The Life -Boat. Journal
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
THE LIFE -BOAT. JOURNAL OF THE National %ffe*Soat Jnstitution, (ISSUED QTTABTEELY.) PMOK 3d. VOL. XYIL—No. 198.] IST NOVEMBER, 1900. [WITH WRECK CHART. SKETCH OF THE PEOGEESS MADE IN THE CONSTEUCTION OF COAST LIFE-BOATS. 1785-1900. No. 3. IN the last number of the Life-boat Norfolk and Suffolk Life-boats, came into Journal (August, 1900) this sketch was vogue in the early forties, and continues taken up to 1840, when the Liverpool to the present time. type of Life-boat came into use, and the The following describes the manner in improvements in that type were traced up which the above two competitors arranged to the present date. for carrying water-ballast in their Life- About December, 1841, there was a boats :— competition for Life-boat models held at Mr. George Farrow's model represented South Shields. As not much reference a North Country type Life-boat of the is to be found to this "competition," usual paddle-box boat form, 30 feet long it is probably right to assume that it by 10 feet beam, and 3£ feet depth, and was almost confined to the builders and for ballast she had a tank amidships- designers of the North Country type. 15 inches deep, 14 feet long, extending George Farrow, boatbuilder, South across the boat, capable of holding 3 tons Shields, and William Greener, of- Aston of water. This tank was divided by New Town, Birmingham, both appear to transverse partitions to prevent the water have sent models to this competition, ranging in a seaway, with limber holes and also to that for the Northumberland near the keel to keep up the communi- prize in 1850, showing, in each instance, cation, and others near the platform, in arrangements for carrying water-ballast case of the boat upsetting. The tank in tanks. They eadi claimed to be the could be closed when full, and escape original inventors of the closed tank tubes for the air were provided. for water-ballast;, a point on which the Mr. Greener, in his model, which repre- committee appointed to adjudicate on the sented a boat 37 feet long, 12 feet beam, merits of the various competing Life- and 2jj feet deep, carried the water-ballast boats declined to offer an opinion. At in a copper trunk placed fore and aft just any rate, it is clear that the principle of above the keelson, the contents of which carrying water-ballast in Life-boats in were about 10 cwt. enclosed tanks, in contradistinction to The next Life-boat to attract attention carrying it in bulk, as was done in the is that which was known as "Messrs. ' VOL. XVII.—No. 198.—LIFE-BOAT JOUBNAL. 3 c 798 THE LIFE-BOAT. [Isi NOVEMBER, 1900. Lamb & White's patent Life-boat," and The Broadstairs Life-boat, which was now as Messrs. White's. A pamphlet named the Mary White, was, with her published in 1870 (Gutch & Cox, excellent crew, the means of saying a 150 High Street, Southampton) has large number of lives, and an account— mnch useful information concerning these given in the above-quoted pamphlet—of Life-boats. The original boats were built a magnificent service done by her and by Messrs. Thomas & John White, of another Broadstairs Life-boat on the same Medina Bocks, Cowes, Isle of Wight, as principle called the Culmer White, is well far back as 1846, and up to 1848 many worth reading. On the occasion referred had been supplied to the large shipping to, the two boats sared the crew, number- companies to be used on board their ing twenty-three, of the American ship vessels, but none for coast use. In 1848 Northern Belle, which was at anchor in a one of this type of Life-boat was built heavy gale on a lee shore off Kingsgate. and stationed at Cardigan, where she won The crew of the second boat were partly golden opinions. This boat was but drawn from Margate, and it is no doubt 27 ft. long, 8 ft. beam, and 3 ft. deep, that in consequence of the experience and was replaced by one 3 ft. longer, after these men had in this boat that an order the following experience. Extract from a was placed with Messrs. White by the letter from George Bowan," master of the watermen of Margate for a boat 32 ft. Cardigan Life-boat/' dated 15th February, long a few months afterwards. 