HISTORY OF MARINE ARCHITECTURE.

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that every part of their bottom, from the entrance forward, to the run abafr, alwayshas an equal bearing, and will not heel, unless the bank on which it rests is nearly assteep and perpendicular as the side of the vessel itself. On the other hand, all per-sons who have seen sharp-built vessels (in which class may be included the shipsof war of almost all nations whatever, the Dutch excepted) take the ground, musthave observed, that, the instant the water begins to desert them, they heel, andcontinue gradually falling down, supposing the most fortunate case that can occur,till they are completely on their broadside, and bilge perhaps with the weight.It frequently happens that, owing to the desertion of that support which thewater afforded to the side, the fall over becomes instantaneous, and inevi-table destruction immediately takes place. Even in the favourable case of itsfalling gradually with the tide, it must have occurred to all persons whohave paid any attention to the subject, that, when the water shall have ebbedfrom it, the gunwale will be little more than man’s height from theground; it will then consequently heel so much, that no person can walk thedeck; and, in that situation, must naturally be strained to such a degree by theweight of the masts, guns, and rigging, that it will in all probability be ren-dered totally unfit for all further service, were the crew and their assistants evenso fortunate in their great exertions as to raise and float it from the bank onwhich it had grounded. If, however, the wind should chanceto rise with the flow-ing tide, it will prevent the necessary assistance from being given ; and the waterwill flow so high as to run down the hatchways, without having in itself, whenxinaided, a sufficient power to raise the vessel.

Captain Schank has, in a short minute, containing some observations andremarks on this system, proposed the following very apposite case. “ I shall sup-pose,” says he, “ a flat and a sharp vessel in company together, both of whichrun aground ; the flat vessel runs on, or sticks fast; in either case she remains

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upright; but the instant the sharp vessel touches the hard ground, she heels,and that heel exposes her to the breach of the sea, W'hich consequently fillsher, and perhaps washes all the crew off the deck ; while, on the other hand,her companion experiences none of those disasters ; so that, unless the bottom isactually beaten out, there is, in the instance of th.e flat-floored vessel, everyprobable chance of saving ship, cargo, and crew'. The advantages,” proceedsthe ingenious contriver, “ possessed by flat-floored vessels over those of sharperconstruction, is generally known to seamen ; and, in proof, it is necessary onlyto shew the practice, both of the Dutch and English, whose vessels are of that

description.