1787:

22 STEAM NAVIGATION.

upon the plan here communicated is derived from the WHEELS,the mechanism of which is simple and obvious. To work them, sea-manship is not requisite; for it can be perform®d even by the mostignorant; strength and agility, in the men employed, being all thatis necessary.

From the experiments I have made in different vessels with theWHEELS wrought by cranks, as shewn in the plan, it appears tome, that ships, however great their burden, if there be no wind, andthe water is smooth, may be made to pass through it at the rate offrom three to four miles an hour.

When the movement of the WHEEL comes to be aided by me-chanical powers, so as to accelerate its revolutions, the before-men-tioned rate of a ship’s going through the water will be in proportionto the power used.

I have also reason to believe that the power of the STEAM EN-GINE may be applied to work the WHEELS, so as to give them aquicker motion, and consequently, to increase that of the ship. Inthe course of this summer, I intend to make the experiment; and theresult, ıf favourable, shall be communicated to the public.

When there is wind sufficient to make the vessel, by means of thesails, go five miles an hour, the WHELLS are raised out of the water,as then they rather retard than aid the ship’s motion.

The small DRAUGHT of WATER of vessels of this constructionmay be considered as the NEXT, if not their chief property.

For the purposes of inland navigation, they may be so constructedas to go where the depth of water is from 20 to 24 inches.

Vessels built to draw three feet of water will make good coasters.

Ships drawing from five to six feet of water will be very fit for thelongest voyages.

STIFFNESS, a term well known to seamen, is a THIRD dis-tinguished property of these vessels; as, of the three, the lee vesselmust be immersed in the water before the ship can overset: they carrymore sail than any other vessels of the same tonnage. From this

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