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HISTORY OF MARINE ARCHITECTURE.

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given without the smallest comment or rerrnrk, it will not, perhaps, be thoughtimproper to subjoin a few observations on the general principles of Marine Ar-chitecture.

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will have a superior advantage, as ships of war over those constructed according to the ordinary method,on account of their magazines, and their increased security by tne use of the wells, together with theireasier preservation from leakage, and the superior facility with which such a disaster may be remedied.

“ Although I have,” says the inventor, “in some measure already explained the advantage of the wells infilling the magazine with water, yet 1 think it may not be improper, in corroboration of what I haveadvanced on this subject, to mention, that a convenience of this kind has long been a favourite ideaentertained by some of the first officers in the British Navy; but the hesitation naturally occasionedby all new schemes, has in part prevented them from being carried into execution. Plans, somewhat similarto the present, were suggested by the late ingenious Captain Bentinck, not only for the magazine, butfor every store-room in the ship. The great difficulty with him, was that of placing tire cocks K but hadsliding keels and wells been at that time invented, the speedy and easy conveyance of the water wouldsoon have been seen, and, I make no doubt, would have been applied as I have proposed. As almost everyclass of vessels of which I have ever heard, have the magazines either forward or aft, I would ahvavsrecommend the foremost or aftermost wells to be constructed in the magazine, by means of which, intime of action, every thing could be kept damp.

“ Such admirals, captains, and lieutenants,” continues the inventor, “as have filled the office of master’smate, know the trouble of the hold duty ; few others are sufficiently acquainted with it. In long cruizesand tedious passages, it is a most desirable object that the ship should be kept in her best sailing trim ; thismeasure greatly depends on filling the empty casks with salt water; which, from the great trouble attendingit, is generally put off as long as possible; sometimes, indeed, so long, that the ship is by far too light to carrysail, and should a gale come on when a ship is in this situation, it may occasion disagreeable consequenoes.Though every exertion may be made to fill the empty casks, yet as there is but one cock, and that onlyfitted to fill the lower or middle tier, it takes up much time, since both pumping and drawing water are found,in bad weather, almost impossible. But in ships built with sliding keels, then, without the least danger,there may be two or three cocks to each well, so that all the water necessary could be filled in one hour.Water may also, by these means, be let into the cistern, where the hand-pump stands, and from thencebe conveyed to any part of the ship, either to fill the casks or wash the decks; and by this assistance,all the decks in the ship could be washed at the same time. Another great convenience might be derivedfrom the wells to men of war victualling for long voyages. In fresh-water rivers, all the casks in the shipcould be filled from them, and I make no doubt, with the greatest ease. Turtle, lobsters, oysters, andall sorts of fish, kept at any time in well vessels, might, in men of war, be kept alive, from theassistance of the wells, without the least inconvenience to the ship.

“ As ships, on my proposed construction, are certainly more solid, in case of a shake in a plank ortimber, or a but-end starting, the chance is, that the water can only find its way a few inches; for everypart of the plank inside and out being closely joined together and caulked, it is impossible the watershould get in, unless the leak or hole is completely through. The same observation may be made on ashot or shots striking the ship between wind and water, or even below the water-mark; whereas, in thepresent construction of vessels, if a shot only splits or shatters the outside plank, or goes through into

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