THE "Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce," com- monly known as the " Society of Arts," as most of our readers will be aware, offers from time to time its Gold Medal to be competed for by Designers, Inventors and others in furtherance of special objects falling within the sphere of the Society's function.

Amidst these objects it has not lost sight of the claims of our seamen and sea- voyaging countrymen for the provision of all available means of protection from the dangers incident to all who " go down to the sea in ships, and occupy their business in great waters." Thus, in the year 1871, the Society offered its Gold Medal for the best design for a Ship's Life-boat, which was won by Messrs. WOOLFE and Sou, Life-boat builders to the NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, for a Life-boat built of wood, and by Messrs. HAMILTON and Co., of the Windsor Iron Works, Liverpool, for one of iron, full-sized boats, from the model selected, having been built and tested before the awards were made.

Again, when the passenger steamer Princess Alice was sunk by collision in the Thames on the night of the 3rd Sep- tember, 1878, and more than six hundred of those on board her perished, the Society again came forward and offered its Gold Medal " For the best means of saving life at sea, when a vessel has to be abandoned suddenly, say with only five minutes' warning; the shore, or other vessels, being in sight." We had intended to take earlier notice of this praiseworthy and humane effort of the Society in behalf of sailors and pas- sengers by sea, but other matters led to its postponement.

As a first step, a Committee of distin- guished Naval officers and other practical men, under the presidency of Lord ALFRED CHURCHILL, the Chairman of the Council of the Society, was selected to carry out its intention. That Committee consisted of the following gentlemen:—

T. BBASSEY, Esq., M.P.

DONALD CURRIE, Esq.

Admiral M. NOLLOTH

Admiral Sir ERASMUS OMMANEY, C.B., F.K.S.

Captain G. E. PRICE, E.N., M.P.

Admiral A. P. RYDER.

Admiral Sir E. SOTHEBY, K.C.B.

Captain H. TOYNBEE.

After meeting several times and obtaining all available information on the subject, the Committee drew up and issued, in April 1878, the following circular:— The Council of the Society of Arts offers its Gold Medal for the best means of saving life at sea, when a vessel has to be abandoned suddenly, say with only five minutes' warning; the shore or other vessels being in sight.

1. Preference -will be given to appliances to which fewest objections are established, on the score of their occupying valuable space, interfering with the stowage of more important articles, being in the way, being unsightly, not being ready at hand, requiring more or less " fitting " when brought into use.

2. Preference will be given to appliances to which fewest objections are established on the part of medical men, on the score of the appliances being unhealthy.

3. Preference will be given to appliances to which fewest objections are established on the part of seamen, on the score of their being un- comfortable, inconvenient, &c.

4. Preference will be given to appliances which afford a buoyancy of, at least, 40 Ibs. to each person on board, whether of the crew or a pas- senger.

N.B.—The cork Life-belt, usually supplied, has a weight of 5 Ibs. and a buoyancy of 20 Ibs.

It will float a man of ordinary dimensions, with his shoulders just-a-wash, provided all the rest of his body is under water. The Life- belts placed in their Boats by the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION have a buoyancy of about 25 Ibs., but only weigh 5 Ibs., owing to the superior quality of the cork.

5. Preference will be given to the means of flota- tion which utilise articles already existing on board, so that no extra space will be required.

6. Preference will be given to appliances that are the least expensive, as to first cost and annual repair.

7. Preference will be given to appliances best able to stand the variations of climate, rough treat- ment, &c.

8. Neither Boats nor Rafts will be admitted to the competition, as it is almost certain that in the contemplated cases of abandonment neither of them could be lowered or. cleared away in time, and because, even if the Boats stowed outside could be cleared away, there would rarely be sufficient space to provide means of safety for all the crew and passengers.

NOTB.—Of course, if there were time to clear away Boats or Rafts, they would be first attended to.

9. Cork belts, with a buoyancy of less than 40 Ibs., will not be admissible, as it is most im- portant that the mouth and nostrils of every one in the water be raised as far as possible above the sur- face. The ordinary Life-belt, admirably suited for use in Boats, and to support in the water persons ac- customed to immersion in it, would frequently be quite insufficient in the cases contemplated for all non-swimmers, especially women and children.

10. No preparation of india-rubber or gutta- percha will be admissible, as with the greatest precautions they are not sufficiently proof against the effects of climate and of ill-usage.

