NOTES ON LIFE-SAVING APPLIANCES. 129 



great extent, and there are several instances in the Titanic disaster which 

 show their value. 



It is very strange, indeed, that so little has been said as to the very 

 important matter of launching the lifeboats. It must be at once conceded 

 that no matter how many or how good the lifeboats on a ship may be, if they 

 cannot be got overboard they are absolutely useless. It is no easy problem 

 to lower away a boat, say 26 feet long, full of people, even in a calm sea 

 and under no excitement, and taking into consideration the probable con- 

 ditions of rough weather and a wild, frightened crowd, perhaps with the 

 addition of a howUng wind and darkness and cold, the operation presents 

 serious difficulties. 



Conditions make it hard to get real sailors in sufficient numbers to 

 man the large number of lifeboats required on an ocean liner, and this adds 

 to the difficulty of boat-launching; so the assertion at the opening of my 

 paper holds true, and launching appliances certain in their action must 

 be sought for. This is emphasized by the lack of skilled men, so none but 

 the very simplest of mechanism should be considered. It may be truthfully 

 said that if under excitement, or if training is lacking, should two things 

 have to be done in sequence, the second one will be done first; the utmost 

 we can expect is that one thing will be done when it is so arranged that 

 nothing else can be done. 



In order to get a boat into or out of the water, some form of overhanging 

 arms must be provided. In years gone by these overhanging arms were 

 built into the ship ; later they became movable, and what is known now as 

 the round-bar davit has held its place until it has become one of the most 

 familiar ship fittings. In calm waters, such as the Hudson River or parts 

 of Long Island Sound, this form of davit will answer certain requirements, 

 particularly if the boats can be carried swung outboard, but when it comes 

 to boats of large capacity in rough water, something better is imperative. 

 Now what are the requirements of a good davit? Strength, simplicity of 

 action, and perfect control. 



It is fair to presume that the naval architect will provide the strength 

 in any form adopted. 



Simplicity is certainly found in the round-bar davit; it is a single 

 moving piece and below that we cannot go, but I also demand simplicity 

 of action. To swing out a boat with round-bar davits, one end has to be 

 swung first ; this has to be accomplished by heaving on the boat itself, or on 

 guys, and after one end is swung out the davit has to be steadied by a guy 

 and its lead to the davit head is not an advantageous one. True, there are 

 round-bar davits that are turned by a worm and wheel and under some cir- 



