An address to the President ... and members, of the Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce : occasioned by the conduct of a committee of the Society. Together with a vindication of the author from an imputation ... that he had pirated his system of rescue from shipwreck on a lee-shore, from a previous plan of Lieut. Bell / [George William Manby].

  • Manby, George William, 1765-1854
Date:
1816
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An address to the President ... and members, of the Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce : occasioned by the conduct of a committee of the Society. Together with a vindication of the author from an imputation ... that he had pirated his system of rescue from shipwreck on a lee-shore, from a previous plan of Lieut. Bell / [George William Manby]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    which exhibits the butt end of the ladder resting on the ice, while the other lies on the boat, which is thus kept steady, while it affords a larger area than the ladder, used by itself to the men, who are endea¬ vouring to extricate the unfortunate person, and admits of more disen¬ gaged efforts. Ladders are also readily furnished with a floating platform, by a small cask, (those in which tamarinds are imported are well adapted to this service, from the length of their form) slung in ropes formed into rings on the top to receive the ends of the ladder, in the manner described by the figure. Some experiments were made with the rope, the drag, and the lad¬ ders, in the presence of three members of the Society of Arts, Mr. Robinson, Mr. Cooper, Mr. Cutlibert, and myself, which produced in our minds a full conviction of their complete adequacy to their object. In the frost, which soon followed, two men were stationed with them by the canal in St. James’s Park. I was prevented from superintending their application myself by a severe illness, but I had soon the gratifi¬ cation of learning the success, which had attended the plan, by the fol¬ lowing note from Mr. Robinson. “ Dear Sir, Sunday, Jan. 23, 1815. Your apparatus was in use yesterday at the Canal in St. James’s Park, and happily saved a man, who must otherwise have perished. He was eight minutes in the water, but saved to the admi- tation of the spectators. This occurred a few minutes after I left the spot. The ice is very rotten, and many have been in near the bank. I have two men in attendance at 4s. 6d. a day each. Cuthbert sent me the drag yesterday, which is on the spot. All the other things are taken to the park-keepers every night j and I shall have great pleasure in attending to see that every attention is paid. I trust our little exer-