Popular Science Monthly 



423 



buoys still on deck are sucked along in its 

 wake. Soon, however, the life-buoys re- 

 appear, and hatches fly open. Hands 

 are put forth to gather in such floating 

 bodies as come within reach. When 

 quiet again reigns, the hatches are closed. 

 Only a little colony of huge, bobbing, 

 funnel-shaped buoys is to be seen where 

 a short time before a great ship steamed 

 along its course. 



Inside the boats, the refugees are not 

 wholly uncomfortable. The boats are 

 roomy. People can be seated on several 

 tiers of benches around the sides. A 

 tank at the bottom provides drinking 

 water and also serves as ballast. Storage- 

 batteries and electric-lamps light up the 

 interior. The periscope-like upper part 

 of the craft acts as a ventilation flue. 

 Here also the navigating officer may stand. 

 It is impossible for water to enter 

 as in an ordinary, open lifeboat. 

 Even in rough weather, the 

 refugees live in relative security. 

 Electrically illuminated signal 

 lights at the top, attract aid. 



Thus Albert A. Unruh, of 

 Portland, Oregon, would save 

 life at sea. He has actually 

 built one of his gigantic buoys, 

 as our pictures show, and has 

 demonstrated to his own satis- 

 faction that the idea is sound. 



Why do we cleave to the conventional 

 type of lifeboat anyway? Is it part of 

 the inertia that attends a craft of long 



Here Elbert 

 F. Unruh of 

 Portland, Ore., 

 is success- 

 fully trying 

 out his boat 



Lowering the 

 boat into the 

 water by means 

 of a crane in 

 first experiments 



standing? Because the boats have al- 

 ways been built in one way, do we keep 

 on in the beaten track without stopping 

 to think? 



It is true that boats, as currently 

 built, are the result of evolution, and for 

 getting over the water are perhaps 

 as good as can be devised. But it 

 must be admitted that the ordi- 

 nary boat is not without its dis- 

 advantages when it comes to 

 encountering a cold, winter sea, 

 with no shield against the 

 wind and no protection against 

 any passing wave that wants 

 to sweep over its sides and 

 against the half-drowned, 

 shivering occupants. Mr. 

 Unruh's new lifeboat is a step 

 in a desirable direction. 



The interior of the lifeboat. 

 Note the many conveniences 



r'TACKLE GUARD 



i-VENTILATINS CAP 



J,EN5 

 "ROD FOR RAISING CAP 



SEA 

 LEVEL 



BUTTERFLY 

 VALVE 



^DRINMNG WATER 

 AND BALLAST 



