LIFE-PRESERVER-LIFE-RAFT.

LIFE-PRESERVER: invention for the preservation of life in cases of fire or shipwreck. For fire life-preservers, see FIRE-ESCAPES. The other class, to which the name Life-preserver is now nearly limited, includes the various contrivances for preserving the buoyancy of the human body, and for reaching the shore. Of these, the readiest and most effective are empty water-casks, well bunged-up, and with ropes attached to them to hold on by. It has been found that a 36-gallon cask so prepared can support 10 men conveniently, in moderately smooth water. Cook's and Rodger's patent life-rafts consist of square frames buoyed up by a cask at each corner. Among foreign nations, frames of bamboo, and inflated goat and seal skins, have been long employed as life-preservers; and in China, it is customary for those living on the banks of the canals to tie gourds to their children, to buoy them up in case of their falling into the water. Since the introduction of cork, jackets and belts of that material in immense variety have been patented. It has been calculated that one pound of cork is amply sufficient to support a man of ordinary size. A few years ago, on the invention of india-rubber cloth, inflated belts of this material were made, and found to be superior in buoyancy to the cork belt, besides, when emptied of air, being very portable. They are, however, much more liable to damage by being punctured or torn, or to decay by being put away while damp. Some of these defects are remedied by having the interior of the belt divided into several compartments; so that, when one is damaged, the remainder may still suffice. Various forms of inflated mattresses, pillows, etc., have been made on the same principle, and been found very effective; one shown in London at the Great Exhibition of 1851 having sustained 96 lbs, for five days without injury. A favorite life-buoy among sailors is composed of slices of cork neatly and compactly arranged, so as to form a buoyant zone of about 30 or 32 inches in diameter, 6 in width, and 4 in thickness. It consequently contains about 12 lbs. of cork, and is generally covered with painted canvas to add to its strength and protect it from the injurious action of the water. A buoy so constructed can sustain 6 persons, and it is generally furnished with a life-line (a cord running round the outside of the buoy and fastened to it at 4 points) to afford a more convenient hold. This life-preserver is found on very many vessels. A very frequent and probably the best form of individual life-preserver is a jacket of slices of cork inclosed in stout canvas, with cords for tying it around beneath the arms: this form is common on steamboats for inland navigation in the United States. See LIFEMORTAR AND ROCKET: LIFE-RAFT.

LIFE-RAFT: structure to serve the purpose of a lifeboat when the life-boat is lacking. After the destruction of the Northfleet, 1873, off Dungeness, England, an exhibition was organized at the London Tavern, to which

LIFE-ROCKET DEPARTMENT.

the inventors of new life-saving appliances were invited to contribute. Among the apparatus were Hurst's liferaft, consisting of a double pontoon, bridged over, stowed outside a ship, and lowered by simply cutting the lashings; Christie's life-raft, a large rectangular framework, rendered buoyant by numerous air-tight spaces, some of which are available for stowing water and provisions; and Parratt's tubular life-raft, composed of cylindrical air-bags made of painted canvas, supporting a flooring of sail-cloth and netting, and rendered rigid by poles fixed in various directions. Many other novelties were displayed at the London Tavern, and also at a similar collection in the annual International Exhibition, in the forms of life-boats, rafts, garments, belts, buoys, etc.-In H. B. Mountain's L.-R. a waterproof canvas sack is fastened along its edges to the centres of two mattresses, providing an open space between them in which persons may be seated.

LIFE-ROCKET DEPARTMENT: branch of the Marine Dept. of the British Board of Trade which has the management of life-rockets, mortars, lines, buoys, and belts, on the coast of Britain. It divides with the National Life-boat Institution the labors connected with the prevention of shipwreck, and the rescue of shipwrecked persons. This has been the arrangement since

1855.

