be kept absolutely dry. For small engines a detachable covering may be fitted which can be easily removed when the necessity arises for overhauling the engine. The larger engines should be placed in a separate watertight compartment.

In cold weather the carburetor and the inlet pipe are liable to freeze as a result of the vaporization in the pipe. If the air to the carburetor is warmed and the inlet pipe is jacketed by warm water or heated air, no trouble will be experienced. The jacket on the inlet pipe should be so arranged that it can be cut out in warm weather and a shutter should be fitted in the hot air pipe to the carburetor for regulating the temperature.

Three pumps should always be used in connection with an internal combustion engine equipment; one circulating, one bilge, and one air pump. No bilge water should ever be pumped through the jackets.

No chain, belt, or friction drive should ever be used in any engine equipment.

The engine should be kept well lubricated and should never be allowed to run above the rated number of revolutions or to race when coming alongside.

Handling a Launch Alongside the Ship.

A launch coming alongside a ship in rough weather or in a strong tide-way should always be required to take a boat-line, whether the coxswain and bowman think it necessary or not. It has come to be the custom in the navy for the crews of steamers to make their landings at the gangway by the aid of boat-hooks alone, taking hold with these of anything which may chance to be within reach, and holding on, often with great difficulty and more or less danger. This entirely eliminates the helm, which is the one factor by which the whole situation could be and should be controlled. A boat lying at the gangway in a tide-way, holding on by a line from some distance forward made fast to a cleat on her inboard bow, can be controlled perfectly by a touch of the helm, throwing the stern out or in a little and thus catching the current on one bow or the other. Plate 65, Figs. 1 and 2.

Boat-hooks are helpful and perhaps necessary, at bow and stern, to complete the control; but they are of altogether secondary importance if the coxswain understands that he can sheer his boat when lying in this way in a current, exactly as if she were

making way through the water. It is desirable to have the cleat for use with the boat-line as far around on the turn of the bow as is practicable, as this gives a better turning leverage for the helm and the current than if it were near the stem.

If the boat is to lie at the gangway for some time, it is convenient to use a breast line from the bowcleat to a point a little forward of the accommodation ladder, as in Fig. 2. A boat will lie like this in a tide-way with the helm half over to the side toward the ship as long as the current runs.

If for any reason it is desired to hold the bow up to the gangway, a spring may be taken from the bowcleat to any suitable point, as in Fig. 3. Then, by putting the helm over and keeping the engine ahead slow, she can be held in position without difficulty. A stern line is convenient, but is only necessary in the rather unusual case when the wind or current is from aft so that it would tend to throw the stern off too far. This plan is often convenient when we have to hold the launch at some other point than the gangway, for giving her coal which it is desired to land on the forecastle, or for putting in or taking out stores.

A fender is always fitted to the lower platform of the accommodation-ladder to keep the boat off and prevent danger of her being caught under the platform. Another fender is usually fitted forward of this to prevent boats from being set in under the ladder and athwart the lower platform (Fig. 4). A boat in this situation is in danger of being swamped. The situation is brought about by the boat having run too far ahead and being caught by the tide on the outer bow. It is a common thing to see a launch come charging up to the gangway under such speed that she cannot be stopped until she has run far ahead of the point where she should have landed, crashing against the fender and scraping along the side, while the men at the bow and stern attempt to catch something with their boat hooks by which they can check her. All this is lubberly in any case and may be very dangerous (especially when the forward fender is not in use) if there is a current tending to set her in under the ladder as above described.

It should never be forgotten in making a landing, that the engine may be slow in responding to signals, and the signal to stop should be given in time to come up to the gangway with very moderate speed.

A good coxswain, in handling a boat in a strong tide or a moderate sea, lands his boat near the gangway platform, but not against it, and having caught and made fast the boat line, drops in, by skilful use of his helm, and holds her just where he wants her while his passengers enter or leave the boat.

For details of United States Navy boats, see Appendix.

CHAPTER VIII.

HANDLING BOATS IN A SURF.

§ I. PRELIMINARY.

The handling of boats in a surf is an art in itself, calling for special knowledge and skill such as can be acquired only by practical experience. When undertaken by those who have not this experience, the danger involved can hardly be over-estimated.

Of the various methods of landing on a flat beach which are described in the Rules of the National Life-boat Association quoted below, the safest is probably that of backing in, keeping the bow toward the surf, pulling out to meet each breaker, then backing in as fast and as far as possible on its back.

A surf never looks as dangerous when seen from seaward as it really is; and a boat having to land through it, should, if there is a possibility of help from the shore, await such help before attempting to go in. As, however, it is often necessary to attempt a landing where no expert assistance is available, the following rules have been drawn up and published by the Royal National Life-boat Institution of Great Britain:

§ II. RULES PUBLISHED BY THE ROYAL NATIONAL LIFEBOAT INSTITUTION, ON THE MANAGEMENT OF OPEN ROWING BOATS IN A SURF; BEACHING THEM, ETC.

IN ROWING TO SEAWARD.

As a general rule, speed must be given to a boat rowing against a heavy surf.

Indeed, under some circumstances, her safety will depend on the utmost possible speed being attained on meeting a sea.

For, if the sea be really heavy, and the wind blowing a hard onshore gale, it can only be by the utmost exertions of the crew that any headway can be made. The great danger then is, that an

approaching heavy sea may carry the boat away on its front, and turn it broadside on, or up-end it, either effect being immediately fatal. A boat's only chance in such a case, is to obtain such way as shall enable her to pass end-on, through the crest of the sea, and leave it as soon as possible behind her. Of course if there be a rather heavy surf, but no wind, or the wind off shore, and opposed to the surf, as is often the case, a boat might be propelled so rapidly through it, that her bow would fall more suddenly and heavily after topping the sea, than if her way had been checked; and it may therefore only be when the sea is of such magnitude, and the boat of such a character, that there may be chance of the former carrying her back before it, that full speed should be given to her.

It may also happen that, by careful management under such circumstances, a boat may be made to avoid the sea, so that each wave may break ahead of her, which may be the only chance of safety in a small boat; but if the shore be flat, and the broken water extend to a great distance from it, this will often be impossible.

The following general rules for rowing to seaward may therefore be relied on:

1. If sufficient command can be kept over a boat by the skill of those on board her, avoid or "dodge" the sea if possible, so as not to meet it at the moment of its breaking or curling over.

2. Against a head gale and heavy surf, get all possible speed on a boat on the approach of every sea which cannot be avoided. If more speed can be given to a boat than is sufficient to prevent her being carried back by a surf, her way may be checked on its approach, which will give her an easier passage over it.

ON RUNNING before a Broken Sea, or SURF, TO THE Shore.

The one great danger, when running before a broken sea, is that of broaching-to. To that peculiar effect of the sea, so frequently destructive of human life, the utmost attention must be directed.

The cause of a boat's broaching-to, when running before a broken sea or surf, is, that her own motion being in the same direction as that of the sea, whether it be given by the force of oars or sails, or by the force of the sea itself, she opposes no resistance to it, but is carried before it. Thus, if a boat be running with her bow to the shore, and her stern to the sea, the