166 



De Goyzueta transmitted a packet of the seed of the plant, 

 and also a sample of the buoyant mattress. The former was 

 at once sent to the Superintendent of the Royal Society's 

 G-ardens, as recommended, with the view of trying " whether 

 the climate and soil are favourable to the propagation of the 

 plant ;" and it is believed, however, that we possess in the 

 seed of the Tasmanian Typha, whatever be its specific dis- 

 tinction, an equivalent material, and distributed in abundance 

 throughout the marshes and river banks of the island, that 

 will equally fulfil the same purpose. Samples of each sort 

 have been submitted to the Government Analyst, Mr. W. F. 

 Ward, with a view of testing their respective qualities and 

 properties, and that gentleman has pronounced their physical 

 characters to be almost identical, there being only a minute 

 difference in their specific gravity, the Tasmanian seed being 

 very slightly heavier, probably to be accounted for by the 

 Italian species having been submitted to a cleansing process 

 previous to manufacture into mattresses whereby all the 

 denser particles have been eliminated. 



In reference to its preparation for manufacture, the Signer 

 states " that the elasticity and flexibility of the T. latifolia is 

 obtained by cutting off its ears, and by submitting it to the 

 action of ventilators, in order to clean it from every hetero- 

 geneous matter." He adds also that " the Italian Govern- 

 ment pays for such mattresses, to be delivered in Spezia by 

 the contractor of the Eoyal Marine, 12*95f., or 10s. 4|d. 

 each." 



In presenting the sample mattress to the Museum of the 

 Royal Society, with a view to its becoming open to public 

 inspection, the hon. Mr. Moore makes the following valuable 

 suggestion : — 



" It has occurred to me that the mattress might be made 

 more practically available in saving life if it was constructed 

 in two portions, but joined at the upper surface, and furnished 

 with straps and buckles at each end. It could thus be 

 instantly made into a life-buoy." 



In the records of shipwrecks, how many cases of drowning 

 have occurred within sight of land, and where a resource of 

 the kind proposed would have averted sorrow from many a 

 bereaved family. Instances of this sort must occur to every 

 one without being specified. Sailors, as a rule, are proverbially 

 reckless of danger, and disregard even ordinary precautions 

 for their own safety ; yet, when brought face to face with 

 actual peril, and all hopes of escape seem vain, many are at 

 once deprived of their presence of mind and yield to despair. 

 In such cases this would be counteracted hj the knowledge 

 that at least one possible means of extrication from drowning 

 was open to their grasp. 



