§ Mr. Whitbreadrose to call the attention of the House to the Petition of Mr. Mallison, presented by him yesterday, praying for an inquiry into the merits of an invention 273 for preserving the lives of seamen in cases of shipwreck, &c. The plan, he stated, had been brought forward two years ago, and the Treasurer of the Navy, he himself, and various others had subscribed, with a view to have the merits of the invention brought to the test. The result of the experiments was a favourable impression as to the utility of the plan. The invention was indeed very simple: it consisted merely of a piece of cork united by a strap, such as boys often swim upon. But the mode of application was new, and the simplicity of the thing was no good ground of objection to it. He had referred it to some naval friends, captains Ballantyne and Paget, who had tried it, and stated that it was effectual, for that no man who had it on could sink or drown. He therefore had thought it his duty to present the Petition yesterday, and he would now move for a Committee to take it into consideration.
§ Mr. Crokerwould not oppose the appointment of a Committee, if the House thought proper to agree to the motion; but he would propose the names of some gentlemen connected with the Admiralty. This was in truth no invention at all. It was exactly what they had all often swam upon—two pieces of cork, with the addition indeed of a covering of green baize, and a strap instead of a rope. Of the 87 inventions presented to the Admiralty Board within these few years, this was the worst and the most simple. Colonel Hanger had presented a very ingenious one. The Admiralty stated to him, that his invention was completely effectual for keeping a man afloat; but it was so cumbersome that he could do nothing else with it. He adverted to the furious attack made on the Admiralty Board by Mr. Mallison for their illegal and hellish opposition to his plan; and concluded by stating, that it was too trifling for any gentleman to waste his time upon.
Mr. Rosehad no doubt, that the invention was effectual to its object, though it was certainly a very simple one. But he did not think the simplicity of the invention a serious ground of objection. It was little else than the cork jacket in use long before; but Mr. Mallison certainly appeared to have the merit of applying it to a new purpose.
§ Mr. Whitbread,in reply to Mr. Croker, observed, that Mr. Hogarth, the inimitable caricaturist, had ridiculed the extravagant taste for projects, by representing a ponderous 274 machine for drawing a cork out of a bottle. But he never before heard of an. attempt to turn an useful discovery into ridicule, merely on account of its simplicity. The hon. gent. had said, that one of the most ingenious inventions submitted to the Admiralty, was too cumbersome to enable the man who had it on to do any thing else than float. But this plan was not of this description, for a seaman who had it on might do any part of his duty. He then read an extract from a letter of captain Ballantyne, stating, that if he had these jackets on board, much anxiety, as to the safety of his crew, would he removed from his mind. When a boat went on dangerous service the captains would take care that the men were furnished with these jackets.
Captain Pagetstated his conviction of the utility of the plan; a conviction founded on experiments made by himself.
§ Mr. C. Adamsstated the great merit of the invention to be, that when a sailor had these corks attached to him, he was not encumbered in such a way as to prevent him from doing any duty whatever.
After a few words of explanation from Mr. Whitbread and Mr. Croker, the motion: was agreed to, and a Committee appointed accordingly.