SAVING LIVES IN CASE OF SHIPWRECK. ^OQ- 



from an unskilful person loading with too great a proportion burst 

 of powder, are in this piece eftectually guarded against, by 

 the chamber being constructed to contain but one pound 

 of powder, a qiiantity which is only about one third of the 

 usual charge of a cannon. 



4th. From the small size of such a gun and carnage, it Not inconve- 

 might be kept upon deck, without much inconvenience in "'^"* '° ^^^i* 

 working the ship, in order to be ready if necessity required ; 

 and when the ship is out at sea, it might then be put below. 

 But from the number of dreadful wrecks, which so fre- 

 quently happen along the coast, it certainly would be pru- 

 dent to have it always upon deck when within sight of land, 

 and particularly in stormy weather, 



JOHN BELL. 



Woolwich, Sept. 30, 1791. 

 To C. Taylor, M. D. Sec. 



Reference to the Engraving of Lieutenant BelVs Method 6f 

 throwing a Rope on Shore, from a stranded Vessel, PI, 

 FIIT, Fig. 2-7. 



a. Represents the mortar on its carriage; b, the shell Description of 

 shown within the mortar by dotted lines; c, tlfe grommet, ^^^ apparatus, 

 or double rope, which connects the shell and line ; d d, the 

 line to be thrown on shore, now ready wound on the poles 

 or hand-spikes, p p, which are to be withdrawn when the 

 mortar is fired. 



Fig. 3 Is a sepa4*ate view of the shell, with the grommet 

 and end of the line attached thereto, explained by the sam6 

 letters. 



Fig. 4 Shows another invention, ^suggested instead of a 

 shell, and to be fired from a common cannon, in which e, 

 is an iron pin ; f, an iron collar and rope sliding upon it; 

 g, an iron ring which turns upon two pins in the collar ; A, 

 is the grommet or double rope, attached to the ring, to 

 which the line to be thrown on shore is fastened. This plan 

 may be used where people are on shore, to assist when a 

 line is thrown. 



Fig. 5 Shoiys a grapnel, which ^isy also be fired from a 

 Y«l. XX — Au«. 1808, U commoa 



