HISTORY OF MARINE ARCHITECTURE.

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covery naturally caused the removal of the gubernaculum, or rudder, to theplace it now occupies *.

Various were the experiments which, according to the assertion of the authorjust quoted, the ancients contrived, for the purpose of ascertaining not only themost proper situation for the masts, but also their height and position, withrespect to the angle which it was found expedient for them to form with thekeel. Their height, if extended beyond certain limits, was found productivenot only of too great an oscillation with respect to the sails, but tending also,on account of the action of the wind being raised too high above the centre ofgravity, to drive the prow or head of the vessel under water. Modemexamples of this inconvenience are by no means uncommon, and they aresupposed to have given birth to the custom of causing the masts to rake aft, ameasure Vossius by no means appears to approve of himself, but suggests andproposes in its room, which has been adopted by many persons, the customof shifting or trimming the ballast as should seem necessary. This, however,he candidly confesses is inconvenient, and in some instances impracticable.The introduction of many among the preceding observations, might naturallybe considered as somewhat irrelative to the investigation of what portion ofknowlege the ancients possessed, as well in the science of navigation, as ofMarine Architecture, were it not that they prove, for the honour of anti-quity, by strong implication, that- mankind, even in the most remote ages,manifested a disposition to enquiry, which suffered them not to rest contentedwith the bare satisfaction of their wants, unless they considered, at the sametime, that the means by which those wants were supplied, were in as improveda state, as the nature of them would admit.

Although the vessels of the ancients were to be considered as divided intotwo classes only, such as were intended for the purposes of war, and those

* Vossius, who appears to have entered on his investigation with no inconsiderable share of ardourand enthusiasm, observes, in defence of his system and opinion : “ Coeterum si commodissimus guber-naculis eligcndus est locus, non dubitandum quin is futurus sit ille, qui remoticr aliquanto est ahextrema puppi, quam qui nimium huic sit vicinus. Ilodiemae onerariae in magnis tempestatibus nonobsequuntur gubernaculis, saepe iEstuum ferventium violentia impingunt in scopulos ct importuosalittora, quod tamen rarius fit si aptiori loco apposita habuerint gubernacula.” There remains ve ylittle doubt, but that if the fittest place for the rudders was to he chosen, they would be fixed at a smalldistance from the extremity of the stern, for it frequently happens, that the merchant vessels, of moderntimes, frequently refusing to answer the rudders in very heavy seas, and of course driven on rocks,or coasts destitute of harbours, which would not be the case if the rudders were more judici ously placed.

VOL. I.

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