BOA 



to tliem, and cannot in fuch cafes be rowed from the (hore 

 to a (hip in difticfs. 



Ml-. Grcathead gives the following iuftrudtions far the 

 maiiaijement of the life-boat. 



The boats, in general, of this defcription are painted 

 white on the oiitfide ; this colo^ir more immediately enjrag- 

 ing the eye of the fpeftator when riling from the hollow of 

 the fea, than any other. Tiie bottom of the boat is at tirll 

 varnilhed (which will take paint afterwards^ for the more 

 minute iiifptCtion of purehaf;rs. Tlic oars Ihc is equipped 

 with are made of fir, of the btd quality ; having found by 

 cxperiencf, that a rove afh oar, that will drefs clean and 

 light, is too pliant among the breakers ; and when made 

 llrong and heavy, from rowing double-banked, the purchafe 

 being Ihort, fooner exhaufts the rower, wlucli makes the 

 fir oar, when made ftift", more preferable. 



In the management of the boat ihe requires twelve men to 

 work her : that is, five men on each fide rowing double- 

 banked, with an oar flung over an iron thole, with a grom- 

 rr.et (as provided), fo as to enable the rower to pull either 

 way, and one man at each end to (leer her, and to be ready 

 at the oppofite end to take the lleer-oar, when wanted. 

 As, from the conftriiftion of the boat, (he is always in a 

 pofition to be rov.'ed either way, without turning the boat ; 

 when rcanned, the perfon who (leers her (hould be well 

 acquainted witli the courfe of the tides, in order to take 

 ev^'i-y pcjffible advantage : the bell method, if t';o direflion 

 viU admit of it, is-to head the fea. The (leerfman (hould 

 ke;p his eye fixed upon the wave or breaker, and encourage 

 the rowers to give way, as the boat rifes to it ; being then 

 aided by the force of the oars, (he launches over it with vail 

 rapidity, without fiiipping any water. It is necefHuy toob- 

 ferve, that there is often a (Irong reflux of fea occafioned by 

 the ftranded wrecks, which requires both difpatch and care in 

 the people employed, that the boat be not damaged. When 

 the wreck is reached, if the wind blows to the land, the 

 boat will come in (hore without any other effort than (leering. 

 The following additional obfervations and inilrudlions are 

 given by Mr. Hinderwell of Scarborough. 



The life-boat at Scarborough is under the direilion of a 

 committee. Twei:ty-fonr filhermen, cempo(ing two crews, 

 are alternately employed to navigate her. A reward, in 

 cafes of fnipwreck, is paid by the committee to each man 

 aftunlly engaged in the affiilance ; and it is expccled the 

 velTel receiving alhilance fhould contribute to defray this 

 cxpence. None have hitherto refufed. 



It is of importance chat the command of the boat fhould be 

 cntrulled to fomefteady experienced perfon, who is acquainted 

 with the direction of tlie tides or currents, as much (kill may 

 be required in rifing them to the moll advantage, in going to 

 a (hip in diilrefs. It (hould alfo be lecommendtd, to keep 

 the head of the boat to the fea, as much as circumllances 

 will admit ; and to give her an accelerated velocity to meet 

 the wave, much exertion is neceffary in approaching a wreck, 

 on account of the (Irong reflux of the waves, which is fome- 

 times atte;!ded with great danger. In a general way, it is 

 fafcil to go on the Ice quarter ; but this depends on the po- 

 fition of the veffcl ; and the mailer of the boat (hould exercife 

 his (Ivill in placing her in the moil convenient fituation. 

 The boatmen (liould pratlife themfelves in the ufe of the 

 boat, that they may be tiie better acquainted with her 

 movements ; and they (hould at all times be (Iriclly obe- 

 dient to the dircclions of tlie perfon who is appointed to 

 the command. 



