to it; the line to be at least twice as long as the mortar or rocket is capable of conveying the first line, and the tail of the block about two fathoms in length; the ends of the whip to be spliced together, and so converted into an endless rope, 2nd. A hawser, or stay, as it is termed, which should be half the length of the whip line, and of 3 or Si-inch rope.

3rd. A chair, sling, basket, or other such contrivance, for securing the rescued person, and hauling him along the stay to the shore.

4th. A double block-tackle purchase, for setting up the stay with, 5th. A piece of stout plank, about 5 feet long, and having a fathom of chain, with a ring at the end of it, attached to the middle part of it. This is to be sank four or fire feet deep in the sand, shingle, or earth, with the ring above the surface to receive the stay through, and set it up.

6th. Two or three spades or shovels, and some small line for lashings or seizings, in case of their being required.

The whole of the rope should be of Manilla line, as it will float on the water, and is much, lighter than hemp for conveyance along shore.

Several stations on the East Coast of England are supplied with an article of the following description, for conveying persons along the stay from the wreck to the shore.

A large circular cork ring-shaped life-buoy, similar to those known as Mr. CARTE'S, has secured round its inner circumference a strong linen or canvas bag, with two large holes in it for the legs to go through, making it similar to a pair of trousers with the legs cut off at the thighs. The buoy is slung so as to hang horizontally by four small lines, with a thimble in the centre to run on the stay, and the person to be conveyed along it sits in the bag with his legs through it and his arms above the cork ring, by which he holds on. The advantage of this contrivance is, that if the hawser from any cause becomes too slack and hangs in the water, the buoy will float the person within it upon the surface with less risk of his being dragged under water than in the common sling.

On the Norfolk Coast several persona have been successfully brought on shore in one of these buoy bags by the whip alone, without a hawser being rove at all. And indeed it may be readily conceived that cases might often arise where it would be of the utmost consequence to avoid the delay occasioned by securing and setting up the stay, although where no such immediate baste was required we should recommend its being employed.

An ingenious mode of setting up the stay to the cart which is used for conveying the apparatus, employing one of the wheels as a windlass, has been proposed by Capt, JER- INGHAM, E.N., a description of which will be found in the Report of the Northumberland Committee, Appendix, p, 59; as, how- ever, a cart may not always be on the spot, we have included the tackle amongst the articles required to be used.

We will now suppose that all the before- named necessary apparatus is supplied, and that a shot or rocket with line attached has been thrown over the wreck. The proceedings can then be no longer conducted by one party alone but jointly by two, at the opposite ends of the line. It will there- fore be of importance that some signals or means of communicating to either, the pro- ceedings and requirements of the other, should be established, We will first describe the operation from the moment of the communication being effected by a line, and then the signals to be employed, As quickly as possible after the line has been thrown over the wreck, make the in- shore end of it fast to the whip, bending it round both parts of it about two fathoms from the tail-block, and make the signal to those on board to haul it off.

As soon as it is perceived, either by signal or with the assistance of the telescope, that the whip block is made securely fast on board, those on shore will make the bight of the whip (which as before stated has an endless fall) securely fast to the stay, three or four fethoms from the end, which they will then haul off to the vessel by it.

When the stay is (by signal or otherwise) ascertained to be made fast on board and the whip detached from it, set up the former on shore by the luff tackle, or a capstan, or any other available means, to the plank of wood or spar previously buried three or four feet under the ground, and having a pendant with ring attached to it and brought to the surface. This will be found to bear a much greater strain than an upright post, however deeply driven down.

The bight of the whip will next be secured to the sling, or seat, which will run on the stay, either by a snatch-block inverted, a leaden horse-shoe collar, or a large thimble; either of the two former methods being preferable, as being less likely to get jambed.

Having command of both parts of the whip, the party on shore will then be en- abled alternately to haul the traveller on board and the wrecked persons on shore, until the whole have been landed in safety.

Throughout this process, it will be seen that all which the wrecked crew will have to do will be— 1st. To haul on board the whip by the rocket or mortar line.

2nd. To bend the tail-block of the whip to the rigging, or the mast, or other secure place that can be most readily got at.

3rd. To make fast the hawser or stay in like manner, near to the whip-block, and cast off the whip from it.

4th. Having first sent on shore any women or others who may be helpless or disabled, each person to secure himself to the travel- ler.

And it must be borne in mind, that wrecked persons are often nearly exhausted, and dis- qualified from helping themselves, through fatigue, or from being benumbed with cold before assistance can be conveyed to them ; and that it is, therefore, of great importance that no more exertion should be required of them, or more of the success of the-under- taking left dependent on them, than can be avoided.

Signals:— Since persons on board a wreck, with the apprehension of "death upon them, will pro- bably often be much confused, and have their wits only half about them, it will be advisable that any system of signals which may be established should be of the most simple character, and as few in number as possible. Indeed, whenever practicable, as suggested by Capt. JEKNINGHA.M, R.N., and others, information would be better conveyed to them by means of wooden tallies with short inscriptions on them, hauled on board by the whip at each stage of the operations; one made of parchment or canvas, being attached to the mortar or rocket line, at a short distance from the shot or rocket.

A black board, having the required com- munications written with chalk in large characters, might also in the daytime be of great service, when the vessel was within a short distance, although beyond hail from the shore.

Again, as the persons on board may often be so situated as to have scarcely any means of making a signal in return, probably no- thing more should be required of them than that they should signify the affirmative, or show that they have made fast the whip, stay, or shipwrecked person in the traveller, by holding up their hats, handkerchiefs, or their hands, if they have nothing else; their doing neither being considered a negative, or sufficient proof of their unreadiness, since every sailor, when he has made fast a hawser or other rope, is accustomed to hold up his hand or hat, to show that it is in readiness to be hauled on.

The signals would then stand thus:— From the vessel to the shore— By day:—A hat, hand, or handkerchief, held up, signifying " Yes," " Ready," " Made fast," &c.

By night:—A light of any description exhibited.

From the shore to the vessel:— In the daytime:—By tallies sent off to her, or by writing on a board as follows :— 1. Haul on board this line.

2. Make fast this tail-block.

3. Bend this hawser near to the whip- block, and then cast off the whip from it.

4. Secure one person in this sling, to be hauled on shore by the whip.

In the night:—One pistol shot, or a light shown once and again concealed, would suffice for each stage of the operation, in case the persons on board should have no light to read the tallies by, which would often be the case.

In the codes of signals proposed by Captain MANBY and others, the shipwrecked persons have to reply both in the affirmative and negative, thereby requiring an exercise of the memory as to which signal would ex- press the one and which the other; but at such a time men's memories may well fail them, we think, therefore, that it would be better they should only have to reply in the affirmative, as above explained.

As we have remarked elsewhere, we believe that no perfect or uniform system for the rescue of life from shipwreck, either by " Life-boats" or the "Life Apparatus," will be effected until some supervision o?er the whole, having the weight of authority with it, shall be established. Societies or private individuals can but offer suggestions on the matter, and until some better be proposed, we earnestly hope the above may be attended to.