A NOVEL LIFEBOAT.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 319, 24 November 1888, Page 6

A NOVEL LIFEBOAT.

The new Inrnan and International liner City of New York, which lately made her first round trip across the Atlantic, has as great, probably more, lifeboat accommodation than any other vessel afloat. In all (says "Engineering") she carries thirty boats of lai-ge size, capable of carrying every soul on board in ordinary sailings. It has only been possible to carry such a large number of boats without unduly encroaching on the promenading space by adopting semicollapsible lifeboats. Thei-e are 16 of the ordinary boats, ten of " (Jhambers's patent unsinkable semi- collapsible lifeboats,'' and tour of "Berthon's patent unsubmergible lifeboats. " The latter boats are now so well known that it is not necessary to describe them here. They collapse into one-tifth their width for stowage, and it is claimed for them that when wanted they can be extended almost automatically, inhaling at the same time from 100 to 200 cubic feet of air into eight separate air cells between the inner and outer skin. Chambers's boat is of much newer origin. A craft of 26ft length, 7ft beam, and 3ft 4in in depth, has a displacement of 11 tons, and affords accommodation to 40 people The depth of the boat proper is 14in., but above that is a canvas washboard fitted with galvanised iron stanchions and rails, find hinged to the gunwale of the boat. Wheu raised to be perpendicular the washboard locks itself into position by means of stays. In ohe ship the boat only occupies* a space of 18in. in depth, so that three may easily be placed one above the other, and yet not occupy a greater height than ' the ordinary boat. There are formed around the inside of the hull something like 40 air-tight compartments of over three-ton space, which gives the boat greater buoyancy. The bottom of the! boat is so arranged that it may be used as a raft in the event of its being overturned, and rods and ropes are fitted to enable anyone in the water to get on to such a raft or to right the boat when overturned. The seats on the inaide of the boati are formed into tanks for stores, provisions, and distress signals. The advantages of these semi-collapsible boats may b© appre- , ciated when it is mentioned that had the; same number of ordinary boats been placed ! on board the City of New York nearly three' times the space occupied' would have been needed,

Motto for sales by auction — Be contented i with your lot ! , % There 1 are at present 34' electric 'tram ' ways completed , and in operation in the, United States, having an aggregate of 'l3B miles of single track, and operating' 223 'motor cars, and utilising 4,1.80 horse power , for stationary' engines. There are also now in progress of'conSlruotion 49 other electric railways, aggregating 189 miles v of single, track, whioh operate 244 motor cars.