PRESERVING LIVES of Shipwrecked Persons

PRESERVING LIVES of Shipwrecked Persons. In our account of life-boats, we laid before our readers every thing that seemed useful on so important a subject which was then known to us. Since that time we have met with the following description of a similar invention by a Mr Lukin of London, suggested during his casual residence at Lowestoff in Suffolk.

A boat constructed on this principle cannot be over-set or sunk by any power of wind and water; in proof of which the following particulars and description of the construction are made public, with the hope of rendering more generally known the easy means of saving many valuable lives; which might certainly be done, if one or two of these boats were built at each of our ports, and every ship furnished with one (at least) in proportion to her size.

Description and Dimensions of the Lowestoff Life-Boat.

The form the same as the yawns of that coast; the stern post nearly upright.

External gunwales hollow, forming an oblique section of a parabola with the side of the boat, and projecting nine inches from it on each side: these gunwales are reduced a little in their projection towards their ends, and are first formed by brackets and thin boards, covered at top and bottom with one thickness of good sound cork, and the extremity or apex of the projection having two thicknesses of cork, the better to defend it from any violent blows it may meet with in hard service. The depth of these gunwales from top to bottom was 15 inches, and the whole covered with very strong canvas, laid on with strong cement to resist the water, and that will not stick to any thing laid upon it.

A false keel of wrought iron three inches deep, made of three bars rivetted together, and bolted under the common keel, which it greatly strengthens, and makes a very essential part of her ballast; being fixed so much below the floor, it has nearly double the power the same weight would have if laid on the floor, and therefore much

Preserving much preferable to any other ballast that can be used for sailing boats.

Thwarts and gang-board as usual; three masts and lug sails, and 12 short oars.

In this state, this boat is much safer than any common boat of the same dimensions, will carry more sail, and bear more weather; but to make it completely unim-mergible, empty casks of about 22 inches diameter were ranged along within the gunwales, lashed firmly to the boat, lying even with the tops of the gunwales, and resting upon brackets fastened to the timbers for that purpose: also two such casks in the head, and two in the stern, and all removable in a short time, if desired; there were also some empty casks placed under the gang-board; these would be an addition to the buoyancy if empty, and an increase to her ballast if full.

Thus equipped, this boat was launched on the 19th of November, in a very squally day. About 20 men were launched in her, most of them pilots or seamen. They ran her immediately from the beach across the Corton sand, in the midst of the breakers, which would have been almost certain destruction to any common sailing boat, as that would have been filled and sunk immediately. They then turned to the southward along the top of the sand to its end: when they tacked and stood to the northward, pulled up the plugs in her bottom, and let in as much water as would come that way; the water rose very little above the thwarts. With all this water in it, the boat sailed better than without it. The plugs were now put in again, and water poured in by buckets, until it ran over both gunwales; and in this state it was the opinion of those on board that she would have carried 60 men without sinking, and to upset it is not possible. But it is Mr Lukin's opinion that more than 50 men should not be taken in when the boat is full of water, and all her casks empty.

It is particularly advisable that all life-boats should be built of the form most approved by the pilots or seamen on the coast where they are to be used; as no one form will suit all shores; and these principles of safety are applicable to every form.

To this description we have only to add, that Mr Lukin is said to be the inventor of the first life-boat ever built in England, and to have obtained a patent for it in the year 1785. It would appear, too, that he published a pamphlet on the subject, but this pamphlet we have had no opportunity of seeing.