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Henry Greathead, of South Shields, for the preservation of Shipwrecked mariners. The admirable qualities of this boat render it perfectly fafe and governable in the most agitated fea. It refifts the fhock of the impetuous wave, without overturning, and from the quantity of cork (700 wt.)affixed to it,poffeffes an extraordinary buoyancy; experience has confirmed its fafety and utility in the most dangerous fituations, and it contributed in an eminent degree to preserve the crews of the numerous veffels lately ftranded at the entrance of Tinemouth haven, without the intervention of a fingle unfavourable accident to the boat, amidst the moft tremendous waves. The following is a defcription of its conftruction.

The Life Boat is thirty feet in length, and the breadth is one third of the length with both the ends alike. The keel of the boat is a three inch plank, bearing a proportional breadth in the midfhips, narrowing towards the ends to the thickness of the bottom of the stems, and forming a convex downwards; the ftems are fegments of a circle with a confiderable rake; the bottom fection to the floor heads, is a curve with the fweep of the keel: the floor has a fmall rife, from the keel to the floor heads, curving; a bilge plank is worked on each fide,next the floor heads, with a double rabbit (grove) of a thickness fimilar to the keel, on the outfide of which are fixed two bilge tres correfponding nearly upon a level with the keel; the ends of the bottom fection form the part of a coble

bow, more elipticle to the top pro jecting confiderably, each end the fame; the fides from the floor heads to the top of the gunwale, flaunch on each fide, in proportion to half the breadth of one fide of the floor; the breadth is conti nued well toward the ends, leaving a fufficient length of ftrait fide at the top; the fheer is regular along the strait fide, and more elevated towards the ends; the gunwale is fixed on the outfide; the outfide is, cafed with cork the whole length of the regular fheer, from the under part of the gunwale to two thirds down the depth of the fide; the cork has feveral layers or thickneffes,fo as to project, at the top a little without the gunwale,and is fecur ed with plates of copper; the thwarts are five in number, all ftationed, and double banked, with ten oars; the oars are short, with iron tholes and grommets to enable the rowers to pull either way; the boat is fteered with an oar at either end, and the steering oar is one third longer than the rowing oar; the platform in the bottom is placed horizontally the length of the midfhips, and the fides from the bottom to the under part of the thwarts, are cafed with cork; at the ends, the plat form is more elevated, for the convenience of the fteerman, and to give him a greater command of power with the oar.

PRACTICAL REMARKS.

The curving keel and bottom admit the boat to be turned with facility, render it fafer in the fea, and more freely steered; the great rake of the stems, with the fine

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entrance below, forming part of the coble bow (a conftruction fuperior to all others in a high fea and broken water) with the projection to the top of the gunwale, are the means, when the boat is conducted to head the fea, of dividing the waves, which generally break into a common boat; the breadth being continued well to the ends, fupports the boat in the fea, when rowing against the wave; and both ends being fimilar, fhe is always in a pofition to be rowed either way,without turning; the addition of the ftantions under the thwarts admit the boatman to act with a firmer force; and in the inftance of ftriking the ground, the weight of the men by the communication of the ftantions, will in fome degree refift the fhock. The advantage of the fhort oar in the high fea is obvious, it is more manageable, and permits the boatman to keep his feat; but the long oar in the midft of agitated waves would be unweildy, and the ftroke frequently uncertain; the cork on the outfide is a most excellent defence and difplaces a large column of water; and it has been proved by experiment to float the boat, even with the principle part of the bottom out; the great projection of the cork on the outside, alfo prevent the boat from overturning. The beft method of conducting the boat is, to head the fea, and from its admirable conftruction, aided by the force of the oars, it will launch over the wave with rapidity, without taking in any water. The perfon who fteers the

boat fhould be acquainted with the course of the tides, in order to take every poffible advantage; and great care fhould be had in approaching the wreck that the boat be not damaged, as there is frequently a ftrong reflux of the fea near the wreck. In fuch 'cafes, a fmall anchor and a line may be useful to veer the boat along fide of the wreck. When the wind blows to the land, the boat will return to the fhore before the wind and the fea, without any other effort than fteering.

The excellent properties of the life boat muft render it peculiarly ufeful in fuch fituations as thofe of Deal and Yarmouth, and it cannot be to ftrongly recommended. The inhabitants of Scarborough have raised a fubfcription for the purpose of having one built for the ufe of the port, agreeably to a plan fent by Mr. Greathead; and it would be happy if the life boat were brought into general ufe wherever the fituation is fuitable. The most ample and ref pectable teftimonies of the extraordinary utility of the boat, in the prefervation of the lives of fhipwrecked mariners, may be obtained from Shields and Sunderland; and the duke of Northumberland received fuch conviction of its eminent qualities, that he caufed one, 30 feet in length to be built for the ufe of North Shields, at his own expence.

