SilCURE SAILING OR LIFE BOAT. 13i 



his improvement in the keel and formation of the boat's bot- 

 tom will give her greater stability than other boats of the 

 same dimensions, with the properties of sailing well and 

 drawing very little water. 



MALCOLM COWAN, R.N. 

 JAMES NICOLSON, R. N. 



GentlemiEN, 



PERMIT me to present my thanks and acknowledg- 

 ments for the truly polite and distinguished manner in which 

 (though a stranger) you have permitted me to visit your 

 Committee ; the Society of which the same is formed I hold 

 in the highest estimation, and have deeply to regret the dis- 

 tance, that prevents ray offering myself a candidate for a 

 seat among you. 



The last time I had the honour of attending your Com- 

 mittee, Mr. Wilson's new life boat became the subject of 

 discussion, the operation of which you did me the honour 

 of requesting me t*) acquaint you of as soon as an opportu- 

 nity presented itself for a fair trial of her at sea. 



About three o'clock in the afternoon of Friday last, the Trial of the 

 tide being about quarter flood, and the wind at sOuth-west, ^°^' ^^^ S^^® 

 blowing excessively hard, an object was discovered in the 

 offing at about two leagues distance, bearing from the piers 

 of Newhaven W. S. W., which had the appearance of a 

 vessel waterlogged, and with only her foremast standing. 

 This induced Mr. Thomas Tasker (the person whom I ap- 

 pointed master of the boat, and which I have named the 

 Adeline) with seven others, to put to sea, with a view of 

 rendering assistance to the supposed distressed vessel, and 

 although the breakers were tremendous, and the sea with- 

 out them running very high, the boat under the manage- 

 ment of the crew beforementioned, ranged as coxswain, six 

 sitters, and a bowman, went out of the harbour in a very 

 lively style, and soon came up with the object in pursuit, 

 which proved to be a beacon, or lighthouse, of a singular 

 construction, triangularly built, and clench-board covered, 

 in its floating case, with a mast rigged out in the centre of 

 K 2 one 



