IN the last number of the LIFE-BOAT JOURNAL an account was given of the steps taken to select a new Life-boat, and it may now be of interest to give a few notes as to the way she is built.

For many years, indeed since 1899, all the Institution's Life-boats, with very few exceptions, have been con- structed by the Thames Ironworks Shipbuilding and Engineering Co., Ltd., in their shipbuilding yard at Canning Town, London, E. Previous to this arrangement, Life-boats were built at many different places both in London and on the coast. From 1862 to 1899, the greater number of new boats were built by Forrestt of Limehouse and by Woolfe of Poplar, and these firms also did most of the repairs and alterations.

Beeching of Yarmouth, Watkins of Blaokwall, Henderson and McAlister of Glasgow, Rutherford of Birkenhead, Ellis of Lowestoft, Chambers and Colby of Lowestoft, Roberts of Mevagissey, and many other firms at various parts of the coast, also built boats and carried out repairs for the Institution. The non- self-righting boats were in those days mostly of the Norfolk and Suffolk type, and were principally built at Yarmouth and Lowestoft by Messrs. Beeching, Chambers and Colby, Reynolds, Critten, Ellis, and other firms which do not now exist. It is well known that the self- righting boat was evolved from the boat designed by Mr. James Beeching of Yar- mouth, that took the first prize in the competition which was the result of the interest taken by Algernon the 4th Duke of Northumberland in the Life-boat Institution in 1851; and it is a curious fact that although the cradle of the self- righting boat was at Yarmouth, yet strange to say they have never been popular in that district; and even at the present day, out of twenty-four Life- boats on the coast of Norfolk and Suffolk, only four of them are of the self-righting type. A great number of excellent boats were built by the above firms, and did an enormous amount of work on the coast; and it is not sug- gested for a moment that they were not well and strongly built and answered the purpose admirably. Still, with boats being constructed at so many places, propei supervision was a difficult mat- ter. Several surveyors had to be em- ployed to travel about from one building- yard to another to examine and pass the material and to report progress, which led to considerable expense both in salaries and in travelling. Delay took place when any special matter had to be referred to headquarters, and altogether it was not a very satisfactoryway of building any great number of boats. In the year 1899 the Committee of Management carefully considered this very important question, and with the advice of the late Mr. G. L. Watson, at that time the Institution's consulting naval architect, they approached the Thames Ironworks Shipbuilding Co., and after some negotiations an agreement was entered into between the Institution and that Company for building Life-boats of all classes. This arrangement has proved satisfactory to the Institution, and is based on purely business terms, which it is to be concluded are equally satisfactory to the firm. The advantages are many ; one assistant-surveyor, with a clerk to assist him, does the whole work of super- vision and spends all his time at the yard; a considerable quantity of well-seasoned wood is always kept in stock; all the necessary workshops are under one control; the building-yard is close to headquarters, and it is easy for the Chief Inspector or the Surveyor of Life- boats to run down at a moment's notice and consult the Manager about any special question. A body of boat- builders has gradually been collected by the Thames Ironworks Co. who are constantly employed on this special work, and who have gained such skill that it would be impossible to turn out boats more carefully built and finished in every detail than those built at Canning Town. Then again, as there is always a fair number of boats under construction, it is possible to hasten or delay the delivery of a boat by moving the workmen from one to another ; and if it • is urgently necessary to complete any boat as soon as possible, a large staff of men can be concentrated on that particular boat. Last, but not least, the Institution has the cordial co-operation of the Company, repre- sented by the Manager of the ship- building department, who freely places at its disposal all his valuable ex- perience gained by shipbuilding in all its branches. The Thames Ironworks have now constructed between 160 and 170 Life-boats of all types and sizes for the Institution. Special sheds are devoted to the building of Life-boats, and there is ample space for the con- struction of about twenty boats at the same time. These sheda are most interesting places to visit for any- one who is fond of boat-building, and in them may be seen Life-boats in all stages of construction. Here you may see a wooden keel just laid down on the blocks with stem and stern post in place, and the moulds, shelves and ribs being fixed, for all the world like the skeleton of a huge fish. A few- yards off there may be a boat further advanced, with most of the planking in place, and your ears will be deafened with the sound of clenching and rivet- ing. A short distance off is a boat further on towards completion, with the interior fittings under weigh, in- cluding bulkheads, water-ballast tanks, decks, end air boxes, etc. At the same time the wale or fender, which is some- times solid and sometimes hollow, is being constructed; and the air cases which fill up every portion of the boat below deck, excepting the space occupied by water ballast, are being made of all shapes and sizes, to correspond with the form of the boats and to fit into every hole and corner. There are often ten to fifteen boats being constructed in these sheds, and hours may be pleasantly passed watching the skilful workmen gradually building up the fabric of one of those small trim vessels which are stationed all round the coasts of the United Kingdom for the purpose of saving life, and which, thanks to the efforts of the gallant crews who man them, are so often successful in snatch- ing many a brave sailor from the very jaws of death.

