SEA-GOING FISHING LIFEBOAT VESSELS.
Mr F. Johnson, the honorary managing secretary of the National Refuge Harbours Society, 17 Parliament Street, London, has made it the one aim of his life to devise such means as will conduce to diminish the large total of lives annually reported as having been lost at sea. He is now interesting himself in bringing to a practical application an invention of Mr John White, of Cowes, described as a Sea-going Fishing Lifeboat vessel, a model of which is now on public view at 72 New Bond Street, London. Broad in the beam, she has a large air-chamber divided into two compartments at the bow; another—of a smaller size—at the stern; and one running along on either side. Thus, however much sea she may ‘ship,’ with these air-chambers in use, it is not possible for her to sink. Except for the roofs of the fore and aft air-chambers, the vessel has no deck, an arrangement which of course gives her considerable buoyancy. The roofs of the side air-chambers are curved off, so that any water which might wash over one bulwark would pass across the vessel and wash out over the other. As a matter of fact, however, it is confidently believed that, even in a high sea, the vessel will be too buoyant to ship much water. It has naturally occurred to the inventor that in fine weather the fore air-chamber might be utilised as a cabin; he has therefore arranged that it may be unsealed and access obtained to it by means of a hatchway. It will be fitted up with cooking apparatus and beds, the latter articles also filling the rôle of life-buoys.
Those who interest themselves in this invention propose that vessels of the kind shall be launched around our coasts, equipped with fishing-gear, and manned with smacksmen, so that they may be ‘self-supporting;’ while their primary object will be to afford succour during stormy weather to any craft in distress. Thus, it is felt that the Fishing Lifeboat vessels might ride in the different fishing fleets, the smacks of which, being frequently far away from any harbour of refuge, are often disabled or utterly wrecked during a storm. Then, too, the vessels might fish in the neighbourhood of dangerous reefs and shoals, where their presence would be especially valuable. We believe that two or three years ago a fishing-smack was constructed very much on the lines indicated, and that, after effecting some rescues in the neighbourhood of the Goodwin Sands, she herself was wrecked, owing to her having been improperly laden with stone. Mr White has agreed to build Sea-going Fishing Lifeboat vessels of forty tons—a size which is considered most suitable—at a cost each of five hundred pounds. It is felt that a fair start might be made with twenty vessels, to be placed at different points around our coasts. Thus ten thousand pounds is required; and a public fund has been opened, and part of the money already subscribed. Those who desire to contribute should communicate with Mr Johnson, all cheques being crossed National Provincial Bank.