To work out properly the rocket and life-saving system, a topographical organization is in the first instance adopted. The coasts of the United Kingdom are classified into 59 coastguard divisions or wreck-registrars' districts; and the coastguard inspector of each division or district has control over all the rockets, mortars, buoys, belts, and lines kept at the various seaside stations in his district. There were (1874) about 300 such stations; some supplied with mortars, some with rockets as well as mortars, but the greater number with rockets only. Most of the mortars are Boxer's improvement on Manby's; and most of the rockets are Boxer's improvement on Dennett's. Boxer's rockets, found more effective than mortars, are made at the Royal Laboratory at Woolwich, and are supplied by the war department to the stations, on requisition from the Board of Trade; as are likewise mortar-shot and shells, fuses, portfires, signal-lights, gunpowder, etc. At each station is kept a cart, expressly made to contain all the requisites for the rocket-apparatus, ready packed. 18 rockets are supplied with each apparatus; and a new supply is obtained before these are exhausted. Simpler apparatus, consisting of life-belts and life-lines, is kept at a much greater number of stations. The system is worked by the coastguard, the men being paid for periodical drilling, and for regular service. Special services are rewarded with gifts of money, medals, etc. See LIFE-MORTAR AND ROCKET: for the United States, see LIFE-SAVING SERVICE.

LIFE-SAVING SERVICE.

LIFE-SAVING SERVICE organization for the preservation of life from shipwrecked vessels, such as exists in Great Britain, France, Germany, Russia, the United States, and most civilized maritime countries. The first combined public organization of the kind was founded in England, 1824, as the Royal National Assoc. for Preservation of Life from Shipwreck. The subject had attracted attention there as early as 1785, when the first patent for a life-boat was granted. Now the service in Great Britain, with its more than 2,500 life-boats, saves an average of 452 lives every year. In the United States the origin of the present efficient service may be traced to 1786, when the Mass. Humane Soc. applied its machinery to life-saving. This organization for general benevolent purposes turned its attention to lessening the dangers of the coast of Mass., and the succor of shipwrecked persons, by erecting huts for their shelter at exposed points, the first having been set up on Lovell's Island, near Boston. In 1807 the soc. established a lifeboat station at Cohasset, and, soon after, a number of others. Its work, which proved of incalculable benefit, was supported wholly by voluntary contributions until 1847, when the national govt. appropriated $5,000 for furnishing the light-houses on the Atlantic coast with means for assisting shipwrecked mariners. This initiated the establishment of the present life-saving service of the United States. It was followed by an appropriation by congress of $10,000 in 1855, the same amount in 1857, and $15,000 in 1870. This society now has 78 stations in active service. Meantime similar associations were organized in other localities, though none of them proved very effective. The U. S. govt. took the first step toward a national service 1807 by its unsuccessful attempt to organize a coast survey; but it was not until 1832 that this department was finally established, followed by the organization of the lake survey. In 1848 an appropriation of $10,000 was made, with which 8 buildings were erected on the coast of N. J., with surf boats, rockets, etc.; and soon afterward congress authorized the regular organization of the L.-S. S., and the establishment of 6 more stations on the N. J. coast, and 8 on that of Long Island. Frequent appropriations thereafter led to the establishment of stations at various points along the Atlantic coast and the Gulf, fully equipped with lifeboats, etc. The service was extended to the lakes, and its efficiency steadily increased. It was in 1871, however, on the re-organization of the entire service, that the present system was established. An appropriation of $200,000 was made, with which the number of stations was increased and the apparatus improved. Other grants followed; the service was steadily extended and perfected. In 1874 the storm-signal department of the signal service was connected with the life-saving stations. In 1878 the telegraph and later the telephone were put to use in connection with the L.-S. S.; and con

gress organized it into a distinct dept., increased the salaries of station-masters and crews, and authorized compensation of the volunteer life-boat service on the lakes. The coast, sea and lake, is divided into 12 districts, each under a superintendent; with 256 stations, of which 186 are on the Atlantic, 55 on the lakes, 14 on the Pacific, and 1 station is at Louisville, Ky., on the falls of the Ohio river. The whole service is under one general superintendent. The stations on the L. I. and N. J. coasts are about 4 m. apart, and during winter the beach is patrolled night and day by surfmen, provided with signals, flags by day and lights by night, with which to summon help from the nearest station. From 1871 to 1896 there were 12,626 lives saved; 770 lives lost, and property to the value of $113,750,732 was rescued. There were in all 8,982 disasters. See SHIPWRECK.

