THE DUKE OF NORTHUMBERLAND'S PRIZE BOAT. 



213 



her crew being drowned. An officer of the Coastguard service and eleven men lost their lives 

 on this occasion ; a few were saved, coming to shore safely on the bottom of the life-boat, and 

 even under it, in its reversed condition. 



A still worse accident occurred, in December, 18i9, to the South Shields life-boat, which 

 had gone out with twenty-four experienced pilots to the aid of the Betsy of Littlehampton, 

 stranded on the Herd Sand. She had reached the wreck, and was lying alongside, though 

 badly secured. The shipwrecked men were about to descend into the boat, when a heavy 

 sea, recoiling from the bows of the vessel, lifted her on end, and a second sea completed 

 the work of destruction by throwing her completely over. She ultimately drifted ashore. 

 Twenty out of twenty-four on board were drowned. On seeing the accident, two other 

 life-boats immediately dashed off, and saved four of the pilots and the crew of the Betsy. 



LIFE-BOAT SAVING THE CREW OF THE " ST. GEORGE." 



The year 1850 marked an epoch in the history of life-boats, for then the Institution 

 was thoroughly re-organised. It was arranged that the boats should be periodically inspected 

 by qualified officers, and that a fixed scale of payment, both for actual service or quarterly 

 exercise, should be made to the coxswains and crews. * His Grace the late Duke of 

 Northumberland offered a prize of one hundred guineas for the best model of a life-boat, 

 and a like sum towards constructing a boat on that model. No less than 280 plans and 

 models were sent in, rot merely from all parts of the United Kingdom, but from France, 

 Holland, Germany, and the United States. After some six months' detailed examination 

 on the part of the committee, Mr. James Beeching, of Great Yarmouth, was awarded the 

 prize. That gentleman constructed several boats shortly afterwards, embodying most or 



* For the perilous nature of the employment, the pay is ridiculously small. It must be, however, in fairness 

 to the Institution, remembered that it is a society depending on the benevolent public for its support, and is not 

 a Government concern. Each boat has its appointed coxswain at a salary of 8 per annum, and assistants at 

 2 per annum. On every occasion of going afloat to save life, the coxswain and his men receive alike, 10s. if 

 by day, and 1 if by night. 



