24 



ON LIFE BOATS. 



Her gqod pro- 

 perties. 



Lines floated 

 by cork. 



Peculiar rud- 

 der. 



Copper cases 

 not essential. 



Useful tQ ships 

 on discovery, 

 or any large 



$hjus. 



even to have been thought of before. It must be observed, 

 that the little space in the midships, where the rowers sit, is 

 the only part in which the water, that breaks in, can lodge, 

 But as the bottom of this space is above the level of the wa- 

 ter without, there are two portholes at the stern, opening outr 

 wardly like valves, at which the water will discharge itself; 

 and when they fall too, the heaviest sea striking the stern, 

 instead of finding its way in, will only serve to close them. 



Having stated the leading features of my boat, namely, 

 that she will not upset, or sink, or be waterlogged ; that she 

 affords cabin room ; that she is like a man of war's launch, 

 well built for rowing, the oars not on a curve, but nearly in 

 a right line, and low to the water, of which she draws little, 

 a circumstance that renders her a fine pilot boat; I need not 

 dwell on a few secondary points, which however it would be 

 improper not to mention. These are her being provided 

 with small ropes, or lines, fastened to hooks on the gunwale, 

 and each having a piece of cork painted red at the exr 

 tremity ; intended not only for persons who fall overboard, 

 or swim from a wreck, to see and catch hold of; but to tow 

 any for whom there may not be room in the boat : and her 

 having a very powerful rudder, which reaches some inches 

 below the keel, but will haul up level with it, when going in 

 very shallow water, and then let down again. The copper, 

 cases, though affording additional security to those who 

 choose to be at the expense, are no mpre a necessary point of 

 my plan, than coppering her bottom. The woodwork alone, 

 if well executed and properly attended to, may be kept 

 quite airtight. Tf the assistance of cork were to be called 

 in, it appears to me, that it might be better applied than in 

 the other boats, by filling the cases with cork jackets, to take 

 to a crowded wreck ; in going off to which the cases would 

 not be wanted for any other purpose, and the jackets would 

 not be an encumbrance. You must be aware of the impor- 

 tance of the side cabins, or cases, for stowing valuable goods 

 from a richly laden vessel. 



A boat of this kind, but somewhat smaller dimensions, 

 would be exceedingly useful to ships on voyages of disco- 

 very, and indeed to any largt vessels; as it would not only 

 frnswer for wooding and watering, but is peculiarly adapted 



