Experiments were recently made in the presence of Sir Gordon Bremer, and the principal authorities of Woolwich Dockyard, to test the merits of an invention which has for its object the saving of human life in cases of shipwreck. The invention consists of shredding cork and packing it into mattresses and pillows, to be substituted for those in common use on board ship. These cork mattresses and pillows are so constructed that they may be used either separately or lashed together as a raft. At two o'clock Sir Gordon Bremer and several officers connected with the dockyard assembled at the steam bason (sic).

The first experiment was by lashing six of the mattresses together with boat oars, a process which did not occupy a minute. The raft was then thrown into the water, and Captain Stevens, the swimming master of the Royal Humane Society, jumped on it from the pier, and floated about the dock for some time. His son, a lad about 17, fell into the water as if accidentally. Captain Stevens, on the raft, went to the assistance of his son, and pulled him on the raft, which supported both with the utmost ease, and by this means was enabled to land him on the pier in safety. The next experiment consisted in throwing a bolster weighing 3� lbs. into the water, on which the lad placed himself, and demonstrated its power to support him while in the water. A boat cushion of the same weight was tried next, and was found to answer the same object exactly. A single mattress, weight 12 lbs. was then thrown into the water, and on this Captain Stevens lay at full length - was supported on it quite out of the water and in this way he paddled, without any difficulty, to any part of the dock he wished. Sir Gordon Bremer expressed his entire satisfaction at the result, and indeed, all present. The next experiment with these mattresses is, to ascertain their capability of resisting musket balls, shot, &c. Mr. C. Taylor, of the firm of R. Taylor and Sons, of the Borough, the patentees, was present throughout the proceedings.- London Paper

SG & SGTL ; vol 5 ; page 218 [1848]

^ back to top ^