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Re: Merriman's Life Preserving Dress

From: Christian Sánchez <chvsanchez~at~arnet.com.ar>
Date: Sun, 22 Feb 2009 02:40:10 -0300
To: "Jules Verne Forum" <jvf~at~gilead.org.il>

I quote from The Tribulations of a Chinese in China: Verne and the Celestial Empire by William Butcher:
  The second time is when, after abandoning ship, he and his companions put on Boyton suits and take to the water. Paul Boyton was a real-life figure, who crossed the English Channel in 1875 in a body-length life-saving suit made of air-filled cushions. Kin-Fo’s Boyton suit is presumably
  an improvement on real life, for it is equipped with paddles, a small mast and sail, and a tiny chemical stove.
However, if I understand correctly, the only improvement is the chemical stove, as the paddles, mast and sail were used by Boyton himself, according to http://www.futilitycloset.com/2009/02/14/land-ho/. Another instance of Verne-not-an-inventor?

Best regards,

Christian Sánchez



----- Mensaje original -----
De: "Jean-Michel Margot" <jmmargot~at~mindspring.com>
Para: "Jules Verne Forum" <jvf~at~Gilead.org.il>
Enviado: domingo, 15 de febrero de 2009 0:50
Asunto: Re: Merriman's Life Preserving Dress


> Christian Sánchez wrote:
> > In June 1875, Paul Boyton, "the fearless frogman," crossed the English
> > Channel enclosed in "Merriman's Life Preserving Dress," an inflatable
> > rubber suit designed to float 300 pounds:
> > http://www.futilitycloset.com/2009/02/14/land-ho/.
> > Is it what the heroe uses in *Les Tribulations d’un Chinois en Chine* *?*
> > **
> > Best regards,
> > Christian
> Yes, the two studies about Boyton are the numbers 1244 and 3184 in my
> "Bibliographie documentaire sur Jules Verne":
>
> Laissus, Joseph - Qui était le capitaine Boyton? Bulletin de la Société
> Jules Verne (Nouvelle Série), P. 22-25, Vol. 2, No 8, Juillet - décembre
> 1968.
>
> Robin, Christian - Un capitaine de vingt-neuf ans. Cahiers du Centre
> d'Etudes verniennes et du Musée Jules Verne (Nantes, Société des Amis de
> la Bibliothèque municipale), P. 9-13, No 1, 1981.
>
> Jean-Michel Margot
> 226 Thomas Ruffin Str.
> Hillsborough, NC 27278
> USA
> (919) 644-7327
> jmmargot~at~mindspring.com
> www.ajmm.net
>
>
>
Received on Sun 22 Feb 2009 - 06:41:07 IST

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