PARRATT’S LIFE-RAFT.
[From the Hour, May 24.)
On Saturday a “ deck-seat life-raft,” the patented invention of a Mr Parratt, was publicly launched at Messrs Burney’s wharf, Millwall. The raft in its normal condition, it is intended, shall be utilised pn ships as a deck seat, and the details of construction are as follows:—A longitudinal air and water tight wrought-iron tank or cylinder forms the backbone or main structure of the raft. This cylinder is fitted with lockers, and these should be kept stocked with provisions, water, and manipulating gear, so as to avoid loss of valuable time in case of emergency. Lashed to the sides of the longitudinal tank, by means of netting which forms the rear deck when the raft is open, are very stout indiarubber tubes closed up. The raft showu on Saturday measured 23ft. long, 2ft. 3in. wide, and 2ffc. in depth. When necessity for using the apparatus arises there is nothing necessary but to extend the deck-netting and rubber tubes, by means of transverse scissor stretchers fixed in the backbone, and make fast the bulwark stanchions. The raft is then ready for launching, and when launched becomes practically an iusubmergible lifeboat (given an average load). It is, however, necessary to secure a very high floating capacity, and this is done by two methods. The indiarubber tubes referred to are inflated by means of special apparatus, as is also the powerful indiarubber sacking under the deck netting. Additional floating power is also given by means of strong unsinkable cylinders of cork clamped in iron fi amework, and hitched to jackstays running round the raft. The preparation of the whole apparatus, from its condition as a deck seat to the time when the hands engaged stood by ready to shove off, took between three and four minutes. The total weight of the raft is between scwfc. and 6cwt., and the estimated buoyancy wfiun all the'air tubes are inflated is from to 400 cubic feet, or nearly four times the carrying capacity in superficial area. The inventor claims that a large vessel may be fitted with his rafts in numbers sufficient to accommodate 1,000 people, and this without loss of room in the ship, the rafts being stowed under the bulwarks and making very comfortable seats. This is not a critical notice of Mr Parratt’s raft, but we may venture to say that the invention should receive attention from maritime authorities. One such raft would certainly be worth a dozen boats. If the occasional manipulation of these rafts were made a part of the routine duty on board any ship to which they might be fitted, they would soon be handled with the precision and neatness for which sailors are remarkable. Surely, out of the various contrivances now coming to the fore, our Government and merchant shipowners will be induced, and that speedily, to make some selections, and try to reduce as far as may be, the dangers of voyaging by sea. The raft we have had now under notice was very highly eulogised by the nautical gentlemen who were spectators of Saturday’s proceedings.
Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ESD18750823.2.23
Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka
Evening Star, Issue 3899, 23 August 1875, Page 3
Word count
Tapeke kupu
515PARRATT’S LIFE-RAFT. Evening Star, Issue 3899, 23 August 1875, Page 3
Using this item
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
No known copyright (New Zealand)
To the best of the National Library of New Zealand’s knowledge, under New Zealand law, there is no copyright in this item in New Zealand.
You can copy this item, share it, and post it on a blog or website. It can be modified, remixed and built upon. It can be used commercially. If reproducing this item, it is helpful to include the source.
For further information please refer to the Copyright guide.