the
sea was heavy and broken, but, on crossing a deep channel between two
shoals, the little lifeboat was caught up and struck by three heavy seas
in succession. The coxswain lost command of the rudder, and she was
carried away before a sea, broached to, and upset, throwing her crew out
of her. _Immediately_ she righted herself, cleared herself of water,
and was brought up by her anchor which had fallen out when she was
overturned. The crew meanwhile having on lifebelts, floated and swam to
the boat, caught hold of the life-lines festooned round her sides,
clambered into her, cut the cable, and returned to the shore in safety!
What more need be said in favour of the self-righting boats?

The self-emptying principle is quite equal to the self-righting in
importance.

In _every_ case of putting off to a wreck in a gale, a lifeboat ships a
great deal of water. In most cases she fills more than once.
Frequently she is overwhelmed by tons of water by every sea. A boat
full of water cannot advance, therefore baling becomes necessary; but
baling, besides being very exhausting work, is so slow that it would be
useless labour in most cases. Besides, when men have to bale they
cannot give that undivided attention to the oars which is needful. To
overcome this difficulty the self-emptying plan was devised.

As, I doubt not, the reader is now sufficiently interested to ask the
questions, How are self-righting and self-emptying accomplished? I will
try to throw some light on these subjects.

First, as to self-righting. You are aware, no doubt, that the buoyancy
of our lifeboat is due chiefly to large air-cases at the ends, and all
round the sides from stem to stern. The accompanying drawing and
diagrams will aid us in the description. On the opposite page you have
a portrait of, let us say, a thirty-three feet, ten-oared lifeboat, of
the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, on its transporting carriage,
ready for launching, and, on page 95, two diagrams representing
respectively a section and a deck view of the same (Figures 1, 2, and
3).

The breadth of this boat is eight feet; its stowage-room sufficient for
thirty passengers, besides its crew of twelve men--forty-two in all. It
is double-banked; that is, each of its five banks, benches, or thwarts,
accommodates two rowers sitting side by side. The lines festooned round
the side dip into the water, so that anyone swimming alongside may
easily grasp them, and in