To the ingenuity of Mr Greathead, the public is indebted for one of the most useful improvements, and he is juftly entitled to a remuneration. The dedication

of a leisure moment on the fubject, will be deemed amply recompenced, if thefe obfervations fhould contribute to introduce

this valuable boat into more gen. eral ufe.

THOMAS HINDERWELL.

CAPT

ANECDOTES.

APTAIN Chriftie, an Irish officer, who ferved with confiderable credit in America, had the misfortune to be dreadfully wounded in one of the battles there. As he lay on the ground, an unfortunate foldier, who was near him, and was alfo feverely wounded, made a terrible howling, at which Christie exclamied, "D-mn your eyes, what do you make fuch a noise for, do you think nobody is killed but yourself."

A VERY devout fellow not being able to please his nice piety in his prayers, ufed only to repeat the alphabet, and then to add, "O Lord God, put thefe letters into fyllables, and thefe fyllables into words, and these words into fentences, that may be most for my real good."

AN old officer of diftinction, and of tried valour, refufed to accept a challenge fent him by a young adventurer; but returned the following answer: "I fear not your fword, but the anger of my God. I dare venture my ife in a good caufe, but cannot hazard my foul in a bad one. will charge up to the cannon's

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mouth, for the good of my coun try; but I want courage to storm hell."

A GENTLEMAN travelling in foreign parts, happened to be benighted, far from any place of accommodation : to avoid the dreariness of the night, in a ftrange place, he thought it advisable to feek for fome shelter, and having difcovered a cave, he difmounted his horfe, which he fastened by the bridle on the out fide of the cave, and then went in and laid down in his clothes, and being much fatigued, fell a fleep, nor did he awake till the daylight appeared; when lo! to his great aftonishment, he found himself fufpended by his heels from the roof of the cave. He made many efforts to free himself from fo difagreeable a fituation, when at length he fhuffled his legs out of his boots and came to the ground, almost stunned by the fall; when looking up he perceived the cause of this dif after was owing to the cave being formed out of a rock of loadstone, and he unfortunately having fteel fpurs on, was attracted up in the manner defcribed; and fome fay the boots are hanging there yet.

Poetry.

For the COLUMBIAN PHENIX.

FROM THE PARNASSIAN SHOP OF PETER QUINCE, ESQ.
SIMON PETER's ADIEU TO THE CITY.

Beatus ille,qui procel negotiis,
Uti prifca gens mortalium,
Paterna rura bobus exercet futs,
Solutus omni foenore.

To the city I've bid an adieu!
To its picafures and parties farewell!
Nor can they entrap me anew;

Or call me once more from my cell.

I believ'd midft the Rich and the Great,
Mild Contentment and Happiness dwelt ;
That they blunted the arrows of fate.
And feldom keen mifery felt.

That time flew with pinions of down,
While Charity brighten'd his way;
And Peace, on her olive-branch crown,
Recorded the deeds of each day.

That Juftice, with mercy attir'd,

HORACE.

Heard the caufe of the poor and opprefs'd;
Check'd the tongue, with malevolence fir'd,
And the wrongs of the feeble redress'd.

The delufion is over and past,

And the tinfel, which mifery clad,
Is remov'd by my reason, at last-
And I mourn that the world is fo bad.

That anguish and want should appear,
With gaiety's mantle adorn'd;
That I language of foftness fhould hear
From a wretch, whom humanity fcorn'd.

That damfels with modest array,
And manners apparently good,
Should trip thro' the city all day-
But, at night, with fell infamy brood.

The rich meet the rich in the street,

And tho' vices hang thick round their heart,

Shake hands and most courteously greet

But, with plots and contrivances part.

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No hand wipes a tear from the eye
Of the widow and fatherless child;
But, politely, affistance deny,

And laugh to behold them beguil'd.
The good man, by Poverty led,

Thro' the city must wander alone;
With the offals of grandeur be fed,
And to wretchedness open his moan.
The worldlings have virtue forfook;
To felf are their bounties confin'd;
While thofe, who take pride in the crook,
Are patrons and friends to mankind.
O! Nature thy works I adore;

The path thou'ft defign'd us to tread,
Is ftock'd with the richest of lore,

With the fairest of rofes befpread. Our wants are both fimple and few, Where virtue and modefty reign; But the phantoms of blifs we pursue, And the counsels of wisdom difdain.

Let ME wander my cottage around,

Tafte the fruits of my labour and care; With health, peace and friendship aboundAnd I fhall not of pleasure defpair.

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