1850: "I beg to say we were visited on In 1850 Messrs. White sent in designs the 6th of this month with a tremendous and a model to compete for the Northumber- storm from N.N.W., and about 10 in the land prize; the designs are reproduced (see morning the brig Thetis, of Limerick, p. 799). Messrs. White have practically 296 tons register, in a sunken condition, never departed from the details as shown, came on our bar. We immediately and although the boats have not been manned the boat with a picked crew adopted by the Life-boat Institution as and got very near the vessel, when a coast Life-boats (the Institution has only tremendous sea broke on the boat and one under its management, namely, the overpowered us. After making several Eyde Life-boat, 28 ft. long, 6 ft. 3 in. • other attempts the boat was manned with beam), nevertheless their popularity has a fresh crew, which again failed. Again been so great that, in addition to their •we got a fresh crew, but before we being carried by many of the great ocean reached the brig she went to pieces; we, steamers and innumerable private yacht?, however, succeeded in saving two of the they were adopted by the Admiralty and crew whom we found floating on the supplied to the royal yachts and many water. The remainder of the crew— war-vessels; and, what is more to the eleven persons—were drowned." Although point in this article, they were largely this letter chronicles a sad disaster, any- employed in the Coastguard Service. one experienced in Life-boat work will Many have also been supplied to foreign see that it was in no way the fault of the governments. Under these circumstances, boat or the crews who manned her. A no apology is needed for quoting at larger boat might possibly have done the considerable length the description given work, and so the Cardigan men seemed in the Northumberland Report and the to think, for they sailed their little boat remarks of the jurors. to Cowes, and brought one back 3 ft. Description.—The general form of this longer, " experiencing heavy weather, the boat is that of a whale-boat; slightly boat behaving admirably." rising floor amidships, sides straight in a In 1850 a White's Life-boat was placed fore and aft direction, moderate rake of at Broadstairs (30 ft. long), and another stem and stern post, carvel built and at Ilfracombe (32 ft. long, 8 ft. beam). copper fastened. Length extreme, 32 ft.; IST NOVEMBER, 1900.] THE LIFE-BOAT. 799 of keel, 27 ft.; beam, 8 ft.; depth, 3 ft.; in her, 21 in.; weight of boat and fittings, sheer of gunwale, 12 in.; rake of stem 30 cwt. and stern post, 6 in. in a foot; straight Remarks.—This boat, from her form, keel, 4 in. deep. The boat has six would pull well in all weathers, would thwart?, 30 in. apart, 10 in. below the sail fairly well, and be a good sea-boat. gunwale, and 17 in. above the flooring; Her moderate weight would make her pulls six oars single-banked. easy to transport. The boat has much Extra buoyancy is obtained by air- less extra buoyancy than is usually given cases round the sides, 12 in. wide at the to Life-boats, yet it is ample for all thwarts, and sloping off to the gunwale common purposes; but the air-cases and floor, and in the head and stern being built into the sides renders them LIFEBOAT, BY MESS"-8 WHITE, COWES, ISLE OF WIGHT. SUBMITTED TO COMPETE FOR THE NORTHUMBERLAND PREMIUM . SHEER PLAN. PLAN. BODY PLAN MIDSHIP SECTION. AIR. sheets for a length of 5 ft. up to gunwale liable to be stove in approaching a wreck. height, the whole divided into compart- The internal capacity for holding water ments' and built into the boat. Effective is not large, but the boat has no means extra buoyancy, 70 cubic ft., equal to of freeing herself except by rolling a 2 tons. No ballast. Internal capacity portion of the water out over the gun- up to the level of the thwarts, 105 cubic wales, a measure which is facilitated by ft, equivalent to 3 tons. No means of the sloping form of the air-cases. It is freeing the boat of water. The provision not probable that a boat of this form for righting the boat consists in raised would be upset; but should that accident air-cases at the extremes for a length of occur, there is no sufficient provision for 5 ft. Draught of water with thirty men righting herself, as, owing to the small 3 c 2 800 THE LIFE-BOAT. [1ST NOVEMBEB, 1900. sheer given, the raised air-cases, without competition, and it is known that in any ballast or iron keel, would not effect very heavy weather such a boat has been it. The boat has rather less beam than the means of saving life; but if the is usual for the common purposes of a Committee have formed a right judgment Life-boat.