The same procedure is taken when preparing the third and last boat.

In a nest of three lifeboats, the lower two boats are constructed in accordance with the details described, but the top boat, having fixed thwarts, is built in exactly the same way as an ordinary pulling boat of Class IA, and fitted with fixed liftinghooks.

Slings are fitted for carrying the lifting-hook for attachment to the davit blocks. They are well secured to the keelson and deep frame at each end of the boat. Connection is also made to an eyeplate well secured to the stem and sternpost, as shown in Fig. 150. The hook is steadied by guy chains secured to eye-bolts in the fore and aft stringers, and attached by clip hooks on the opposite side to which the sling chain is secured to the keelson; so that by unhooking this guy chain, the sling will drop clear of the top of the keelson from its secured position.

When the upper boat is launched, it is only necessary to hook on this guy chain, adjust the thwarts, and the second boat is then ready for lifting.

Nests may consist of two or three lifeboats. A nest of three would consist of boats of the following dimensions :

No. 1. 260′ 68' x 3'0' accommodating 35 persons

=

Total accommodation in one nest 173 persons. Nests of 28 ft., 26 ft. and 24 ft. boats are provided, if desired, to suit the requirements of the deck space on board.

Nested boats can be placed under any davits, provided sufficient hoist is given for launching the two inner boats from the outer one, and allowing the keels to clear the gunwale of the boat that is sitting in the chocks. A drift of about 10 ft. is considered necessary.

The photograph shown at Fig. 153 shows the adaptability of Messrs. Babcock and Wilcox's patent long-reach davits to suit the requirements of these nested boats. Boat chocks are only required for the lower boat, each nested boat having its keel resting on the keelson of the lower boat. When the three boats are secured in their correct stowing positions, the total depth formed by the keels and keelsons amounts to 3 ft. 6 in., providing a girder which helps to distribute the weight and prevents deflection.

Only one set of gripes is required, fitted in the usual manner to the lower boat with slip links on each, and extension gripes are

carried up to the middle and upper boats, security being made by lanyards. Thus each boat is kept in its relative position, unaffected by the rolling of the ship, permitting the gripes of each boat to be detached in rotation as the boats are launched.

In an emergency, by disconnecting the slip links to the lower boat, all three boats are free to float away.

One canvas cover protects all three boats of the nest, and the spar, which is placed between the lower blocks of the davit to prevent the tackles from becoming " cable laid" and fouling after launching the first or second boats when rounding up the falls,

serves the purpose also of a ridge spar to take the canvas cover. The latter is laced in the usual manner under the rubbers of the lower boat.

The system of nesting lifeboats has several advantages which appeal to some shipowners, the most important of which is that the boats are stowed immediately under davits, thus dispensing with the necessity of fitting transporting gear to bring boats stowed inboard to the ship's side. It is further contended that a considerable saving of time is effected.

It may also be mentioned that Captain Murray has made another improvement in the type of lifting-hook fitted to the chain slings. A departure has been made from the plan shown

at "A" in Fig. 150, and a new arrangement substituted as at "B." When the tackle falls are slacked for the purpose of unhooking the boat, the hook is kept fairly upright by the steadying chains. As the boat becomes water-borne the locking arrangement is relieved and operated by a small,cord attached under the point of the hook when locked, and at the lowest point when open. The action of the horn on the hook prevents the link of suitable size on the tackle-block from moving in any direction but towards the point of the hook, and will thus cause detachment.

davits.

The mousing arrangement prevents the falls from detaching themselves from the hook.

A complete set of Captain Murray's patent nested boats is illustrated in Fig. 152. The photograph was taken in the boat

yard of Messrs. Gouk and Nesbit, Glasgow.

Before this principle of constructing nested boats was accepted by the Board of Trade, very detailed and extended tests were carried out in Liverpool, under service conditions. It will serve no useful purpose to refer to these tests in any detail,

but briefly, they were: (1) Strength; (2) Stability; (3) Freeboard and Flooding; (4) Launching; (5) Seating and Rowing.

It is of interest to note that with reference to test No. 3, the buoyancy tanks were removed from the 30-ft. lifeboat, the plug was removed and the boat filled with water. She remained in that condition for 21 hours, the freeboard ranging from 14 to 5 in., demonstrating that the boat will more than support the steel angles and ironwork used in the construction.

No. 4 test only occupied 16 minutes, the three boats being launched in that time from the deck of the R.M.S. Victorian in the Canada Dock, Liverpool.

It may also be of interest to mention that one boat of a nest on a liner, torpedoed some 230 miles off the Fastnet, was picked up two months later in good condition off the Clare Coast of Ireland.

Double-skin boats are supplied to vessels sailing to the tropics, where the single thickness will not stand the excessive heat and remain watertight. The double thickness will ensure a "tight" boat, and is made with outside planking of oak and inside of larch, having a layer of oiled calico placed between the skins.

SECTION C.-SURF BOATS

General Description.-Surf boats are constructed to meet the requirements of vessels engaged in a particular trade.

It is impossible for ordinary pulling boats to be utilised along certain parts of the West Coast of Africa, and a large portion of the cargo has to be transported from the shore to the vessel, which is a difficult and tedious operation.

Some shipping companies have specially constructed motor boats to facilitate the work of loading, but in certain parts these are found to be inadequate to meet the circumstances of a shallow shore and heavy surf.

Where vessels are trading in palm oil, the boats have to be so constructed to take a number of casks or puncheons.

Generally speaking the surf boats are divided into two different classes. The two-puncheon boat, i.e. one which is arranged internally to accommodate two casks of palm oil, are used for beach work. They are canted over on one side and the casks are simply rolled in. There are no side benches, buoyancy tanks, mast, nor sails.

The three-puncheon boats are arranged to take three casks of palm oil between the thwarts; they are fitted with the usual side

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