UNSINKABLE VESSELS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10669, 26 June 1912, Page 4

UNSINKABLE VESSELS.

It is reported that the recent- succo.seIful raising of a isunken. vessel by an Italian firm of -silvers has concUuive.ly .ahowto thai!; the're is a, possible, and ! pi-actic-aible method of .rendering a vessel practically •u.nsinktilble. The Ii i'liaiii method was ithrt cif providing :*nflaitaible .flexible tubes of fabric ard* rubber connected .to .a framework, lowered down to and secured to the hull of-the vessel, which .tubes ware then inflated. When a .sufficient' numbe.of the inflatable tubes had been scoured to displace. the' same volume c." water a? the vessel displaced, the vce■ssl"rosccfcsarily rose to the surface with •it's inflated ■'(tubes-. It is now suggested that, ilf every sea-igoing vetesel were provided with such inflatable tubes secured to nil of. tlie inner walls <"f the vessel or upon lUhoise imoist suitable for the purpose, the inflafltable tidies 'normally lying quite flat and raiin'flated upon: such wajls, but capable of being rapidly inflated with air on an 'emergency, the vessel would be rendered Tuisainikaible. Men-cover 1 , tha. trim of 'the vessel can. he maintained and ttiTib prevented hy inflating the. 'air tuibes on one eidio to a ■greater degr i t-haii' those on the other, or by inflating'a larger miumbier on one side than. o'!» the other.