Captain John Stoner exhibited his creation in New York City off the piers in the East River as demonstration of the suit's effectiveness, the whole of which was big news, appearing in the July 17, 1869 issue of Scientific American. The life saving apparatus would enable a shipwrecked person to float for many days in the water in an erect position, thoroughly protected from cold and wet by a helmet and rubber suit under which a buoyancy belt is worn. A floating magazine forms part of the equipment, its purpose being to provide the person afloat with drinking water, food, reading material, cigars, a pipe and tobacco, as well as torches and rockets to make his position known. The small flagpole with the "Eureka" flag facilitates the location pot the shipwrecked person. Round the hands, a rubber clad framework may be seen which assists the user in propelling himself through the water.