The time taken to build a Life-boat varies of course with its type and size.

The smaller classes of self-righting and other pulling boats can be turned out in six to eight months, or even faster if theyare urgently required. The larger classes of sailing boats take longer to build, and about eight to twelve months is the average time of construction. The motor Life-boats take longest of all, for in addition to the time necessary to build the boat must be added the time to fix and tune up the motor, and with present experience of motor Life-boats this period is an unknown quantity.

There is far more work in designing and building a Life-boat than in any ordinary boat of equal size because of the numerous special fittings which have to be provided to enable her to venture into heavy broken seas ; and people who think that a small boat like a Life-boat can be ordered and turned out ready for service in two or three months are very much mistaken.

Construction. — All Life-boats are either diagonal or clencher built.

Ninety per cent, are diagonal, and the clencher-built boats are nearly all to be found on the coast of Norfolk and Suffolk, where, as also in some other places, there is an ancient belief that they are stiffer under sail than diagonal-built boats. Be that as it may, and this article does not profess to go into such a thorny subject scientifically, there is no doubt that for all general purposes the diagonal-built boat is the best, and size and weight being equal, the strongest and most able to bear the terrible blows of the sea, or the pounding about on the sands which every Life- boat has sooner or later to go through.

Clencher-built boats may be popular on certain parts of the coast, but to get A ' O the same amount of strength as a diagonal boat a lot of additional material has to be put in, which roughly speaking makes the clencher-built boat about one-third heavier than the diagonal boat of the same dimensions. This should be borne in mind, as additional weight means more difficulty in transport and launching off an open beach on flat shores. Comparing the speed of boats built under these two methods, although the clencher-built boat may roll and pitch an infinitesimal degree less than that diagonally built it seems to the writer of this article that she must require more power to force her through the water at an equal speed. The only real advantage in a clencher-built boat is that, if she is badly damaged and holed, repairs can be effected more easily, as there is not so much to open out to get at them. A comparison of cost is not necessary, as the Committee of Management, although of course they scrutinise every item of expenditure with the greatest care, always insist on having the best article that money can procure, and never grudge any expenditure that will provide the men who work the Life-boats with a boat in which they have fullest confidence.

The material put into a Life-boat is of the very best description and con- dition having regard to its particular appropriation, and no defects whatever are admitted. The wood used is the lightest possible of the respective kinds, compatible with strength and quality, the mahogany used not exceeding 35 Ib. per cubic foot. It is of the greatest im- portance that all the wood built into Life-boats should be well seasoned, and one of the greatest advantages of having boats constructed by a Company like the Thames Ironworks Shipbuilding Co., or by any large firm, is that they keep a large stock of suitable timber, which is gradually seasoned and always available; whereas small boat-building firms cannot' do this, and would find the greatest difficulty in procuring material suffi- ciently good to conform with the specifications.

The following notes taken from the General Specification may be of interest to some of the readers of this Journal -.— The metal keel is generally of cast-iron and varies in weight according to the type and size of boat, the smaller classes having a weight of 9J cwt. to 25 cwt., and the larger boats 2 tons to 3 tons and even 4 tons on the keel; it is secured to the wooden keel by strongnut and screw bolts spaced about 2 ft.

apart. No iron castings are allowed unless specified, excepting that the iron keels are usually cast, but these when less than 3 ia. thick are made of wrought iron.

All iron forgings are from the highest- class scrap brands, either Lowmoor, Bowling, or Tudhoe.

Metal fastenings in general are of copper, and unless otherwise specified all nails and bolts are of copper ; screws of brass; nut and screw bolts, except iron keel bolts, of rolled naval brass.

Copper fastenings in bottom of wood keel are insulated from the iron keel.

Sheet and rigging plates and various other deck fittings are of wrought iron.

The wood keel and keelson are made of Canada elm fastened together by copper clench bolts through hog, which is also of Canada elm.

