A Lecture, Or Essay On the most efficacious means of Preserving The Lives Of Shipwrecked Sailors And The Shipwreck

37 blowing from the land ; for, without such properties, the men taken from the wreck would probably perish before they could be brought to the shore.’ The qualities of this boat have been tried, her adaptation to her design proved, her superior sailing qualities confirmed in beating the Lowestoff Life-Boat on going to windward nearly three-quarters of a mile in a run of less than three miles : yet this boat was allowed to lay for several months exposed to the injuries of weather, aud depre- dation, and is now sold to be broken up, and another directed to be built on the model of the Lowestoff boat. I have not stated these circumstances entirely from feelings of wrong done to myself, but to point out to the subscribers to the Norfolk Asso- ciation with what facility injury to their funds may be effected from interested motives and private prejudices—also how the object of a patriotic and benevolent institution may be perverted—in the earnest hope that some members of that institution will examine ‘ The Expo- sition of Facts’ deposited by me in the Norfolk and Norwich Museum, to record the reasons that compelled me to withdraw myself from the above-named Association ; and prevent so noble and charitable an in- stitution falling into decay, by placing its management solely in the hands of persons whose rank and character are beyond suspicion. With these remarks I not only close my lecture, but, I trust, put the finishing stroke to the plan for preserving the lives of persons on board of vessels stranded on a lee shore ; and the prevention of shipwreck, by affording assistance to vessels in distress, at a distance from the land. I have devoted upwards of twenty-three years of laborious and anxious existence to the producing and perfecting this plan; and I hope I may venture to flatter myself, that the success which has attended my endeavours, confirming their utility, will procure for me the approbation of my King and my Country ; not only from its being generally interesting to humanity, but highly important to this nation, as mainly contributing to its strength, its security, and its commercial prosperity: further, from its having received the most honourable testimonials from the sovereigns of France, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Sweden. To the Almighty Disposer of events I acknowledge with the deepest