STATISTICS OF LIFE-BOATS AND FISHING-BOATS, 315 
_ The life-boat fittings are the result of practical experience in their adapta- 
tion to Francis’s corrugated iron boats, and costly alterations in this boat for 
combining the buoyancy of timber with the strength of angle-iron frames. 
The life-boat fittings are so arranged as not to interfere with her usefulness 
as a fishing-boat, while, being only loose cork and casks, they can be placed in 
the boat while the life-boat’s crew are collecting. A full description with 
section and sheer plan is appended to this Report; and a lithographic spe- 
cification and building draft of this, as well as of the ship’s life-boat, has been 
circulated amongst those interested in building and improving boats. There 
will be found on the back of the Tabular Return, a lithographic comparison 
of the midship section and water-lines of most of the life-boats enumerated, 
including the ‘Tubular Life-boat, ‘ Challenger,’ designed by Mr. Richardson, 
one of which is now stationed at Rhyl. 
There are also the midship sections of the following fishing-boats—(the 
proportion, bulk, displacement and arc of midsection, are recorded in the 
Tables) :—Buckie Herring boat; Tobermory open boat; Aberdeen and 
Newhaven open boats ; the Deal lugger ; Penzance or Cornish fishing lugger ; 
the Chinese fishing-boat; and the Bombay fishing-boat. 
The Tabular Return contains the builders and stations in 1856 of all the 
life-boats stationed on the coast, from the record of the Boarp oF TRADE 
and Royat Nationa Lire-Boat Institution. 
It is to be hoped that by a continuation of these inquiries we may obtain 
the same information as to the fishing-boats on our coasts as we now have 
as to life-boats; for although it has occupied seven years to bring the life- 
boats to their present state of efficiency, it may be expected to take a much 
longer time to promote an improved construction of fishermen’s boats, inas- 
much as while the number of life-boats is under 300, that of fishing-boats 
exceeds 10,000. 
The initiation was taken in 1849, by the publication of Capt. Washington’s 
Report and plans of fishing-boats, but no progress has been since made; the 
only public body in any way representing the fishermen on our coasts being 
the Fishing Board of Scotland, which has mainly directed its attention to the 
_euring of fish and to the improvement of the harbours. 
Moreover, the Fishing Board being subject to parliamentary inquiry, and 
uncertain as to its being maintained, may have prevented any efforts at im- 
provement. A Commission which was appointed in 1856, and whose report was 
published in 1857, has confined its inquiries to the expediency of continuing 
the Board, and to the grants for harbours. We must look to private efforts 
and enterprise to effect any improvement in fishermen’s boats, and follow the 
example set by the Duke of Northumberland, in offering a premium for the 
best fishermen’s boat, and give effect to the competition by building experi- 
mental trial boats suited to the different localities, and making such altera- 
tions as practice proves necessary to meet the requirements of each fishing 
station. 
This system has been carried out so admirably with life-boats, that I will 
briefly detail the progress of improvement, by describing the original Prize 
_ life-boat that was considered the best of 260 models submitted for competi- 
tion to a committee of naval officers, who printed an able report, of which 
1300 copies were circulated by the Duke of Northumberland. After costly 
alterations in the Northumberland life-boat at Woolwich, and many repeated 
alterations in form and fitting, and after constructing 40 boats, Mr. Peake of 
Woolwich Dockyard perfected the design which is illustrated by the accom- 
panying Diagram and Plan, and shown in the model on the table and plans 
on the wall. 
