1853.] VAPOUR CONDENSER. 17 



Above this galley, and immediately over the fire, an 

 opening has been cut, furnished with a hinged hatch, 

 serving as a valve and affording a vertical ascent to the 

 steam ; but this steam escapes into a fitted steam-chest 

 including the funnel, which has an outer casing also, to 

 aid the direct escape from the fore part of the coppers : 

 this steam-chest occupies a space of seven feet square. 

 Thus far one great evil is remedied ; that is un fait ac- 

 compli. 



I now proceed to what would have been my arrange- 

 ment had all these matters been duly reported on by our 

 predecessors. I blame them not, they are not engineers ; 

 it has not been with them, as with me, a kind of hobby. 

 But one most important consideration, involving the 

 safety and comfort of ship and crew, would have been 

 adequately prepared before leaving port, and the housing 

 become eventually but a very minor consideration. I 

 think I hear some of the old Arctics exclaim, What will 

 he be at next ? But patience, my friends. 



Cold, I have asserted, descends vertically, in prefer- 

 ence, and if your chimney has not been provided to meet 

 this, you must expect it to tumble into your fire and ne- 

 gative its value. Who ever dreams of entering his house 

 by the chimney? yet we sailors undoubtedly pursue 

 this most absurd principle in this very oppressive cli- 

 mate. This must be remedied ; we cannot conveniently 

 cut an entering port in the side, but, if requisite, it might 

 be done, at great inconvenience, in the bow or stern : 

 however, the evil is to be remedied, and I trust, even 

 with our slender means, to effect it (when it can be 

 completed) in such a manner that the ship may even 



VOL. II. C 



