22 ON LIFE BOATS. 



claim to invention was building boats of wood, and making? 

 them like rocking boats. 

 Objections to ^ ne objections to this boat are glaring. The rowing 

 this boat. against a heavy sea and wind with such elevated ends is like 



rowing against the wind with sails set. The idea of the gen- 

 tlemen was to keep out the water. But what signified the 

 water coining in, if the boat would not sink? Besides, a 

 boat thus formed would be filled amidships by the first 

 wave, in spite of the high ends. Then as the oars lie on a 

 curved gunwale, the poor rowers at each end will be scarcely 

 able to dip their blades in the water; while those in thec 

 middle will be constantly catching crabs, as the sailors call 

 it, and getting severe blows on the stomach. The curved 

 keel too has the great inconvenience of making the boat rest 

 as it were on a point, so as to be liable every moment to 

 be turned round, and laid athwart the waves: and if she be 

 not turned round, when a heavy wave strikes against her 

 high bow, from being sharp at both ends she will run back- 

 ward much faster than the rowers can pull her forward. 

 Now mine is intended only to row forward, and her broad 

 stern hinders her from being driven backward. There is one 

 advantage however in rowing either end foremost; as the 

 boat is liable from her curved keel to be spun round every 

 minute, the men need not concern themselves about getting 

 her round again, but may row on stern foremost, as if no- 

 thing had happened. In fact the Shields boat is a farce to 

 a real seaman, and never attempts any thing but moderate 

 seas*. It is indeed much worse constructed for the purpose 

 than any common row-boat, in all respects except the addi- 

 tion of cork ; and this even Wouldhave did not invent in the 

 eye of the law, since Lukin had a patent for it years before. 

 Wouldhave's idea of high ends, to make the boat right her- 

 self again, if she upset, though not so bad as that of keep- 

 ing the water out, is like the proverb of penny-wise and 

 pound-foolish : for you cannot well upset a large wide boat 

 in rowing, and such ends may defeat the chief object, that 

 pf being able to put out to a wreck against a tremendous 

 jvind and sea, which is often to be expected. Another fault 



* See our Journal, vol. XXI, p. 132 : and for a description of a life 

 boaf by Mr. Wilson, p. 124. 



Pf 



