BOAT, •LIFE. The hazard to which mariners .are incessantly exposed, and the helpless condition of mankind struggling with an element speedily destruc tive of existence, have led to many ingenious contri vances for the purpose of averting danger. Though we cannot but lament that the expedients resorted to have so often proved abortive, we must, in justice to the inventors, maintain, that the want of due deliberation, which, in difficult situations, is generally indispensible to success, has more frequently been the occasion of failure than any imperfection in the expedients themselves. About sixty years ago, jackets covered with cork were adopted ; yet notwithstanding the certain and immediate security which, in ordinary cases, the use of them will -afford, they are now to tally neglected. Cords, in like manner, with buoy ant substances affixed, are formed to encircle the body; and a buoyant apparatus has, in the course of last year, (1810,) been exhibited in France, by the-aid of which a person can safely advance into the sea, without the risk of sinking. The. Chinese, when going on voyages, provide themselves with a very simple means of preservation in the event of shipwreck. This consists of four spars joined toge ther, so as to form a square hollow frame, which be ing put below the•arms, easily supports a person float ing in the sea. Recently a gun has been employed to throw a rope ashore, for Which contrivance a par liamentary reward has been given ; and it certainly promises success, where a vessel is stranded, or is driven towards a steep rocky shore. Nay, it is un doubted, that had the same expedient been tried, where there was full opportunity of doing so, the fatal con sequences of many most deplorable shipwrecks might have been averted. But an invention which has proved of infinitely greater utility, in this island at least, is a vessel of a particular construction, called the Life Boat.
It is well known, and has long been familiar to seamen, that some vessels of a certain form are better adapted either to keep the sea, to resist the violence of storms, or the pressure of ice ; and has repeat edly been found, that.where others sunk, or were
overset, the accident was partly owing to their structure. Examples are commonly given of the Deal boats, and those employed at Madras, of the construction which is best suited to come through the heavy surf beating on an extensive shore ; and in different places, the nature of the service to be per formed is studied in the structure of the vessel. The wonderful voyages accomplished in open boats, such as those of the Centaur man of war, the Bounty store ship, and the Pandora frigate, proved that safety did not invariably depend on the size of a vessel ; and it was thence conceived, that a boat sufficient to extri cate shipwrecked mariners from perilous situations, might be navigated by an adventurous crew. But the more immediate origin of the life boat, which we are about to describe, resulted from a dreadful shipwreck in September 1789. A vessel struck on the Herd sands of Tynemouth during a storm ; though within 300 yards of shore, and notwithstanding high rewards were offered, the imminent danger deterred every sea man from going to her relief, and the unfortunate crew dropped one after another from the shrouds in to the waves in sight of thousands of spectators. Deeply impressed by this melancholy catastrophe, the gentlemen of South Shields immediately formed themselves into a committee, and offered a premium to any one who should invent a life boat, on such a construction as would be beneficial in situations of danger. Different models were accordingly framed, which were submitted to the committee ; and after due consideration, one invented by Mr Henry Great head of South Shields received the preference. A boat was soon built on the plan of this model, which first made an attempt in January 1790, that proved completely successful; and since that period thou sands of useful lives have been preserved, both in this kingdom and abroad, by others of a similar construc tion.