. NOTE 1.—It is to be understood that, under the special circumstances of the cases contem- plated, all that is aimed at is to preserve life until the shore is reached, or the immersed persons are picked up. For this reason no pro- vision is expected to be made for food or water.

NOTE 2.—Competitors are at liberty to draw a distinction between appliances most suitable to men-of-war, to passenger ships, to ordinary merchant ships; also between the different circumstances attending the sudden abandon- ment by day and a sudden abandonment by night.

The Gold Medal -will be awarded fox the appli- ance, or combination of appliances, which answer in the highest degree the various qualifications named above; but the Council is at liberty to withhold the Medal if, in the opinion of the Judges, nothing is submitted worthy of the award.

Appliances intended for the competition must be sent in not later than the 1st of August, 1878, addressed to the SECRETARY, Society of Arts, John Street, Adelphi, London, W.C., and must in every case be accompanied by a short description.

April, 1878. (By Order.) NOTE.—The date was extended by order.

In response to this appeal no less than one hundred and thirty-six designs, mo- dels, and full-sized floating appliances were sent in; of these, twenty being rafts and three being boats, were disqualified by the terms of the appeal. Of the re- mainder, many, as is always the case in any such competition, were valueless, their originators being insufficiently acquainted with the ordinary circumstances and special requirements in cases of disaster to ships from collision or wreck. Thus the Com- mittee, in their Report to the Council of the Society, state that " Having carefully considered the circumstances attending the sudden loss, at a few minutes' warning, of various vessels of specified classes, we found that only a very small number of the ' Exhibits' were qualified, under the ' Instructions' in the Council's Circular, to compete for the Gold Medal." It will readily be imagined that from the diversity of appliances which might be of service to afford temporary buoyancy and safety to persons suddenly immersed in the sea there would be no slight difficulty in selecting from amongst them the one appliance which would be of more service than all others. The Com- mittee, therefore, wisely we think, avoided that difficulty by deciding to bestow the Medal on the competitor who would be able to exhibit the greatest number of such appliances with a high standard of merit.

At the commencement of their delibera- tions they rightly attached much value to the 5th clause of the Circular of the Council, and had, they observe, to ask, as regards each class of vessel, " Have they any articles ready at hand with sufficient capacity, and suitable in every respect to our purpose, which are already buoyant, or if not yet made buoyant, can be durably made so sufficiently to support one or two persons with their shoulders out of the water?" They then proceeded to consider separately the circumstances and requirements of each class of vessel, distinguishing ships- of-war from merchant vessels, and sub- dividing the former into two classes, viz., the ordinary ship-of-war and the troop- ship, often carrying, besides its crew, a thousand or more soldiers and a large number of women and children, and mer- chant vessels into four classes, viz., 1st, ordinary merchant ships, whether sailing or steam-ships; 2nd, emigrant and other passenger sea-going ships; 3rd, passenger ships OH rivers; 4th, yachts, barges, &c.

SHIPS-OF-WAR.

1. Ordinary Ships-of-War.—The Com- mittee came, we believe unanimously, to the conclusion that the most efficient means of floating all the crew at the shortest warning, with a reasonable pro- spect of saving them, when other ships or land might be near, would be afforded by Buoyant Hammocks.

Every man and boy in a ship-of-war is provided with a hammock, which when not in use is stowed on the upper-deck, and when engaged in battle would always be so; and since, without any additional cost, every hammock may be made amply buoyant by the substitution of a granu- lated cork mattress in lien of the ordinary one stuffed with wool or horsehair, it follows that no difficulty exists in the way of providing such a source of safety for our gallant seamen, who, apart from the ordinary dangers of the sea, will be likely to need such aid in all future naval wars, when the torpedo and the ram will be the cause of many a good ship suddenly foun- dering. Admiral RYDEB, one of the mem- bers of the Committee above named, has, as is well known, for several years past, zealously given much time and attention to this subject, and has, although as yet fruitlessly, used every effort to induce the ADMIRALTY to provide buoyant mattresses for the crews of all our ships-of-war. As the Russian Imperial and Danish Royal Navies have been long since supplied with them we may hope that ere long our own ADMIRALTY may be induced to adopt them.

In the 81st number of this Journal we published a Paper on the subject written by Admiral RYDER, and in the 83rd number one by ourselves, with illustra- tions, showing the manner in which buoyant hammocks and berth mattresses are worn and used. We now reproduce them, pages 161 and 164.

