STRANDED, in *ea affairs, a term, which, when applied to a rope, signifies that one, at least, of its strands is broken; but when applied to a ship, or vessel, it means that she has run on a rock or shoal, and been either rendered useless, or entirely dashed to pieces. The considerable loss every year of valuable lives, by shipwreck, on the- British shores, bad early attracted the notice of the Society of Arts, and premiums were offered for the discovery of effectual means of diminishing the frequency of these distressing calamities. In the year 1791, Mr. J. Bell, sedeant of artillery, proposed the projection of an eight-inch shell, loaded with lead, and having a light rope attached to it. The shell being discharged from a small mortar on the deck of a stranded ship, would perform a range of about 200 yards, carrying the rope with it, and would bury itself in the sand on the shore, so as to form a communication with the land, by means of which boats, or rafts, might be hauled through the surf, and thus greatly facilitate the probability of escape from the wreck. The objections to this plan consisted in the difficulty of prevailing on the owners of merchant ships to incur the expense, and on the masters to have the apparatus in con stant readiness for use. Besides which, many cases would no doubt occur, in which, from the pitching of the vessel, and from the sea beating over her, it would be impossible to project the shot in the right direction, or even to dis charge the mortar at all.
In 1808, Capt. G. W. Manby, of Yarmouth, effected considerable improve ments on the original proposal of Mr. Bell. These consisted in stationing the apparatus on the shore, instead of having it on board the ship, as, indeed, had previously been proposed by Mr. Bell ; thus enabling, in the first place, a single apparatus to be used in aid of every vessel that might be driven ashore, on a considerable line of coast. Secondly, enabling the persons intrusted with the apparatus to become familiar with it, and therefore prompt in its application. Thirdly, increasing the probability of success by having the power Of placing the mortar in the most favourable position, with regard to the vessel, and of arranging the rope, so as to render it much less liable to entangle, and thereby to break, than if it were thrown from the deck of the stranded vessel. The
great personal activity and exertion. of Capt. Manby in this very interesting and meritorious undertaking, were liberally seconded by the government; and the result, that on the eastern part of Norfolk alone, where Capt. Manby has been stationed, no less than 332 persona have been rescued from 48 stranded vessels between 1808 and 1828. Capt. Manby's original method of coiling or faking the rope on the shore, was an operation that required to be very dexter ously performed; was impracticable in some places from the inequalities of the ground; • AM liable to derangement from the wind ; occupied much precious time after the arrival of the apparatus, and scarcely admitted of being performed at night. A great improvement was subsequently made by Capt. Manby, in having the ropes arranged in baskets, which allows of their being now con veyed in a state ready for immediate use, to any place where they may be wanted. Under the management of Capt. Manby, and his immediate assist ants, the breaking of a rope, in consequence of its getting foul while running out, is a very rare occurrence. Other persons less accustomed to the business, and, perhaps, less dexterous, have, however, frequently failed ; and it seems to be generally allowed by the associations on the coasts of Norfolk and Suffolk, for relief in cases of shipwreck, that some more certain mode of faking or coiling the rope would be an important improvement.
In 1823, Mr. Huse, of Saxethorp, in Norfolk, being employed to cast a brass mortar for one of Capt. Manby's apparatus stationed near Cromer, constructed a skeleton reel, or rather conical spindle, as an improvement on &pt. Manby's baskets. This reel was supported by an axis, which allowed of its being placed.