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General Meeting, December 14th, 1886. 
Professor OsBORNE REYNOLDS, LL.D.* F.R.S., Vice-President, 
in the Chair. 
Mr. T. B. Cohen, Ph.D., of Owens College, was elected an 
Ordinary Member of the Society. 
Ordinary Meeting, December 14th, 1886. 
Professor Osborne Reynolds, LL.D., F.R.S., Vice-President, 
in the Chair. 
“ On Methods of Investigating the Qualities of Lifeboats,” 
by Professor Osborne Reynolds, LL.D., F.R.S. 
The lamentable accidents to the St. Annes and Southport 
lifeboats on the 9th inst., seems likely to lead to steps being 
taken to obtain a more systematic investigation as to the 
qualities of these boats than has yet been undertaken. 
It seems, therefore, a proper time to direct attention to 
certain facts and general considerations, the importance of 
which have impressed themselves upon me during many 
years’ investigation. 
Before entering upon this, it may be remarked that there 
is probably no class of boats, on the design and construction 
of which more attention and skill have been spent, than on 
lifeboats, or of which the qualities are so well adapted to 
to the circumstances, taken all round. If we compare the 
results of the use of these boats with the results obtained in 
the use of the navies of this or any other country, it will, 
without a moment’s hesitation, be admitted that the 
designers of lifeboats and lifeboat paraphernalia have arrived 
much nearer perfection than the designers of war vessels 
and their armaments. 
Peoceedings— Lit. & Phil. Soc.— Vol. XXVI.— No. 5.— Session 1886*7. 