2. Troop Ships.—The Committee re- commend that, as in an ordinary ship-of- war, the ship's company should be pro- vided with buoyant hammocks, but, as the soldiers when embarked are not provided with mattresses (which would occupy too much space), and as no article of their kits could be utilised by being made buoyant, they should be supplied with j the simplest description of cork life-belts with ample buoyancy, which might be j stowed on narrow shelves against the ship's sides, in their own messes.

I MERCHANT SHIPS.

i i j 1. Ordinary Merchant Ships, without i Passengers, the Committee place in the | same category with ships-of-war, in so i far that their berth mattresses should be | buoyant, and so fitted that they could be j quickly secured round the body of the j wearer in the manner of a life-belt.

Such mattresses were fully described in the 83rd number of the Life-boat Journal, above referred to, and we now repeat illustrations of them. Figs. 4 and 5, p. 164.

2. Passenger Sea-going Ships.—In these, as in ordinary merchant ships, the Com- mittee recommend that both the crew and passengers should be provided with buoyant berth mattresses. If life-belts should be also provided, they would be as an extra appliance; and, in addition, they consider that the chairs, stools, benches, seats, cushions, &c., if made per- manently buoyant, would, in conjunction with the ordinary round life-buoys, be of much service in cases of sudden emer- gency. In emigrant ships, the cork mat- tresses to be provided by the owners, under the inspection of a Government official.

3. Passenger Ships on Rivers.—These have a crew of very few seamen, but fre- quently many hundred passengers. They have no mattresses, but numerous chairs, stools, benches, seats and cushions, ready at hand, all of which could be made per- manently and sufficiently buoyant, whilst the gunwale itself could be made in sections of buoyant materials. The Committee think an Act of Parliament might require that the number of pas- sengers carried should not exceed the number of portable articles having 40 Ibs.

or more buoyancy, readily available on the upper deck; this, of.course, in addi- tion to the usual number of boats.

4. Yachts, Barges, &c.—These to stand on the same footing as sea-going mer- chant ships, with passengers.

Materials.—Having laid down the above general principles, the Committee pro- ceeded to consider the relative values of the different materials exhibited from which surplus buoyancy was derivable.

Of these the most noteworthy were— 1. Cork, solid or in block, and granu- lated.

2. Air, inclosed in air-tight and water- tight covers or cases, bladders, &c.

3. Moose hair, and other deer hair.

4. A pith, from South Africa.

5. A seaweed, treated with a prepara- tion to prevent absorption.

6. The stems of a plant called " Sola," from India, very light.

Of the above materials, Nos. 3, 4, 5, and 6 are lighter than cork, before being saturated with water, whilst inclosed air would be more or less so, depending on the weight of the material inclosing it.

The Committee observe, that the sea- freight chargeable on many of these articles, being levied on bulk and not on weight, would greatly enhance their cost, since they could not be compressed without diminution of elasticity and buoyancy.

It is questionable, also, if some of them could be obtained in sufficient quantity to meet the great demand there would be for them if they were generally adopted.

They are mostly, also, more absorbent of water than cork. After submitting them to experimental trial, the Committee came to the conclusion that cork, both granu- lated and in block, was the safest, and therefore the best of all buoyant materials for saving life with which they were acquainted. They remark: " Block cork absorbs a little water after several hours' immersion; granulated cork absorbs more after the same number of hours; but cork, although its buoyancy is diminishable, retains it sufficiently for the time required, and is incompressible under any probable pressure; it is unobjectionable on sanitary grounds; is not injured by any extreme of climate, and, in block, stands well a considerable amount of ill-treatment even if left uncovered." Mattresses stuffed with granulated cork have been in use many years; many per- sons, it is said, prefer them to hair mat- tresses; and if one-inch thickness of horsehair be added on one surface of a cork mattress, the comfort is all that can be desired.

Fortunately the supply of cork in the south of Europe is practically inex- haustible. At the present average market- price of good block cork, buoyancy derived from it can be given to any article at the rate of about 8s. per 40 Ibs. of buoyancy, which might be lowered by competition.

The Committee, in making their award, then state that— " Having arrived at the above conclu- sions regarding what articles should be made buoyant in each class of ships, and what buoyant material we should recom- mend, we are of opinion that, in each class of ships under consideration, the series of buoyant articles in the annexed Table, Column IV., most completely fulfil the conditions laid down by the Council, and entitle the exhibitor, Mr. A. W. Birt, to be recommended by us for the award of the Gold Medal." They likewise make " Honourable Men- tion " of several articles shown by other exhibitors.

