X1 



BALLOONS. 269 



partments are made of rigid whalebone board, instead of flexible 

 caoutchouc whalebone. 



When each compartment of this nautilus is inflated by a 

 separate tube, it is not only one of the safest, but also one of the 

 most compact of life-preservers. 



LIFE-PRESERVING WEARING APPAREL. 



See Chapter 



LIFE PRESERVING BATHING DRESSES. 



For descriptions of these, see Chapter , and diagrams, 



plate , figs. 18, J 9 and 20. 



BALLOONS. 



It has often been suggested to the inventor by others, that the 

 vulcanized fabrics would answer well for balloons. As yet there 

 has been no trial of the article upon a large scale, but from re- 

 peated trials upon a small one with globes, there is every reason 

 to suppose that the corded gum-elastic vellum would answer 

 well for this use ; and if so, it would certainly be stronger, and 

 cost less by half than oiled silk. The cost of a silk fabric, coated 

 with gum-elastic for this purpose, would be about the same as 

 that of oil silk, although being cemented instead of stitched, the 

 workmanship of the gum-elastic balloons would be much the 

 most complete, and cost much less than that of the oil silk, as 

 they are now made. 



