322 Mr, Major on a Digest of the [Nov, 



on each deck, of the masts, rigging, ballast, water, and provi- 

 sions ; the moment of the guns out of water, or their weight 

 multiplied into the distance of their common centre of gra- 

 vity from the water, which is the best criterion of their force. 

 The force of stability at 10° of inclination ought also to be 

 calculated by Atwood's method, arid it would serve in the 

 experiment for finding the centre of gravity of the ship. 

 Analytical research might be carried further than this at 

 a more advanced period of naval architecture in this coun- 

 try, and ought to be ; but at present, perhaps, the above 

 outline should not be exceeded. When the analysis is interest- 

 ing, Dr. Inman's calculation for ascertaining the form between 

 "wind and water to make the ship revolve round a longitudinal 

 axis ought to be appUed. 



By documents in use at the Navy Office, the dimensions of the 

 ship, of their masts, and the number of guns and men, with the 

 draught of water, and an incorrect estimate of the tonnage, are 

 already officially noted. The accounts of the ships there 

 obtained are, however, from the infant state of the science of 

 naval architecture in this country, not very minute, or adequately 

 descriptive. It is impossible for one person to obtain by private 

 calculation enough data to guide him sufficiently in designing 

 ships, yet nothing more than what is stated is the result of 

 official duties. 



Although much has been done by the present naval adminis- 

 tration in introducing scientific knowledge into our dock yards 

 by the appointment of the students from the School of Naval 

 Architecture to offices in them, yet it has not become the official 

 duty of any one officer to be concerned in the theoretical con- 

 structions of ships. It, therefore, happens that the above 

 elements recommended, are by no means generally known, some 

 of them not at all, and most of those supposed to be so, imper- 

 fectly : the error is, therefore, as bad as ignorance ; and henc6 

 has arisen the practice of building from foreign ships. ^'J 



As the British navy contains ships of all nations, the inves- 

 tigation proposed would go far to exhibit a comparison gene- 

 rally of ships. It might be desirable also to obtain an analysis 

 of some of the latest trench and American ships, both merchant 

 and martial. 



In October, 1821, I submitted the above plan to the Honoui^- 

 able Navy Beard, and they did me the honour to approve of it, 

 by consenting to the execution of it by myself only, on account 

 of economy. As the work, however, is sufficient for the physical 

 exertions of six mathematicians for four years, with the requisite 

 assistance of labour from the dock yards, such an approbation 

 Was abortive. It was announced to me in Oct. 1822, "that it 

 was not considered necessary to prosecute the work any furthisr 

 at present." The object I had principally in view was to derive 



