HISTORY OF MARINE ARCHITECTURE.
285
CHAPTER THE TWELFTH.
General State of the Marine belonging to the different African Powers, whether Re-publics or Kingdoms.—Description of the Vessels in Use among the Barbary States.—The Galley, the Xebec, the Saicque, the Felucca, and other Vessels of inferiorNote. — State of the Asiatic Marine.—Burthen of the Chinese Vessels.—Remarkson the trivial Improvement made in the Construction of them for many Cen-turies—Description of their Form and the Denominations given to the inferiorVessels built for the Purposes of inland Navigation—The Materials of which theyare constructed. —The Masts, the Sails, the Rigging, with an Account of theirpeculiar Excellence. — Particular Description of a Chinese Vessel, written by aJesuit Missionary in 1687.— Remarks on the Chinese Method of constructingVessels, by a modern Navigator. — Of the Chinese Compass—The first Inventionof it attributed to that People. — Their Ignorancejjf its Variation. — Their Skillin Navigation. — Account of the Japanese Vessels, and the Materials of whichthey are built. —The Particulars of their Form and Construction.—Their Sails.— The Contrivance for Rowing them in a Calm. — The Method practised by theJapanese in putting the different Parts of their Vessels together. — Their Orna-ments, as well as various Contrivances intended both for Use and Convenience .—Their Voyages, with the Extent of them.—The Disposition ivith respect to Com-merce, as tvell of the People of China as of Japan.—The Shipping of India .—The Improvement made by the Artificers of that Country since their Intercourse101 th the European Nations. — The Expertness and Excellence displayed by themm the mechanical Part of Ship-building.—Description of the Indian, or as it isusually stiled, the Flying Proa ; the Peculiarity and Ingenuity of the Contri-vance used for the Purpose of preventing the Vessel from either making Lee-way,or oversetting, explained % compared ivith the Lee-boards used by the Hollanders,and an Explanation of the different Manner in which it acts.—Account of theCanoes and Vessels used by the Inhabitants of the South-Sea Islands. — Compa-rison of the Similitude between them, the Gallies of the Ancients, and theVessels constructed -in more recent Times previous Jo the Invention or Use of Can-n VoL. III. Ss
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