The following is a list of the articles exhibited by Mr. Birt, for which the medal was awarded, full particulars and qualities of which are given in the Table above referred to, pp. 162,163.

1. A cork mattress for hammocks, faced with horsehair on one side. (Figs. 1, 2, and 3.) 2. A berth mattress of the same mate- rials. (Figs. 4 and 5.) 3. A waterproof sheet, which, when placed within a hammock, enfolds the mattress and bedding, and adds 50 Ibs. of buoyancy to that already possessed by the latter.

Fig. 1.—The Buoyant Hammock in use as a Life Belt.

Fig. 2.—The Buoyant Hammock secured ao as to act as a Life Belt.

Fig. 3.—Two men sharing the Buoyancy of their Hammocks.

162 THE LIFE-BOAT. [AUGUST 2, 1880. THE SERIES OP BUOYANT CONSIDERED BY THE COMMITTEE AS DESERVING OF THE DESCRIPTION OF VESSELS.

I. Articles already on Board which can, and should be, made Buoyant.

II. Buoyant Articles which are not at present supplied, but should be.

III. 1.— MEN-OF-WAR.

II. — MERCHANT .• 1. Ordinary, whether Ironclad or manned, rigged or not.

2. Troop Ships . .

1. Ordinary, Merchant Skip (Steam Ship or SailingShip), without passengers.

2. Passenger Ships, with a large number of passengers.

3. River Passenger Boats, with a large number of passengers.

4. Yachts .... Hammock and Berth Mat- tresses for the officers and men.

As supplementary — The Gun- wale Mouldings.

Hammock and Berth Mat- tresses for the officers and men.

As supplementary — The Gun- wale Mouldings.

Stools . . • • Life Belts with a buoy- ancy of 40 Ibs. for every soldier, woman, and child.

• * » • NOTE. — When Crews, as in the case of Las- cars, have no mat- tresses, Life Belts should be supplied. ( Hammock Mattresses for the crew.

Berth Mattresses for the officers and crew.

'As supplementary — The Gun- wale Mouldings.

Stools ....... Hammock and Berth Mat- tresses for the officers and crew.

Berth mattresses for the pas- sengers.

As supplementary — The Gun- wale Mouldings.

Stools Stools Seats Sunwale Mouldings .

Berth Mattresses ....

Stools . Seats . . . . Hjunwale Mouldings ... NOTE.— The Men's Tables in men-of-war (including Troop Ships) assumed to be 12 feet by 3 feet, buoyancy (assuming that it has none of its own) at the rate of 16 men X40 Ibs. of buoyancy =640 Ibs.

a thickness of under 5 inches, but we have not included the tables in the above List, column It, as mattresses are not made buoyant, nor life-belts supplied in Troop Vessels, the tables should be made AUGUST 2, 1880.] THE LITE-BOAT. 163 ARTICLES (SEE COLUMN IV.), GOLD MEDAL AND WORTHY OF GENERAL ADOPTION. The series of Buoyant Articles which best fulfil requirements. Its own weight out of water. Its Initial Buoyancy, viz., the weight of Iron it will Just Boat when first immersed after Air has been excluded. Surplus Buoyancy after six hours in smooth water, with 40-ib.

Iron weight attached. Buoyancy after being sunk for twenty-fcur hours in six feet depth of water. Name and Address of the Maker of this series of Articles. .IV. V. VI. VII. VIII. IX. Ibs. Ibs. Ibs. Ibs. The Royal Naval Cork Mattress 18 60 14 50 for the Hammocks of subordi- nate officers and the men. NOTE. — There is hair on one side. The Cork Berth Mattress for 18 75 26 60 officers with cabins.

NOTE. — .There, is. hair- on one side. A.W. Birt, of : The Gunwale Buoy .... 85 255 215 240 the firm of J.

and A. W. Birt, The Royal Naval Cork Mattress for the Hammocks of subordi- nate officers and the men.

NOTE. — There, is hair on one side. 18 60 14 SO Dock Street, London Docks, maker of Lif e- Saving Appa- The Cork Berth Mattress for the officers who have cabins.