LIFT, v. lift [Icel. lypta; Dan. löfte, to lift-from loft, the air: AS. hlifian, to rise up, to raise or lift: Low Ger. luften, to raise into the lift or air-from Low Ger. lucht, the sky, the air-lit., to exalt into the air]: to raise from the ground; to elevate; to raise in dignity, intellect, or spirit; to strive to raise by strength: N. the act of lifting; assistance, as in lifting; that which is to be raised; anything that lifts; in hotels and high buildings, the frame or apparatus which raises up persons or things to the various floors. LIFT'ING, imp. LIFTED, pp. LIFT ER, n. one who or that which lifts or raises. LIFTS, n. plu. in nav., the ropes at the yard-arms used to make the yards hang higher or lower, or to maintain them in position, as required: the lift bears the designation of the yard to which it is attached; e.g., fore-lift, main-top-gallant-lift, etc. (see RIGGING). Also, machines for transferring goods or people from a lower to an upper part of a building, and the reverse; an elevator. DEAD LIFT, a heavy body lifted or raised at the utmost disadvantage. LIFTING-GEAR, the apparatus for lifting the safety-valves from within a boiler. To LIFT A DEBT, in Scot., to collect an account. TO LIFT UP THE HAND, to confirm by oath, lifting up the hand forming its visible sign; to pray; to rebel. TO LIFT UP THE HEEL AGAINST, to treat insolently. TO LIFT UP THE HORN, to assume an arrogant and scornful demeanor, in allusion to the anc. practice of wearing horns or hornlike ornaments projecting from the forehead. TO LIFT UP THE VOICE, to cry aloud, as an expression of grief or joy, generally the former.-SYN. of 'lift, v.': to heave; upheave; raise; erect; hoist; exalt; heighten; elate; rise.

LIFT, v. lift [Goth. hlifan, to steal]: in OE., to steal. LIFT ER, n. a thief. SHOP-LIFTER, a thief. SHOP-LIFTING, removing goods clandestinely from a shop. Note. -This verb was early confused with preceding entry, though distinct from it-see Skeat.

LIFT, n. lift [Low Ger. lucht, the sky]: in Scot., the sky.

LIG-LIGATURE.

LIG, n. lig: in prov. and old Eng., a lie: see LIE.

LIGAMENT, n. lig ́ă-mènt [F. ligament-from L. ligamen ́tum, a band, a tie—from ligo, I bind: It. ligamento]: anything which ties or unites; the strong fibrous substanee which connects the ends of the movable bones. LIG'AMENTAL, a. -mental, or LIG'AMENT'Ous, a. -ŭs, binding; composing or resembling a ligament.

LIG'AMENTS, in Anatomy: cords, bands, or membranous expansions of white fibrous tissue; bearing an extremely important part in the mechanism of joints, seeing that they pass in fixed directions from one bone to another, and serve to limit some movements of a joint, while they freely allow others.

Todd and Bowman, in their Physiological Anatomy, arrange ligaments in three classes: 1. Funicular, rounded cords, such as the external lateral ligament of the kneejoint, the perpendicular ligament of the ankle-joint, etc.; 2. Fascicular, flattened bands, more or less expanded, such as the lateral ligaments of the elbowjoint, and the greater majority of ligaments in the body; 3. Capsular, which are barrel-shaped expansions attached by their two ends to the two bones entering into the formation of the joint, which they completely but loosely invest: they constitute one of the chief characters of the ball-and-socket joint, and occur in the shoulder and hip joints.-See JOINTS: SKELETON.

LIGAN, n. li'găn [AS. licgan; Scot. lig; Icel. liggja, to lie, to lodge: comp. L. ligans, binding or tying]: goods sunk in the sea, but tied to a buoy with the view of being recovered again: see LAGAN: FLOTSAM under FLOTAGE: JETSAM.

LIGATION, n. lī-gā ́shăn [L. līgātus, bound, tied]: the act of binding; the state of being bound.

LIGATURE, n. līg ́ă-tūr [F. ligature-from L. ligatūra -from ligărě, to tie]: anything that ties or binds; a bandage. In Surgery, the thread tied round a blood-vessel to stop bleeding or for removal of tumors. The ligatures most commonly used consist of strong hempen or silk threads; but catgut, horsehair, etc., have been employed by some surgeons; also gold, silver, or platinum wire. A ligature should be tied around an artery with sufficient tightness to cut through its middle and internal walls. See ARTERY: ANEURISM. Although the operation of tying arteries was clearly known to Rufus of Ephesus, who lived in the time of Trajan, it subsequently fell into into desuetude, till rediscovered by Ambrose Paré 16th century. LIGATURA [It., binding]: in music, frequently marked by a slur, thus placed over certain notes for the purpose of showing that they are to be blended together; if in vocal music, that they are to be sung with one breath; used also in instrumental music, to mark the phrasing.