144 NOTES ON LIFE-SAVING APPLIANCES. 



boats in rough weather. One thing is certain — it takes a good sailor to make use 

 of a hfeboat under severe conditions and it might be well for the technically trained 

 engineer to consult with a practical old salt when considering this important subject. 



We need only refer to the statistics of the various governments to convince 

 ourselves that thousands of lives are being saved by means of lifeboats in rough as 

 well as in smooth water. The U. S. Lifesaving Service saves many lives every 

 year by means of lifeboats, and under the most adverse conditions. Statistics 

 show that in most shipwrecks very few lives would be saved if lifeboats were not 

 available. 



Further, I want to point out how much work is actually being done on the high 

 seas in small boats. Take for instance the cable ships, which are often compelled 

 to continue their work in a rough sea; a great deal of this work is done in small 

 boats which are far inferior to a lifeboat. The fishermen on the banks of New- 

 foundland and elsewhere do their work year in and year out in small dories which 

 might be considered very unsafe and difficult to handle as compared to a lifeboat. 

 I think this should be sufficient to refute the statement that lifeboats are of no use 

 in rough weather. 



Mr. Mason S. ChacE, Life Member: — I have been much interested in what 

 Mr. Forbes has said about the desirability of having the best possible equipment of 

 reHable lifeboats in sufficient number, also the necessity of having the davits or other 

 launching apparatus for these boats strong, simple, and under perfect control. The 

 steel boats of the Lundin type would seem to fulfil the requirements of a strong, 

 seaworthy lifeboat, and one which can be nested in groups of at least two to econo- 

 mize deck space, and economy of deck space is an important matter. I would 

 like to ask Mr. Forbes what the weight of these lifeboats per person accommodated is. 

 I have noted from some figures published in connection with the investigation of 

 life-saving appliances by the Board of Trade in England that the weights given for 

 open and decked lifeboats, also life-rafts, per person accommodated ran from 68 

 pounds to 72 pounds and over. The weight of collapsible boats was given as 

 about 40 pounds per person accommodated. This item of weight of boats and weight 

 of davits and other launching appliances is a very important one. 



The stability of many existing ships would be seriously compromised by the 

 addition of as much top weight as sufficient lifeboat accommodation for everybody 

 would necessitate. Of course, this condition can be met be reducing the number of 

 passengers carried to correspond to the lifeboat accommodation which can be pro- 

 vided. 



The innovation introduced by a Japanese line of passenger steamers, running 

 across the Pacific, of giving every passenger a ticket to a certain lifeboat seat may 

 give some timid passengers a new feeling of security, but many \vill have their con- 

 fidence in the safety of ocean travel much shaken by this innovation. Such a 

 system of tickets for lifeboat seats will certainly give all passengers a new interest 

 in them. I do not believe, as Mr. Forbes has suggested, that the perfecting of 



