SERVICE, UNITED STATES LIFE-SAVING. 



7G1 



be launched directly into it, the English life- 

 boat is in general use. This wonderful con- 

 trivance, the result of a century of repeated 

 effort, is of massive strength and stability. It 

 is built of double diagonals of mahogany. The 

 size generally in use in this country is about 

 27 feet in length, a little over 7 feet broad, 3 

 feet 8 inches deep, carrying eight oars, double- 

 banked, and weighing when empty 4,000 

 pounds. It is self-righting and self-bailing. 

 In other words, when thrown over, which is 

 difficult to be done, by a heavy sea, it instantly 

 rights and empties. The first of these two 

 extraordinary characteristics, to which a great 

 number of advantages are sacrificed, is effected 

 by a ponderous false keel of iron, which gives 

 the lower part of the boat a constant deter- 

 mination toward the water, while an equal de- 

 termination from the water is maintained for 

 the upper portion of the boat by a distribution 

 of air-cases at the sides and ends, scientifically 

 proportioned. The self-bailing characteristic 

 is effected by a deck adjusted with reference 

 to the draught of the boat, so that, whatever 

 be the load of the latter, the deck is above 

 the load-line ; and being fitted with tubes ex- 

 tending vertically down through the bottom of 

 the boat, it follows that whatever water the boat 

 takes on board falls through the tubes, in obe- 

 dience to the law which compels fluids to seek 

 their level, and leaves the deck free. The 

 delivery tubes are furnished with self-acting 

 valves, opening to the downward pressure of 

 the water shipped by the boat, and shutting to 

 the pressure of the jets from below. Cork bal- 

 last adds by its weight to the stability of the 

 boat, and augments its buoyancy in case the 

 boat be stove. Two masts, made detachable, 

 are provided, fitted with two low lug-sails and 

 a jib. The boat is wellnigh invulnerable, but 

 its great weight and draught, and the resistance 

 its high bows offer to the wind, often make its 

 towage by steam-tug necessary to enable it to 

 reach a wreck at a distance. Particular atten- 

 tion is given to the stowage of its ropes, lines, 

 anchors, and other articles carried in life-boats, 

 these being arranged by a strict method with 

 reference to economy of space and facility of 

 use, and always kept on board, ready for service, 

 lest any of them should be forgotten in the ex- 

 citement of a sudden summons for wreck duty. 

 Carriages of a peculiar construction are pro- 

 vided in England for the transportation and 

 launching of these boats, together with skids 

 and rollers for returning them to their car- 

 riages ; but at present in this country they are 

 let down by the trap or inclined platform di- 

 rectly into the water, the station being always 

 at the water's edge. The surf -boats are pro- 

 vided with carriages, by which they are hauled 

 from the stations abreast of wrecks. They are 

 four-wheeled, with bed-pieces between each 

 pair of wheels, on which the boat rests, and a 

 Jong bar or reach connecting the front and back 

 wheels, made separable half-way to enable the 

 boat to be lowered to the ground by withdraw- 



ing a portion of the carriage. The American 

 life-boat, invented by Captain J. M. Richard- 

 son, Superintendent of the First Life-saving 

 District, five specimens of which are now in use, 



1. Anchor. 



2. Cable. 



8. Bow hcavfng-line or grapnel- 

 rope and grapnel. 



4. Drogue-rope. 



5. Stern heaving-line. 



k j- Veering-lines. 



8. Jib outhaul or tack. 



9. Mizzen-sbeets. 



10. Drogue. 



11. Life-buoy. 



12. Loaded cane, heaving-line, 



and tub. 



a 13. Tailed block. 

 14. Pump-well hatch. 



JJ- I Deck-ventilating hatches. 



17. Foot-boards for rowers. 



18. Side air-cases. 



19. Relieving tubes and valves. 



20. Samson's post. 



21. Thwarts. 



22. Central batten, to which the 



masts and boat-hooks are 

 lashed. 



BECK-PLAN OP SELF-RIGHTING LIFE-BOAT, SHOWING 

 MANNER OF STOWING GEAB. 



would seem to be better adapted for the ser- 

 vice on our coast than the English, being con- 

 siderably lighter and of less draught, and equal- 

 ly self-righting and self-bailing. 



When boat service at a wreck is impractica- 

 ble, resort is had to life-saving ordnance. The 



EPROUVETTE MORTAR, FAKING-BOX, AND MATCH-STAVB. 



gun first in use was an eprouvette mortar, of 

 cast iron, weighing 288 pounds, throwing a 24- 

 pound spherical ball with a line attached there- 