NOTE.— There is hair, on one side. 18 75 26 SO ratus for the Board of Ad- miralty, the Board of Trade, The Soldier's Life Belt, No. I, buoyancy 40 Ibs., for each sol- dier, their wives and children. 11 43 3 40 Royal National Lifeboat Insti- tution, etc., &c. The Gunwale Buoy .... 85 255 ' 215 240 The Buoyant Stool 14J 43 3 40 „ Bench ....

The Merchant Seaman's Cork 59 18 170 75 130 26 160 60 Mattress for their Hammocks or Berths. The Cork Berth Mattress for the 18 75 26 60 officers. NOTE. — There is, hair, on one side. The Gunwale Buoy .... 54 170 130 160 The Buoyant Stool ....

„ Bench ....

The Cork Berth Mattress for the officers. 14J 59 18 43 170 75 3 130 26 40 160 60 NOTE. — The entries in cols.

V., VI., VII., NOTE. — There is hair, on one side. VIII. are sup- ! The Merchant Seaman's Cork ! Mattress for the crew.

The Cork Berth Mattress . .

NOTE. — There is hair on one side.

The Gunwale Buoy .... 18 18 54 75 75 170 26 26 130 60 60 160 plied by Mr.

Birt. We have tested them to the extent of satisfying our- selves that each The Buoyant Stool ....

„ " Chair ....

The Buoyant Stool ....

Chair .... 14i 15 141 15 43 43 43 43 3 3 3 3 40 40 40 40 article has at least 40 Ibs.

buoyancy after being sunk for j „ Bench ....

„ Cushion 59 iOf 170 54 130 8 160 40 feet depth of water. „ Seat 22 53 13 50 The Gunwale Buoy .... 54 170 130 160 The Cork Berth Mattress . . 18 75 26 60 NOTE.— There is. hair on one side. The Buoyant Stool .... 141 43 3 40 „ Chair .... 15 43 3 40 Bench .... 59 170 130 160 „ Cushion. . . . 10J 54 8 40 „ Seat. . . . 22 .53 13 50 The Gunwale Buoy .... 54 170 130 160 could easily be made buoyant. If block cork were attached under the table, so as to give the table a of buoyancy, about one-fourth of that weight, or 160 Ibs. of cork, would have to be attached to it, or their size would invite too many persons to cling to them. Nevertheless, if for any reason the buoyant as well as the benches, &C. 164 THE LIFE-BOAT.

[AUGUST 2, 1880.

4. Soldiers' cork life-belts, for troop ships, with a buoyancy equal to 40 Ibs.

(Figs. 6 and 7.) 5. A buoyant cushion.

6. A buoyant seat.

7. A buoyant camp-stool. (Figs. 8 and 9.) Fig. 4.—Berth Mattress, with numerous partitions, to prevent the cork from moving about; also with a hinge, with or without hair. This mattress contains 15 Ibs. of Granulated Cork; buoyancy, over 60 Ibs.

Fig. 5.—Man swimming with Mattress.

Fig. 6.—The Soldier's Cork Life Belt ready for stowing.' Fig. 7.—The Soldier's Cork Life B elt ready for putting on.

AUGUST 2, 1880.] THE LIFE-BOAT.

165 Fig. 8.—Camp Stool or Chair Life Buoy.

Fig. 9.—Camp Stool or Chair Life Buoy.

8. A buoyant bench. (Figs. 10,11, and 12.) 9. A bulwark, or sectional gunwale cork life-buoy, divided into six-feet lengths, each having a buoyancy of over 240 Ibs., or sufficient to readily support six men.

(Figs. 13 and 14.) Fig. 10.—Bench fitted with Solid Cork.

M 3 166 THE LIFE-BOAT.

[AUGUST 2,1880.

Fig. 11.—Bench fitted with Clarkaon's Air Cases.

Fig. 12.—Two Benches lashed together forming a raft.

Fig. 14.—Section of Bulwark showing Buoys placed so as not to interfere with the Davits.

AUGUST 2, 1880.] THE LIFE-BOAT.

167 For a detailed description of the above articles, together with that of some by other exhibitors which were thought deserving of Honourable Mention, we must refer the reader to the Report itself.

Suffice it to say that Mr. Birt's exhibits were considered by the Committee to be far more complete in character, as well as in number and variety, than those of any other exhibitor.

