The Sun.
London, England, 1862-03-27 00:00:00

while living. His willnot be the pleasure of direct-
ing as he will, the use of property which he can no
longer enjoy. The happier blessing he will enjoy, of
sacrificing a fortune while it is yet his own—of
laying a vast estate at the feet of those who will
assuredly prove themselves true successors of the
Apostles, in their faithful distribution to the poor
and needy.

TRIAL OF THE DUNDEENDS. LIFEBOAT ON THE
GAA NA

The lifeboat recently sent to Dundee by the National
Lifeboat Institution underwent a few days ago a very
severe test on the Gaa Sands, near Dundee. The new and
old lifeboats of the locality were taken i tow of a steamer
to Buddonness Lighthouse. The new boat is called the
Mary Hartley, after the benevolent lady who had so
zealously collected the cost of the lifeboat and its transport-
ing carriage. On looking at the two boats in tow, no one
could fail to notice the superior model of the Mary Hartley,
whose bow laid the water on each side as if cleft by a knife,
while the old boat, with her broad bow, plunged and
drenched the crew with spray. On reaching No. 4 (black)
buoy they were cast off by the steam-tug, and the men
pulled on to the Abertay Sands in search of broken
water. Here again the superiority of the Mary
Hartley manifested itself, pulling with ten oars half as fast
again as the old boat with twelve.- They were soon on the
heavy broken swell of the Abertay Spit, and though the
coxswain made for every breaker, nothing could put the
boat in the slightest distress, and in the heaviest sea she
did not ship a cupful of water. The old boat followed
more slowly but not more steadily, and after manouvring
the boats in every imaginable manner, it was resolved to
try them on the Gaa Sand, on the north side of the river,
where there was nothing but white broken surf, and where
the danger was infinitely greater. The signal was given
by the steamer, and they pulled out of the swell and laid
alongside to receive instructions. The Mary Hartley life-
beat then made for the Gaa Sand between Nos. 3 and 4 (red)
buoys,and hardly had she passed them when she was caught
amidships by a curling roller, and poised on its crest, was
whirled round end on, and carried with the velocity of an
arrow for five or six hundred yards into comparatively
smooth water. The sudden stroke of the wave caused two
of the oars to snap, and a number of the strong galvanised
rowlocks were bent. No sea could test more conclusively
the perfect efficiency and thorough safety of the Mary
Hartley lifeboat ; and no one who had the pleasure of wit-
nessing such a sight could have the slightest fear in trust-
ing to such a boat—the crew especially having now every
confidence in her. Meanwhile the old boat was in no envi-
able position, for her coxswain was keeping her broadside on
to the roaring surf, and though trying her in every manner,
she behaved well. The water she shipped was not so quickly
self-ejected as by the Mary Hartley, but her performance
in other respects were admirable. The new boat again steered
out amongst the breakers, and though not so fortunate as
to be struck by one similar to ,that she had met on enter-
ing, a good number of formidable waves were disposed of,
and the cheers:of the crew, as they rose on the top of a wave
and were then lost for a few seconds, were loudly replied to
by those on board the steamer, while the nautical men were
loud in her praise—" What a beauty I" "Admirable I"
one experienced captain saying that, " If she wouldn't do,
nothing would." After practising for about half-an-hour
—broadside, bow, and stern on—the boats were signalled
out of the Gaa surf, and the men, drenched to the skin,
were informed the trial was over.