The principle of this boat appears to have been suggested to the inventor by the following simple fact : Take a sphe roid, and divide it into quarters : each quarter is elliptical, and nearly resembles the half of a wooden bowl, having a curva ture with projecting ends : this, thrown into the sea or broken water, cannot be upset, or lie with the bottom upwards. The length of the boat is, as we have seen, thirty feet ; the breadth ten feet ; the depth, from the top of the gunwale to the lower part of the keel in midships, three feet three inches ; from the gun wale to the platform (within,) two feet four inches ; from the top of the stems (both, ends being similar) to the horizon tal line of the bottom of the keel, five feet nine inches. The keel is a plank of three inches thick, of a proportionate breadth in midships, narrowing gradually towards the ends to the breadth of the stems at the bottom, and forming a great convexi ty downwards. The ends of the bottom section form that fine kind of entrance observable in the lower part of the bow of the fishing-boat called a coble, much used in the north. From this part to the top of the stem it is more elliptical, forming a considerable projec tion. The sides, from the floor-heads to the top of the gun-wale, Haunch off on each side, in proportion to above half the breadth of the floor. The breadth is con, tinned far fonvards towards the ends, leav ing a sufficient length of straight side at the top. The sheer is regular along the straight side, and more elevated towards the ends. The gunwale fixed to the out side is three inches thick. The from the under part of the gunw ale, along the whole length of the regular sheer, extending twenty-one feet six inches, are cased with layers of cork, to the depth of sixteen inches downwards; and the thickness of this casing of cork being four inches, it projects at the top a little with out the gunwale. The cork on the out side is secured with thin plates, or slips of copper, and the boat is fastened with copper nails. The thwarts, or seats, are five in number, double banked ; conse quently, the boat may be rowed with ten oars. The boat is steered with an oar at each end : and the steering oar is one third longer than the rowing oar. The platform placed at the bottom, within the boat, is horizontal, the length of the mid ships, and elevated at the ends, for the convenience of the steersman, to give hint a greater power with the oar. The
internal parts of the boat next the sides is cased with cork; the whole quantity of which affixed to the life-boat is nearly se ven hundred weight. The cork, indis putably, contributes much to the buoy ancy of the boat, is a good defence in go ing along side a vessel, and is of princi pal use in keeping the boat in an erect position in the • sea, or rather for giving her a very lively and quick disposition to recover from any sudden cant or lurch, which she may receive from the stroke of a heavy wave. lint, exclusively of the cork, the admirable construction of this boat gives it a decided pre-eminence. The ends being similar, the boat can be rowed either way; and this peculiarity of form alleviates her in rising over the waves, The curvature of the keel and bottom facilitates her movement in turn ing, and contributes to the ease of the steerage, as a single. stroke of the steer ing oar has an immediate effect, the boat moving as it were upon a centre. The fine entrance below is of use in dividing the waves, when rowing against them ; and, combined with the convexity of the bottom, and the elliptical form of the stem, admits her to rise with wonderful buoyancy in a high sea, and to launch for ward with rapidity without shipping any water, when a common boat would be in danger of being filled. The internal shallowness of the boat from the gunwale down to the platform, the convexity of the form, and the bulk of cork within, leave a very diminished space for the water to occupy, so that the life-boat, when filled with water, contains a considerable less quantity,than the common boat, and is in no danger either of sinking or over turning.
It may be presumed by some, that in cases of high wind, agitated sea, *and broken waves, a boat of such a bulk could not prevail against them by the force of oars ; but the life-boat, from her peculiar form, may be rowed a-head, when the at tempt in other boats would fail. Boats of the common form, adapted for speed, are, of course, put in motion with a small power ; but, for want of buoyancy and bearing, are overrun by the waves, and sunk, when impelled against them ; and boats constructed for burthen meet with too much resistance from the wind and sea, when opposed to them, and cannot, in such cases, be rowed from the shore to a ship in distress.