The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-01-13 00:00:00

but we cannot help pressing the demand—What
is a Life-boat ?

Not to follow Mr. SAXBY through his interest-
ing pamphlet, we cannot help thinking that a
total revision of the question is called for. At the
present we will confine our remarks to the evils
of the mode of construction, intending soon to
place the other end of the bar into the furnace of
public discussion, not for a moment doubting
that it will soon reach a glowing and " malleable"
state. It appears to us that without depicting
the Horatian monster referred to so aptly in the
pamphlet, we may still take some judicious com-
bination of " qualities," and improve the life-
boat.

It is remarkable that the Northumberland
prize was offered, not because the South Shields
life-boat was turned over end for end, and thus
drowned tN-YentY of the " best pilots of the Tyne,"
but because si" went ashore bottom up ;" and
.4
yet there is not eitel; now a known life-boat afloat
which will right herself 1 The Point of Ayr life-
boat as well; drifted ashore bottom up ! The
form of the South Shields boat was without
objection until the above accident oceurr..—d* For

sixty years had this form, introduced by Grtr.:_4-T."
HEAD, been used upon the coast successfully ;
and its usefulness will be appreciated, when we
acquaint or inform our readers that, in the ten
years previous to the catastrophe referred to,
nearly 500 lives were rescued by it, The same
may be said of WHITE'S admirable boat at the
North Foreland ; for, notwithstanding its well-
tested.usefulness, in its history we find that, in
March, 1851, after saving a crew, it was dam-
aged in its side air chambers, and drifted help-
lessly to leeward, until in its turn it was itself
picked up by a Ramsgate open lugger. Yet this
unfortunate occurrence happened to the very
boat in which (as we have published) " ten
brave men," last week " pulled through a boiling
" surf and raging sea, which several times hid
" them from sight," and thus saved the crew of
the Northern Belle. This same boat, moreover,
was taken through the streets of Broadstairs,
with the very flag of America, which had so
recently been hoisted in distress, lashed to an
oar in triumph, and wreathing the broken bows
(one might almost say brows) of the Mary White,
typifying the shattered warrior under the ban-
ner and laurals of victory !
So, then, one qualification alone is wanted, to
render even this fine boat perfect, and this
is the sole qualification of self-righting. Now,
Mr. SAXBY'S axiom, No. 14, says :—" All
buoying powers in any part of the sides of a
" boat are hindrances to their righting them-
" selves ;" and adds, " the model above referred
" to, proves that they may then be entirely dis-
" penned with." This we would commend to the
consideration of more practical judges than our-
selves—to those who have influence in these
matters. We must, as journalists, repeat that we
advocate no one form of boat ; but it does appear
that Mr. SAXEBY has offered remarks and sug-
tions worthy of examination ; and as his model
is open to public inspection at Liverpool for
some days, it would be well for commanders of
ships, and pilots, and boatmen, and shipwrights,
to look at it. We are at liberty to say, that
any person may avail himself of any hints it may
afford. We commend this feeling in the inventor,
and shall further examine into the causes of
disasters at sea.