[7] THE LONDON FISHEEIES EXHIBITION. 1191 



the loss of a man, and but too often one such loss brings about the loss 

 of the whole vessel, which in stormy weather can no longer be managed 

 by the diminished crew. To prevent such accidents, Mr. Gunn, of Gal- 

 spie, has invented an apparatus which, in spite of the proverbial care- 

 lessness of fishermen, has been favorably received by them and has 

 met with the approval of comi)etent judges. It consists of a movable 

 railing, made of strong iron bars, which can be put up or taken down 

 with one move, and which forms an excellent x^rotection for the crew. 

 This apparatus, which can easily be j)ut up on any open or covered ves- 

 sel and is not at all in the way, costs for a large fishing cutter meas- 

 uring 50 feet in length and costing 30,000 marks [$7,140] only 200 

 marks [$47.60J, and cannot be too strongly recommended to fishermen. 



CoEK-coAL. — Of special importance to fishermen I consider a prepar- 

 ation exhibited by De la Sala, of Seville, in the Spanish department 

 of the exhibition, viz., cork-coal. The specific weight of this mass is 

 much less than that of cork. This material, which is particularly rec- 

 ommended for safety-belts, is especially suited to take the place of the 

 inconvenient and expensive cork -jackets, which are very much disliked 

 by the fishermen, and to furnish them with convenient and warm clothes 

 which do not hinder them in their work, which can therefore be worn 

 at all times, and will prevent a person from sinking. For preparing 

 cork-coal any cheap refuse of corks can be used, which after having 

 been turned to coal can easily be pulverized and put in the lining of 

 clothes. Some experiments which I made show that cork-coal in water 

 can bear 10 to 12 times its weight, almost three times as much as the 

 same weight of cork, and does not absorb near so much water. As a 

 stout man with thick clothing when in the water weighs only 6 or 7 

 pounds, from 300 to 400 grams [about 13 oz.] of cork-coal inserted in 

 the lining of his jacket or vest are sufficient to keep him afloat. I have 

 had a number of such clothes made and distributed them among fish- 

 ermen for the purpose of having them tried. 



Loosening frox the davits. — In stormy weather great difiQculty 

 is frequently experienced in getting the boats loosened from the davits 

 in time, and especially in getting them off both hooks at the same in- 

 stant. If this is not done quickly, the waves may throw the boat 

 against the side of the vessel and dash it to pieces, and if a hook is 

 loosened prematurely, the boat hanging to the other hook may in a 

 stormy» sea easily assume a vertical position and throw the men out. 

 Among the many contrivances aiming at an easy and simultaneous 

 loosening of the connections, that exhibited by Sample & Ward seems 

 the most suitable, because based simply on the principles of gravity 

 and of the lever. This simple apparatus can be attached to any boat 

 at a very trifling expense, and can be covered so completly, that there 

 is no chance of its being damaged. 



In case a vessel which can no longer be managed properly is to be 

 turned head against the waves, and is in this waj* to be i)laced in the 



