170 Transactions. —Miscellaneous. 
trough of the sea; if she begins to mount a short sharp sea side on, she 
will, if she has no inclination to roll, sit on the water with her mast at 
right angles to the surface of the wave. She may be safe enough if you 
can destroy the tendency to rolling; but all boats, built as they now are, 
roll more or less, according to the stowage of their cargo, so that a boat, 
mounting the side of a wave, gains a tendency to roll over still more, so 
that the line of her mast is not upright to the surface of the wave. Now, 
in this tubular boat, before you can heel her over, you have not only to 
sink one side, but the other has to be lifted, that is, the one tube actsasan 
out-rigger to the other. Then, as to unsubmergability, I estimate that — 
= of water, i.e., three pints per diem, for 40 men for 20 days, would occupy about 
2 _ 50 cubic feet, leaving a space of about 150 cubic feet for provisions, such as 
Preserved meats and biscuits, About 10 cwts. of these could be carried. 
: This stock of provisions and water ought to be kept always ready on 
board, with the lockers made fast, so as to ensure their safety. In fact, the 
boats ought to be kept ready for instant use, 
On board ship the boats could be stowed on skids, as boats are now 
; _ usually carried. As to launching them, the best way I ever heard of is a 
i patent process, by which the skids or a platform is run out to leeward, and 
> forms ways, from which the boat can be launched, either end or broadside 
on. The six life-boats of an emigrant ship could carry about 180 people. 
Now, six boats, such ag Ihave described, could carry at least 240, and, with 
& little crowding, 800 persons could be accommodated, and, not only saved 
from one danger to become a prey to the tortures of hunger and thirst that 
have befallen go many boats’ crews, but they will also have food and drink 
for many days. Then their stability would enable them to carry sail when an 
ordinary boat dare not shew a stitch of canvas. At the very low average of 
careful officer, with 1300 miles sailing at his command, ought to make some 
many of these are admirably adapted to save life, In cases such as the 
Northjleet, where the ship went down close inshore, the same boats or rafts, 
in the case of the Cospatrick, would have been only prolonging the misery of 
