152 GOODYEAR ON GUM-ELASTIC. 



SHOT PLUG. 



As this article appears to be deserving of special notice, and 

 one that would not be likely to be understood without particular 

 explanations, a description of it is given in full from the inven- 

 tor's* advertisement, which is as follows : 



" This invention is, without doubt, one of the most perfect, 

 ingenious, and valuable articles ever patented in the world ; and 

 for simplicity and usefulness, unequaled for the purposes in- 

 tended, viz. : for stopping the holes made by cannon balls in 

 the sides of ships, and for other purposes, as named in the 

 following description. Fig. 1, plate , represents the Shot 

 Plug, in a contracted state, and ready for immediate use. In 

 time of action, it requires the attention of but one man in each 

 wing of the vessel, as in a few seconds the plug can be thrust 

 through the hole, as soon so the ball entei's. The ring is then 

 drawn off by the lanyard attached, it then expands by a spring, 

 and forms a flap-valve, which is acted upon by the pressure of 

 the water from without, and securely fastened on the inside of 

 the ship, no matter how much splintered, by the buckler and 

 screw on the end of the shaft, thus forming an impregnable bar- 

 rier to the entrance of water. 



The advantages this Shot Plug have over the old conical or 

 wooden plug are various. It supersedes the necessity of sending 

 carpenters over the sides of vessels, when in action, to insert 

 the wooden plug, whereby they are continually exposed to the 

 enemy's sharp-shooters, and frequently lose their lives ; and 

 when the ball enters below the water-line, the hole cannot be 

 stopped from without, but is secured in the best way possible on 

 the inside, by the substitution of oakum, tallow, or any thing 

 that comes handy, and never can be made tight. 



Another feature, and a very important one in this invention 

 is, that when inserted it does not retard the sailing qualities of 



• Lieut. Seely. 



