will dare the attempt, and with every prospect of success.-Daily Telegraph, November 18th, 1869.

Further Disaster.-The ship Echo of Toronto, belonging to Mr. McSherry, and loaded with plaster, is beached off the Queen's wharf, about one hundred and fifty yards from the shore. Her crew of two men and a boy were in imminent danger of their lives, as the vessel was continually being swept by heavy seas which threatened to wash them from her deck, while it was feared that owing to the violence of the storm she would go to pieces. The signals of distress put out by the crew attracted a large crowd of people to the wharf. It appeared extremely doubtful, whether any boat could live in such a sea, and succeed in rescuing the unfortunate mariners, whose position became momentarily more precarious. Mr. Thomas Tinning at length determined to make the attempt, and put off from the shore in a skiff amid the greatest excitement on the part of the bystanders, many considering the attempt as certain to eventuate in his own destruction. He was resolved, however, to make the attempt, and pulled through the surging breakers which swept wildly over his frail craft, nearly filling it with water, and threatening to engulf him beneath their foaming crests. After a hard pull, the vessel was reached in safety, and the sailors were taken off and safely brought to shore amidst the clamorous congratulations of the spectators. Mr. Tinning deserves every praise for his heroic conduct.-Telegraph, November 18th, 1869.

ROGERS' LIFE-SAVING APPARATUS.

A PRELIMINARY trial of the patent projectile anchor invented by Mr. J. B. Rogers, which has been manufactured at Portsmouth dockyard, under his superintendence, by order of the Lords of the Admiralty, took place on Thursday afternoon last, in the presence of many distinguished and scientific visitors. All persons interested in the result of an invention which promises so greatly to render that effectual aid which has been so long a requirement in cases of shipwreck on our coast, will be glad to hear that, with the exception of one or two slight defects in construction, and which can be most easily remedied, the trial was attended with complete success, and has firmly established the value of the anchor as a life saving projectile. We trust soon to hear of its official trial, and, for the sake of humanity, to see it universally adopted. The weight of the projectile anchor, which was thrown from an eight degree mortar with a charge of twelve ounces of fine grain powder, was 134lbs., and with the weight of double line attached to block (which was estimated at 75lbs.) made a total of over 200lbs. The range obtained was 142yds. 2ft.-Hants Telegraph.

We have added to the paper of our correspondent a notice of the trial referred to, by the Mechanics' Magazine, of Rogers' projectile anchor. And although we have been informed by the Secretary to

our Life-boat Institution, that the projectile is not adapted for use by that Institution, we annex hereto an extract referring to it by the Mechanics' Magazine, which says much in its favour, thus :

Rogers' Projective Anchor, Block, Rope, and Life-Saving Apparatus.

We have commented upon this invaluable invention so often in our columns, that our readers must be well-nigh used to it in all its usefulness as a life-saving means, and that allowed to be the most efficient extant, and we trust the meritorious inventor has so far satisfied practical men of its capabilities upon a large scale, that he may soon meet with that reward he so justly deserves. We attended at the Royal United Service Institution on Monday, January the 17th, when Mr. Rogers read a most interesting paper upon his invention, Captain Jasper Selwyn, R.N., in the chair. In the discussion that followed (among whom was Captain Wilson, R.N., a member of the institute, who attended to watch the invention on behalf of Lloyd's Salvage Committee), the full value was borne out, and it was thoroughly allowed by scientific men to be not only the best mode of rendering aid to seamen and ships in distress, but as supplying a want long required.

We have upon former occasions spoken of the prizes that have been awarded to Mr. Rogers by practical boards upon the result of practice with models. We have now to record what he has done with a useful size. The inventor has proved his principle of projective anchor with block and rope line at H.M. dockyard, Portsmouth, by order of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, in such a manner as to remove the doubts of the most sceptical. The weight of anchor, the distance obtained, with the quantity of powder used, seems almost incredible. On Thursday, the 6th inst., he threw an anchor weighing 134lb., with double line (lin.), the weight of which was estimated at 75lb., a distance of 142yds. 2ft., with a charge of twelve ounces of powder, from an eight-inch mortar. There was a very slight defect, which can readily be remedied, viz., the casting at the end of the projectile with brass; this must be iron to meet the first concussion of the powder.

Mr. Howard has now before him the opinions of Rogers' apparatus, and the particulars of that used by our Life-boat Institution, would be afforded him on application (we are informed) to Thomas Gray, Esq., Assistant Secretary, Marine Department, Board of Trade, Whitehall, London.

SCHOONERS ON FORBES'S RIG.

OUR last volume was concluded with an account of a proposal by an American gentleman, Mr. R. B. Forbes, of Boston, to make such alterations in the rig and cut of the sails of square rigged ships, as

would produce such a revolution in them that would certainly lead to a reduction of hands; but a revolution so great that even the inventor himself considers would require much time to digest well, before it could be carried out. Doubtless there is economy in it, but of its real efficacy the talismanic word profit, must be the main spring that will carry it out. So that the mercantile man is more likely than any other to be him that will ever try it.

We have yet, however, another proposal of the same gentleman, Mr, Forbes, who is busy at home in looking to the rig and sails of the three-masted schooners, and, as is very well known, there is a foible which very much implicates the safety of these vessels; and has received the very judicious attention of Mr. Forbes. Thus the safety of the three masts depends on the forestay, bowsprit, and bobstays.

Let us refer to a letter from Mr. Forbes on this subject. He says in it, "I visited yesterday a vessel of the schooner class. She is 148 feet long on deck, with masts 92, 91, and 90 feet long. The foremast is 29 inches in the partners, the topmast is 55 feet long, and she carries all boom sails, and all hanging on the forestay and bobstays. Any one may readily see from the sketches herewith, that in my rig (No. 2) the sails are more readily managed.

"The gaff topsails of No. 1 are very large, and must be shifted in stays to clear the staysail and the peak halyards, whereas, the same sails in sketch No. 2, take care of themselves by simply attending to the sheets leading to the horn of the cross trees. In No. 1 the booms are 42 feet between the masts and 56 feet the mizen; and the gaffs between the masts are nearly as long as the booms. Now, in order to set the sail flat by the wind and make the gaff topsails draw, the booms have to be hauled nearly fore and aft, while my sails (No. 2) will set well and keep full without impairing their propelling power. "The schooner to which I allude is sailed by a captain, two mates, four men, and a cook, in all eight men, and is a vessel over 300 tons register. The captain likes my plan amazingly, and says it saves much wear and tear in masts, sails, and rigging, and would be a much safer rig than the old one. But as you have no coasters of the kind that I allude to, I presume the rig would not be worth the trouble of illustrating in your journal. But these schooners are much in use in our seas and on the lakes. Some of them run up to 700 and 800 tons, and as by your plan the masts would be all hanging on the forestay, bowsprit, and bobstays, I can do with less diameter of masts and get more sail, and there will be less reefing, less cost, less danger to spars, and more propelling power. I do not recommend this rig for fancy craft but it does well for steamers and coasters.

"In the sketch No. 2, the letters A, A, mark permanent stays; B, B, travelling stays. In fresh breezes the upper stays B, B, come down on both masts to the broken line c, c, thus easing the topmasts. The lower stays are so far down that they do not bear on the bowsprit and the bobstays as in sketch No. 2, where everything hangs on the foremast, forestay, and bobstays."

Thus much for the few words of a letter, but they are sufficient to