M‘Naveuton.—On Ships’ Life Boats, 171 
those saved from the burning ship, as, in the greater part of these boats, no 
arrangement is made for the stowage of provisions of any kind. Water has 
to be carried in a cask or flasks, and the provisions have to be stowed 
indiscriminately about the boat. One plan that seems to have taken some 
hold is that of a deck house that is capable of floating off. There are 
many disadvantages to this kind of house. I think the first and most 
ron. ied is its unwieldy character, its difficulty in launching, and also the 
culty in making it fast, so that it may stand any sea the vessel may 
ship, and still be able to be cast adrift in a few minutes. But if I say too 
much against other plans, I will not have space enough left to shew the 
advantages of my own. My tubular boat will not be very much heavier 
than a ship’s life-boat. She will be easier stowed, easier launched, and 
not at all liable, as even the strongest boats now are, to be stove in when 
struck by a sea. Another advantage is that they are equally serviceable, 
whether used near shore or far at sea; and, by their arrangement on deck, 
all the boats can be launched on the lee side of the ship. Built on a larger — 
scale, that is, with the tubes longer and wider apart, they would prove very 
valuable surf boats. As pleasure boats, built on a smaller scale, they 
would be found to be very safe. 
If two of the crankest boats in the harbour were made fast together 
by beams from gunwale to gunwale, say one foot to eighteen inches apart, 
and a proper amount of canvas spread, the effect would be that she would 
stand up to almost any squall that ever blew ; in fact, the probabilities are 
that she would be dismasted before she would upset. It is from the idea 
of the two boats that I first thought of the cylinders. The cylinders are 
stronger, and can be so effectually closed that no water can get into them, 
and so they also form perfect air chambers. 
Having laid my idea of a ship’s life-boat before you, I may state that, 
as far as I am concerned, it is not protected in any way. My idea is that 
many useful inventions and improvements are lost to the public, simply by 
their being patented with a view to money making. In this way, about 99 
out of every 100 patents prove simply a loss (in money) to the patentee ; 
and to the public they are as good as if they never had been thought of. I 
* shall only be too happy to see my boat made use of in any way or for any 
purpose. 
