THE management of a boat in the dangerous circumstances of a heavy sea and broken water, is altogether so practical a thing, that it may be thought no rules or instructions can be given which would be of much value to those called on to put them in execution.

And undoubtedly experience alone can give that confidence and presence of mind which, in addition to skilfulness, are often indispensable to safety in%ach circumstances. Nevertheless as all our coast boatmen are not equally skilful, and as the majority of other sailors have no experience in the managing of boats in a heavy surf, "we propose to offer some recommendations, not the result of our own experience alone, but of that collected from various parts of our coasts.

In offering our opinion on so important a matter as the proper management of a boat in a surf, on which life or death will often depend, we desire to do so with all deference to those who have already experience for a guide, who having a practical knowledge of the particular character of the sea and surf in their own localities, and of their own boats, have learned that particular management which has appeared most suitable to them. They will be able to compare our suggestions with their experience, and will then be guided by their own judgment in a matter wherein their own safety is concerned; but they are not the persons for whose use our recommendations are more especially oflfered.

When it is considered how various is the character of broken water, according as it is on a beach, in a tide-way, in the bar of a river, or the edge of a shoal, how it will vary according to the steepness or flatness of the shore, the depth of the water, the relative directions of the current or tide and the wind; and again of the wind and the shore, &c. And when also the variety in the build and size of boats in different localities is remembered, the conclusion will rightly be come to, that no one rule will be applicable to meet all cases. That the same rule will not apply alike to the north country coble, the Yarmouth or Deal galley, the Portland laurette, the ship's long-boat, and the powerful and unsubmergible life-boat.

That it will not apply alike to the irregular sea on the edge of a shoal, as on the Herd Sand off the Tyne, to the long and steady rollers advancing majestically in parallel lines on the open beach on exposed parts of the coast, or to the short and dangerous sea occasioned by the set of tides, called a race, as that off Portland. There will be special local peculiarities to be consulted at every locality which will call for some deviation in detail from any-general rule, yet on the other hand there are undoubtedly some leading principles which are more or less applicable to all, and which should therefore be ever borne in mind.

With a view to ascertain as far as practicable the results of local experience, and as to how far any general rule might apply, the Committee of the National Life-boat Institution sometime since caused a series of questions on the " management of boats in a surf and broken water" to be printed, and, through the assistance of the officers of Coastguard, circulated round the coast. To these questions replies were received from 128 different places on the coasts of the United Kingdom, and they contain a large amount of valuable information.

In our observations on the subject we propose to state the substance of the information thus obtained on the different points of management, and to add our own comments upon them.

We will premise that our remarks chiefly refer to open boats only, which are managed either by oars alone, or indifferently with sails and oars.

f Our subject will then chiefly be 'arranged into two divisions, viz., the proper management on going off from the shore against a heavy sea, and that on running before a surf or heavy broken sea for the land.

We had at first proposed to give a complete analysis of the coast returns above alluded to, but we found that the replies from 128 places to 28 distinct questions would not only have made our remarks of too complicated and lengthened a character, but that to have arranged and compared the whole of these 3,584 replies, one with another, individually, would have occupied more time than we had at command to devote to it; our remarks are therefore necessarily of a more general character, drawn from the comparisons we have ourselves made between the several returns from the different localities.

Whilst on some questions, in the local information above referred to, a curious contrast of opinion on the same points may sometimes be observed even at places contiguous to each other, yet on one point, viz., as to the relative amount of danger on going off against a head sea, and on running before it, the opinion is almost unanimous ; that the greater danger exists when running before, or away from a sea; also that this greater danger arises from the liability of boats to broach-to, or turn round broadside to the sea, when in the majority of cases, if the sea be heavy, they are upset. Another point on which nearly all agree is, that open boats under sail before entering the broken water, on running for the land, should take in their sails and go through under oars.

On the question of management, on going off against a broken sea, and on returning before one, we will give the question verbatim as it was circulated on the coast. It was as follows: in rowing to windward, whether in an open boat or a life-boat, would you give a boat all possible speed against a heavy broken sea on its approach; and when running before one, would you do the same away from it; or, in either case, would you check the boat's way until it had passed? The replies to this question were thus divided:—- On going off 18 were in favour of giving all speed; 81 in favour of checking speed.

On running before a sea, 27 in favour of giving all speed; 71 in favour of checking speed.