The stem and post are English oak well grown to form, each in one piece, efficiently scarphed to keel and well fastened. The aprons and deadwoods are also English oak.

The floors or timbers are Canada elm except the fore-floor, which is English oak grown to form.

The gunwale is of Canada elm in one length each side.

The compat tments and bulkheads athwartships are of Honduras maho- gany- Plank in diagonal-built boats is mild, tough, and clean Honduras mahogany, not grain cut, in two thicknesses, each about | in. and 6 in. wide, worked diagonally across each other, making an angle of 45° with the keel amidships.

Each plank extends in one length from gunwale to gunwale, except in wake of drop keels. Between the two skins is placed stout unbleached calico, well coated on both sides with a mixture of genuine white lead and raw linseed oil.

The two skins are fastened together by copper clench nails.

Plank in clencher-built boats is some- times mahogany and sometimes (by special request) oak, the latter of course being much heavier.

The bilge keelson or stringer is of mahogany in small boats, and Canada elm in large ones, secured to the skin by screws, and the bolts through the bilge, keel and keelson.

Bilge keels of Canada elm, one-half the length of boat and parallel to the centre line of boat; secured by nut and screw bolts of naval brass through the bilge stringer, well secured and nutted inside.

They are generally shod with convex iron.

The wale or fender. When of solid ! wood the main piece is of Canada elm, | or else it is of solid cork covered with ' canvas and protected by wood. Hollow i fenders are made of yellow pine covered i with cork and canvas, and are built in I water-tight sections.

] Deck shelf or stringer is of Canada • elm, in one length each side from stem I to post.

Deck is of Honduras mahogany, framed in hatches, and fastened by i screws admitting of the easy removal of any one or more of the hatches, for the purpose of readily opening up any part of the boat for repair.

Thwart rising is of Canada elm.

Thwarts are of mahogany in smaller boats, and Canada elm in larger.

End boxes.—Fronts and top of Hon- duras mahogany in two thicknesses, with calico and white lead between, fastened with copper clench nails. The top is supported by bent timbers of straight- grained Canada elm, and by fore and afters of mahogany.

Air cases are made of best selected clean white pine deal board. Below the deck they are fitted in every avail- able space except in the water-ballast tanks, from top of floors to under side of deck. Above deck they are fitted at sides between end boxes and under the thwarts. No case exceeds 15 to 16 cubic feet in volume; the sides are f in., and ends f in. thick, every joint covered with calico strips glued on,and the whole covered outside with mastic solution and stout unbleached calico. After the calico is on, the cases are given three coats of white paint outside. They are tested at ileast 3 in. under water for not less than one hour.

Water ballast is fitted to all Life-boats when weight for transport has to be considered. It is confined to one, two, or more tanks in the centre line of boat, and each tank has a plug to admit the water, a pump to empty the tank, and an air valve or pipe for ventilation.

The sides of the tanks and the divisional bulkheads are of mahogany, £ to 1 in.

thick ; bulkheads double thickness. The hatches on top are of Honduras mahogany in two thicknesses.

Drop keels are fitted in all sailing Life-boats, one in the smaller class and two in the larger; they pass through a slot in the main wood and iron keel and keelson. They are as a rule triangular, made of rV-in. m' stee' plate which works on the fore end on a cylindrical bearing formed in the fixed iron keel, and lowered or raised at the after end by a wire pendant which is shackled to it. They work in trunks made of mild steel plate. When housed they are kept in position by a strong pin, andthe bottom of the drop keel is flush with the keel of boat, and has a V-shaped flange or bulb which prevents sand or small stones working into the trunk and jamming the keel. If by any mischance a drop keel is bent so that it cannot be hauled up, it can be slipped and got rid of.

The fore-keel has a drop of 1 ft. 9 in.

to 2 ft. 6 in., and the after keel a drop of 2 ft. 3 in. to 3 ft., according to class of boat.

Believing valves and tubes or trunks are fitted on deck to get rid of water above the deck, in number according to size of boat from 8 to 12.

Rudder is of Canada elm, and fitted for an iron yoke and wood or iron tiller.

Towing bollards are made of clean straight Dantzic fir.

Quarter bollards are of English oak grown to form.

Masts, yards, and booms are of best selected Norway spars (Gottenburg or Christiania), sound, clean, and closegrained, and free from injurious knots; of straight growth.

The foregoing notes do not profess to be in any way complete; they only touch the fringe of the interesting details of the building of a Life-boat..