602 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



the long known "launching frame," though not in common use, enaMes 

 the putting of a boat into the water in safety, with hut very little assist- 

 ance, and in a very short time. 



" The ' shocks ' are set on a stout plank, which turns on a pin with 

 an oval head. When the boat is to be launched the bulwarks are taken 

 down, and, all other fastenings being loosened, the boat is turned on its 

 pivot, when the oval is unlocked, by the slot beneath corresponding to its 

 shape, then, watching an opportunity, the boat is pushed off to leeward j 

 probably at a moment when the bulwarks nearly touch the sea, 



•' In making this suggestion, it is quite probable that I have made some 

 technical errors, but the question for practical men is the feasibility of th© 

 project ; the shipbuilder would soon find out the best mode. 



" If the plan is reasonable and useful, it is the duty of this Institute to 

 engage attention to it, or some other plan by which every ship should be 

 forced to carry a large boat well stored with provisions, &c. ; and if such 

 boat can be had out of a common convenience, and be a life-boat also, so 

 much the better for the arrangements of the ship, 



" The time is coming, and ought to be at hand, when the legislature will 

 not allow a vessel to go to sea without every possible precaution for saving 

 life in cases of storm or accident." 



Mr. Tillman considered the subject of importance. There is a large 

 factory of metallic life-boats in this city — Francis's. In remarking on the 

 device proposed by Mr. Garbanati, he said that there has been a patent 

 taken for using the cabin to preserve life, but not as a boat. Nests of 

 boats — that is, sets of boats, fitting one inside of the other, would meet, to 

 some extent, the diihculty of stowage, and might be employed with advan- 

 tage; and, indeed, all parts of the vessel might be made buoyant to help 

 and save life when there is need. Nest boats could be made of metal so 

 that they could not be stove in, and by being made self-buoyant they could 

 not swamp. The suggestion of Mr. Garbanati to make ships' bulwarks 

 buoyant, is excellent ; these, when so constructed, could readily be formed 

 into rafts. He would further suggest the rendering of every separate arti- 

 cle of furniture a life preserver — bedding, seating, utensils, &e., &c. 



Mr. Sykes considered it best to make the whole ship a large life-boat, by 

 dividing it into compartments by water-tight bulkheads. When ships so 

 constructed have been wrecked, most of the lives were saved. We have 

 means enough to save lives — we only want to legislate, and compel the use 

 of these means. Every man has an interest in this. All producers have 

 to pay their quota when any property is lost, or when^insurances on lives 

 have to be paid. He would suggest the formation of a skeleton raft on the 

 deck, by bulwarks running along the centre fore and aft, and connecting at 

 midships with the outer bulwarks, so that when th. vessel sunk this should 

 float. 



Mr. Garbanati stated that all the ships lately lost were formed with 



