1824.] 
offered to the public. I should ‘think 
not, beeause I never read of, heard, or 
saw any such; and as a fishing-boat, or 
one for ordinary purposes, I am sure 
there is none such, which is the more to 
be wondered at, as this model is formed 
upon the simplest principles imaginable, 
and is applicable to every purpose. If 
any other, person has suggested the 
same idea, I have no more to say upon 
the subject ; but if not, and what I have 
before remarked be deemed worthy of 
public consideration, I am ready to sub- 
mit the model to inspection and criticism. 
Mr. Greathead’s boat is solely adapted 
for rowing; and I apprehend the ex- 
pense ‘of it is so considerable, and its 
management so difficult to those who 
are unacquainted with it, as well as 
excessively dangerous, and laborious, as 
to preclude the common use of it, when 
there ought to be such a boat, or some 
boat of the same nature, not only at 
every port, but within every three/or 
four miles upon the coast. This model 
is attended with so little extra expense, 
and is so much more desirable than the 
common boat, that it can be used for 
all daily’ and ordinary purposes, and 
therefore always fit for use ; that it can 
be used for a life-boat at a moment’s 
notice, in case of need; whereas the 
professed life-boats are either put away 
in houses and kept dry, or otherwise 
used so seldom, like a fire-engine ina 
country town, that upon a sudden emer- 
gency, when their services are required, 
they become quite useless. 
The first time the Aberdeen boat (as 
I was informed by a gentleman of that 
place) was wanted, it filled, from being 
kept in a dry place, immediately ; and 
so could not be used at all. The most 
serious disasters frequently occur from 
the accidental upsetting of boats when 
no danger is dreamt of, in rivers; and 
from going backwards and forwards to | 
ships. at anchor in bays and roads; for 
there are winds and seas that are highly 
dangerous to open boats, that are not so 
to ships; if a common boat ship a sea, 
there is an end of her, and all on board. 
This boat cannot upset, ship a sea, 
or fill. If a squall in ariver, where unex- 
pected gusts often strike a boat a-back 
very unexpectedly, strikes the proposed 
boat, the sails trim themselves, on either 
side, she rights in an instant, andis in a 
condition to receive the wind come as it 
will; if her gunwhale be pressed a foot 
or more under water, not a drop can 
enter: I say, she may be turned bottom 
up fifty times following, and right as 
Chronometers. 
99 
often of her own accord,:and the man at 
the helm shall still be secure; and I 
repeat again that it may be as useful in 
the hazardous enterprize of the pilot, as 
the fishing-boat or the life-preserver. 
I am informed that the open Deal boats, 
on occasions of necessity, adventurously 
hazard working off through the breakers 
on a lee-shore to a ship in distress, 
sometimes get over the surf or breakers 
without being swamped, but sometimes 
the boats fill, and the men_are thrown 
into the sea, and scramble to the shore, 
in the best manner they can, at the risk 
of their lives, which are often forfeited 
to their humanity : an instance of this 
nature lately happened on the Kent or 
Surrey coast. Now if the open Deal 
boat can thus work off the shore with 
danger ; this boat can equally well work 
off without danger, for it shall be the 
same boat, and the same rigging, and 
the,same men, only with the additional 
securities which I have named, In 
short, the suggestion is so plain, that I 
only am surprised at its never having 
been adopted; and so obvious that I 
am almost ashamed to say so much 
about it; but every word that I have 
said is true, and I am ready to prove it 
by the model. Yet I am not so pre- 
sumptuous as to say that the plan is 
infallible, or that there is no danger; but 
I do mean to say and am ready to prove, 
that the plan is more safe by ten thou- 
sand degrees, than the usual modes of 
going to sea in boats. If ten lives only 
are saved in a year, it is a consideration. 
T never shewed it but to one person, 
and he was a ship-builder. - This gentle- 
man was satisfied of the truth and prac- 
ticability of every thing which is before 
mentioned, and I wish to communicate 
this paper to the public through your 
Magazine, if any good should be likely 
to arise from it. 434i 
19th July 1824. 
—— 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
CHRONOMETERS. 
Sir, 
ERHAPS the most surprising ef- 
fort of art and scientific ingenuity 
displayed by man is to be seen in the 
construction of chronometers, which are 
now made to go with an accuracy which 
rivals almost that of the heavenly bo- 
dies. The beau ideal of a perfect chrono- 
meter is one that would go exactly for ever, 
or for a very long period, according to 
mean time, neither too fast nor too slow. 
That which is attainable, is to have an 
instrument which will go according to 
O02 a certain 
