Page:A tour through the northern counties of England, and the borders of Scotland - Volume II.djvu/41

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Henry Greathead, a ship-carpenter of South- Shields, produced his life-boat', and trial being made of its effects, it was found to answer every desired purpose. One accordingly was built for Shields, another for Sunderland, a third for Bamborough- Castle, and a fourth for Holy-Island, a little to the north of Bamborough-Castle. Its form is dr \ of alone; spheroid, thirty feet in length by twelve feet over; either end pointed, and thus calculated to row both ways, an oar serving the purpose of the helm. About eighteen inches below the gunwale a strong lining of cork covers the whole oi the in- side, which gives the boat such a buoyancy as en- ables it to live in any water. The crew usually ' ab nit twenty men, and the capacity of the boat enables it to receive about ten more. On the:o;h of [anuary 1790, tlte life-! oat Soulh- Shitlds first put to sea in a horribie gale 01 wind, for the giorioi.s purpose of rescuing some unfor- tunate mariners who were the sport of the tempest in she oiling; a number of con, jackets being pr< idid for the crew, in case their vessel disap- 5.;itions of the inven'or, and failed in its purpose. ... '< '.' precaution was unncces- .,1; I '.:'::. 'lather upon tin: water, it roue , . . . ^; n. and smiled

at xh 1 '.: storm; ' '. > v. .;.

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