330 On the Stowage and Sailing 



allowing them to be of a light description, the weight of the iron 

 davits is to be added, and it should be remembered that when 

 a vessel is launching, although its actual weight is not, yet it§ 

 power is considerably increased by the action of the vessel. 



I was four years and a half first lieutenant of an eighteen gun- 

 brig; they were then in their original state, and no vessels sailed 

 better. I afterwards commanded a large cutter four years, and 

 had many opportunities of saiUng with brigs, in their original 

 state. Subsequent to which I commanded a large cutter three 

 years, and under the orders of several of the finest brigs in 

 their present state ; and I am convinced they neither sail nor 

 work so well as formerly, and that it is attributable to the 

 alterations which have been made. ; 



I am also of opinion, that by taking away the poops and 

 quarter- boats, building the fore-castles as light as possible, 

 with only a low wash-stroke of three-quarter-inch elm or oak 

 board above it, which would be quite sufficient, and removing 

 the anchor and coal-holes further aft, they would be superior 

 in their sailing qualities and as sea-boats, to what they were in 

 their original state. 



Masts are frequently raked, by some to ease a ship in a head 

 sea, by others to improve her sailing. 



It does not however occur to me that it can give much relief 

 to a ship : for, supposing it to be the overhanging weight of the 

 mast, acting on lever principle, which contributes to the pitch- 

 ing motion, the mast must be considerably beyond a perpendi- 

 cular before it can have much effect ; and admitting the sup- 

 position, it may naturally be supposed that a raking mast will 

 act diametrically, and increase the sending motion aft. 



But there appears to me a great objection to raking masts, 

 in ships and square-rigged vessels. 



If masts are raked, the yards are not at right angles with 

 them, when a ship is on a wind. The consequence is, the sails 

 are put out of their proper form, and drawn, or I may say 

 forced, towards a diamond shape. The mainsail shows it in 

 the diagonal girt across the sail from the tack to the lee- 

 earing ; the leeches of the sails are quite slack, and bag to 

 leeward. 



