32 . Observations on the State of 



' After so many years of trial with the present nearly invaria- 

 ble set of principal dimensions, during which period it may be 

 said, that every possible contour of hull has been experimented 

 on with them, we are inclined to think that almost all has been 

 done that could be done under such restrictions, and that some 

 great step must be made in one or other of the principal dimen- 

 sions themselves, with correspondent alterations in the masting, 

 before Ave can expect to see a decided and great improvement 

 in the sailing of our ships. The depth is an element which has 

 arrived at its limit from very apparent external causes ; but the 

 length and breadth remain to the skilful constructor without any 

 such clogs to his endeavours; and he has only to accommodate 

 their relation to each other in the manner most conducive to ve- 

 locity, which in our opinion is the very capital object of naval 

 construction, both in ships of war and of commerce. That it is so 

 in the former, no one will, we apprehend, on due reflection deny ; 

 but there will be many who will assert that it cannot be ob- 

 tained, in the latter, without a sacrifice of capacity, which will 

 defeat the object of carrying large cargoes : to this we may 

 reply, that if a vessel with an expense of one quarter the capa- 

 city can make three voyages instead of two, will not the mer- 

 chant be still a considerable gainer in capacity, and still more 

 so by a ready return of his capital* ? 



AH observations on well-conducted experiments concur in 

 proving that velocity is gained by increasing the length, to a 

 much greater degree in relation to the breadth, than has ever yet 

 been done in ships ; and that the increase of the same element 

 contributes to their weathering powers is too obvious to need in- 

 sisting upon : it is also generally advantageous, when not carried 

 to an extent which would seriously retard the manoeuvring of the 

 ship. This limit has not yet by any means been determined ; 

 for it must be recollected, that although the additional length 

 increases the resistance to rotation about a vertical axis, yet 

 the power of the sails to give rotation about the same is also 

 increased, although not in so high a ratio. The power of the 

 rudder to produce rotation is also greater in a long ship than in 



* Foreign nations, and more particularly the Americans, find their 

 advantage in having swiil merchant ships, and therefore our assertion is 

 warranted by facts. 