P/a'e II. of Boats contains a perfpeftive -.ricw of the life- 

 boat rifing over a heavy furge, and going out to the affift- 

 ance of a fliip, which appeais in the horizon in dith-els. In 

 Vol. IV. 



BOA 



the life-boat are ten rowers pulling to get 'to the flilp. At 

 the lower end of the boat, a man is (leering her with along 

 oar towards the (hip ; and another perfon is llationed with 

 an oar at the higher end, to (leer the boat on her return ; 

 both ends of the boat being formed alike, in order to ufe 

 cither at pleafure in going to or coming from the (hip. The 

 (heer, or curve of the boat, rifing confiderably from the middle 

 to the (lems, or ends, is clearly difiinguilhcd ; alio the coating 

 of cork, fecured by (lips of copper along the outfide of the 

 boat, near the p:!rt where the rowers are fcattd. 



As every thing relating to this important invention mud be 

 interefting to the public, it is, therefore, prefuir.ed the follow-- 

 ing additional intormation will not be unacceptable, efpecially 

 as It contains the ilrongeft evidence of the great utility of this 

 boat. 



Tiie life-boat having been fubmitted to a teft of twelve 

 years' experience, during whieli period Mr. Greathcad facri- 

 ficed a very confiderable portion of his time in furnilhing 

 plans, and otherwife rendering the invention as extenfively 

 ufefnl as he could ; on the 2jth of February 1802, he pre- 

 fented a petition to the lioufe ot coamioiip, the prayer of 

 which was as follows : 



" Your petitioner having been inftrumental in favinT the 

 lives of fo many perfons ; the utility of the boat being now 

 edablilhed ; and your petitioner having derived little or no 

 pecuniary advantage whatever from the invention, his models 

 having been made pubiic ; hnrobly liopes, that this honour- 

 able houfe will take his cafe into their confideration, and 

 grant your petitioner fuch reward as to this honourable 

 houfe (hall feem meet. Sec." 



The petition, having been recommended by his majefly, 

 was referred to the confideration of a committee ; from 

 whofe repoit the following is a brief abllradt. 



" It appeared to your committee to be neceffary to direft 

 their inquiries particularly to the three following fubjeds. 

 " I ft. The utility of the lifc-bo.:t. 



" r.dly. The originahty of the invention claimed by Mr. 

 Grcatheiid. 



" jjdly. Whether he had received any, and what remune- 

 ration. 



" And in order to afcertain thefe fadls, your committee 

 proceeded to examine, 



" Ralph HiUery, a feaman, who (lated. that he had been 

 forty-five years at fea, in the Greenland and coal trade, and 

 has refidcd ahvays at Shields. About three years ago, he 

 was in the Northumberland life-boat, v.hich was prefented 

 to North Shields by the duke of Northumberland, the fiift 

 time (he went off, which was to the relief of the (loop Edin- 

 burgh. This veffel was feen to go upon the Herd finds, 

 about a mile and a half from (here ; (he was brought to ao 

 anchor before the hfe-boat got to her, and (lie continued 

 ftriking the ground fo heavily, that flie would not have held 

 together ten minutes longer, had they nut got to her ; they 

 made her cut her cable, and then took (even men out of 

 her, and brought them on fiiore. The fea at that time was 

 monftroufly idgh, fo high that no other boat whatever could 

 have lived in it. 



" He was then afl<;ed, whether he had been out in. the 

 life boat on any other occafion ?.to v.-hich lie replied, that he 

 had been five times out in lier to the relief of different (liips; 

 from one (hip they faved fifteen men ; and in every inftance 

 when he, the witrefs, was in the boat, ihey faved the whole 

 of the crews of the wrecked (hips. Befidcs the times he has 

 been himfelf in the boat, he has feen her go off fcores of 

 times, and never faw her fail in bringing off fuch of the 

 crews ae flayed by the (hips. But many times part of the 

 crews of the veffcls wrecked have taken to their owa boats, 

 4 Q_ aiii 



