246 Capt. McKonochie on the most effective Employment 



tual hold of the water by means of their paddles, in addition to 

 the friction arising from their weight ; already, in consequence, 

 the same great principle is applied, in maritime communications, 

 to certain exigencies arising from distress, or from required preci- 

 sion of time or manoeuvre, as on arriving at, or leaving a port ; 

 and its more general and systematic employment does not seem 

 beset by any insuperable difficulties. And if these difficulties 

 can be overcome, the promise is not only very great, but singu- 

 larly opportune, — economy, when trading and shipping interests 

 ho\h languish for want of return, — a certain and solid advantage, 

 founded on our superior command of machinery and fuel, when 

 foreign competition is most severe, — and security, punctuality, 

 and dispatch, when a great credit trade especially requires such 

 supports. The plan has also another advantage (in common, 

 it may be added, with most really useful novelties), it may 

 be gradually introduced, and is susceptible afterwards of in- 

 definite modification and extent. Were a couple of tugs, for 

 example, started on the Forth, they could give every little 

 port along its shores its weekly, or more frequent communica- 

 tion with Leith or Grangemouth, or both, as its affairs re- 

 quired, — giving thus the adjoining districts the same accom- 

 modation daily^ for the points of traffic would soon be known 

 for every day in the week, — and carrying home to every little 

 corner which could defray the expence of a decked launch, 

 and the occasional hire of the tug's services, the healthful sti- 

 mulus consequent on a little trade. And the same thing could 

 be easily done on every navigable river in the kingdom. The 

 system might next be applied to the transport of cattle from 

 the North Highlands to southern markets, — or to any other 

 such short coasting traffic, as, by a little care and attention, 

 could avoid the most unfavourable circumstances, till confi- 

 dence had grown to meet them too. And last would come 

 longer voyages also, for when certain fair winds, with their con- 

 comitant advantages, were thus in the market for hire, it would 

 not be a few hundred miles, more or less, which would scare 

 from their employment. The just limit would come of itself, and 

 would, in all cases, depend on the importance of punctuality, — 

 on the nature of the navigation, which when close and winding, 

 as from this country to the Baltic, is more assisted by a com- 



