HISTORY OF MARINE ARCHITECTURE.

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description. Whenever they come into harbour, where the ground is even,without giving themselves the trouble to enquire whether it is hard or soft, theywill unhesitatingly run on shore, even in a gale of wind, rather than come to ananchor in the customary way ; for they have experimentally found,' that, by thisprocedure, though apparently rash, they avoid the risk as well of parting their cablesand losing their anchors, as of running on board other vessels. I once,” addsthe same gentleman, “ saw this measure carried into practice, by a fleet of trans-ports coming into Cork harbour for troops, in the midst of as violent a gale ofwind as lever witnessed; when one sharp-built vessel only, by mistake followingthe example of her companions, was nearly lost.”

In addition to the theoretical form, and the advantages expected to result fromit, as already described, Captain Schank wishes also to introduce a materialaddition and alteration in the mechanical and practical part of constructingships. “ Although,” says he, “ the instance I have just given mav, in greatmeasure, serve to explain the advantages ships so built would possess in case ofactual stranding or wreck, yet I think I may also add, that, if those built onthe plan I have recommended were rendered as nearly as possible solid ; or, tomake myself more clearly understood, if the frame was formed so close as to ad-mit of being caulked in like manner with the plank of the outside, and, if thelining or deling on the inside were rendered equally water-tight, the ship wouldbe rendered incredibly stronger, and be the better enabled to resist the shocks ofthe sea, as well as those strokes against the rocks, to which the violent agitation ofthe hull might, in case of its being driven on shore, expose it. Suppose, forinstance, the outer plank should yield to the assaults of the waves, or the self-impelled strokes on the rocks, the entrance of the water will still be stopped, inthe first instance, by the frame, and in the second, by the lining. Should how-ever the injury be continuous, and the water force its way through every obstacleopposed to it, even in that case the misfortune is rendered somewhat less alarm-ing, in consequence of the leak being equally capable of being stopped withinboard, as well as it is now, in the ordinary way, without. If however the holdof the vessel were divided into such rooms or compartments as the nature of heroccupation shall point out the propriety of, by bulk heads rendered properlywater-tight, though the leak were ever so violent, its effects could only extendthrough that separate space where it shall have taken place ; and as it is wellknown that the water within board cannot rise higher than the sea does with-out, no danger or injury could befal the crew, the vessel, or even the cargo, beyond

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