Correspondence.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume IX, Issue 469, 11 April 1867, Page 2

Correspondence.

V* Ws do not hold ourselves responsible for th# opinions expressed by correspondents. %*

TO THE EDITOE Of THE TIMES.

SIE, —I have recently observed, both in your ralts* able journal end in the columns of your local contemporary, considerable discussion concerning Iks necessity of procuring a safe life boat for the Port of Howie’s Bay, and I also . observe that there is some difference of opinion on the question of what qualities are essentially required fa constitute the safety principle of such boat From the evidence of Captain Cellem, our resident pilot, as given on the occasion of the incuest held recently on the body of one of the crew of ihc illfated cutter Buncan Cameron, it would appear (hat he considers it necessary that such boat should bs both self-pumping and self-righting . Other competent authorities do not insist on this so strongly, but hold that if a boat be self-discharging that that is sufficient- Sir, when we come to consider the many difficulties, nay, I nay say, the almost utter impossibility of constructing a self-righting boat, we shall be inclined to confine our efforts, for the present, at least, to the securing one with good self -discharging properl ies-

From the time that the Inventor, Mr. Whitehead, of Shields, first directed his attention to the const ritct ion of a boat that could not be capsised r until now it has been the aim of many to perfect that idea, or fail ing that, to construct one that shall be capable of righting itself, but I believe with but very limited success. In fad. Sir. in the event of a crew of (say) twenty men, hanging on to an overset boat, little or nothing short of a hanging heel weighing TWO TONS could effect it, an evident impossibility as regards any shoreboat. Machinery might, perhaps, be contrived try effect it, but it would be so complicated, and liable to get out of order, as to be of no practical utility. We come, then, bach again to the self-discharging principles, and of these, one of the most simple „ if not the simplest of all, is exemplified in the model constructed by the late H. Morrison, of thie town, mhich teas shown at the late Otago Exhibition, and is now in the possession of Captain Cell cm, the Hawke's Bay pilot. li is evidently seif-discharging, and, as nearly as it is at present possible to attain to it, self-righting too. Could we do better, then, than to procure a boat built on the principles of that model ? I think not, and believe that you, and these most interested in ih* mailer, will agree with me.

There is another point on which I would (roidlst you before I have done, and that is the rochet line apparatus, which I believe is at present in charge of the pilot. This is amongst the tnost valuable inventions of the day, and has been the mean* of saving many valuable lives. I wish to know whether it has pet been in use or not, and whether the pitot does not give his men some occasional practice with it, if not. Sir, it appears to me thatin case of need it will be found to be of little use. The rochet apparatus can no more be successfully used without practice than can a rifle, and it would be equally absurd in either case to expect shill •without practice. I think it should he stationed close by the fag pole, and a person placed in charge of it who, by occasional practice, would become proficient in its use. It is well known that many vessels have gone on the Ban gat ira bank which a line might have saved, had there been, th* means of getting one on board. Tel this is a mo* simple thing to accomplish, by any one possessing the necessary experience in rochet firing. Trusting that some more able pen will iah* the above important subjects vp. I am, Sir, Tours, sre.. Lira Boat. Napier, 10/A April, 1867.