LIFE-SAVING.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 533, 19 June 1909, Page 13

LIFE-SAVING.

A WELLINGTON INVENTION. • A non-£apsizablo lifeboat for US9 on ships has boen: invented by Mr. H. Fisher, a Wellington resident, and is now in course of eroction at Messrs. Hursthouso and Company's: promises, Pet-ono, under - the inventor's personal supervision.' .The idea is that no mattor what side of the. invention happens to bo uppermost in tho'wnter, that side will bo tho right sido, owing to its cylindrical construction,vand nothing short of ita being stovo in will cause it to sink; It Mr. Wisher's claims aro substantiated, something of great value will , havo been added to the list of life-saving patents which, though numorous, ijro ofton all too insufficient when real need for. : -thom arises. ■ . ,

■ Tho. boat ..is being constructed solely of 811 f ™' ' engt k> "d. 'ss. in diameter, and,looks exactly liko a cigar or small sub--marine:-..-It is practically a cylinder with: conical. ©uds,-< containing an inner vessel swung on pivots to .hold the inside pas'sengors, women and. ohildron especially.• Air valves are placed'all round the outside cylincier, automaticalJy .closing and opening, thus opsurnig a supply of fresh air.: Footboards are placed longitudinally on the outer cylinder with man-ropes .'and . life-liniM, etc.. ath u ft 0r J-'i o , ontor passengers,. so that should tho lifeboat turn slightly, the outer merely have to shift their places tolhe footboards, liigheryup.: The turn will "S'f® ol - .tho inside-.passengers, as • they will bo suspended from a pivot, and the force of gravity will havD the ,effect of maintaining this stato of suitablo Busponsion. ' It is claimed, to bo practically a boat, that can' I.BinU bolow the waves: and riso to tho surface living cargo.' Mr. Fisher says'that the boat should bo ablolto carry 20 passengers inside, and 30 outside, but ho wishes it made cloar that the number is only limited by tho siaio of tho.boat, as.tho chanco of overbading it would bo only a very small one. O&rs are. providod for steering or motive power.. Tha ihVfintor has tho idea of ranning a-orank through the centre,of the boat, so that, the .passengers could supply' their own propulsion, and also provide them with something to do, .. '■'/ ' . -For. fourteen yeaft Mr. Fisher has been oxporiijionting on a Vessel of tills description, ana, since tho wrcck of the Penguin, lie has redoubled his'efforts mt)i tho result stated.

Arrangements, haye been madojvJlni Fisher 6RyB, ■ WfchmtlicoMiniiteri.if e>f! Mftri no i '.for W private trial 'ffoni otio • of'' t}i<s GoVfiriiracnt' Bteamora. 1

A tual : of the .boat: was to have been h01d,,-yesterday,-- but owing to ' "dolays at 1 Lotone, tho boat, whioli was brought m by lorry, did not arrive v until • between 3pm and 4 p.m., so it was dccided to postpone the trial until: 11_,a.m. to-day;; > When it" takes, its . initial, divo this ■ morninc. Sir Fisher and his wife .will bo p&ssengors. ■ ■