LIFEBOAT MAGAZINE ARCHIVE

Advanced search

Additional Stations and New Life-Boats

PORTRUSH, Co. ANTRIM.—The crew of this Life-boat haying expressed a desire to be provided •with a larger boat, a new one has accordingly been furnished to them, of the following dimensions: length, 32 feet; breadth, 7£ feet; number of oars, 10.

It was provided with a transporting car- riage, and, as the boat-house also required nearly rebuilding in addition to altera- tions to the slipway, the opportunity has been taken to rebuild the house, and thus to renovate completely the Life-boat Establishment. The new boat is named the John Whitaker, its expense having been defrayed from the estate of the late JOHN WHITAKER, Esq., of Blackheath, by his executor, EDWARD ABSOLOM, Esq., of Snaresbrook. It should be stated that the Great Northern of Ireland, and the Belfast and Northern Railway Companies readily granted the boat and carriage a free conveyance over their lines from Dublin to Portrush. It may also be men- tioned that the first Life-boat on the Port- rush Station was presented to the institu- tion by the late Lady COTTON SHEPPARD, and was, with her sanction, named the Laura Countess of Antrim.

CEMLYN, ANGLESEY.—The Life-boat con- tributed to the NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTI- TUTION by the Loyal Order of Ancient Shepherds, A.U., has'been stationed at Cemlyn, on the coast of Anglesey. Some years ago there was a Life-boat at that ! place, but it had eventually to be removed to Cemaes, as there were not men enough on the spot to work the boat. There is now a sufficient number of seafaring men to take charge of a Life-boat, and at their earnest desire the Establishment has ac- cordingly been reorganised, it being a most dangerous coast for shipping on account of the numerous outlying rocks.

The boat supplied is one of the 32-feet 10-oared class, and it is provided with a transporting carriage, while a substantial house has been erected on a convenient site. The boat was publicly exhibited at Ashton-under-Lyne,. under the superin- tendence of the Assistant-Inspector Capt.

C. GRAY JONES, E.N., in connection with the Jubilee Meeting and Annual Conference of the Shepherds' Order, on which occa- sion it took part in a -grand procession of the Order through the principal streets of the town, and was named the Good Shep- herd by Miss ANDREWS, of Audenshaw, and launched into a lake near the town.

CBUDEN, N.B.—On the application of the Earl of ERROLL, his son, Lord KIL-MARNOOK, and other residents, a Life-boat Establishment has been formed at Port Erroll in Cruden Bay, Aberdeenshire, where it is thought the boat is likely to render good service occasionally to the crews of vessels in distress off that part of the coast and to the fishermen of the place, this being a rising fishing port.

The boat placed there is 33 feet long, 8£ feet wide, and pulls 10 oars doable- banked ; it is provided with a transporting carriage. The cost of the boat was de- frayed from a gift to the Institution by " A Scot Abroad," residing at Wanganui, New Zealand, for a Life-boat to be named the Peep o'Day, and stationed on the Scotch coast. The public launch of the boat at the station took place on the 30th October last, in the presence of a large crowd of spectators who had assembled notwith- standing the unpropitious state of the weather. The Rev. Mr. Ross having en- gaged in prayer, the boat was handed to the Local Committee by Assistant-In- spector Captain JONES, B.N., in the name of the Donor and the Institution. The gift was acknowledged by the Earl of ERROLL, who said that the local residents accepted with an expression of confidence and satisfaction the presentation of that magnificent Life-boat for the special ser- vice of their coast, with the important in- terests and the responsible obligations which it involved; and in the name of the friends who had so nobly and munifi- cently aided in the good. cause, in the name of those who composed her crew, and in the name of all in the locality, he engaged that continuous and combined efforts should be directed to the great ends of advancing her reputation and establishing her efficiency and success, in the arduous and enterprising mission which from time to time she might have occasion to accomplish. Lady KILMAR- NOCK then approached the stern of the boat, in which the crew Was seated, and, as she lifted the bottle and threw it against the stern, wishing success to the Peep o'Day, it glided down into the water, across the harbour, and out to sea. The crew exercised themselves and the boat for some time with great success, the boat behaving very well indeed, both under sails and oars in a rough sea.

In the evening the committee and crew were entertained by Lord ERROLL at dinner.

NEWHAVEN, SUSSEX.—A fine new Life- boat, 37 feet long, 9 feet wide, and rowing 12 oars double-banked, has been placed at Newhaven by the Institution, in lieu of the boat sent there some years since, which was thought not sufficiently power- ful for the requirements of the station.

The expense of the new boat and equip- ment has been defrayed from a fund col- lected by the Jewish boys and girls of the United Kingdom. It was originated by the late Mr. MICHAEL HENRY, after whom the boat is named. The boat was pub- licly launched at its station on the 3rd of September, under the superintendence of Assistant-Inspector Captain JONES, R.N., when the presentation of the boat to the Institution was made on behalf of the donors by Mr. JOSEPH SEBAG, nephew of Sir MOSES MONTEFIORE, Bart.; and the ceremony of naming was performed by Miss SEBAG, after a religious service by the Rev. Dr. ADLER, the Jewish Rabbi.

NEWBURGH, N.B.—On the recommenda- tion of the Inspecting Cqmmander of H.M. Coastguard and the Inspector of Life-boats, the Institution has formed a Life-boat Establishment at Newburgh, at the mouth of the river Ythan, Aberdeen- shire, where numerous shipwrecks had occurred at different times. A good site was offered for the boat-house, and there are a sufficient number of boatmen, chiefly fishermen, to work the boat. The Life- boat provided is a 30-feet 8-oared one, and the expense of the boat, carriage, and equipment has been met by the legacy bequeathed to the Institution by the late Miss M. A. BIRTWHISTLE, of Cheltenham, the boat being named the Alexander Charles and William Aird.

