53* 0« Mr. Greathsad's Life- Boat. 



zeal proportioned to its importance; and it is a confolatory 

 reflefhion to my own mindj that my exerlions have been 

 fucccfsful in the introduiftion of a life-boat in the port of 

 Scarborough, and, I truft, not unprofitable towards pro- 

 moting a fimilar eftabliflimcnt in other places. The fervices 

 which have been recently performed at this port by means of 

 the life-boat, in contributing to the prefervatiou of the lives 

 of the crews of two veffels, more than conipenfate for every 

 labour. I am far from the ambition of afpiring to any ho- 

 norary teftimony on this occafion. Aftuatcd by the pureft 

 principle of philanthropy, my fole objeft is the benefit of the 

 community, and to endeavour, by ardent recommendations, 

 to excite a f))irit of emulaliou in order to introduce the life- 

 boat, with its invaluable properties, into more general ufe. 

 I am induced to fubmit, with the utmolt deference and re- 

 fpecl, to the confideration of the Society of Arts, &c. the 

 followinsr defcription of the life-boat, with fome mifcella- 

 neous obfervations. The conftruAion of the boat, agreeably 

 to Mr. Greathead's plan, is as follows : 



The length is thirty feet; the breadth, ten feel; the 

 depth, from the top of the gunwale to the lower part of the 

 keel in midfliips, three feet three inches; from the gunwale 

 to the platform (viithin), two feet four inches; from the top 

 of the ftems (both ends being "fimilar) to the horizontal line 

 of the bottom of the keel, five feet nine inches. The keel is 

 a plank of three inches thick, of a proportionate breadth in 

 mitlfliips, narrowing gradually toward the ends to the breadth 

 of the hems at the bottom, .and forming a great convexity 

 downwards. The ftems are fegments of a circle, with confi- 

 derablc rakes. The bdttom fe6^ion, to the floor-heads, is a 

 curve fore and aft, with the fweep of the keel. The floor-'^ 

 limber has a fmall rife curving from the keel to the floor- 

 heads. A bilge-plank is wrought in on each fide next the 

 floor-heads with a double rabbet or groove of a fimilar thick- 

 hefs with the keel ; and on the outfide of this are fixed two 

 bilo-e-trces, correfponding nearly with the level of the keel. 

 The ends of the bottom feftion form that fine kind of en- 

 trance oI)fervable in the lower part of the bow of the fifliing- 

 boat, called a co/'^, much ufcd in the North. Ifrom this 

 part to the top ot the ftem it is more elliptical, forming a 

 confidcrable proje6iion. The fides, from the floor-heads to 

 the top of the gunwale, flaunch oft' on each fide, in propor- 

 tion to afio'ut half the breadth of the floor. The breadth is 

 continued far forward towards the ends, leaving a fuflScient 

 length of ftrait fide at the top. The fliecr is regular along 

 ihe firuit fidc^ and more elevated towards the ends. The 



gunwale, 



