d to find room in the life-boats.

It is Mr. Nixon's plan to instal a gas engine in one of the
compartments. With this engine the wireless instrument would remain in
commission and direct the rescuers after the ship itself had gone down.

LIFE PRESERVERS AND BUOYS

Life-preservers are chiefly of the belt or jacket type, made to fit
about the body and rendered buoyant by slabs of cork sewed into the
garment, or by rubber-lined air-bags. The use of cork is usually
considered preferable, as the inflated articles are liable to injury,
and jackets are preferable to belts as they can be put on more quickly.

Life-buoys are of several types, but those most common are of the ring
type, varying in size from the small one designed to be thrown by hand
to the large hollow metal buoy capable of supporting several people.
The latter are usually carried by sea-going vessels and are fitted with
lamps which are automatically lighted when the buoy is dropped into the
water.

ROCKETS

American ocean-going steamers are required to have some approved means
of firing lines to the shore. Cunningham rockets and the Hunt gun are
largely used. The inaccuracy of the rocket is of less importance when
fired from a ship than when fired from shore.

CHAPTER XXVIII. TIME FOR REFLECTION AND REFORMS

SPEED AND LUXURY OVEREMPHASIZED--SPACE NEEDED FOR LIFE-BOATS DEVOTED TO
SWIMMING POOLS AND SQUASH-COURTS--MANIA FOR SPEED RECORDS COMPELS USE OF
DANGEROUS ROUTES AND PREVENTS PROPER CAUTION IN FOGGY WEATHER--LIFE
MORE VALUABLE THAN LUXURY--SAFETY MORE IMPORTANT THAN SPEED--AN AROUSED
PUBLIC OPINION NECESSARY--INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE RECOMMENDED--ADEQUATE
LIFE-SAVING EQUIPMENT SHOULD BE COMPULSORY--SPEED REGULATIONS IN BAD
WEATHER--COOPERATION IN ARRANGING SCHEDULES TO KEEP VESSELS WITHIN REACH
OF EACH OTHER--LEGAL REGULATIONS

IT is a long time since any modern vessel of importance has gone down
under Nature's attack, and in general the floating city of steel laughs
at the wind and waves. She is not, however, proof against disaster. The
danger lies in her own power--in the tens of thousands of horse power
with which she may be driven into another ship or into an iceberg
standing cold and unyielding as a wall of granite. In view of this
fact it is of the utmost importance that present-day vessels should be
thoroughly provided with the most efficient life-saving devices. These
would seem more important than fireplaces, squash-courts and ma