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[[Start of clipping]] An Adventurous Navigator. The New York Tribune says that in the early part of last year, a resident of Stamford, Connecticut, by the name of Charles R. Webb, who has spent a portion of his life in a seafaring capacity, went to work and built himself a yacht, twenty-two feet long, which he christened the Charter Oak, and in which he, accompanied by a man and boy, started from New York, on the 22d of June last, for Liverpool. When only about a day out, his right-hand man, an old salt, was accidentally knocked overboard and drowned; and, fearing that he would not be able to find another sailer equally venturesome, and that he might possibly lose the lad also by desertion, should he return to port, he concluded to proceed on the voyage without any other companion or assistant to keep watch and steer the frail bark during his own occasional brief opportunities to obtain repose than the boy referred to, who had never before been at sea. Although without the aid of a chronometer or chart of the English coast, Captain Webb arrived safely at Liverpool, without a pilot, on the 27th of July, after a voyage of thirty-six days, in the smallest vessel that ever crossed the ocean. The adventure was considered by nautical men the most skillful and daring exploit of the age. Thousands rushed to see the Charter Oak and its intrepid commander. The little craft was soon disposed of for £200, which amount, together with a passage ticket home for the Yankee sailor, in one of the Collin's line of steamships, were handed over to him by a number of strangers, who thus desired to manifest their admiration of his courage and skill. [[End of clipping]] [[Start of clipping]] The Government has granted an annual pension of £50 to Mrs. Janet Taylor of No. 104 Minories, author of an "Epitome of Navigation and Nautical Astronomy," "Improved Lunar Tables," "Guide to the use of Maury's Charts," etc., for her services in the cause of navigation, a deserved and gratifying recognition of merit. [[End of clipping]] [[Start of clipping]] Official returns prepared at the Ministry of Marine report no less than 409 shipwrecks of French vessels during the month of November. Such a list of disasters in a single month is unparalleled. [[End of clipping]] [[Start of clipping]] Bulkheads In Vessels. – The terrible destruction of life attending the loss of the Arctic, says the Sandusky Register, is being made the occasion for innumerable suggestions by the press, relating to the manner of constructing steamships so as to guard against the recurrence of a similar fatality in the event of collision or springing a leak. The most effectual means of guarding against the consequences of such accidents, is the division of the hull into separate and water-tight compartments, at least below the main deck, but bulkheads of iron or woodwork. The Propeller Vesta was built in this way; and, although more seriously injured by the collision than the Arctic, succeeded in making a port and landing her passengers in safety. On Lake Erie the Sandusky steamers St. Lawrence and Mississippi are the fist boats constructed in this manner on the Western waters. The builders of the Queen of the West, the Crescent City, the Western World, and the Plymouth Rock, followed the plan to adapt in the Sandusky boats. All of these vessels are of the first class as regards tonnage; and we know of no reason why bulkheads could not equally as well be adopted to the build of Ocean steamers. The loss of nearly all the Arctic's passengers, and the escape of all who remained on board the Propeller Vesta are facts which should not, and probably will not be overlooked. The fearful event which has carried mourning and desolation to so many homes may, at least, be the means of preventing the recurrence of similar calamities, by suggesting the proper preventives and precautions. [[End of clipping]]
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