The Life-boat transporting-carriage is a very important auxiliary to the boat.

Nearly every Life-boat, except a few of the larger sizes, is provided with a carriage, on which she is kept in the boat-house ready for immediate transportation to the most favourable position for launching to a wreck. A Life-boat is thus made available for a greater extent of coast than she otherwise would be. In addition to its ordinary use, a carriage is of immense service in launching a boat from a flat beach ; while " Tipping's plates," with which the main wheels are sometimes clad, greatly facilitate the transport of the boat over the long stretches of soft sand which have to be traversed before deep enough water is reached to float the boat.

The carriage consists of a fore and main body. The latter is formed of a keelway, and of bilgeways attached to it, and resting on the main axle, the boat's weight being entirely on the rollers of the keelway. Its leading characteristics are that while for launching it forms an inclined plane, down which the boat can be launched off the rear end, it can also be used for replacing the boat, the inclined plane being reversed by removing the fore-carriage.

LIFEBOAT TRANSPORTING CARRIAGE.

(WITH TIPPINC'S WHEELPLATES.) ELEVATION.

PLAN.

10/99. MAIN BED. FORE BED.

END VIEW. TIPPING'S WHEELPLATES.

ELEVATION.

PLAN.

A very full equipment of stores is supplied to the Life-boats of the Institution— such as cork;life-belts, anchors and cables, grapnels and lines, life-buoys, lanterns, rockets, and many other articles, together with portable or launching-skids..