Stories of the Lifeboat

Stories of the Lifeboat

In sending forth this little work to the public, I desire to acknowledge my obligations to the following:--The Royal National Lifeboat Institution for the valuable matter placed at my disposal, also for the use of the illustrations on pages 20 and 21; to Mr. Clement Scott and the proprietors of Punch for permission to use the poem, "The Warriors of the Sea"; to the proprietors of The Star for the poem, "The Stranding of the Eider"; and to the proprietors of the Kent Argus for so freely granting access to the files of their journal. Lastly, my thanks are due to the publishers--at whose suggestion the work was undertaken--for the generous manner in which they have illustrated the book. o Lionel Lukin, a coachbuilder of Long Acre, London, belongs the honour of inventing the lifeboat. As early as the year 1784 he designed and fitted a boat, which was intended "to save the lives of mariners wrecked on the coast." It had a projecting gunwale of cork, and air-tight lockers or enclosures under the seats. These gave the boat great buoyancy, but it was liable to be disabled by having the sides stove in. Though Lukin was encouraged in his efforts by the Prince of Wales--afterwards George the Fourth--his invention did not meet with the approval of those in power at the Admiralty, and Lukin's only lifeboat which came into use was a coble that he fitted up for the Rev. Dr. Shairp of Bamborough. For many years this was the only lifeboat on the coast, and it is said to have saved many lives. ......Buy Now (To Read More)

Product details

Ebook Number: 42394
Author: Mundell, Frank
Release Date: Mar 23, 2013
Format: eBook
Language: English