On the 18th November, the interesting ceremony of naming and launching the craft was performed by Mrs. UDNY, of Udny. The event was a great one in the local calendar. Fortunately the weather, if cold, was propitious for an out-door demonstration, and the good folks of Newburgh kept high holiday, assisted thereto by many visitors from Collieston, Belhelvie, and the surrounding district.

The proceedings were commenced with prayer by the Rev. Mr. KEAY, who, in a few earnest remarks, commended the boat and her crew to the Divine care.

Captain Jones, RN< Assistant In-spector, then addressed those present as Bridge of Don, Collieston, and Belhelvie follows:— stations.

" I can only say to you who have got to man this boat and risk your lives, that we have every reason to believe from what we have seen and heard of you, that you will make this boat when wanted just as famous as some others on this coast to the right and left of it. The fishermen in these parts have always done remarkably well with their Life- boats. I have just a word of caution to those on shore. It sometimes happens that people have an exaggerated idea of what it is possible for a Life- boat to do. Some think that anything can be done with Life-boats, but they are not superhuman, or endowed with life. Men can only do their best, and I wish you would guard against criticising or hounding them on to do things that are im- possible. It sometimes happens when they cannot possibly proceed to a rescue that they are jeered at and urged to run into needless danger, and this has the effect of disheartening the men in those cases where they might do effective service. I am sure that if they get a chance of going off to a distressed ship they will go, but do not let those on shore get up a cry afterwards if the attempt does not succeed. You have got a dangerous coast here, and many risks to run, but it is not generally to be supposed that you will have any distant spot to go to—perhaps a mile off or so—but I am quite sure that you will always show pluck enough when there is anything to do that can be done. Another thing I wish to impress upon the crew is obedience to the coxswains. In some other places we have found difficulty with the crews at the first start.

Everybody wants to command, but you must try not to make much noise, but to do your duty quietly and actively." Mr. UDNY, of Udny, then said that on behalf of the Local Committee he accepted the charge of that fine Life-boat which the generosity of a lady, through the NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, had presented to them. It would, he hoped, be the means of saying many precious lives along their dangerous coast. They would do all they could to insure its success, and he was sure the crew would do as much, if not more, than had been done in other parts about there.

Mrs. UDNY, seizing the bottle of wine hanging from the stern, then dashed it against the side of the boat, saying while doing so, " I have much pleasure in naming this boat the Alexander Charles and William Aird, and God bless it." Loud cheers were raised as the boat was launched from the carriage into the water, and was rowed up and down the river. Ultimately she was taken out to sea, when the sails were hoisted, and a very satisfactory trial was made of her sailing powers.

An interesting exhibition of the work- ing of the rocket apparatus was then given by detachments of men from the PORTHDINLLAEN, CARNARVONSHIRE.— The Life-boat on this station, having be- come unfit for further service, has been replaced by a fine new 37-feet 12-oared boat, the expense of which was defrayed from a fund raised amongst the employes of Messrs. COPESTAKE, HUGHES, CRAMPTON & Co. (late Messrs. COPESTAKE, MOORE, CRAMPTON & Co.), to provide a Life-boat to be called the George Moore, in memory of their late respected employer, the well- known philanthropist. The boat was pub- licly named and launched at its station on the 30th September, under the super- intendence of Assistant-Inspector Captain JONES, E.N. The zealous Hon. Secretary of the Abersoch and Porthdinllaen Branch of the Institution, the Kev. OWEN LLOYD WILLIAMS, officiated at a short religious service prior to the launch. The crew and others connected with the station were greatly pleased with the behaviour of the boat, which was tried under sail in rather a strong wind.

PORT PATRICK, N.B.—On the represen- tation of the local residents, a Life-boat Establishment has been organised at Port Patrick on the coast of Wigtonshire, for the protection of the numerous vessels passing that port as well as for the benefit of the fishing-boats of the place when overtaken by sudden gales of wind. A substantial and commodious house has therefore been erected, and a fine Life- boat, 37 feet long, 8J feet wide, and rowing 12 oars, provided for the station, its cost being presented to the Institution by members of the Civil Service of the United Kingdom, through the zealous ex- ertions of the Committee of the Civil Service Life-boat Fund, of which CHARLES DIBDIN, Esq., F.R.G.S., of the Savings Bank Department of the General Post Office, is the active Hon. Secretary. This being the third boat they have been in- strumental in adding to the fleet of the Institution, is named the Civil Service No.3, the three boats being respectively sta- tioned on the English, Scotch, and Irish coasts. The inauguration of the Port Patrick new Life-boat station took place on the 15th December, under the superin- tendence of Assistant-Inspector Captain JONES, E.N. The ceremony of naming the boat was performed by Mrs. MAC- LAURIN, the wife of D. MACLAURIN, Esq., of Fernhill, the Chairman of the branch.

After being tested at sea the boat was brought into the harbour and capsized, by means of a crane, to demonstrate its powers of self-righting, &o. In the evening the members of the crew and their friends were entertained at supper by Mr. MACLAURIN, when the coxswain, Mr. JAMES VINT, replied to the toast, " Success to the Life-boat and its Crew," and said, on behalf of himself and his crew, that they would all do their duty in the hour of danger and justify the confidence reposed in them.