Other replies were indirect, or suggested other expedients to which we shall presently allude.

It will be observed that the opinions are on these points more conflicting than might have been anticipated; as however there can be but one right way to manage boats placed in similar circumstances, it follows that either the boatmen a'jwme parts of the coasts are unacquainted with the proper management, or that there are local circumstances which make it vary at different places; probably both of these causes must be referred to in order to account for the disparity above displayed.

On the first point, that of going off through broken water, the replies are of four kinds— 1. Give all speed possible. 2. Check speed.

3. Keep steerage-way on the boat (which may be. considered equivalent to giving all speed possible against a head broken sea).

4. Avoid the sea by watching for a smooth.

On the second point, that of running for the shore before a heavy broken sea, the replies are—1. Check speed as much as possible. 2. Give all speed possible.

3. Bring all weights aft and keep the boat well down by the stern. 4. Tow astern a pig of ballast or other weight, or a hollow conical canvas bag called a " drogue." 5. Watch opportunity and avoid the sea.

6. Keep steerage-way on the boat. 7. If under sail, run in under small head-sail only. 8. In sail and take the boat in under oars. 9. Steer with an oar on each quarter.

10. Turn the bow round to the sea and back in stern foremost.

On the first point, the majority of places where the seamen are noted for skill and experience are in favour of giving a boat all the speed possible on going off against a broken sea. On the north-eastern coast of England, in Northumberland, Durham, and Yorkshire, and, again, on the coasts of Norfolk and Suffolk, it appears to be the almost universal custom to do so. As, again, on the second point, it is their custom to check a boat's way when running, and even, at some places, to row back against each heavy sea until it has passed, then to follow it in, repeating the operation on each heavy sea overtaking the boat.

A singular exception to the above rule is Deal, where the boatmen are notoriously courageous and experienced, and where their custom appears, by the replies received, to be exactly the reverse of the above, giving all speed on running before a sea, and checking speed on going off against it. It appears, however, in reply to another question, that several boats have been lost at Deal by broaching- to and upsetting when running before a sea. On the first point, going off against a sea, the custom may be resolved into two kinds— to give all speed through a broken sea, and to check speed on the immediate approach of a heavy wave. As above stated, the giving steerage-way is equivalent to all speed, as against a gale and head-sea no boat can do more than keep steerage-way on her, whilst the majority of boats could not be rowed ahead with sufficient speed to answer their helms—in consequence of which fact lifeboats generally are steered by oars at the stern or quarter instead of with a rudder.

Again, the rule to avoid a sea if possible is only applicable to places where, from the steepness of the shore, the sea does not break until close to it, when boats, by the right opportunity being watched for, may often avoid the worst of the sea; where, however, the shore is flat, and the sea breaks at a quarter of a mile or more from the beach, a boat must of necessity encounter a succession of seas before she is clear of the broken water on going off, and after she has entered it on running for the land.

The danger on going off is of two kinds.

1st, the risk of being overwhelmed by the sea breaking over the bow of the boat and filling her. 2ndly, of being driven back by the sea and turned end over end, or driven down stern foremost, or turned round broadside to the sea and capsized by the same or the following wave before she cau be got head to the sea again. The first danger will be more or less imminent in proportion to the size of the boat and the height of her bow as compared with the magnitude of the waves. If the boat be small, with a low bow, it would be folly to row her right into the crest of a heavy roller at the moment of its curling over, as it would then fall into and fill the boat. The preferable management would doubtless be, if possible, so to place her as that each sea should break a little ahead of her—yet this would often be very difficult to effect. The second danger will be the more imminent the less way there is on the boat, and the fuller and bluffer her bow; it would probably also be greater in a light than a heavy boat, the cause being, that the boat not having sufficient speed or inertia to carry her up the ascent of the approaching wave, and over its crest, she is carried back by it, and may then, if a short boat, be turned instantly end over end, if a long one, be driven down stern foremost, or turned broadside to the sea, and capsized by the same or the next wave. On this point our opinion as to the management is, that in a small boat, if possible, the seas should be avoided until after breaking, but if they cannot be so, that the utmost speed which oars can effect should be given to the boat • whilst in larger boats, and in life-boats, which are not in the same danger of swamping, the utmost speed should invariably be given: indeed, we feel persuaded that the safety of a boat will often depend, in a really heavy sea, on preserving her headway, and that the wide or bluff boat, which cannot retain its headway, is, for that reason, often more unsafe than a narrower and sharper boat.

