24 Naval Architecture and 



they are made from partial views of the subject, and in 

 many cases from incomplete and incorrect data. If the 

 theory of Naval Architecture had been cultivated in Eng- 

 land as in other countries, a Digest of the Navy would not 

 have been so requisite, as calculations to a considerable extent 

 are made in foreign maritime nations ; but, in this country, 

 we are very hazardous in our procedures without it. *' Ex- 

 perience is a dear school," and it is the object of wise men 

 to foresee its dictates, and profit in the future from the 

 experience of the past, before they feel its severe lessons, 

 which often come too late for their beneficial operations. 



Whilst, however, we are speaking of experience, we 

 must distinguish between experience in ship-carpentry and 

 experience in the proper formation of ships for their destined 

 purposes. In barbarous countries, fastening pieces of wood 

 together for the mere purpose of forming floating bodies, or 

 the imitation of other ships, with a crude idea of their fit- 

 ness for sailing purposes, forms the whole of ship-building; 

 but in civilised countries, where large ships of war are built 

 at a vast expense, the deduction of principles, and the applica- 

 tion of the exact sciences to the art, becomes an object of 

 the very first importance. It is, therefore, with much satis- 

 faction we look to the institution before spoken of — the 

 School of Naval Architecture. 



The superintendence of the practical carpentry of our 

 floating citadels, together with that of their stores, &c., was 

 inevitably attended with great expenses, especially in time 

 of war ; but it is to be lamented that, until the year 1808, 

 none was avowedly bestowed for the purpose of insuring the 

 excellence of the sailing qualities of such costly fabrics. On 

 the contrary, every thing seems to have been left to chance ; 

 and, with regard to any foreknowledge of their properties, 

 we were left to float in the immense regions of uncertainty : 

 they were therefore as likely to turn out bad as good, 

 excepting when we submitted to the humiliating necessity of 

 making servile copies of foreign ships, which were so dearly 

 earned by the gallantry and skill of our seamen : thus copy- 

 ing those models which they had abandoned for improved 

 designs. 



We observe that the conductors of the ** Papers on Naval 

 Architecture'' still cling to obsolete theories of resistance, 

 and recommend pursuing the mode of conduct of the 

 " Society for the Improvement of Naval Architecture;" 

 which, as we have before noticed, only produced disap- 

 pointment, though carried into effect with accumulated 



