262 THE SEA. 



This dress would no doubt enable a shipwrecked person to live for days, and even weeks, in the 

 water. Its expense is not great, but too much for general adoption. It was while wearing 

 this dress, in crossing the Straits of Messina on the 10th of March, 1877, that Captain 

 Boyton met with the adventure illustrated in our plate. We translate from an Italian journal 

 the following account of it : 



"Disregarding the counsels of those who warned him of the perils of such a rough 

 sea, and one so infested with dog-fish, Boyton let himself into the water at eight in the 

 morning, followed by a vessel, which more than once lost sight of him. He rowed in his 

 apparatus with the aid of arms which appeared as though made of steel, when he suddenly 

 felt himself strongly knocked against behind. It was a dog-fish ! There was a flash ; Boyton 

 raised himself to the middle, drew the dagger which he always carried at his side, and 

 repelled the assailant. Reassured, he then re-took the oar, drank for the third or 

 fourth time some cognac, and about midday, with his eyes inflamed by the heavy strokes 

 of the sea, arrived at the port of Messina, saluted with enthusiasm by the crowd of people, 

 on shore and in boats and steamers, who were anxiously awaiting him/' 



Apparently one of the simplest devices for those unable to swim is that known as the 

 Nautilus Safety Bathing Dress, the invention of Captain Peacock. It is simply a short shirt, 

 made of the purest Irish flax, which fits closely round the neck and waist, &c., by means of 

 elastic bands. It has an inflating tube and mouthpiece. The principle on which it is founded 

 is simply this : Irish flax, when wet, is nearly air and water proof ; dipping, then, first the 

 shirt in water, air is blown inside by the tube till there is sufficient inflation. Should there 

 be any slight leakage, more air can at any moment be blown into it by the wearer. These 

 shirts are, of course, comparatively inexpensive. 



A seaman's belt, invented by Captain Ward, R.N., and sanctioned by the National Life- 

 Boat Institution, is highly commended by many authorities. A schoolmaster says that he has 

 been accustomed for many years to take from thirty to forty boys, of all ages, during th& 

 bathing season, into deep water, and that not merely is it perfectly safe, and free from some 

 objections urged against many swimming-belts, but that its use enables young people to swim 

 more rapidly. 



Captain Warren has invented a life-buoy which is highly commended. It consists of a 

 bladder chemically prepared, to which is affixed a patent valve, by means of which the former 

 can be easily inflated. A second invention of Captain Warren's consists of 500 life-buoys, 

 three feet long, made of cork or specially prepared wood, and strung on to a series of iron 

 rods, which are connected with the turret or mast of the ship. These are all kept together 

 by means of a band, which, when the vessel is sinking, would be cut, and the whole of the 

 buoys could be instantly released. This apparatus would cost 250, but of course it could be 

 made on a smaller scale if required. 



A most ingenious "Life-Buoy Seat" has been invented by Mr. Richard Rose, an 

 old traveller and colonist. It is composed of two semi-conical buckets of block tin, the 

 smaller end of one screwing into the other, together forming a buoy resembling an 

 hour-glass in shape. Placed upright it forms a capital deck camp-seat, the upper end 

 being of cork, which of course increases its buoyancy. In the event of fire on board 

 the two portions can be rapidly unscrewed, and each buoy thus representing two buckets, 



