DISTRESS SIGNALS AT SEA.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1822, 23 December 1879, Page 3

DISTRESS SIGNALS AT SEA.

A large number of gentlemen and shipmasters assembled on the Commercial Wharf, Port Adelaide, on Wednesday night (says the “S. A. Register”), to witness the exhibition by Captain Law, of the Lady Rinnaird, of new alarm and distress signal-rockets, manufactured by the Cotton Powder Company, of London and Eaversham. Captain Law, who stated that ho was disin- , torested except to make known a great advance made in the means of signalling from a ship in distress, most successfully fired four of the new rockets on the wharf, and they were pronounced by the authorities present to be grand articles. The ularm-rocket, which is intended for firing by day, answers the purpose of a gun, as it gives forth a report audible for many miles away, while the distress signal-rocket, for use at night or in foggy weather, also shoots upward about 600 or 700 yards, and throws out a shower of fire, finally exploding with a great noise. The rocket is about six inches long, and is fired from sockets specially provided, or from any hole in which it can bo fixed in a perpendicular position, while a friction-lube is inserted in an aperture in the top. The friotion-tubo is then jerked by means of a string held at a short distance away, when a discharge is heard like that of a small cannon, and the shooting upwards follows. Compared with the ordinary rockets which were fired from several ships close by, it was seen that instead of taking an erratic course, ending in a feeble report, the new rocket showed to advantage by ascending directly upwards and shaking the place with the discharge. The ease with which they were fired, the fact of the absence of rocket-sticks, the certainty with which the now rockets went off, and the undoubted fulfilment of their object, impressed the spectators with their very great importance in the mercantile marine. It was stated that they had been adopted by the Board of Trade, London, the Trini'y Board, London, and had received the approval of the Admiralty.