That a boat or any other vessel Will actually float lighter, and would therefore be less easily submerged by great increase of speed, has been proved by experiment, yet , without losing the advantage of the inertia derived from the actual weight of the vessel.

We may illustrate this circumstance by the well-known effects exhibited by throwing a stone with considerable velocity obliquely to the surface of water, which boys denominate " duck and drake," or by a shot fired horizontally from a gun; in either case a heavy body, which would immediately sink if dropped perpendicularly into the water, not only refuses to be submerged, but actually leaps repeatedly above the surface altogether, until its velocity is sufficiently diminished, when it sinks. So if a boat could be propelled with sufficient velocity, it would skim the surface only, and would refuse to sink.

On the second point, running before a broken sea, an equal variety of management is observable, as practised on the coast, yet all alike intended to meet the one great risk of " broaching-to," .which nearly all agree in considering to be the greatest danger to which a boat can be exposed, and to be that which calls for the most skill and management to obviate it.

As before observed, the greater number of skilful boatmen on the coast are in the habit of checking a boat's way through the water, or of backing her against a heavy sea on its approach. Their practice is to stop the boat's way by backing their oars until the crest of the wave has struck the boat's stern and passed her midship part, then to give way again, running in on the back of that wave, as far as they may be able to, then watching for the approach of the next, and repeating the same operation until they arrive at fehe beach, being careful, by steering with oars at the quarter or stern, to keep the boat, as far as possible, end on to the direction in which the sea is running.

It must be here observed, that this management is so far varied according to the character of the boat; that in cobles, and other square-sterned boats which have their bows better formed for meeting a sea than their sterns are, their position is reversed before entering the broken water, and they are taken in stern foremost and bow outwards, but the same principle being acted on of rowing back to meet each heavy wave, instead of running from it. In a sailingboat this principle can only be so far acted on as to diminish the boat's speed through the water by taking her in under a very, reduced amount of sail, which is commonly done, and by towing weights or instruments made for the purpose.

The advocates of this system of management have certainly reason on their side, in • addition to experience; for as all acknowledge that there is-greater danger in running before a broken sea than in going off against it, it is obvious that the more the latter operation can be assimilated to the former, the safer it must be also, which is therefore effected by an alternate progressive and retrogressive movement, the latter being effected at the particular moments when the progressive motion would- be dangerous. The true theory on which this practice is founded we will endeavour presently to explain.

' Proceeding then to the opposite practice of giving a boat speed, in fact running away from the sea, which constitutes the other important distinction in practice. The principle then acted on is to escape from the danger as fast as possible, and other expedients are then resorted to to prevent the risk of broaching-to. The most common of these is to trim the boat by the stern, by bringing all moveable weights aft (this supposes her stern to be outwards; if she were being taken in stern foremost, she would then be trimmed by the head). The force of the sea or wind on either quarter has then less power to beat it off, and cause the boat to broach-to, than it would have if the stern were light. Another expedient is to tow a pig of ballast, or a basket, or other instrument, which by its weight or hold on the water has the effect of a drag on the rear end of the boat, and prevents its being beat to leeward by the sea, thus keeping her end on to it. On the coast of Norfolk the following ingenious plan is commonly practised. The boatmen there employ an instrument for the above purpose, called a "drogue;" it is a conical shaped canvas bag, of the form of a common candle extinguisher, about 2 feet diameter at the base or mouth of the bag, and 6 feet long, having a small opening at the other end or apex of the cone. When running before a heavy sea in broken water, the drogue is thrown over from the stern, and towed by a stout rope with the large end foremost, when it instantly fills, and from the resistance it opposes to the water, holds the stern back, and prevents the boat's broaching-to : as soon as the danger is past, the large tow-rope is let go, and the drogue then towed with the smaller end foremost by a small line attached to that end, it then immediately collapses, is emptied of water, and offers but little resistance.

The steering with an oar on each quarter is another expedient, employed to prevent broaching-to, as, when running, a boat will not answer her helm on being overtaken by a sea.

The recommendation to watch for an opportunity and avoid a sea, equally in running as on going off, could only be practised at those localities where the beach is steep.

In reply to the question, as to whether any particular kinds of boats are more liable than others to broach-to, the answers .given are so conflicting and contradictory as to afford no information on the point.