After combating some strange objec- tions that have been made by Naval officers to the provision of means of escape from danger in great emergencies, such as fire, sudden foundering from collision, or assaults by the ram or torpedo, the Com- mittee state:— The following are a few cases of vessels be- longing to some of the various classes named at pp. 4 and 5, which have been lost during the last few years, in some of which many hundreds of lives would, without doubt, have been saved by such appliances as " buoyant hammocks," &c.:— (1.) H.M.S. Bombay, line of battle ship, burnt off Monte Video in daytime in 1864, in fine weather, when nearly all the marines and boys were drowned within sight of the remainder of the officers and crew lying off in overladen boats. Captain J.Wilson, R.N., now Commodore in Australia, then Com- mander of the Bombay, has repeatedly stated that had the hummocks been buoyant, all the marines and boys would have been saved.

(2.) H.M.S. Orpheus, Commodore W. Burnett, lost in fine weather in the daytime, in 1863, with nearly all hands, on a bar in New Zealand. Had the hammocks been buoyant, roost of the men would have been carried by the current through the surf to smooth water.

(3.) H.M.S. Eurydice, capsized in a squall in daytime in 1878, near the land and other vessels. Only two men were saved, one had secured a cork life-belt, the other a cork life-buoy. Had the hammocks been buoyant, the men would have been ordered to draw their knives along the covers, and many hammocks would have been freed.

A buoyant hammock has much more buoy- ancy than a life-belt. If the outer part of the netting be " housed," it will occasion a very slight delay ; but " housing" is quite unnecessary when the nettings are properly made.

(4.) The ease of the German ironclad, Kurfiirst, lost by collision in 1878, was similar to that of the Eurydice in the suddenness of the catastrophe, the shortness of the warning ; it was in the daytime, in fine weather, and other vessels were close to; yet only a few were saved.

(5.) In the case of the Narthfleet, in 1873, a mer- chant ship, full of passengers, sank when at anchor, after a collision at night; the warn- ing was of about an hour, yet nearly all hands were lost.

(6.) In H.M.S. Vanguard, an ironclad, lost by collision in 1876 in smooth water and a fog; the warning was of little more than an hour; most fortunately, her sister ship with an ample supply of boats was close to.

(7.) In the Princess Alice, a passenger boat with over 800 passengers, the warning was of less than five minutes; she was sunk by collision in the Thames on a fine night in 1878, and more than 600 lives were lost.

It is not a little remarkable that we have had, during the last few years, an example of almost every conceivable description of sudden disaster to ships, involving fearful loss or risk of life, the former of which would have been diminished by Life-saving appliances in nearly every case—(a) loss by fire, (b) on a bar, (c) by capsizing in a squall in daytime, (d~) in a squall at night, (e) by collision in daytime, (/") by collision at night.

In a future war we shall probably have not infre- quently to promptly abandon vfessels after "ram- ming •" also owing to fatal injuries from torpedoes.

Every sailor in the Russian Imperial and the Danish Royal Navy is supplied with a buoyant mattress. Our Admiralty will, it is hoped, adopt the same course, which will materially aid the French, German, and Spanish Commissions lately appointed by these Governments to decide on the best description of Life-saving appliances. Ad- miral Porter, in an official report of the condition of the United States navy, urges the authorities to introduce corlc mattressesiu the Government service.

The president of the Humane Society of the United States has pressed the matter upon the at- tention of the authorities of the United States navy.

The Congress of the United States has passed an Act obliging all steamers and passenger vessels to carry life-preservers under a penalty for neglect of one thousand dollars. Our Board of Trade will, it is hoped, induce Parliament to take action similar to that of Congress, as regards merchant ,li this competition of Life-saving apparatus, and our Report with the suggestions we have ventured to make should tend in any way to pro- mote the very important object the Society of Arts has in view, it will afford much satisfaction to your Committee.

"We need hardly state that we heartily endorse the wish of the Committee, that the competition and award, and the suggestions which after careful considera- tion and experiments they have proffered, may be the means of furthering the very important object in view, viz., the saving life at sea in cases of sadden disaster.

In conclusion, we will merely farther remark, as regards our ships-of-war, that surely our brave seamen are deserving of having every available means provided to lessen the dangers to which they are necessarily exposed. Even if not, in justice, entitled to it, their value—even their money value, as trained seamen and gunners— would indicate its expediency, now that the torpedo and the ram will constitute special dangers, of a wholesale character, over and above those to which in time of war they have hitherto been exposed.