he waves. The model either rode
over them or passed through them; if it was sometimes rolled over, it
righted itself at once, and resumed its proper attitude in the waters.
After a considerable trial I found scarcely a trace of water inside.
Such as had got there was merely through the joints in the sliding
hatches; though the ventilators were free to work during the
experiments.

I completed the prescribed drawings and specifications, and sent them,
together with the model, to Somerset House. Some 280 schemes of
lifeboats were submitted for competition; but mine was not successful.
I suspect that the extreme novelty of the arrangement deterred the
adjudicators from awarding in its favour. Indeed, the scheme was so
unprecedented, and so entirely out of the ordinary course of things,
that there was no special mention made of it in the report afterwards
published, and even the description there given was incorrect. The
prize was awarded to Mr. James Beeching, of Great Yarmouth, whose plans
were afterwards generally adopted by the Lifeboat Society. I have
preserved my model just as it was; and some of its features have since
been introduced with advantage into shipbuilding.[1]

The firm of Robert Stephenson and Co. having contracted to build for
the Government three large iron caissons for the Keyham Docks, and as
these were very similar in construction to that of an ordinary iron
ship, draughtsmen conversant with that class of work were specially
engaged to superintend it. The manager, knowing my fondness for ships,
placed me as his assistant at this new work. After I had mastered it,
I endeavoured to introduce improvements, having observed certain
defects in laying down the lines--I mean by the use of graduated curves
cut out of thin wood. In lieu of this method, I contrived thin tapered
laths of lancewood, and weights of a particular form, with steel claws
and knife edges attached, so as to hold the lath tightly down to the
paper, yet capable of being readily adjusted, so as to produce any form
of curve, along which the pen could freely and continuously travel.
This method proved very efficient, and it has since come into general
use.

The Messrs. Stephenson were then also making marine engines, as well as
large condensing pumping engines, and a large tubular bridge to be
erected over the river Don. The splendid high-level bridge over the
Tyne, of which Robert Stephenson was the engineer, was also in course