In reply to another question, as to the cause of a boat's broaching-to, the almost invariable answer is, "because the stern is thrown out of the water, and the rudder therefore ceases to act." From our own observation we have formed the opinion that this is not the case, although it is quite true, that at the moment of broaching-to, a boat will not answer her helm.

The phenomenon of broaching-to, we believe, may be correctly accounted for as follows:—on a boat encountering a heavy broken sea or roller end on, if she be stationary or is being propelled in a contrary direction to the wave, she will receive its blow, and it will quickly pass by her, her own inertia preventing her being carried away by it. If however she is being propelled in the same direction as the waves, and running rapidly through the water with her stern towards them, on a wave overtaking her, its first effect is to throw her stern up and to depress her bow, but so far from her rudder being out of water, both it and her stern are buried in the crest of the wave; in consequence, however, of her previous motion being in the same direction as that of the wave, she now offers so slight resistance to it, that instead of its passing her, she is hurried along with it at a rapid rate over the ground, her stern high up still immersed in the crest of the sea, and her bow low down at its base; as the wave approaches shoaler water, its inshore surface approaches more and more nearly to a perpendicular, and the tendency of the boat to run down this steep inclination, added to the momentum she has already from her previous motion, causes her to run her bow under water, when her buoyancy at that end being destroyed, her stern, still light, is pressed onward by the summit of the wave, and the undercurrent from the last receding wave at the same time acting on her bow, she is instantly, if a short boat, turned " end over end," or if a long one, capsized quarter-wise. If she have so high a bow that it does not become altogether immersed, or if, as in a life-boat, the end of the boat is occupied by a water-tight air-case to the height of the gunwale, so as to prevent the admission of the water over the bow, the effect then is that the boat is instantaneously turned round broadside to the sea, when again, unless she be a life-boat of a superior description, she is almost certain to be upset. In the circumstances thus described, the sole cause of a boat's running herself under water or broaching-to, is that of running from a sea instead of awaiting it, and suffering it to pass by; and the cause of the rudder being useless to keep the boat end on to the wave, is not that it is thrown out of the water, (although at other times it doubtless is so), for it is actually buried in it, as is also the stern of the boat up to her gunwale, but it is because it is stationary in it, the crest of the wave having acquired an actually progressive' motion equal to that of the boat. If on the other hand the wave passes the boat, as its crest advances from the stem to the fore part, the rudder and stern are thrown out of the water; steering oars are therefore a most valuable auxiliary, aid when running before a sea, but we would recommend the use of a rudder as well.

We have been rather prolix in our account of the phenomenon of broaching-to, because it is a very interesting one, which it is important should be understood in order to arrive at the proper management and to obviate its disastrous effects, which have been more fatal to the lives and pro* perty of boatmen on our coasts, than those proceeding from any other cause whatever.

After the danger of broaching-to has passed, there remains the lesser danger of beaching; and yet some skill is here also required to prevent a boat's capsizing or swamping in the surf. The general custom appears to be that where the beach is more or less steep, she is steered into it in an oblique direction, the bow being turned partially round towards that direction from which the sea is running, which then catches the boat under her counter, and lifts her broadside on to the beach. If, however, the shore be very flat, she is steered perpendicularly to the beach.

We have now only to offer our own opinion and recommendations on the subject for the use of those who have not already experience and skill for their guides, and for the consideration of those who have.

Amongst the former we would especially address ourselves to the crews of merchant vessels who, having to desert their ships from any cause, and take to their boats, may attempt to land on the open coast, since no winter passes by without some of their number losing their lives in such attempts.

1st. On going off from the shore against a heavy broken sea, whether from the beach on an open coast, or over the bar of a river, and whether the beach be steep or flat, it may be presumed that, whatever be the urgency of the case, no boat which is not of sufficient size and power, in proportion to the nature of the sea, to offer some chance of safety and success, will be taken off. In any such boat, however, our opinion is, that unless from the steepness of the beach and nature of the sea, she can, by skilful management, be made to avoid it by watching a favourable opportunity, the safest plan is to give her all the speed which can be obtained by rowing.

For the larger descriptions of boat taken off under sail, no rule can be given; the amount of sail and management must depend entirely on the character of the boat, on her rig, size of her sails, strength of her gear, on her stability, and the knowledge and experience which her crew have of her capabilities, &c.

