340 CONTRIVANCES TO SAVE PEOPLE FKOM DROWNING^. 



and is come to the float, then the following method is pro- 

 posed to take up the man and float into the ship : viz. A 

 lantern, with a rope ladder, maybe let down by a cord 

 from the ship, till a cross-bar below the lantern touches 

 the water, which may be seen by tliem in the ship by means 

 of the light from the bottom of the lantern; and thus the 

 man in the water may lay hold of the cross-bar, and fix 

 his feet on one of the steps of the rope ladder, and he may 

 then lay hold of the iron bar or handle of the flc>at with one 

 hand, and hang it on th6 hook of the rope, above the cross 

 bar ; which being done, the man and float may be both 

 safely lifted into the ship. 



This ingenious and humane contrivance was presented to 

 the Society by Mr. Shipley in 1776, and the silver medal, 

 with a letter of thanks, was voted tp him. The machine 

 lias been preserved in their repository, but as they consider 

 it to be not sufficiently known, they have published the pre- 

 ceding account in their Transactions for last year. I re- 

 member observing, in the time of the American war, that 

 several of our ships kept a small hull of a vessel lashed to 

 the rails of their stern gallery, or their tafferel, ready to 

 cut away the moment a man fell overboard. This hull had 

 a single mast, with a red flag, that the waves might not 

 conceal it from the sight of ike man in the water ; and was 

 of course much preferable to the common resource, a hen- 

 coop, or a grating. Such a flag might very easily be added 

 to Mr. Shipley's floating light, for use in the day. 

 Ready contri- While on this subject it may not be amiss to notice the 

 vance to keep contrivance, jjr believe of the late admiral Locker, by means 

 a person afloat /. i . , , , . • i. xi • 



that cannot ®' which a person who cannot swim may assist another in 



swim. danger of drowning, and at least keep him afloat, till far- 



ther help can be obtainecl. If a man tie up his hat in a 

 handkerchief, with the knots meeting in the centre of the 

 opening of the crown, he may go into the water safely to 

 assist another, holding the knots in one hand so as to keep 

 the hat upright; for the air in the crown of the hat, while 

 held in this position^ will be sufficient to keep two persons 

 fFom sinking. 



IV. Jn 



