Show I More Safety a at Sea SeaOn On November 12 a a conference will win open pen in London to consider consider con con- sider skier the qu question stion of insuring greater safety to those who go down dowl to the sea in ships We are glad that our govern- govern m send a strong a-strong delegation to that confer conference nce Wh When the steel ship with watertight compartments was perfected ted so much that steamship companies were able to advertise unsinkable ships the world drew a breath of relief But there were other dangers to be provided against There were fogs collisions explosions explosions explosions ex ex- and wor worse e than all fire in the ship itself In the last ten y years ars lives have been lost at sea According to the compilation on by bythe the Bureau of Paris an average of one one steam vessel has bas been destroyed or damaged damaged by fire very every every day for the last seven and one-half one ye years rs The same figures show v th that t fires on ships shins are steadily increasing in frequency y The questions to be considered by the conference we are told will viTI include in in- elude clude lights and bells beUs on ships the establishment nt of an international ice patrol the ma making king ing of i improved roved lifeboats the carrying carrying carry carry- ing on every ship of a searchlight strong enough to distinguish h a a. twenty-four-foot twenty boat at a distance of a mile on a clear moonless night the keeping of of's s submarine belts at all aU life stations etc Salt SaIt Lake has a resident an old steamboat captain who is certain that he has invented some things which will win add much tf to the safety of ships ship Am Among ng these is a torpedo lifeboat at that can can cal seat passengers that can be launched safely r in any weather and in case the launching has to be in heavy weather such as the Volturno was caught in iii the boat will Swill carry oxygen enough to sustain the lives of passengers until it can be put upon on its c course urse These boats will well be stored in the lower hold on tracks or ways and and can be launched in a. a second after the port is opened H He has al also o a bow rudder which can be operated from th the same s s' s bridge bidge and claims that had the Titanic been equipped f with such a rudder she could have sheered away from the iceberg ice- ice berg brg If this invention is what he claims for it its value v lu will at once be apparent for a ship feet long like the Lusitania or or feet long like the Imperator will wilI not at t the bow respond to the rudder in the stern quickly enough to avoid any immediate d danger r rIt It win will moreover be of vast assistance in docking long steam steam- ers Another of his ideas is to build one compartment in a ship of reh reinforced cement in which to store combustible cargo so that were a fire to start in the cargo it could burn 1 itself out without endangering the ship or the lives of those on board r The thought of the dangers which are often met makes it f. f clear that the great deep has yet many perils to be guarded against The two greatest preventives against accidents up to date are a careful watch on OJ board and in having the wireless al alays always always al- al ways ays in order to summon help But t the he time for making a ship absolutely safe is is' yet a good goodway way way off 4 of |