moon and stars, to correct the lunar problem for the longi tude, will be more correctly and easily taken with it. I am, Sir, Your very obedient humble servant, J. WRIGHT. VIII. Description of an Apparatus to secure Persons from sinking in Water, or to act as a Life-preserver when shipwrecked, with inflances of its Utility: by Mr. F. C. DANIEL, of Wapping*. SIR, I HAVE taken the liberty of sending one of my life pre servers, and am proud to say, they have realized the name; and I shall feel myself obliged if you will cause it to be brought before the Society for their approbation. I beg to say, Sir, though I have given it publicity, it has never been before any committee. Life-preserver lives. I have enclosed a copy of a letter, which I received from has already saved several the only surviving officer of the Alert private ship of war, and, independent of that document, I have had information from respectable authority, that the machines have saved several lives. It is not, Sir, a pecuniary reward I look for, although I have sunk near £1500 in the undertaking; yet, I must confess, to have the sanction of the Society of Arts would be highly flattering, and the world from that moment must be convinced of their utility. I have the honour to be, Sir, F. C. DANIEL. Abridged from Transanctions of the Society of Arts for 1807. The gold medal was voted to Mr. Daniel for this invention. Copy Frivateer wrecked near the Western Istands. Copy of a Letter from Mr. GEORGE WILLERS, late Surgeon of the Alert, private Ship of War, lost off the Western Islands. SIR, I AM happy in having it in my power to say, I owe my life to your invaluable invention, the life preserver; and the circumstances relative thereto are as follow:-I shipped as surgeon on board the Alert, private ship of war, mounting 18 guns, and 98 men, commanded by James Desormeaux, esq., belonging to Messrs. Wright and Birch, Walbrook. We sailed from Falmouth, April 1805, and, after cruising five months, on the 22d of September, we unfortunately struck on a rock among the Western Islands, aud the ship went to pieces in five minutes; at that time we had eightyfour men on board: I witnessed the loss of every officer, six in number, and sixty-four foremast men; thirteen of the crew were saved, by clinging to pieces of the wreck, spars, saved by a life- &c. which drifted from the wreck; and I have the happiness to say, by possessing one of your life preservers (though I cannot swim,) I was supported for some time, the sea running mountains high, but providentially a large Portuguese boat put off to my assistance, being then near a mile from the shore; and I was thus saved, by the hand of Providence and your invention, from a watery grave. The surgeon preserver, I beg, Sir, you will permit me to acknowledge how much I feel myself obliged to you; and you are at full liberty to make this case known for the benefit of mankind. I am, Sir, Your most obedient servant, G. H. WILLERS, Copy of a Letter from JOHN DICKENSON, Esq. of the City of Norwich, to Mr. DANIEL. SIR, I INTENDED myself the pleasure of calling on you, and acquainting you personally of a singular incident, when, the the excellence of your machine, or life preserver, was most 'conspicuously manifested. boat overset. I went from the city of Norwich, in a pleasure-boat that A pleasure I keep for the amusement of sailing, in company with a gentleman and two ladies. As our return to Norwich in the evening was indispensible, and the direction of the wind favouring us both ways, a few hours would effect it, the distance being only thirty miles: accordingly we set sail about four o'clock, it being moon-light during the night; and fortunately procured, in case of accident (the wind blowing hard at south-east) one of your life preservers, through the interest of a friend, of a captain, who had purchased one at Newcastle. The precaution proved, in a short time after sailing, to have been a fortunate one indeed. On tacking to enter Norwich river, at the extremity of a broad water, two miles over, known by the name of Braydon, a sudden gust overset the boat, precipitating myself, companion, and two ladies, into as agitated a water as I have ever seen at sea, (except in hard blowing weather). You may judge my situation at such a juncture. Your machine was jokingly filled as we came along, to which I ascribe (though very unexpected by us) our preservation. The Two gentle gentleman, whose name is Goring, was inexpert at swim- ladies buoyed ming, and with difficulty kept himself up, till I reached up by one life. him; and then directing him to lay hold of the collar of preserver. my coat, over which the machine was fixed, I proceeded towards the ladies, whose clothes kept them buoyant, but in a state of fainting when I reached them: then taking one of the ladies under each arm, with Mr. Goring hanging from the collar of the coat, the violence of the wind drifted us on shore upon Burgh Marshes, where the boat had already been thrown, with what belonged to her. We got the assistance of some countrymen directly, (after taking refreshment at a marsh farmer's house, where we procured some dry clothing for the ladies, who were now pretty well recovered,) and by their endeavours put the boat in sailing trim, and prosecuted our voyage to Norwich, which we effected by eleven o'clock that night. From this singular escape, on my return from Birmingham, I shall be induced to inspect your warehouse, and procure men and two procure the various prices of your invention, anxious t recommend it in even sailing excursions, in which utility has been so evidently demonstrated, and its u ascertained. You are at liberty, Sir, to make whatever use you pleas of this account, and I beg to subscribe myself, The machine described. Method of making it. Reference to the figure of Mr. Daniel's Machine, called A, represents the body of the machine, which is double throughout, made of pliable water-proof leather, large enough to admit its encircling the body of the wearer, whose head is to pass betwixt the two fixed straps, BB, which rest upon the shoulders; the arms of the wearer pass through the spaces on the outside of the straps; one on each side, admitting the machine under them to encircle the body like a large hollow belt; the strap, C, on the lower part of the machine, is attached to the back of it, and by passing betwixt the thighs of the wearer, and buckling at D, holds the machine sufficiently firm to the body, without too much pressure under the arms. The machine, being thus fixed, is inflated with air by the wearer blowing in from his lungs, through the cock E, a sufficient quantity of air to fill the machine, which air is retained by turning the stop-cock. The machine, when filled with air, will dis place a sufficient quantity of water, to prevent four persons from sinking. Mr. Daniel recommends his life preservers to be prepared as follows: viz. To select sound German horse-hides, and to cut a piece six feet long, and two feet six inches wide, free from blemish or shell; it is first to be curried, and then rendered water-proof by Mollerstein's patent varnish, of Os born |