fiS-^ 



MACHINE TO PREVENT DROWNING, 



^ivatser 



the Western 

 Islands 



jCopy of a Letter from Mr. George VVjllers, late Surgeon 

 of the Alert, private Ship of War, lost off the JFeslern 

 Islands, 



Sir, 



i AM happy in having it in my power to say, I owe my 

 life to your invaluable invention, the lite preserver; and ttie 

 circumstances relative thereto are as follow : — I shipped as 

 surgeon on board the Alerc, private ship of war, mounting 



t^ed^ed near IS gyns, a^id JS meuj commrv nded by James Desormeaux, 

 e^q., belonging to Messrs. Wright aad Birch, Walbrook. 

 We sailed from Falmouth, April 1805, and, aiter cruising 

 five months, on the 22d of Septem'cer, we unfortunately 

 struck on a rock among the \^^estern Islands, and the ship 

 went to pieces in live minutes ; at that iime we had eighty-^ 

 four men on board : I witnessed the loas of every officer, 

 six in number, and sixty-four foremast fjfien ; thirteen pf the 



The surgeon crew were saved, by clinging to pieces of the wreck, spars, 



saved by alife- ^^.^ which drifted from the wreck ; aad I have the happiness 

 prcberver. . - . , • , ^^ 



to say, by posse.^smg one of your life preservers (though I 



cannot swiin,) 1 was supported for some time, the sea run- 

 ning mountains high, but providentially a large Portuguese 

 boat put off to my assistance, being then near a mile froni 

 the shore; and I was thus saved, by the hand of Providence 

 and your invention, from a watery grave„ 



I beg, Sir, you will permit me to acknowledge how much 

 I feel myself obliged to you ; and you are at fiiU liberty tq, 

 make this case known for the benefit of mankind. 



I am, Sii", 

 Your most obedient servant, 



G. H. WILLERS, 



Copi/ of a Letter from John Dickenson, Esq, of the Cifi/ 

 of Norwich, to Mr. I/aniel. 



Sir, 



I INTENDED myself the pleasure of calling on you, 

 and acquainting you personally of a singular incident, wher^ 



the 



