THE number of valuable lives lost every year by drowning is a fact not sufficiently realised, or it would certainly receive greater attention than it at present ap- pears to do.

During every summer, distressing ac- counts appear in the papers, day after day, of such casualties arising from various causes, and it cannot be doubted that many of them could have been prevented. The first and most practical safeguard has been more than once strongly advocated in the pages of this Journal, viz., persis- tent and general cultivation of the art of swimming, more particularly on the part of the younger members of both sexes.

It was with great pleasure we read the other day, the opinion expressed by a coroner's jury in London, to the effect that the School Board should give this art a place in their curriculum of study.

Much is doubtless done to promote it, by the numerous swimming clubs and baths established throughout the country, and the exploits of Captain Webb and other masters of the art, all tend to promote its spread, by calling public attention to it, and showing of what feats it is capable.

In this country, which boasts of voluntary institutions for promoting every good cause, from the propagation of the Gospel to the prevention of street accidents and cruelty to animals—including the Royal Humane Society, whose particular pro- vince it is to promote the rescue of drowning persons, and the Order of St. John of Jerusalem in England, part of whose province is to reward bravery in saving life on shore—there is certainly a field open to philanthropists, in the form of a society for promoting the art of swimming. Such an institution we believe would be most beneficial and popular, for happily the natural bias of our youth is, to engage in manly and invigorating exercises and pastimes, the pursuit of which goes very far to form our national character, and therefore should be in every way promoted. Important as the art of swimming is, as a remedy for the evils we are considering, it is not, for several reasons, the only one necessary, and leaves plenty of room for inventors to exercise their ingenuity, in providing safety dresses for supporting persons of both sexes and all ages, immersed in the water under various circumstances. In these we do not include the crews of our Life-boats, who are provided with a thoroughly efficient cork belt, as indeed are also the coastguard, and crews of men- of-war's boats; but these belts are not applicable to the requirements of the general public, for although they do not in any way impede the action of the limbs, or lessen the powers of the wearers for physical exertion, nor are out of place in appearance, in a Life-boat or other boat in a rough sea, they are not quite the dress any one, and particularly one of the fair sex, would care to adopt when going on the water for pleasure.

We have recently noticed in these pages an efficient and simple bathing dress, invented by Captain Peacock, which possesses great merits, and have since witnessed experiments with the clever and ingenious invention recently patented by the Rev. W. C. Brown, Wesleyan Minister, of Sheffield, which promises equal success and efficiency. Mr. Brown has called chemistry to his aid in inflating his safety dress, which he calls the Nautilus. The principle of it is a bag made of very fine waterproof material, containing a powder which, on coming in contact with the water, generates sufficient carbonic acid gas to inflate it completely. The arrange- ments by which the water is admitted to the powder, on a person falling overboard, whilst it is at the same time thoroughly protected from rain, and the gas prevented from escaping, is very ingenious and simple. Of course, the bags may be of any size, and may be either sewn into the lining of a coat or dress, one on each side of the chest, and one between the shoul- ders, or they may be attached to a light webbing, and worn in those positions under the coat or dress, so as not to cause the least inconvenience, or be seen until the wearer is in the water. The rapidity with which the gas is generated, and the floating power of the belt thereby de- veloped, is very striking, and shows it would bring a person to the surface long before any ill effects could occur from the immersion. Mr. Brown's invention is capable of being used to give buoyancy to any articles of moderate weight, such as mail bags, &c., and he has adapted it to a very ingenious collar for swimmers, capable of being inflated at will, when occasion arises for its use, through fatigue, j an attack of cramp, etc.

j The Nautilus can be obtained of Messrs.

Cow, Hill and Co., 46 and 47 Cheapside,at the cost of 10s. 6 2., and after having been used, only requires drying and recharging to make it ready again. This is a simple and inexpensive process, as the necessary | powders cost only 2s. 6d. a dozen.