ce between
the water and the floor, upturned over him, and there was room for
several more of the crew inside.

The two rival systems then seem to represent (1) a boat which will
speedily right, of which the men, if upset, may float outside until she
rights, or may keep inside, and cling to the thwarts and trust to be soon
righted; and (2) a boat which will upset only under strongest pressure,
but the men can either stop inside, or if cast out can cling to the keel.

To decide between the merits of these lifeboats would require actual
experiment outside and inside of each by the judge, who ought to look at
all sides of the question; but my opinion is, at present, in favour of
the side-chamber plan, for ships' boats, and of course for
steam-launches; while the evidence in favour of the other plan for pure
lifeboat service in rough water is convincing.

Whatever may be finally settled as to the best position of the air-cases
in lifeboats--and the best men in the world for these matters are engaged
in earnest upon the subject {206}--it certainly is prudent for all who
care not to be drowned, that the boat they sail in should be so built as
not to go down bodily when a mere hole is knocked in her, and this may be
insured by dividing her into water-tight compartments.

Some years ago I had a sharp lesson on this point. It was in Dublin Bay,
where I was sailing entirely alone in an iron cutter-yacht, very small,
yet far too large to be managed by me, then a boy. The throat parrell
suddenly broke, and the mainsail jammed at once, so that she would not
stay. Then I tried to wear ship, but the running sea poured in over the
counter at each plunge, and baling was impossible, for it ran fore and
aft. As the water got deeper inside she settled down, for she had no
compartments, and, being of iron, of course she must speedily sink. A
yacht had humanely come out, seeing my distress, and she rounded to and
dropped a boy on board me with a strong rope; but when the boy set foot
on my bows they plunged deep under water, and with a loud cry he hauled
himself back on board the other yacht.

The captain instantly tacked and came again, and cast the rope to me,
which I fastened securely to my mast, and then got safely aboard the
preserver's vessel, while mine sunk down, but suspended still by the
rope, until we towed it into shallow water.

This sort of thing was fully provided against in the Rob Roy by the
water-tight compartmen