LIFE-PRESERVERS. Contrivances adjust able to the body for buoying up persons in the water. They are made of various materials and in various forms. The best kind of ordinary life-preserver, such as is used on passenger ves sels, is made of good. sound cork blocks, or other suitable substance, with belts and shoulder-straps properly attached. and so constructed as to place the cork underneath the shoulders and around the body of the person wearing it. It should con tain at least six pounds of good cork, and have 2 buoyancy of pounds. Cork enshions, with belts and shoulder-straps. are considered good substitutes for the jacket above described when they have the proper buoyancy. Life-preservers of an approved pattern are required by law on passenger vessels in the United states. and it is the duty of the inspecting officers to see that they are adequate and serviceable. Oars for each person that they will accommodate. and those fer steamers on lakes, bays, sounds, and river,, a buoyancy of 1:it; pounds fur each person. Such rafts are equipped with lifelines and oars.
An effective contrivance. which is much used on passenger and other vessels, is the metallic cylinder life-raft, consisting of two cylinders, cone-shaped at the ends, firmly connected with cross-rods. and having slats running nally between the hollow form:. This raft owes its great buoyancy to the air-filled cylinders.
The Carley life-float is another and later form of raft. It consists of a copper tube. shaped
like an ellipse, which is divided into air-tight compartments. The tube is sheathed with cork, the whole being covered with canvas and made water-tight. A bottom, composed of wooden slats. is suspended from the interior sides of the float by a rope netting about three feet. deep. The netting is so arranged that, whichever side of the float may fall upon the water. the slatted bottom will go undermost. Oars and a signal flag are lashed to the tube. A large number of persons men in the life-saving service use an improved belt made of blocks of cork fastened to a cloth lining as shown in the cut. The man adjusts it by thrusting his head through the hole in the lining, the front and back parts falling into position and being secured by a lashing around the waist. This method obviates the ne cessity for shoulder-straps. and there being but one knot to tie or unfasten, the belt can be readily put on and removed. Tule and deer hair arc used to some extent in the construction of life-preservers. Those in the form of inflated vests and are seen in service occasion ally. Waterproof. air-tight life-preserving suits, consisting of headdress. jacket, and trousers, made of rubber or similar material. are seldom employed at the present time exec pt by divers.