Nautical Economy. B8 



monstrations of the various problems of the stability of 

 floating bodies, with their practical applications to ships. 

 The tract on the stability opens with an interesting historical 

 account of this branch of hydrodynamics, from Archimedes to 

 the present day. For our parts, we are always advocates 

 for this manner of engaging the attention of the reader in 

 the cause of science, which renders even the most abstruse 

 subjects, in some degree, familiar with every body. We 

 thus enlist in its service the prime mover of human intellect 

 — curiosity ; and having once done that, investigation closely 

 follows. We see this method now employed in almost every 

 scientific treatise ; and much of the wonderful increase of 

 knowledge of these periods must be ascribed to it. The 

 subject of the disquisition under consideration is divided 

 into four sections ; the first section consists in the enun- 

 ciation of definitions and elementary truths ; the second 

 section contains a very clear, and in some degree original, 

 method of investigating the laws of the equilibrium of float- 

 ing bodies generally, when deflected from their quiescent 

 positions ; the equilibriums of stability, instability, and of 

 insensibilit}'', are clearly defined, and made comprehensible 

 to moderate capacities. The opening of this section strikes 

 us as being of general importance. 



*' In preparing a draught for a ship, it becomes an object 

 of primary importance to ascertain and regulate, as we pro- 

 ceed in its construction, the properties which it would give 

 to the vessel, and especially whether she would be sufficiently 

 able to restore herself to the upright position, after having 

 been deflected from it by the usual causes. If a draught be 

 not constructed with due attention to this point, a ship may 

 be built which will prove inefficient in boisterous weather, 

 and endanger her own safety, and the lives of those on 

 board. An accurate knowledge of the laws by which the 

 equilibrium of floating bodies is governed, is therefore highly 

 necessary to the constructor; and, indeed, every person in- 

 trusted with the command of a ship ought to be acquainted 

 with, at least, the general principles by which the stowage, 

 especially of merchant-ships, should be governed. If we 

 suppose, for instance, that a ship is sailing with the wind 

 abeam, or in other words, propelled by a side wind, the 

 motive power not only gives the vessel head-way, but also 

 incHnes her from the upright ; if, therefore, this last men- 

 tioned effect be not sufficiently resisted, she will be in danger 

 of upsetting in sudden and violent squalls; and when under 

 a press of sail, will always heel so much, that the wind will 



