170 Suggestions for the better Ventilation of 



ship-board has in very many cases laid the system open to 

 disease, which in more favourable circumstances could have 

 been easily removed. The man who could improve the pre- 

 sent wretched system would be justly entitled to the thanks 

 of every humane and benevolent individual," &c.* 



Such is the condition of a small crowded war sloop. It may 

 be said with some truth, however, that the evils of defective 

 ventilation are less felt in large men-of-war than in other sailing 

 vessels, as the regularity and attention to the cleanliness and 

 comfort of the men, and the airing of the lower decks by the 

 gun-ports, afford facilities unattainable in merchant ships. 

 Still, in the lower or orlop deck of all ships, there is difficulty 

 in establishing a constant uniform current of fresh air. The 

 usual means adopted in sailing ships to supply air below are 

 wind-sails ; these are canvass funnels suspended so as to catch 

 the wind and convey it downwards. The defects of this mode 

 of ventilating the lower decks of ships were very ably pointed 

 out a century ago (1741), in a communication by Dr Richard 

 Mead, F.R.S., and William Watson, F.R.S. (Phil. Trans., 

 vol. xlii. 1742), and several plans were suggested for introduc- 

 ing a better method. The chief inconvenience of wind-sail 

 ventilation pointed out is, that it cannot be of use either in 

 calms or gales ; hence it is not to be relied on when most 

 wanted. 



The great sickness in war and transport, or troop and hos- 

 pital ships, in the early part of last century, of which we have 

 a striking instance in Lord Anson's voyage, 1741, where it is 

 stated — " Our men dying four, five, and six in a day, and out of 

 a crew, but three months before, of between 400 and 500 men, 

 almost all of them in health and vigour, the lieutenant could 



* Afarther corroboration appears frequently in the daily prints. As an example. 

 — Portsmouth, October 7. 1843, The Cygnet 6, Lieutenant Wilson, arrived on 

 Monday from the west coast of Africa. She has been 3^ years in commission, and 

 has been remarkably healthy, and not a single death has occurred from fever of 

 the country. This may in a great degree be attributed to her roomy and well 

 ventilated lower deck ; while the RoUa, Buzzard, Lynx, and Forrester, suffered 

 dreadfully from want of proper ventilation. Most of these vessels had two or three 

 commanders, and almost a complete change of officers and crew, during the three 

 years. 