In a life-boat, on going off to the assist' ance of a wrecked vessel, if the distance, from the land is not too great, the whole service should be performed under oars only; and no masts or sails or their gear should be taken in the boat, as they necessarily much encumber the rowers, and occupy the space which may be needed for the stowage of rescued persons. If, on account of distance from the land it will be indispensable to sail the boat to the site of the wreck, it will still be advisable (as being safer) to take the boat, if possible, through the broken water under oars, and not to make sail on her until getting beyond it; experience must, however, on such a point, be the chief guide.

2nd. On the management of a boat, when running through broken water for the land, our unqualified opinion is, that the greatest danger consists in following the natural impulse to escape from the advancing seas as rapidly as possible; no boat can be propelled so fast but that the waves will overtake her, when the results before depicted must take place. Our recommendations then are, 1st. Before entering broken water, if a sail be set, take it in, unship the mast, and lash both, with any other spare gear, to the thwarts of the boat, to prevent it falling over on the lee side, if the boat should be struck by a sea and thrown on her beam ends. Next, if the boat be a square-sterned one, turn her round with her head to the sea; then row or back her in, carefully keeping her, both with the aid of the rudder and oars, end on to the sea. Watch each sea as it advances, and check the boat's progress, by rowing or backing the oars, until the brow of the wave has passed the centre of the boat, then go in on the back, or rear side of it, to the land, if it can be done, but keeping a constant look-out behind for the coming up of the next wave, when the same operation has to be repeated. Even with these precautions undoubtedly the sea may be so overwhelming, or the boat so inferior, that they may fail to save her, but we conceive them to be her only means of security. On arrival at the beach she should then, if it be flat, be taken end on quite to the shore; if it be steep she should be sheered obliquely to it, turning her towards that side from which the sea is running, if it is not doing so at right angles to the beach.

As regards the crews of merchant vessels leaving their ships and attempting to land in their own boats, we recommend that they should not take to a boat as long as there might be any chance of safety in their ship, especially in the night-time; that if not fitted up as a life-boat they should secure, if there should be time to do so, some small empty casks, tightly corked, under the thwarts, and in the head and stem-sheets of the boat; that if the vessel should be provided with any life-buoys or life-belts, the former should be taken in the boat, and the latter be worn by themselves; that they should provide her with any long small line that might be available for effecting a communication either with the shore or with another vessel, if any should be at hand. Other obvious things, such as a bucket, baler, or hand-pump, spare thowelpins, rudder and tiller, &c., we need scarcely name. That on leaving their vessel they should, if practicable, make for the nearest harbour or other sheltered place in preference to attempting a landing on the open coast; even if the weather should be fine, or the wind off the land, as there often is a surf on the beach in such situations that would be dangerous to ordinary ships' boats, even in calm and fine weather; lastly, that, if there should be a surf along the shore, they should, before entering it, endeavour to attract the attention of persons on the shore, who might come to their aid in landing, or signify to them, if near enough to do so, the right moment when, and the safest place where, to beach their boat.

We cannot conclude this humble effort to render a service to the boatmen and other seamen who may be exposed to risk on our own coasts, or elsewhere, without addressing a few words to shipowners in case it should come to their notice.

We think that they would be rendering an important service, nay, would be only fulfilling an important duty, by endeavouring to afford their servants, the crews of their vessels, every reasonable protection to their lives in case of shipwreck, or the necessity for taking to then- boats. It would not put any owner to a very great expense to fit up one boat in his vessel as a life-boat, or, so far as a life-boat, that she should not founder with her crew in if filled by a sea. It would put him to no great trouble or expense, when supplying her with a new boat, to ascertain whether it might not be constructed of a form better calculated to afford security on any emergency to his crew. It would not put him to a very great expense to furnish a lifebuoy to his vessel, and as many good lifebelts as the number of his crew. These trifling things, supplied to all vessels, as they ought to be, would be the means of saving many a poor fellow's life; the supplying them would not only be a duty to humanity, but an act of policy, as we may surely presume that it would also afford a balm to the conscience, and' a solacing reflection to the old age of the shipowner who had, whether required by law or not, supplied them,—a balm and a reflection which could never for a moment be realized by him who, on looking back over his past career, could number his lost crews by dozens, yet had never made any serious efforts to afford them that security which, as a man and as a Christian master, he ought to have done.