BOAT. 



621 



Life Boat, ty, if we may so express ourselves, will stistain an 

 ' * v ' amazing weight, while the parts of the boat itself hold 

 together. It is ^t only of great service in keeping 

 the boat in her due position on the sea, but also in crea- 

 ting a tendency immediately to recover from any sud- 

 den cant, or lurch, from a heavy wave ; and it is, be- 

 sides, beneficial in diminishing the violence of beating 

 against the sides of the vessel which she may go to re- 

 lieve. Other important properties have been sought 

 for in the figure and construction of the boat itself ; 

 points assuredly meriting the deepest consideration, as 

 they may demonstrate the causes of an unsuccessful 

 attempt, or lead to the formation of life boats on an 

 improved principle. Exclusive of the utility of the 

 cork, it is maintained, that the similarity of the ends 

 of the boat, which admits of her being rowed either 

 way, facilitates her rising over the waves ; the curva- 

 ture of the keel aids her motion in turning, and con- 

 tributes to the ease of steerage, because a single 

 stroke of the steering oar produces an immediate ef- 

 fect, the boat moving as it were on a centre. When 

 rowing against the waves, the fine entrance below is 

 of use in dividing them ; and, combined with the 

 convexity of the bottom, and elliptical form of the 

 stern, enables the boat to rise with wonderful buoy- 

 ancy in a high sea, as also rapidly to launch forward 

 without shipping water, when a common boat would 

 be in danger of filling. It is said to be proved by 

 experience, that boats of the construction of the life 

 boat, in spreading from the floor heads to the gun- 

 wale, are best adapted for rowing against turbulent 

 waves ; and that the continuation of the breadth for- 

 ward, is a great support to her in the sea. When 

 full of water, the life boat is in no danger either of 

 sinking or upaetting, as her internal shallowness, her 

 peculiar figure, and bulk of the cork within, admit 

 but a small quantity of it. These are some of the qua- 

 lities which are conceived to result from the figure 

 and structure of the life boat, compared with those 

 of the ordinary construction. 



The life boat is generally kept in a boat-house 

 close to the beach, where it rests on four low wheels, 

 or trucks, concave, for rolling on oars, or spars laid 

 on the sand, so as to be run out on a moment's no- 

 tice. But, where the way over which she must be 

 dragged is rough, and the safety of her frame would 

 be endangered, another expedient is adopted. This 

 consists of two wheels, twelve feet in diameter, with 

 a moveable arched axis, to which a pole is fixed for 

 a lever. The boat is suspended between the wheels, 

 under the axis, towards each extremity of which is 

 an iron pin. When the pole is perpendicularly eleva- 

 ted, the upper part of the axis becomes depressed, and 

 a pair of rope slings encompassing the boat being 

 fixed to the iron pins, she is raised with great facili- 

 ty by means of the pole, which is then fastened down 

 to her stern. There are commonly two crews, each 

 consisting of twelve men, employed to navigate the 

 life boat, to whom rewards are distributed, according 

 to the success of their enterprise. 



On the first alarm of a vessel in danger, the life 

 boat immediately puts to sea, when some experienced 

 steady person takes the command. Her head should 

 be kept to the sea, and she must possess an accelera- 

 ted velocity to meet the wave. Great caution is to 



be observed on approaching a wreck, where the re- 

 flux of the waves is often productive of danger, and 

 it is considered safest to go to the lee quarter. This, 

 however, depends on circumstances. 



A life boat, built on the preceding construction by 

 Mr Henry Greathead, the inventor, first went off 

 from South Shields in January 1790, and complete- 

 ly succeeded in bringing the crew of a stranded ves- 

 sel ashore. After the value of the invention had 

 been acknowledged, by the presentation of a gold me- 

 dallion to Mr Greathead by the Society for the En- 

 couragement of Arts, as also one by the Royal Hu- 

 mane Society, and various gratuities in money, par- 

 liament, on the 9th of June 1802, unanimously vo- 

 ted him jCI'JOO. The committee of underwriters 

 likewise at Lloyd's Coffeehouse in London, having 

 voted Mr Greathead 100 guineas, appropriated j2000 

 of their funds for the purpose of encouraging the 

 building of life boats on different parts of the coasts 

 of the kingdom. Life boats have been sent from Bri- 

 tain, on the order of the Emperor of Russia, who 

 signified his approbation by presenting the inventor 

 with a diamond ring ; by the Kings of Prussia, Den- 

 mark, and those of other states. 



Although the life boat has been successful in innu- 

 merable cases, and has been the means of preserving 

 many valuable lives, it has sometimes failed. Of this 

 there was a deplorable instance in last year, 1810. 

 The weather becoming more moderate on the 7th of 

 April than it had been for some time past, induced 

 several fishermen near Tynemouth to launch their 

 boats and put out to sea. But a furious storm sud- 

 denly arising, great apprehensions were entertained 

 for their safety, and the life boat was quickly procu- 

 red, which, amidst a high sea, rowed through the 

 breakers with fifteen men. The fishermen were safer 

 ly taken on board, and 2000 people were collected on 

 shore, anxiously expecting the return of the adven- 

 turers. Some difference of opinion prevailed among 

 the crew of the life boat, regarding the most suitable 

 place at which to land, and the majority determined 

 to push for Hartley Bates, instead of making Shields' 

 harbour, which they could have done within an hour. 

 When nearly in a state of perfect security, a very- 

 high wave broke into the life boat, killed or dread- 

 fully maimed the steersman, along with two or three 

 others, and almost stove her in pieces. Nevertheless 

 she continued floating, though her gunwales were 

 level with the broken water ; but the crew lost 

 all command of her, and, drifting still nearer the 

 shore, she struck and split asunder. Only two indi- 

 viduals out of twenty-seven, from this unfortunate 

 circumstance, escaped. It is true, that there might 

 here have been mismanagement, but there are situations 

 where the attempts of the life boat may be abortive. 

 It proves of infinite tftility on a sandy beach, but can 

 be less serviceable on a rocky shore. The great 

 weight of this life boat is also a considerable impedi- 

 ment, both to dispatch in getting her out, and to 

 management in a turbulent sea. 



Previous to Mr Greathead's invention, a patent 

 was granted to Mr Lionel Lukin, a coachmaker in 

 London, for " an improvement in the construction 

 of boats and small vessels, which will neither sink 

 nor overset." The essence of the invention rests on 



Life Boat. 



