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steamer to be built to navigate the river Shannon and the canalsconnected with it; from which time, a period of eighteen years, mymind has been constantly directed to the subject, and I have pos-sessed the most favourable opportunities for examining both timberand iron vessels of all descriptions, having been engaged in buildingseveral of the latter, some of which were on a large scale. I havealso been much assisted in my pursuit of this subject by my pro-fession of Mechanical Engineer, affording me an extensive knowledgeof the capabilities of iron, the mode of working it, and the propor-tions requisite to obtain any desired result.

After having for fifteen years possessed opportunities of thusbecoming acquainted with the use of iron in ship-building, my con-fidence in the adequacy and superiority of that material became sofully established that, about three years ago, I determined, inconnexion with other gentlemen, to engage extensively in the build-ing of iron vessels, for which purpose we erected suitable premises atthe water side, where several vessels have since been constructed.

I do not purpose, in this paper, to advance anything on thesubject of naval architecture, per se, or to discuss the comparativemerits of the forms of ships, further than as I think iron more orless suitable to carry out certain known principles, or as I conceive itmay be the means of raising the character of our merchant shipping,long enthralled by an absurd system of registry laws.

In pursuing this inquiry, I shall place the various branches ofthe subject under their respective heads, commencing with the

EARLY HISTORY OF IRON VESSELS.

It is a common error to suppose that vessels have but recentlybeen constructed of iron, and that the principle is only advocatedby a few whose interest, as workers in iron, leads them to promoteit. Many therefore, naturally enough, still view the subjectwith distrust, and regard it as one of the visionary schemes ofthis wonder-working age, which will soon be relinquished and for-gotten. But I trust I shall be enabled to prove that the construc-tion of iron vessels is not an invention of recent date; that thevalue of iron as a material for ship-building has long been known;