102 RATE OP TRAVEL. \Augmt, 



Method is my invariable rule, even for the most trivial 

 duty. So far I am an advocate for the soldiers' system, 

 or rather what I always look forward to in our profession 

 the establishment of a distinct corps of Royal Naval 

 Engineers in essence, although that term would now en- 

 tail confusion, such being applied to the steam depart- 

 ment. 



" Knowledge is power," and such power enables every 

 one conducting service of a laborious character to ac- 

 complish it with the means at command with less diffi- 

 culty. The exertion of undue labour at one period of 

 the day, and relaxation at another, when difference of 

 temperature causes very important changes of capability, 

 is to be regulated, and strength husbanded. In order, 

 therefore, to determine our actual rate of travelling, I 

 determined to pace our " spells," or time employed be- 

 tween breathing or resting places. I had noticed that 

 the duration of a "spell" was subject to the will or caprice 

 of the men, or any one indolent man, if such should be 

 present ; and I found it to be an evil requiring remedy. 



Having determined, during our times of rest, that my 

 step was equal to 2'33, or 4~66 feet for double paces, 

 I soon arrived, after three hours and forty-six minutes' 

 actual travelling, and pacing 43,620 feet, at the result, 

 that our legitimate scale did not, including the boat in 

 tow, more than average 1*9 miles per hour, exclusive of 

 stoppages ; and these I found took the range of spells or 

 time travelling, commencing in the morning at thirty- 

 three to twenty-three minutes before noon, and twenty- 

 eight to thirteen minutes after noon ; their strength, to 

 my most perfect conviction, diminishing between four 



